I fish for bass year round, however there’s a few seasonal patterns I look forward to every year. One of my most anticipated patterns is the shallow water topwater bite. With rising water temperatures all over the country, the post spawn topwater bite is quickly approaching. You can catch bass on a variety of topwaters this time of year, however I always like to experiment with new baits. One of my favorite baits I’ve tested over the last several months is the Yo-Zuri 3DB Wake Prop. This bait is super unique and boast several unique features that make it a true fish catcher.
WAKE PROP BUILD
This innovative hard bait design is meant to combine both the action of a wake bait and topwater prop bait. The Yo-Zuri 3DB Wake Prop features a beefy profile and a single jointed design meant to create a natural walking action. This bait also features a vertical bill and large prop meant to create lots of disturbance in the water. The combination of both a wake and prop bait creates a pronounced wobbling and rolling action you can’t find anywhere else.
This bait features all the quality components you would come to expect from the 3DB series. The 3DB Wake Prop features 3D eyes and Yo-Zuri’s patented internal painted gills, fins, scales, and 3D prism finishes. The 3D prism finish reflects light into the water column creating a flashy look as the bait moves across the water. Finished off with premium hooks, the Yo-Zuri 3DB Wake Prop has everything you need to both entice and catch big topwater bass.
WAKE PROP APPLICATIONS
Topwater season is without a doubt one of my favorite times to fish. There is virtually no limitations on where you can throw the 3DB Wake Prop, however I’ve found a few fail safe locations that I always check this time of year. One of my favorite places to throw the Wake Prop is around shallow sea walls. Bass use this location to both spawn and feed up during the post spawn. Sea walls are also synonymous for holding shad spawns in the early morning this time of year.
Throwing the Yo-Zuri 3DB Wake Prop around this shallow structure is a great way to imitate these active baitfish. Looking for indicators such as birds is a great way to find active sea walls. I’ve found that paralleling these banks is one of the best way to get these fish to strike. Shad often spawn close to cover like these walls, so getting this bait in tight spaces is often crucial for getting bit.
Another location I like to throw the Yo-Zuri 3DB Wake Prop is around shallow laydowns. Fish will often use this cover during the spawn and post spawn to ambush prey such as bluegill and shad. The fleeing baitfish action this bait provides is great for calling these fish out of cover and getting them to react. Slowly winding this bait down the edges of laydowns while implementing a series of erratic pops is my preferred way to fish this bait.
WAKE PROP SETUP
Using the proper setup is another crucial component for finding success with the Yo-Zuri 3DB Wake Prop. This lure doesn’t require any special setup, and I typically throw in on my normal vibrating jig setup. This bait is slightly larger than your average popper, so I like a medium heavy action when throwing this bait. I typically use a rod that’s anywhere from 7-foot to 7-foot 2 inches. This is the right amount of length forproviding accurate casts while still maintaining leverage over the fish. One of my go to rods for the 3DB Wake Prop is the Shimano Expride series of rods.
For a reel, I like one with a moderate gear ratio and light weight design. A 7:1 gear ratio is what I typically prefer as this does a great job at quickly getting fish to the boat without compromising your overall torque. I like a lightweight real for lessening fatigue when making tight, accurate casts over a long period of time. One of my favorite reels for this application is the Shimano Curado MGL 150 casting reel. For line, I typically use 30-pound Power Pro braid connected to a 15-pound monofilament leader.
Throwing a topwater is a great way to catch some giant bass in the post spawn month. The Yo-Zuri 3DB Wake Prop checks all the boxes when looking for a bite getting shallow water topwater. This bait has a unique action and all the premium components you need to land your next trophy bass. If your looking to throw a shallow topwater this year, I highly recommend checking out the Yo-Zuri 3DB Wake Prop.
