Was fishing with a guy yesterday that I've not fished with before and learned something simple.

Got on the water a little before sunrise and fish were crashing the top.

I was throwing a Devils horse and he a WP 90.

He was working the WP with 3 erratic jerks and then a short pause similar to the way I work a Devils horse.

We both caught a half dozen fish and I learned something new.

 

BTW, I've always been a steady retrieve and maybe 1 pause with a WP.

I have fished top water with some of the best.   I can tell you with certainty that a retrieve with short erratic jerks catches more fish.  This action mimics a wounded bait fish and can draw fish from a wide area.  A live critter swimming across the top of the water is not that unusual.   A live wounded critter thrashing on top gets much more attention.  If the fish are hitting everything, you won't notice the difference.  If they are picky, it does.  Tournament fishermen that specialize in top water lures fish much faster than you would think.  Fishing like that is power fishing at it's best. 

Sounds like all he needed was a spook. 

I fish it both ways and often vary the retrieve to see what they want. 

 

Sometimes they want a slow steady retrieve, but other times pulsing it with pauses in between, like you would a popper or jerkbait, can really get them going.

I do that often. I may cast and reel back on a straight retrieve 2-3 times, then cast it out and twitch it like a popper. It can and will catch bass either way.