learnin

Used to do a lot of it 50 years ago on the upper James and Maury rivers when I lived in Virginia. Top baits were helgrammites or Mepps spinners. Caught some nice channel cats on the helgrammites occasionally. If I had to pick one way to bass fish and could still do it that would be it.

Did ok yesterday. Fished five hours before it got too windy. I tried a 3/32 Gamagakatsu "Tricky Head", "shake&glide" Shaky head hook with a 4" green pumpkin TRD Ned Rig bait. The guy I was fishing with used a standard 1/6th oz Ned Rig set up with a 2&3/4 green pumpkinTRD. We caught seven, I got five including one that measured 21&1/2" that we figured was an easy 5LB+. Big difference in hang ups. I had three he had a lot more. Will try this again.

Again, thanks to all that responded. A lot of helpful info here.

Thanks to all for the info. I'll give them a try with 3/32 and 1/16th heads if it's not too windy.

We've had pretty good luck overall with standard green pumpkin TRDs and Zoom jig head Ned Rigs. We usually fish a Rocky bottom reservoir and get a lot of hang ups. Several people suggested that we' d probably do just as well using green pumpkin plastics on Shakey Head rigs without near as many hangups. Never fished Shakey Head baits before but am willing to give it a try. Can I expect less hang ups with Shakey Heads?

Good info greentrout thanks for posting.

Thanks to all that responded. Good to see the Mepps is still alive and well.

I used to do a lot of smallmouth fishing in the upper James River in SW Virginia. At that time, 1960s & 70s, Mepps spinners seemed to be the top artificial bait. Anyone still using them for river smallmouths?

Tried a new to me Shimano 6 ft Sensilight light power spinning rod with an older Shimano Symetre FJ 1000 reel. Six lb Suffix braid with a 6lb flurocarbon leader and 1/15th oz Z Man jigs with 2&3/4 Ned Rig baits All of it worked well from dinks up to three 17 inchers, Hadn't used the reel in awhile and was impressed with how smooth it functioned including the drag with the 17s.

2&3/4", 1/10th oz Green Pumpkin Z Man Ned Rig 9lb year before last.

Ned Rig, Z Man Pop R Rico 5" Senko "Keeper" 4" worm Rattle Trap Floating Rapala

Probably an ignorant question but here goes. I like using a baitcaster for topwater fishing but there's times when a backhand cast is all that will work for getting the bait where you want it. I realize the pros and some amateurs can make this look easy but I've found it's a lot tougher than it looks. The only way I can sometimes get it right for both reasonable distance and accuracy is to lighten up considerably on spool tension which also sometimes results in backlashes. Am I on the right track re spool tension or is this type cast something that just takes a lot of practice to master. After working on it for a while it's easy to understand the popularity of spinning gear.

Thanks to all for the info.

Is there any water temp that's generally accepted as too low for effective topwater fishing?

Yep, glad that didn't happen . I got the popper back and the fish got away. That was a really good fish. I got one a week before on the same lure that might have gone four lbs based on it's length. This one wasn't on that long felt a lot stronger.