100 mm size seems the best overall. 

 

Allen 

I generally throw the bigger baits more to cover water & draw fish longer distances. The 6th sense Mag dog 130 has been slaying LM, SM, and Stripers for the last 2 months. Its 5”+ and 1.2oz. Really, really liking this bait. I can just about spool a Chronarch D w/19lb Defier. Its replaced the old Xrap-Walk 13, an approx 1 1/4 oz 5” lure originally targeted more for saltwater...It had a really long, gliding walk if that makes sense.

 

Historically, the smaller sammy 85 in MS American shad has given me some of the best topwater days of my life. Including a 50 fish day casting into roaming schools of threadfins. They work great everywhere, but are the absolute ticket in shallower rivers casting into little eddies and such after a bit more spooky fish. The 85 doesn’t walk like bigger Sammys,  but uniform walking like a spook is extremely overrated. Bait fish don’t really move like that across the surface- but they sure spit, twitch, jump, & roll just under the surface like that little Sammy does. We go to such great lengths & expense finding a crank bait w/that different action, tighter wobble, etc yet so many of our walking baits of the same profile look exactly the same to the fish come July.

 

To answer your question, I generally run w/the larger lures because of they're drawing power & casting distance as I often don't have a ton of time on the water w/3 kids. The big baits serve as a rattle trap of sorts for covering water. However that 85 Sammy & comparable Duo Realis do probably catch more fish, including alot of panfish. Theyre also better for target casting. I also reach for the smaller lures on shallower/lazy rivers, ESPECIALLY if theres smallies around.

I think it also makes a difference if you're fishing cover or open water.   In open water I use a pretty large bait for the drawing power.  Up close or fishing cover, a smaller bait works well.

I like the larger version of the shower blows bait.

In fact I picked up a few knock-offs and I couldn't tell the difference except on the wallet.

The knock-offs were under 2 bucks a piece with no hardware and come unpainted.

 

https://cedarrunoutdoors.com/shower-blow-style-ko-blank-large/

18 hours ago, ChrisD46 said:

*Now that's a man's man size walk-the-dog top water !! ... That thing must look like a Navy Destroyer cutting left and right (lol !!)

It definitely gets their attention. 

On 9/4/2019 at 6:18 AM, Catt said:

Well with a number of members who follow my Toledo Bend thread I'm gonna let a Catt out of the bag.

 

When conditions have "grass" just under the surface, say a foot or less, I will throw a bone colored One Knocker Spook.

 

Y'all will be amazed how well it'll draw big bass to the surface!

X2 no doubt big bass bait it don't catch fish it catches hawgs