Table Rock TOPWATER
BY: ERIC PREY - TRL Fishing Guide Ask 100 bass anglers their favorite way to catch bass and over 90 will say on top water. Watching bass come out of the water and smash a lure moving across the surface is some of the most exciting action a fisherman experience. Table Rock Lake has some of the best top water fishing in the country, from post spawn through the fall the action is outstanding. Let’s break down which baits work best and where to find the fish on Table Rock. Top water lures come in a variety of shapes and styles, every angler has their favorite but there are specific styles that outperform others through out the seasons and in different locations: • Walking Baits: Spooks, Sammys, Vixens are all examples of walking baits. Local fishing legend Charlie Campbell was known throughout the fishing world as a master of a
Spook, his ability to catch fish on Table Rock with a walking bait is still discussed today. Walking baits are a great choice throughout the top water season. Once an angler learns to “walk the dog”, the proper way to work a walking bait, it can be fished around standing timber, boat docks and even wide-open flats. • Wake Baits: Surge Shad, Red Fin and other wake baits have a short-lived season but when they are working, they are dynamite. Wake Baits are most effective for about a month after the spawn when bass are looking for larger shad to help their post spawn recovery. Wake baits are effective both shallow and deep, around boat docks, standing timer and other cover where bass wait to ambush gizzard shad. In addition to the short season, wake baits are best when there is light or no wind.