[VIDEO] Topwater Tips for Smallmouth Bass in Calm Water

Summer smallmouth bass are a sucker for topwater lures. Wired2fish’s Kyle Peterson hits famed Mille Lacs Lake on one of those rare calm days, and the smallmouth were on the topwater chew! He shares his two favorite topwater lure categories for targeting smallmouth, when he uses each and how to fish them, and how to find high-percentage locations for targeting topwater-tuned smallies. Check out our Topwater Tips page for more in-depth content.

UNVEILING THE TOPWATER BASS FISHING STRATEGY

Peterson starts by highlighting the importance of observing surface conditions. On this particular outing, the calm water made it easy to spot surface-feeding smallmouth keyed on small baitfish. The same situation occurs during bug hatches. Peterson explains how he strategically alternates between two types of topwater lures: a walking bait and a popping bait. With their bigger profile and walk-the-dog action, walking baits commonly entice fewer but larger bites, which is ideal when targeting big smallmouths. On the other hand, poppers usually generate more strikes, especially in calm, clear-water conditions where the bass can see and hear the baits.

WHY CALM EVENINGS ARE A GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY

As the sun sets, Peterson notes the unique advantage of fishing during a calm evening. The flat water surface increases the effectiveness of topwater baits by making them more visible and audible. Peterson emphasizes that this is the perfect scenario to experiment with lure color. He points out that he prefers more natural translucent colors during the day and has better success with darker colors as the sun sets

ADAPTING TO THE SMALLMOUTH BASS BEHAVIOR

Peterson discusses how smallmouth bass are visual predators, but sound also plays an important role in drawing fish to the bait. On this particular day, clean and rocky high spots were the most productive, but don’t overlook grass beds. Clear water necessitates long casts to avoid spooking fish. Peterson details his preferred rod setups for distance-casting topwater hard baits while achieving the best possible hook-up ratio.