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Top topwater lakes of 2013

Bassmaster Magazine's annual listing of the Top 100 Best Bass Lakes got us thinking ... which lakes should rank as America's top "topwater" lakes?

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<p>Topwater fishing offers some of the most exciting moments on the water: Seeing your bait get slurped under, blown up in the air and attacked by bass is why many anglers have a topwater tied on throughout the day.</p> <p> </p> <p>Some lakes are known as crankbait lakes, while jigs shine in others. The following lakes, taken from Bassmaster's Top 100 Bass Lakes of 2013, represent the bodies of water where topwater plugs get more than their share of attention from bass. Here they are, broken down by the most common styles of topwater plugs.</p>
Photo: Gary Tramontina - Topwater fishing offers some of the most exciting moments on the water: Seeing your bait get slurped under, blown up in the air and attacked by bass is why many anglers have a topwater tied on throughout the day. Some lakes are known as crankbait lakes, while jigs shine in others. The following lakes, taken from Bassmaster's Top 100 Bass Lakes of 2013, represent the bodies of water where topwater plugs get more than their share of attention from bass. Here they are, broken down by the most common styles of topwater plugs.
<p>Walking bait — Walking baits, like the fabled Zara Spook, are a visual way of fishing. The sheer excitement of seeing a bass try to redesign your topwater just once is enough to cause many anglers to keep one of these babies tied on year-round. They see the most success on lakes where the bass tend to school up chasing shad, but are also at home when walked around visible cover like logs and stumps.</p>
Photo: B.A.S.S. - Walking bait — Walking baits, like the fabled Zara Spook, are a visual way of fishing. The sheer excitement of seeing a bass try to redesign your topwater just once is enough to cause many anglers to keep one of these babies tied on year-round. They see the most success on lakes where the bass tend to school up chasing shad, but are also at home when walked around visible cover like logs and stumps.
4. Bull Shoals Lake, Ark. – This lake might not have seen a spot on this list if it weren’t for Jason Christie’s performance this past summer in his Bassmaster Elite Series win with a classic Heddon Zara Spook.
Photo: Seigo Saito - 4. Bull Shoals Lake, Ark. – This lake might not have seen a spot on this list if it weren’t for Jason Christie’s performance this past summer in his Bassmaster Elite Series win with a classic Heddon Zara Spook.
3. Lake Amistad, Texas – This big-bass mecca sees its share of pressure, but the big south Texas bruisers can be tempted with walking topwaters on calm mornings. No angler can resist the thrill of an 8-pounder swallowing a 5-inch topwater whole, causing the proverbial “toilet flush” on top.
Photo: Gary Tramontina - 3. Lake Amistad, Texas – This big-bass mecca sees its share of pressure, but the big south Texas bruisers can be tempted with walking topwaters on calm mornings. No angler can resist the thrill of an 8-pounder swallowing a 5-inch topwater whole, causing the proverbial “toilet flush” on top.
2. Lake Lanier, Ga. – This clear-water fishery is best known for its spotted bass and brushpiles, but walking baits fished off the lake’s many long, rocky points can score big time when bass — or stripers — are schooling.
Photo: B.A.S.S. - 2. Lake Lanier, Ga. – This clear-water fishery is best known for its spotted bass and brushpiles, but walking baits fished off the lake’s many long, rocky points can score big time when bass — or stripers — are schooling.
1. Lewis Smith Lake, Ala. – This is a lake synonymous with walking baits, namely Zara Spooks and Lucky Craft Sammys and Pointers. However, Smith is set up to tumble with a shift in the forage base in recent years; the spots and even the stripers are becoming more pelagic as they chase the recently introduced blueback herring versus their traditional shad diet.
Photo: James Overstreet - 1. Lewis Smith Lake, Ala. – This is a lake synonymous with walking baits, namely Zara Spooks and Lucky Craft Sammys and Pointers. However, Smith is set up to tumble with a shift in the forage base in recent years; the spots and even the stripers are becoming more pelagic as they chase the recently introduced blueback herring versus their traditional shad diet.
<p>Frog/toad</p> <p>These amphibian imitators are some of the best baits there are when your lake has as much grass as open water. Toads, such as Zoom's Horny Toad, are best when retrieved over and through scattered grass. They gurgle and churn the water as they're retrieved, most often at a steady pace. Topwater frogs, like Spro's Bronzeye, are ideal in lily pads, across matted grass and also in open water. Seeing a frog get sucked underwater by a bass is one of the most enjoyable aspects of bass fishing.</p>
