Type, color, pattern, size, brand, rod and reel choices, line, wood/plastic...

my top 2 would be zoom horney toads and yellow magic poppers(japanese shad). 65lb. samurai braid on the frogs with a 7'  heavy rod and a calcutta 200gtb.  I fish frogs in lillypads here so i want a rod strong enough to pull em out of them pads.  plus I feel safe yanking on em with that calcutta.  super rigid frame. lost a 10+ lber this summer on 20# big game in the middle of the pads.  that was and is the last time this reel sees mono.

Spro Bronzeye Frog...  Rainforest black..  65lb Braid.. 

Some of my favorites are the Rapala Skitter walk, Heddon Torpedo and zara spook.  The zara spook comes in several sizes, some with a single knocker, some with multiple and some with none.  I believe this allows be to be more versatile.  Topwater is my favorite way to fish so I like having options like this.

LC Sammy 100 in Ghost Minnow on a Dobyns 704CB/Citica 200E with 12lb Triple Fish X-Rated Monofilament

JITTERBUG

JITTERBUG

x2 also #7 & # 9 floating rap

Buzzbaits hands down with a close second by the spro frog and zara spook takes third, when the bite is on and sun is setting you cant beat a topwater

Black jointed jitterbug. Why? very easy too use, and I catch fish on it nearly every outing.

JITTERBUG

X4 !

My favorite is a Rebel Pop-R in bone color. I do some modifications to the lip area and hooks to get it to work like I want it to. I'm not sure what it is but for me, it out fishes all other topwater baits combined for me.

tossup between a black 3/8oz secret weapon buzzbait with a colorado blade behind the buzzer. Or luckycraft sammy 115 in American shad.

1.  Cavitron Buzzbait.

2.  RICO.

3.  Pink or White Trick Worm

Color and size depends on the waters being fished and the overall conditions. 

#1 3X Zulu's White/Pearl, big spots (4#) love this lure locally during spawn....

#2 Rattling Chugg Bug Chrome/Blue, why because the big spots (4#) after spawn in my waters can't stay off of it..

#3 Buzzbaits Chart/White, because it works all the time....

Tight Lines!!! 

The Johnson spoon coupled with a pork chunk, single or twin tail grub, Zoom 3" Swimmin Chunk or just a skirt will make the bait buoyant slowing the rate of fall. Casting the Johnson spoon is like casting spinner baits in that the instant before touch down engage your reel hold your rod high and start reeling. If you reel fast enough you can skitter the spoon across the surface of any vegetation.

As with any top water bait you must wait until you feel the weight of the bass before setting hook. When I see or feel the strike I point my rod towards the fish, reel down to semi-slack, feel the fish, & then use a quick snap hook set. Many anglers use braided line for harder hook set but I feel this more often than not pulls the bait from the fish's mouth.

Any time I'm fishing a top water bait of any kind I'll have a Texas rig on the deck for follow up cast to missed fish. I'll usually opt for weightless or 1/32nd or 1/16th oz bullet weight; another excellent setup is a Texas rigged trick worm with a nail in the tail.

Spoon feeding bass in heavy vegetation aint for the weak hearted

JITTERBUG

+1^ It ain't the newest gee-whiz, high tech lure, but I've caught more topwater bass on jitterbugs than any other lure.

Favorite color? An old, beat up one that I spray painted solid black.

Tom

My favorite topwater lure, is a Rage Tail Shad, in black neon. I can throw it anywhere, including some nasty slop, and they flat out catch fish. This is actually my favorite bait, period. Also having caught my PB with one (gr.pumpkin/chartreuse) doesn't hurt either, but it's very exciting to fish with.

Heddon Torpedo or floating Rapala

If I were allowed only one I'll choose a Yellow Magic Popper, give me two colors. I'll choose Bone for overcast days and the Bream color at other times. I can walk it ,skitter it and spit it. This one does not need to be modified it's perfect right out of the box. I throw this on a 6'6" Med rod with 14 lb mono.

I need to get into topwaters more. Only thing I've ever used and was successful on was a buzzbait and they've always been chartreuse or chartreuse/white. Got one of the Rapala Skitterpops for Christmas so we'll see how that goes. I've had others including some of the Heddon Spit'n Images and Spooks, Rebel Pop-R's, and various other poppers and walkers for years but never use them at all. When I did they never worked so I just quit using them and gave most of them away over time.

Megabass POP-MAX

Unique styling, hi grade components, masterful

finish, casts well and is very effective.

http://www.megabass.co.jp/product_detail.php?keyid=86&item1=1

8-)

If I were allowed only one I'll choose a Yellow Magic Popper, give me two colors. I'll choose Bone for overcast days and the Bream color at other times. I can walk out ,skitter it and spit it. This one does not need to be modified it's perfect right out of the box. I throw this on a 6'6" Med rod with 14 lb mono.

it's about time someone else mentions this.  Ill challenge anyone with this lure.  I cant believe this lure hasn't been mentioned more.  it was hard for me to drop 15 bucks but after the first morning...i have no more problems spending that kind of money for "that" bait

1. Popper- Excalibur or Any brand really...

(shad/chrome/blue)- needs the right RATTLE.

2. Gambler Cane Toad-(Black and White)

3. Buzzbait- Chartruse w/ red bleeder- from Walmart

Those have produced consistently over the years.

I don't fix what's not broken.

pop-r. need a bit of dark colour on belly for me...LM & SM almost anytime.

buzz bait. white/chart with black or blue...'cause it's a blast to fish.

pupfish (or look-alike). bone...'cause it's so easy to walk and the smallies love it.

TJ

frog and popper. love the explosionon from the bass on those two baits