Recently I had a discussion with a friend about some issues with our early summer topwater bite. As is the case sometimes, we are stymied by a lack of interest in our topwater offerings in early summer and the frustration can be maddening. Even when fish are busting all around the boat, you just can’t seem to connect no matter what you pull out of the tackle box. It’s been a problem of mine over the years, and I’ve spent hours just trying to figure it out. Today was no different but understanding why it happens and making the proper adjustments can be the key to success when all seems lost. I know it’s happened to you because it happens to me very frequently, especially throwing topwater early in the morning and late in the evening. I see a fish come up and I immediately throw my bait right where the fish surfaced but the fish is gone and not coming back. It could also be a group of fish blowing up but not even touching your topwater bait, even if you throw it right on top of them. Here’s my top two reasons this happens:

First being the “match the hatch” theory. Right now, we are early in the summer and a lot of the bait that is out there right now is small. I probably saw it at least half a dozen times today alone; the baits that the fish were chasing measured about1-2 inches in length. The little bait would be skipping across the water with a nice sized bass hot on its tail. Early in the morning and late in the evening the threadfin shad schools tend to come closer to the surface and right now the shad are still small. That big ole 4–5-inch topwater bait or swimbait I’m throwing looks nothing like the 1–2-inch threadfin shad that are scattering everywhere and being chased by the bass. Usually, it takes me a hot minute to figure it out but recently I’ve been combating the “match the hatch” problem with my little Duo Realis G-fix 80 spybait. Another suggestion would be a 1/8-1/4-ounce bucktail but I don’t tie or use them like I use to. I just run the spybait around the area the fish are coming up and usually it doesn’t take long to feel my little spinning rig load up. When a big fish hits the little spybait, the rod feels like the bait just hit a brick, then the brick pulls back. It’s a great feeling and a good early morning option when the bass are chasing threadfin shad early and late. Here’s a picture of my first two bass early Tuesday morning using the little G-fix spybait.

The second theory I have about why the fish aren’t coming back or coming up to hit your topwater is my looking up vs pushing up theory. There’s a difference between the fish looking up to get their meals and a fish pushing up a bait to the surface to eat it. A lot of times the fish get hyper focused on one baitfish and it’s hard to distract them. This happens a lot when there isn’t sufficient oxygen at the surface and the fish does not intend to stay up on the surface any longer than he has to. The bass has pushed a specific bait to the surface, and he intends to eat that bait a get back down to the more oxygenated water column as soon as possible. Sometimes, when there is sufficient oxygen at the surface the bass know that the bait will be up above, so the bass tend to look up for their meals. Generally, this happens during the afternoon when the bass are out searching for the larger variety blueback herring or hanging around a brush pile waiting on bluebacks to drift over the brush pile. Wake making baits, popping baits and splashing baits are good choices when the fish are looking up for a meal.

After my morning fun on Tuesday with the spybait I went to work on the topwater and found it to be hit or miss till about 9am and then I would hit a grind. The spybait and topwater would slow to a crawl till about 1pm and when the herring chasers would show up for some awesome topwater explosions. I only used 1 bait for topwater this week and that was the little chug bug. I tried a few other baits but I had the most confidence with the little chugger so I just rolled with it. The main lake humps are starting to produce for me and when the creek isn’t too busy I can call them up there too in the afternoons. Here’s a few more from Tuesday afternoon.

Tuesday afternoon Lisa text me and told me that our little Rat Terrier “Chigger” had a stroke or a heart attack and she thought he was dying. I rushed home and Chigger looked bad. He could barely walk and his breathing was very labored. Lisa had to go out for a while and I sat with Chigger as he slept. It wasn’t long till he stood up, fell over and locked up, yelping and having a bad seizure. He finally passed out and I thought he was dead for a second but then he started breathing again and opened his eyes. He kinda regained his senses but then it happened again about an hour later and all I could do was hold him until it was over. Chigger is 17 years old and is nearing the end of his quality of life. We were told by our vet that Chigger could live 2 weeks or two months, but his liver was failing, and he was near the end. That was 4 years ago and up until 2 days ago he was still chasing cats and barking at squirrels through the window.

Right now, Chigger is still trying to get it back together. I had scheduled to have him euthanized at 3pm yesterday because I just didn’t want to see him go through anymore seizures and he could barely walk. His eyes glazed over, and he was just staggering around, very confused. He quit eating and drinking after the episodes but yesterday morning he ate and drank enough to convince us to cancel the euthanasia. He slept last night and finally drank some water and ate more food this evening. As long as he’s comfortable, not in any pain and eating we’re going to just keep an eye on him and see what happens.

With the dog being sick, I spent a little more time at home this week, but I did get out a few times and I threw the chug bug a lot. I mixed it up with a little spybait and shaky head but yesterday and today the big-ticket bass came on the chug bug over brush and out on points in the afternoon. It’s by no means on fire with the topwater and chug bug right now but being in the right place at the right time is key to catching some nice topwater fish. Another key is patience, not every brush pile is going to produce but if you run a few you’re going to connect and if you get lucky enough to call one up in the afternoon, chances are it’s going to be a good one. I also saw some good schooling this afternoon and sometimes multiple fish would get after my little topwater bait. That’s always a lot of fun to see multiple bass fighting over your bait and then connecting with a big one.

I’m not much help this week and I didn’t get to spend a lot of time on the water, but I did have a good time with the chug bug this week. Water temps are in the mid 70’s and the lake is a little over 2 feet below full pool. The corps is only generating a few hours in the afternoon. Here’s a few bigger fish from yesterday and today.