Tips from the Pros

Forgotten Topwater
By MIKE ECHOLS

When most anglers talk topwater, usually it's soft jerkbaits or the venerable Heddon Zara Spook that dominates the conversation. And while these are fine baits, that's a big mistake, since any conversation involving the use of topwater baits is incomplete without mentioning the Jumpin' Minnow.

This Rebel lure is a staple in my tackle box and is a lure I pull out to catch largemouth and spotted bass (stripers will absolutely annihilate them as well) from late spring through fall. With a long, slender body and slightly bulbous head, this bait can easily be walked in the traditional "walk-the-dog" fashion to draw strikes along grass lines, docks, blowdowns or any other form of visible cover.

My favorite color is bone; but I usually let the fish tell me what color they want on a particular day. In late spring, when the days are likely to be overcast from mid-day rainstorms, I'll tie on a silver/black Jumpin Minnow and look for the aggressive largemouth that have regained their energy after the spawn. These fish will usually school on top near blow-throughs or shallow channels that run between two main-lake islands as they push shad to the surface.

I'll usually set up about 40 yards away from where I expect the fish to come up, and when they do, throw the lure right into the action. Often, before I've made the lure walk two or three times, they are all over it. What makes the Jumpin' Minnow great for this type of fishing is that its weight allows you to make long casts, which prevents you from spooking the fish, and its erratic action resembles that of an injured shad.

As the water warms and the hydrilla and milfoil is clearly present on the main lake, I fish the Jumpin' Minnow along the edges of the grasslines in areas where shallow water meets a river channel or some other form of structure. Largemouth and spots, both of which will hover near the river channel in the warmer months, will usually move up to the grassline to feed on shad and herring. I get in close to the grass, and then make parallel casts along the edge of the grass, walking the bait back to the boat. The spotted bass and largemouth will almost snatch will rod right out of your hand as they launch themselves at the bait.

In the fall, the shad are moving back into the creeks and largemouth and spotted bass are following them with hopes of fattening up for a long winter. This is an ideal time to use the Jumpin' Minnow. These fish are often shallow and very, very, aggressive. I recommend anglers look for surface activity, and if they find some throw the bait just past the site and walk it back to the boat. If there is no activity, however, look for the fish along blowdowns, stumps or dying weeds, where they'll be positioned to intercept an easy meal. Cast the Jumpin' Minnow to any one or all of these sites, and I guarantee you won't be disappointed.