when do smallies start hitting top water lures? is it water temp related?

ive only ever tried late in the summer when there are too many weeds to fish anything else.

The water needs to warm up a bit, but you should give them a try NOW! My best bite on topwater has been on a full-sized Zara Spook, frog pattern.

BTW, That's quite a fish in your avatar. What did she weigh?

8-)

when do smallies start hitting top water lures? is it water temp related?

ive only ever tried late in the summer when there are too many weeds to fish anything else.

They have been very active on top where I am at. The norman top dollar has been very effective. It is an interesting lure....a walk the dog style mixed with a little pop'r. It is hell on hybrids but have found it to work well on smallies. My experience is that they like big noisy topwaters. However, I admittedly suck at finding the quality smallies. I catch a bunch of them in the 1.5lb to 2lb category.

http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product_10151_-1_10001_98857_100005003_100000000_100005000_100-5-3

BTW: The surface temp has been 72-76.

The water needs to warm up a bit, but you should give them a try NOW! My best bite on topwater has been on a full-sized Zara Spook, frog pattern.

BTW, That's quite a fish in your avatar. What did she weigh?

8-)

it weighed 5lbs 1oz. not my biggest, but its the best picture

water temp up here is right at 58*. i tried a spook for about an hour last night but the water is still muddy from a storm earlier this week and they werent hitting for anyone.

at 58 degrees i would still be using suspending jerk baits

however they will still hit top waters at that point

when the lake gets cleared up try a hedon torpedo clear

have landed some massive smallies on those up on Erie