Throughout the spawning period, many anglers leave the topwater baits at home or buried underneath their crankbait and jig boxes, electing to throw plugs during the prespawn and soft plastics during the spawn. But fishing a topwater, specifically a topwater prop bait, can be an effective way to fish for spawning bass and can lead to some exciting days on the water, according to Elite Series pro Drew Benton of Georgia.
“The thing about a prop bait is you can control how fast you fish it,” Benton said. “In those times where the water has just warmed up and they are getting ready to spawn, you can work that bait slow enough to really entice them to come up and bite it, even though it is not typically what every angler would consider optimal topwater conditions. That’s why I think a prop bait shines so good during that time.”
