Just looking for some opinions...... I am in alabama.  The lakes I mainly fish are done with spawn for the most part with very few parts still have some bedding fish.  Water temp is around 76-77 in most places.  I have been on a pretty good topwater and jerkbait bite on some shallow flats and connecting grass beds.  I am wondering if the topwater bite is worth chasing this time of year in a tournament.  It always seems that I can go out in practice catch a couple of 3lbers but never when it counts they are always small.  Plus the missed opportunities from fishing topwater make me wonder if I am doing the total wrong thing.  I know I am trying to ride the top water bite too long, but should I even try it at all?

i dont fish tournaments, but heres what i would do. it may be worth a shot but if youre not getting what youre looking for then dont spend too much time throwing topwater and do what you normally would do. or you could just leave something topwater tied on one of your setups and try it if you think conditions arise that you can throw it successfully...

Is the topwater bite worth chasing in a tournament?

A topwater bite is just like any other bite. Try it, but be able to realize when you should go to something else.

If you're not getting the bites on top it may just be the wrong time so dont abandon it totally. Pick it up and throw it every now and then throughout the day.

In a tournament, I think its a gamble more than other techniques because usually you are going to lose more fish than you will other techniques.  But then again it may be the only thing the fish will bite so you will have to deal with it.

The only topwater bite I find is usually worth chasing is a popper for schoolies to bang out a limit quick or a buzzbait just above the veggies.

Buzzbait = big fish

Maybe, how about an 8.19 and a 10.51 on top (Black buzzbait) the first day of a two day on fork a couple of years ago. I'll let you be the judge.

It seems to me that in a tournament you are not fishing technique as much as you are fishing an area - hopefully an area with fish that can win the tournament - in other words, if your area has submerged vegetation, maybe a topwater technique would be the way to draw them up - but if it is visible brushpiles or rocky banks - you may want to go another way.

If you caught them pre fishing that way, it is absolutely the way to start. I wouldn't not use it because of a tournament. I've caught 17lbs on a pop r in a tournament and 19 on a buzzbait, if that's what they want use it.

I think anything is worth chasing in a tournament You just have to learn when to quit and try a different technique. That's why its a good idea to have multiple rods rigged with multiple baits. Throw the topwater a few times, if it doesn't work, toss out something else OR if you have a missed topwater strike, toss out a soft plastic where the strike occurred and see if you can grab the fish that way.

Yes, absolutely. My partner and I won our classic a few years ago exclusively throwing topwater all day. I admit it was one of the best topwater days we had ever had but, if we didn't try it we wouldn't have had a shot at winning.

In the past, I have always tried topwater in tournaments early because it is a very effective way to fish for active fish in the mornings.  I usually have something else in mind for when the blazing hot sun gets up here though.

In a tournament or not always give them what they want

I have not fished any tournaments yet but it seems to me that passing up an opportunity to top water fish is like passing up the opportunity to throw a t-rig either way you miss out by not trying it.

It depends on the topwater bite. I fish Guntersville and I know frogs and buzzbaits account for big fish there. If your on a buzzbait bite you can catch some big fish. On the other hand if your on a popper bite and catching small fish in pockets then it may not be. Just figure out the quality of fish you think you will need and see if the fish your catching will accomplish the task.