Got a few fish to eat a zara puppy in a pond this evening, probably 6 or 7 strikes, 3 dinks landed. Had a lot of fun catching my first topwater fish here in central VA this year. Also saw a small male that was definitely guarding a bed, he was the only one though, lots of others sitting in shallow water but not on beds. 

 

Like to see that Lure works, lol! Just bought some at Walmart for $1.50 each and that was one of them

Top water still isn't biting for me in NY, hopefully soon though. I miss those top water strikes!

Like to see that Lure works, lol! Just bought some at Walmart for $1.50 each and that was one of them

The zara puppies absolutely rock! I bought about 10 when they had the sale last year, but had been fishing them long before that. Smallmouth will crush them too. I got some of the others as experimental baits, and turns out, the rebel teeny wee-r and the smaller version of the rebel floater are great summertime crappie cranks, and in the winter/early spring they are great for largemouth! I caught a 24" largemouth on the 2.5" rebel floater in early march this year.