# No topwater love from the smallies..



## celtic11 (Jun 30, 2011)

I've got a little section of river where I've had a lot of success pulling out medium sized smallies with tubes and rebel craws. My problem is these baits seem to drop off in production at dusk and early morning as well. I can see the smallies hitting the top but I can't get them on. I've tried a black/blue buzzbait and a black jitterbug. I also have a popper that I haven't tried yet. Any secret to this or just keep at it?

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## Govbarney (Jan 3, 2011)

How large of a Buzzbait? And are you adding a trailer?

I have alot more sucess with river smallies using a small Pond Magic buzzbait, and I always use a trailer (twister tail ). The color of the trailer should offset the bait i.e a chartreuse grub on a black buzzbait.


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## Scum_Frog (Apr 3, 2009)

also try a small zaraspook.....other than that govbarney has the right idea.....if ur throwing a buzzbait u def want a twister on offsetting the two....goodluck!


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## Smallmouth Crazy (Apr 4, 2006)

I have been throwing jitterbugs and Pop-r for the last couple weeks with limited results. Most of the time we have been fishing between 9-11PM.


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## Bassbme (Mar 11, 2012)

A Tiny Torpedo is a smallmouth killer. They come in 4 different sizes. The Tiny and the Baby sizes are probably the best for smallies. One suggestion if you use them, and it's really something you should do rather than a suggestion..... Take a pair of side cutters and cut the stock hooks off, then put a split ring on the hook hanger and then put a new treble hook (Owner ST 36 are the kind I use) on the split ring. Use as close to the same size hook that came on it as you can. It will increase your landing percentage big time.


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## celtic11 (Jun 30, 2011)

Bassbme said:


> A Tiny Torpedo is a smallmouth killer. They come in 4 different sizes. The Tiny and the Baby sizes are probably the best for smallies. One suggestion if you use them, and it's really something you should do rather than a suggestion..... Take a pair of side cutters and cut the stock hooks off, then put a split ring on the hook hanger and then put a new treble hook (Owner ST 36 are the kind I use) on the split ring. Use as close to the same size hook that came on it as you can. It will increase your landing percentage big time.


Im still learning all these lures.. is that made by Heddon?

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## Bassbme (Mar 11, 2012)

celtic11 said:


> Im still learning all these lures.. is that made by Heddon?
> 
> Outdoor Hub mobile, the outdoor information engine



Yep..........It's made by Heddon. The bull frog color works great. You just fish it with little twitches. Just like you'd fish a popper. Twitch it just enough to make the prop spit some water. Twitch it a couple of times and let it sit. Then let it sit some more. I've had a lot of hits when the lure is just sitting there. Once you have one of them in your hands you'll see why I suggested cutting the hooks off and putting a split ring on. The way the hooks are on the stock hook hangers make it way too easy for the hook to bind and lock up when you have a fish on.


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## celtic11 (Jun 30, 2011)

Bassbme said:


> Yep..........It's made by Heddon. The bull frog color works great. You just fish it with little twitches. Just like you'd fish a popper. Twitch it just enough to make the prop spit some water. Twitch it a couple of times and let it sit. Then let it sit some more. I've had a lot of hits when the lure is just sitting there. Once you have one of them in your hands you'll see why I suggested cutting the hooks off and putting a split ring on. The way the hooks are on the stock hook hangers make it way too easy for the hook to bind and lock up when you have a fish on.


Got the tiny torpedo last night but they didn't have the bull frog one so I got one in baby bass. Not to sound too much like a rookie here, but as far as replacing the trebles.. is the split ring thing you talked about something ill find in the fishing aisle or is this just a general item?

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## therockgj (Feb 21, 2011)

celtic11 said:


> Got the tiny torpedo last night but they didn't have the bull frog one so I got one in baby bass. Not to sound too much like a rookie here, but as far as replacing the trebles.. is the split ring thing you talked about something ill find in the fishing aisle or is this just a general item?
> 
> Outdoor Hub mobile, the outdoor information engine


Baby Bass is solid color, maybe more for largemouth, but still solid...


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## Govbarney (Jan 3, 2011)

Question: 

Where do people add the trailer (e.g. grub) when they are using a secondary trailer/stringer hook on a Buzzbait?


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## Bassbme (Mar 11, 2012)

celtic11 said:


> Got the tiny torpedo last night but they didn't have the bull frog one so I got one in baby bass. Not to sound too much like a rookie here, but as far as replacing the trebles.. is the split ring thing you talked about something ill find in the fishing aisle or is this just a general item?
> 
> Outdoor Hub mobile, the outdoor information engine


Yeah, you should be able to find them in the fishing isle. If you cant' find them there you can do what I do. If you have any crankbaits that you don't use just take the split rings off of it, and use them. Heck you may even be able to use the trebles that are on the old crankbait. Although personally I'd put on new quality trebles. You always want the best and sharpest treble hooks (Owner ST 36) you can find, especially with a top water bait.


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## streamstalker (Jul 8, 2005)

Poppers are great lures. So are buzzers, jitterbugs, spooks, etc. In rivers/creeks, with jitterbugs I find they work best on smooth bends. Buzz baits I like fishing cross current moving them through eddy pools. Poppers work great next to cover, in eddy pools, or ripping them with the current. When fishing jitterbugs, retrieve them slow and steady, rod tip up, with no line in the water so that you get that nice burble. Let poppers sit in a spot for a while. Give them a few blurps and wait some more. If that doesn't work, just blast them pop-pop-pop across the top---but that's more of a mid-day technique along with working them in current. Spooks/walkbaits work well with nice steady walk action in calm water or smooth current.

The biggest thing with topwater is not to set the hook as soon as you see/hear the hit. Quickly stick your arms forward, crank in the slack, and then let them have it.

Topwater is like a hot tease. You get a flash and put in a lot of work that is rarely worth it......except when it is.


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## JimmyZ (May 18, 2004)

You need to just stick with it. Poppers r great in low rivers. I like to throw them along current edge. Around big rocks especially where current flow around it. I tied one on and kept using it till I figured it out. Smallmouth in low rivers are always looking up. That thought helped me out. They will absolutey explode on it. Lm more just pick it off the water. And sometimes they will just flat out miss the bait. Usually if they don't catch a hook u can throw right back and get another hit. 

Warning though, once u start catching them like this just about every other method will seem boring.


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