Best time of year to use wakebaits? 

Just picked myself up a few. Have never topwater fished like this. Do Pop-r’s, spools, buzz figured I’d give it a try. When I kick my season off I’m fishing them shallow right away. Here in PA weather is starting to come around. 

No single best time, wakebaits can be used most of the year, just gotta adapt a little. I catch fish right after ice out into mid-spring on manns minus 1's cranking them moderately fast to a straight burn, flats areas are best this time of year on my lakes. Approaching spawn I break out larger two piece wakes and rats and do well on those through summer into late fall with a generally slower pace right down to a painstakingly slow crawl. The slower approach works best for me shallow (less than 5')... weedlines/points, inside or out, pockets, banks, docks, moored boats, hard structure in general.

I fish wake baits from winter temps at or near 40, to summer time temps. I live in Ma, I’ve caught fish on big wakebaits 12 months of the year.

 

ice out all the way till summer and the fall cool down are great time for wakes. 
 

ice out on a sunny day those bass will go shallow, your legit going right over their heads. They can’t pass up an easy meal. Summer - Fall fish them tight to cover. 

also night time all year long! 

1 hour ago, Mr. Aquarium said:

also night time all year long!