Topwater Popper Tips & Tricks: Catch MORE Fish On The Surface!

Summary

In this video, Bill Matthews from the Bass and Mill 96 YouTube channel demonstrates topwater popper fishing with the Googan Squad Blooper and Booyah Bait Company Prank. He explains the unique features of each popper, shares retrieval techniques, and offers tips on ideal fishing conditions. Bill emphasizes using monofilament or braided line for floating topwater lures and shows how to fish around docks or expansive flats. Whether working the poppers slowly or cranking them like a crankbait, Bill showcases how both lures can increase your chances of catching fish in the right conditions. It's a must-watch for topwater enthusiasts!

Takeaways

• 😀 Always use monofilament or braided line for topwater fishing, as they float and keep the popper's action correct.
• 😀 The Googan Squad Blooper popper has unique ribs and a special cup-shaped mouth, which make it effective in calm conditions.
• 😀 When fishing around docks and cover, use a slow and steady retrieve with pauses, as fish are more likely to strike during the pauses.
• 😀 Topwater popper action is often triggered the moment the bait hits the water, making first pops a critical opportunity for strikes.
• 😀 The Googan Squad Blooper is great for targeting bass around cover, as it performs well with a slow retrieve and encourages topwater action.
• 😀 When fishing open water or expansive areas, a faster retrieve works better, simulating a spook-like movement to attract more aggressive fish.
• 😀 The Booyah Bait Company Prank is a unique popper with a crankbait lip, allowing for versatile fishing methods beyond typical popper retrieves.
• 😀 After popping the Booyah Prank, reel it in like a crankbait to cover more water and potentially catch fish that would typically be missed.
• 😀 Fish topwater baits during early morning or late afternoon, when fish are more likely to be near the surface and actively feeding.
• 😀 Even when the fish are small, topwater fishing can still offer exciting action, as demonstrated by the many bass caught on the poppers.
• 😀 The Booyah Bait Company Prank is particularly effective around docks and break walls, where its crankbait action provides an additional chance for strikes.

Q & A

Why is it important to use monofilament or braided line when fishing with poppers?

Monofilament and braided lines are essential for topwater popper fishing because they float, which helps keep the popper at the correct depth. If fluorocarbon line is used, the front of the popper would sink, making it less effective.

What makes the Googan Squad Blooper popper unique?

The Googan Squad Blooper is unique because of its ribbed body and a specially designed cup-shaped mouth, which helps create distinct popping sounds and water splashes that attract fish.

What is the recommended retrieve technique when fishing around docks?

When fishing around docks, the recommended retrieve technique is slow and steady. Cast the popper near the cover, give it a pop, and let it sit for a moment. The pauses in movement are when bass are most likely to strike.

What is the best time of day to target topwater fish?

The best times for topwater fishing are early morning and late afternoon when the sun is lower in the sky. During midday, fish are less likely to be active in shallow water due to the high sunlight.

How does the Booyah Bait Company Prank differ from other poppers?

The Booyah Prank is different because it features a crankbait-style lip, allowing it to be retrieved not only like a regular popper but also like a crankbait, giving it a unique action that can catch fish missed by traditional poppers.

What is the second retrieve technique for the Googan Squad Blooper?

The second retrieve technique for the Googan Squad Blooper involves a quicker, steady retrieve, which is ideal when fishing in open water or large areas like sand flats. This makes the popper dart side-to-side, attracting more aggressive fish.

Why does the speaker switch from the Googan Squad Blooper to the Booyah Prank?

The speaker switches to the Booyah Prank to demonstrate its versatility. While the Blooper works well around docks, the Prank allows for a different retrieve technique, providing more options to target fish in areas where traditional poppers might not be as effective.

What are the key conditions for effective topwater fishing?

Key conditions for effective topwater fishing include calm, flat water and shaded areas. These conditions make the fish more likely to strike at the surface, as bass tend to avoid bright, sunny conditions and seek cover in shaded water.

What advantages does the Booyah Prank provide when fishing around docks and break walls?

The Booyah Prank provides an advantage when fishing around docks and break walls because its crankbait lip allows the popper to be retrieved like a crankbait, covering areas that traditional poppers may miss. This increases the chances of catching fish that are located deeper or in harder-to-reach spots.

What type of bass is typically caught using the Googan Squad Blooper?

The Googan Squad Blooper is primarily used to catch bass in shallow water, particularly in the early morning when the bass are actively feeding on baitfish. While it catches bass of various sizes, the video mostly features smaller bass hitting the topwater popper.