Spook/walking baits vs PopR's and Buzzbaits

[Bass 24 7]

Ok this is for the anglers that work spooks and walking baits.Why do you throw them and what makes you decide"this is the time for a walking bait? I don't use them much, but the few fish I have caught were all 3lbs -4lbs just not enough consistency for me so far to use them alot.So I must be using them at the wrong time.When I go topwater, it is usually a buzzbait or a PopR type bait.And I don't want to get into frogs/toads,just want to learn more on walking baits vs PopR and buzzbaits.Also what type of line and test and do you prefer ,and what about rod selection maybe you choose a 6'6" over a 7' or longer for walking baits?Thanks anglers  lets hear it.

[Baron49]

Got to love the explotion of water when a largemouth or especially a smallmouth hits a Zara spook.  If there were no other reason then that I would throw a walking bait.  My personal preference is the newer super spooks or the really old original zara spooks.  They seem to walk the dog the easiest.  I normally throw them on a 7 foot St. Croix M, fast action rod with a Revo S spooled with 17 lb Trilene XT line.  It is too easy to tear the hooks out with a heavy action rod or braided line.   

Early morning when the water is dead calm or overcast days when the water has a slight chop, over the tops of milfoil beds are my favortie times to use them once the water has warmed to the high 60's.  I use these walking baits right up until the last day I get to spend on the water in the late fall.

You just have to have the confidence that these baits will catch fish and stick with it.  Here is an example of what keeps me throwing the walking baits.....

[bowhunter63]

I use a 7ft m rod ,i like a soft tip so i dont jerk the bait away from them.14 pound mono trilene green color.Early in the morning late evening or overcast.At the edge of wood or over grass.There is nothing better then a topwater bite.A few days of a steady weather pattern helps too.Baron49 that is a awesome smallmouth.

[nuke]

I'll throw most any topwater, including a spook, at first light.  Most surface bites tend to be early for me.  But I also would have very good success mid-day on rivers that have a lot of rock, especially ridges, when some dark clouds would cover the sun for a brief period. The surface bite would turn on like a switch so I'd always have a spook or pop-r  tied on and ready to go.

[willthebad]

I throw my spooks on a 6'9" Medium action rod with 17lb mono and 6:4:1 reel.  When the water is calm or if I am fishing docks in the shade I like to throw a walk bait.  If the wind starts blowing I like to throw a chuggar or pop-r style bait.  It will really depend on the fish tho.  Sometimes they want a spitting and chugging style lure, but sometimes they want something less robust...I can say that I usually catch bigger fish on the Spook than the Pop-R.

[loomisguy]

I like the spook at first light , but there are times they will bite it all day .Seems post spawn is best. or at least warm water .
   I like a short rod with a short handle for walking baits. I fish the spook, giant dog x and sammy on a old houston made all star 6ft, medium and 14 lb mono . also I like to use a fast snap , especially on the older spooks that have the lower line tie.
     Baron, thats a nice Brownie !

[LAFisherman]

I love fishing a Super Spook Jr.!   I have caught my second biggest fish (10.68) on it.  I like to throw it on my 7' cranking rod because the limberness of the rod allows me to minimize the twitching I have to do in my wrist.  To be honest I have not had much luck on a buzz bait, so I don't fish it too much (but everyone tells me you can't beat it).  I will be giving it more of a try this year.  Everywhere you through a Pop-R you can throw the Spook.  I fish one color of the spook, Baby bass.  I feel that it resembles a smaller bass chasing on the surface of the water and a larger bass will always go for an easy meal, whether it is shad or a smaller bass.

Back to the Buzz bait, I normally fish a white Ribbit floating frog in places when everyone else throws a buzz.  I like the frog because it is weedless (and it doesn't hurt that my biggest fish to date has come on a frog, 11.29).  I just purchased a Hart's White and a Hart's Black buzz bait in hopes to see how well I can catch fish on it. 

[Mike Cork]

I will throw a frog 90 percent of the time. When I choose a hard top water bait I will go with a walking bait in calmer water and a popping bait or bladed bait (torpedo) when there is a little chop to the water. For walking baits I actually like a shorter rod, 6' 9" as I like to have the rod pointed towards the water to get the most performance from a walking bait. Here in Louisiana we have a ton of cypress trees and once your good enough you can bounce a spook in the same direction and bump a tree several times before it comes past it..... Deadly.....

[Bass 24 7]

Everyone, thanks for sharing,and Baron that is a great Smallie,just had to be more than fun

[The Fish Man]

I like to throw spooks on a 6'6" M rod, it gives me more room to twitch.  Do you guys feel a steady reterive produces more then a more erratic uneven tmie between twitches?  For me its both just depends on what the fish want.

[Bass 24 7]

The few fish I have caught on a walking bait(Vixen) were on a slower paced walk,and about every 3rd or 4th walk I give it a little pause so the bait would glide along the surface a longer distance.Just experimenting trying to get bit,so far I have not caught a fish on a faster retreive.I definately need to keep throwing more walking baits,maybe up on the river for smallies this year,have not tried them on the river yet.