I have no objections about using saltwater jerkbaits in fresh water. As a matter of fact I have seen good catches of large mouth bass with the Smith Saruna and some other SW jerkbaits. The issue comes up, in my humble opinion, when using top water lures, especially poppers. I purchased a SW Yo Zury popper and cast it into a lake: It did float but it would stand totally vertical, that is, by no means leaning which is the position I am used to seeing. The popping action was made by retrieving too fast or at least faster than with the regular FW poppers. Difference in buoyancy might be an issue because salt water is denser (about 1.03 g/cm3). 

I would like to know if someone have successfully used some SW topwater lure in fresh water fishing.

Bass don't know they are SW lures? One of my best crankbaits is for walleye. Favorite finesse worm is made for steelhead. 

 

Allen 

When I used my Yo Zuri sw popper the only difference to me was it had no feathered treble. Seemed like  the same action.

I use salt water lures in fresh water and fresh water lures in salt water.  The fish don't seem to know the difference.  The largest pike I've caught took a 4 inch mackerel pattern Yozuri shallow diver.  If they're only going to see fresh water action most of the time I'll replace the stainless hooks with the fresh water version.  The flies I use for bass when I fly fish for them are often the same flies I use for blues and stripers in salt water.  You shouldn't have any issue using them.

Cordell Pencil Popper is a salt water stripe bass lure that transitioned to a fresh water class of poppers that float tail down.

Lures designed for salt water usually have heavier wire hooks tin of zinc plated to protect the metal and hold up with big hard fighting fish like tuna. Fresh water lures usually have light Nickle or black Nickle plating that don’t hold up well in salt water or hard fighting fish.

Fast spitting retrieves often create more strike then slow popping retrieve 

Tom

Any bait that sits tail down in the water will give you a much better hook up ratio than one that sits flat. 

Most salt water poppers and walking baits will sit tail down, vertical, or even sink at rest. The reason for this is that they are designed to cast longer into gnarlier conditions with heavier gear. As mentioned above, fish don't know the intended use or the salinity of their environment. I use frsh water lures in the salt, and salt water lures in fresh water quite often. When going from salt to fresh, step down the hooks a bit, and vise versa.

I've seen saltwater topwaters being used for peacock bass.

13 hours ago, RyAxion said:

I've seen saltwater topwaters being used for peacock bass.

They only read Spanish and Portuguese, so they don't know the package says salt water...

 

I have caught freshwater fish on saltwater lures and saltwater fish on freshwater lures. Fish will bite any lure you present well.

MirrOLure's Top Dog, She Dog, Paul Brown's Soft Dog, MirrO Prop ™