I've seen many videos on topwater river/stream smallmouth. Most, if not all, use the 1/8oz rebel popper. I would like to hear from people that use this lure, and catch big (16+") smallmouth. My confidence in this bait is low, and I know it would work. please help me.

-jedwards, monocacy river, md

i use the popper in the crik a lot its real tough to use when theres a current what i do is either cast up stream and pop and sit and when i let it sit the current starts moving it and after 2-3 seconds i give another pop with good results the other way i use it is cast up near the shore line around fallen trees and other brush and pop it back into the main current ive had pretty good luck with both but i feel it works best when the current is a little slower

I fish the rebel Pop R and catch more small fish than large. It used to be the only top water I fish but I don't use it as much any more.I have been having a lot of success with the small strike king buzzbaits. You can throw this in riffles, fast current or slow current and they produce all sizes of fish. Also today I was using a Zara Spook on the Schuylkill River and had good success with that, if you can walk the dog. It takes a bit of practice but the bass love it.

I've been targeting smallmouth on my local stream heavily for 3 years now. I started out using small poppers, small spinnerbaits and buzzbaits, and other small lures. Lately, I've changed my strategy.

In the last 2 weeks I've caught 3 fish over 16" along w/ many others. One measured 20". I've been throwing a 3/8 oz. war eagle buzzbait, black with gold blades. The smallies are loving it and it is weeding out the dinks. Throw it over deeper water, in the current, and by structure.

As far as a popper goes, I use a #7 skitter pop and make short quick pops as fast as I can. Sometimes I pause once or twice during the retrieve and other times I just keep popping it all the way in. They inhale it even when its going fast.

By the look of your pic, the stream I'm fishing is about the same size, no bigger.

Rebel poppers and rebel minnows. jerk, pop, drift, they all work. In two feet of water, or ten. And yes playing the opposite shoreline works great as Gall said.

I fish the rebel Pop R and catch more small fish than large. It used to be the only top water I fish but I don't use it as much any more.I have been having a lot of success with the small strike king buzzbaits. You can throw this in riffles, fast current or slow current and they produce all sizes of fish. Also today I was using a Zara Spook on the Schuylkill River and had good success with that, if you can walk the dog. It takes a bit of practice but the bass love it.

Upper or Lower Schuylkill? The upper anywhere north of birdsboro is my playground.

Thanks for the tips everyone. I think im going to buy a strike king mini pro buzz.. My stream has a few good smallmouth in it, and lots of changing structure. I hope the buzzbait lets me fish all the places, and catch all the fish.