Just checking out the sneak peak photos on Bassmaster website. While these frogs have unbelievable detail I'm wondering how important is detail on the top side of a topwater bait. I would think the only part of the frog the fish will see is the underside or belly. While the frog looks awesome would there be any benefit in paying more for the extra detail? My guess would be no.

If you put most topwater lures in a pool and swim under them and look up most of them look black or really dark against the sky anyway. So I think color on a topwater does not matter as much as in other techniques. Especially with all the great color patterns out there, most of the bellys on them are white, and I believe that the majority of cool colors are to catch fisherman.

However there must be an exception, and I would say with lures that are clear or semi transparent this may not be as much the case. Also with finicky fish that nose up and suck them down I would place an importance on color.

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@Bass Junkie - you do realize you can edit your old post's if you mess up? On the top right side it will have a modify post button while looking at it.

Anyway, all that extra detail is to catch anglers, not fish I'll admit, the more detail I see on a bait, the more I want it... But look at some of the best lures out there (the fluke, the senko, etc...) they have almost no features, yet produce the most. I think it's more presentation than detail.

I think the only time detail really matters is if your using a suspending jerkbait or something similar that's going to be hanging in the strike zone motionless for an extended period of time.

@Bass Junkie - you do realize you can edit your old post's if you mess up? On the top right side it will have a modify post button while looking at it.

Anyway, all that extra detail is to catch anglers, not fish I'll admit, the more detail I see on a bait, the more I want it... But look at some of the best lures out there (the fluke, the senko, etc...) they have almost no features, yet produce the most. I think it's more presentation than detail.

I think the only time detail really matters is if your using a suspending jerkbait or something similar that's going to be hanging in the strike zone motionless for an extended period of time.

I've got a few swimbaits that might change your mind.   

Realism on lures that are worked below the surface can't hurt IMO.  I agree with the topwater assessment for the most part.

I do love a good looking lure though.   ;D

SPEEDBEAD. I meant on the topwater lures. Sorry, I should have clarified  Like I started to say at the end, I think lures that hang in the water column need the detail, especially ones that are going to sit or move slow.

A lot of baits are viewed from the side by Bass, even walking baits. Also, if you have ever paused a walking bait, you'll notice the back end sinks in the water, sitting in a nose up position. This allows for Bass to study the bait a bit, especially if its a pause lasting more than a few seconds. As for their other baits, water clarity has a great deal to do with the necessity of realism in color patterns. And realism adds a great boost of confidence, which is a definitive good thing  8-)

I only have 3 topwater frogs. A black one, a white one and a green one with a yellow belly, i think that would be the basics.