I just spent a frustrating 4 days where the bass (at night) were constantly surfacing but wouldn't take any topwaters.  Didn't notice any bugs or anything on the surface.  I left my flyrod home but sure wish I had it along to try out on these buggers.  Do bass ever just pop up to take a look around or whatever?  I became very good at working a rebel popper but Mr. Bass didn't show any appreciation.  I like jitterbugs too but man, that splashdown is pretty terrific.

Tucson, i've had days like that, it is very frustrating.  maybe a fluke or a worm worked slowly would have gotten them to open up.

Alfred

Can you give us your cadence, speed, how fast you worked the bait?

What was the surface conditions, glassed, slight ripple, chop, heavy chop.

Any other factors,  color and type of bait, cover,  late evening, baitfish present?

Matt Fly:

Started working the popper rather slowly - took a little practice to pop it properly, then tried for a faster quicker series of pops back to the boat.  This was after midnight, close to a full moon with a very slight chop to almost glassy conditions.  A silver Rebel with white belly and pretty much no cover of any type.  This lake doesn't have any weeds or much in the way of brush.  

Didn't notice any baitfish presence but who knows?  Thanks for your input.  Next time the fly rod goes with me.  At least I could have eliminated one possibility.

How can you be certain that they were bass that were surfacing?

The reason you weren't catching them Tucson is probably because you were using a silver colored bait with a white bottom. When fishing at night, a white bottom does not show up very well. Try using an all black topwater popper or jitterbug because it really stands out against the night sky due to its sillhouette.

there is a definite possiblitly that they weren't bass.  Bluegill will do this alot.  If it was bass feeding actively on the surface a popper or little rebel should have gotten struck.

There are times where I have noticed bream and other meat eaters like catfish up on top.  In my experience the bass are underneath. If the water is shallow a fluke will usually buy a strike.  If deeper a lipped crank or ratLtrap.

If you know for sure it's bass and your just having trouble fooling them, I find that if I stay put and stay quiet, I can get a bite.  For a quiet approach a popper just sitting and bobbing in the water can be deadly.  For a little commotion, a jitterbug is hard to beat.  and when all else fails go for the reaction bite with the buzzer.  My new favorite for finicky bass is the chatterbait.

Sometimes what you are seeing is the baitfish being pushed to the surface. Bass will sometimes crash the bait under the surface and the shad don't have anywhere else to go but up.

Surfacing bass feeding on shad or bream usually make a lot of splash. They are not timid about eating another fish. If all you saw and heard were little dimples and tiny waterspits and splashes a quarter dollar might make dropped in, probably all that was there were baitfish or small panfish. If bass were there they would be flopping in the water. It was your signal to move on. I'd have fished the very outside edges of the surface activity where bass will lurk looking for stragglers, then give up on the spot after 10 minutes with a popper.

When casting a chugger like a Jitter Bug, when you think it's close to splashdown stop the spool firmly and jerk the rod tip back a foot to suspend the bait in mid air a bit, letting it fall straight down instead of plowing into the water. You need a stiff action rod for that. Letting it smack forward often fouls the line in the hooks. If you jerk too hard stopping it in flight the line can tangle. Always drop the lure well past the intended strike zone.

Jim

Thanks to everyone for the input.  They were definitely bass and some pretty nice size (I assume smallmouth) and they were clearing the surface, sometimes completely airborne.  Incidentally, I did hook up to something pretty strong on the Rebel popper but lost it at the boat.  This activity continued sporadically throughout the night for several nights in succession.

I won't say the white bellie didn't show,  But at night, would that look normal to look up on the surface and see a bait fishs white bellie.

Now that you added you had some lookers and takers.   What was you doing when you got strikes or the one hook up.    Maybe the speed was correct, but a black or dark color bait which most would suggest might be the ticket.

Things to think about.    Did I make too much noise, not enough noise.   What speed did they show the most interest in.      Did your back treble have a feather added, was it white also or black.

Think about what was working and tweak that presentation.    You might try a black and blue single bladed colorado spinner bait just below the surface.    Nice and slow to give max vibration and slight wake just under the surface.

Hookem

Matt