I spend a lot of time fishing top waters, but my arsenal is very simple. The tried and true Zara Spook baits are still catching fish and high on my list. The full sized bait, super Spook Jr., and the smaller Zara Puppy all have their place. I like clear colored baits when top water fishing. Most baits will have a secondary color like green or blue, but the clearer the bait the better for me. Again no rattles if possible, I have even been known to drill and glue the rattles to silence the bait.

I like the hard to find Excalibur Spittin’ Image baits, they are walk the dog baits like the Spook, but a little more compact. I have to buy saltwater baits to find the clear colors with no rattles, but the effort is worth it. Saltwater baits usually come with poor hooks for freshwater fish so changing them out is not a bad idea.

A buzz bait is good to catch some bigger fish and smallies too. Nothing fancy here, the simpler the better. No clackers, double buzzes, bubblers, just a 3/8 oounce white skirted bait. I have a buzz bait that is probably at least 15-18 years old, I don’t even know the brand anymore. The only thing that makes this bait special is the squeak of the blade. Some folks have tied buzz baits to their antennas so when they drive down the road the blade spins and wears it some on the wire so it changes the sound. I have Booyah baits that are pretty good, but not like the “old timer.”

A buzz bait needs to get on top of the water quick, and be able to slow down and still stay on top. The speed and the sound are the important factors, not the bells and whistles.

I will try to wrap this series up next time with soft plastics. They cover a wide range of situations so it will take a little more typing to cover them.