The Best Topwater Lures for on Guntersville
by Mike Gerry
May can be one of the best topwater months of the year on Lake Guntersville.With warmer water, post-spawn bass feeding heavily and the shad spawn adding extra activity, the conditions often line up for some of the most exciting fishing of the season.
The shad spawn is one of the biggest reasons topwater fishing can be so productive in May.
When shad are active along grass edges, seawalls, docks, riprap and shallow cover, bass are usually close by and ready to feed.
Add in post-spawn fish looking to recover and bluegill beginning to gather around bedding areas, and May becomes a prime month to keep a topwater bait tied on.
Choosing the best topwater lure depends heavily on conditions.
Water temperature, grass coverage, wind direction, cloud cover and time of day all play a role.
While May is usually one of the more consistent weather months of the year, this season has brought more changes than normal.
Once the weather settles, the topwater bite should become fierce.
One of the most important things to watch for is surface activity. If fish are busting nearby, speed up the trolling motor and cover water.
Moving quickly gives you the best chance to locate feeding bass.
Buzzbaits and Whopper Ploppers are two of the best choices when you need to cover water.
These baits work well around aggressive shad-spawn fish, windy banks, schooling bass and post-spawn feeding areas.
The key is being able to fish them around grass without constantly getting fouled by floating vegetation.
A steady, straight-line retrieve is often the most effective.
It helps keep the bait moving cleanly and gives you a better chance of avoiding grass while still drawing reaction strikes from active bass.
Calm conditions call for a different approach.
When the water slicks off, slower topwater baits can shine.
Pop-Rs and similar popping baits are excellent around docks, walkways, seawalls, shallow spawning pockets and bluegill beds.
In calm water, long pauses can be the difference between a follow and a strike.
Letting the bait sit between twitches can trigger big bites from bass guarding fry or waiting for an easy meal near the surface.
The most important thing to remember is that bass feed upward.
In May, when bait is active and fish are looking up, topwater fishing can be one of the most productive and exciting ways to catch bass on Lake Guntersville.
Captain Mike