Photo: B.A.S.S. - Frog/toad These amphibian imitators are some of the best baits there are when your lake has as much grass as open water. Toads, such as Zoom's Horny Toad, are best when retrieved over and through scattered grass. They gurgle and churn the water as they're retrieved, most often at a steady pace. Topwater frogs, like Spro's Bronzeye, are ideal in lily pads, across matted grass and also in open water. Seeing a frog get sucked underwater by a bass is one of the most enjoyable aspects of bass fishing.
5. California Delta, Calif. – Depending on the time of year, this lake is a contender to take the No. 1 spot. Bass eagerly charge through the sea of grass mats to smash plastic amphibians with alarming regularity and savagery.
Photo: Rob Russow - 5. California Delta, Calif. – Depending on the time of year, this lake is a contender to take the No. 1 spot. Bass eagerly charge through the sea of grass mats to smash plastic amphibians with alarming regularity and savagery.
4. Lake Tohopekaliga, Fla. – The Kissimmee Chain of Lakes in Central Florida might have more matted grass per acre than any lake in the country, making it ripe for a gurgling or buzzing toad.
Photo: James Overstreet - 4. Lake Tohopekaliga, Fla. – The Kissimmee Chain of Lakes in Central Florida might have more matted grass per acre than any lake in the country, making it ripe for a gurgling or buzzing toad.
3. Lake Champlain, Vt. – When the grass is growing and the bass are taking shelter in the summer, you’d better have a hollow-bodied frog on deck.
Photo: John Neporadny - 3. Lake Champlain, Vt. – When the grass is growing and the bass are taking shelter in the summer, you’d better have a hollow-bodied frog on deck.
2. Lake Okeechobee, Fla. – The “O” in The Big “O” might also stand for “O my gosh, that 10-pounder just molested my toad.”
Photo: B.A.S.S. - 2. Lake Okeechobee, Fla. – The “O” in The Big “O” might also stand for “O my gosh, that 10-pounder just molested my toad.”
1. Lake Guntersville, Ala. – The topwater frog bite on the Big “G” in October and November is so good that it’s worth missing deer season. The acres of matted grass house the biggest bass in the lake this time of year, and they seem to be perpetually looking upward for their next meal.
Photo: B.A.S.S. - 1. Lake Guntersville, Ala. – The topwater frog bite on the Big “G” in October and November is so good that it’s worth missing deer season. The acres of matted grass house the biggest bass in the lake this time of year, and they seem to be perpetually looking upward for their next meal.
Popper — For most of us, a popping-style topwater was our first topwater bait. If it wasn’t a Rebel Pop-R, it was likely a Hula Popper. The “bloop-bloop” or spitting action these baits have often proves irresistible to bass first thing in the morning. But, wily anglers know that they can produce all day, and catch fish in more scenarios than any other topwater.
Photo: B.A.S.S. - Popper — For most of us, a popping-style topwater was our first topwater bait. If it wasn’t a Rebel Pop-R, it was likely a Hula Popper. The “bloop-bloop” or spitting action these baits have often proves irresistible to bass first thing in the morning. But, wily anglers know that they can produce all day, and catch fish in more scenarios than any other topwater.
4. James River, Va. – Many tournaments are won each year on this tidal fishery on poppers, most often a Lobina Lures Rico variant.
Photo: Seigo Saito - 4. James River, Va. – Many tournaments are won each year on this tidal fishery on poppers, most often a Lobina Lures Rico variant.
3. Santee Cooper Lakes, S.C. – The shallow, swampy areas of Santee are ideal for chuggers.
Photo: Larry Towell - 3. Santee Cooper Lakes, S.C. – The shallow, swampy areas of Santee are ideal for chuggers.
2. Toledo Bend Reservoir, Texas/La. – This giant sprawling impoundment is most famous for the massive amount of fishing pressure it receives (almost as much as Sam Rayburn), but it’s less known for the excellent topwater popper fishery that it is.
Photo: James Overstreet - 2. Toledo Bend Reservoir, Texas/La. – This giant sprawling impoundment is most famous for the massive amount of fishing pressure it receives (almost as much as Sam Rayburn), but it’s less known for the excellent topwater popper fishery that it is.
1. Any old pond. – Small waters across the nation are ripe for popping topwaters since they’re often lined with frogs and other tasty bass treats that often fall off the bank.
Photo: Matt Streim - 1. Any old pond. – Small waters across the nation are ripe for popping topwaters since they’re often lined with frogs and other tasty bass treats that often fall off the bank.

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