I've always had it in my mind that when the water tempature hits the 50's its time to put away the topwaters, but today the only thing I could catch any bass on was a rage craw buzzed on top and the water tempature was 55-58°. I guess I need to rethink my original idea, when do y'all stop throwing topwaters?

The sixty and below mark is the same for me.  There are always those days that buck the trend.

In my experience fish are still pretty active when the water is in the 50's, even more so in the upper 50's.  Depends on the circumstances, it wouldn't be too high on my list for my local waters but I wouldn't count it out either.  

 

I caught a bass on a popper once in 47 degree water.  It was late November on Conowingo and I just happened to have my popper rod still rigged and untouched from a tournament in October.  I was in a productive area and just got a gut feeling so I dug it out of the locker and made a few casts....Got lucky .  

 

A guy in my club once caught one on a popper during a March tournament on the Potomac when the water had be even colder than that, I remember it being maybe 45 degrees or so...But he could have been in one of the warm water discharges.

The truth is that never, it´s a matter of that there are better days for them than other.

Top waters work year round where the water does not get solid.  

Once water temp is under 50 for me. I mentioned on here before about a 8+ caught at lake of the ozarks in mid December.

That is interesting for me to read because on my lake, the topwater bite stops in the fall once the water reaches about 65 degrees.  It is probably relative, because the lowest the water temp gets here is about 55 degrees.  In the spring, once the water reaches 65 or so again, it picks back up.

Dinner time.

I put them away when the shadow comes off the water.

On some dark bottom bays they are biting very late. As long as bait moves in & out to feed. The bass will take top waters.

The truth is that never, it´s a matter of that there are better days for them than other.

In Florida I never put them a way.  My waters are not deep, over the last few months about 95% of my bass have been caught on topwater, I'm not really fishing any other way...........it's the most fun for me.

In Florida I never put them a way.  My waters are not deep, over the last few months about 95% of my bass have been caught on topwater, I'm not really fishing any other way...........it's the most fun for me.

Topwater bite is pretty good for us down here almost year round or until we get consistent cold weather. Then it may shut down for a little while. But since that hasn't happen yet, fish away.... 

Topwater bite is pretty good for us down here almost year round or until we get consistent cold weather. Then it may shut down for a little while. But since that hasn't happen yet, fish away.... 

x2.

The truth is that never, it´s a matter of that there are better days for them than other.

Ditto. Even when bass are suspended in cooler waters they can be called up by a walking spool or a popper that sits there for a long time.

I agree with a lot of the comments who say never. Here in Florida we can use top water lures year round. Heck, I even often use a weightless rubber worm with a #4 hook only and work it around on the surface in heavy cover, over grass, etc.

 

Even when it gets cold here, I can still use top water and instead of the bass hitting on it, the sunshine bass and stripers will.

Low 50's are my cutoff but they can be caught below that, and they're usually big fish too it seems.