What’s your favorite top water lure? I’ve had some luck with Zara puppy junior just before and right after sunrise for about an hour but it seems to really shut off once the sun is up higher. I’m wondering if maybe a darker colored top water might work better after the sun is higher.
Most are White on bottom. I don’t believe much in topwater color
2000 SeaPro 180CC w/ Yammy 115 2 stroke
1966 13’ Boston Whaler w/ Merc 25 4 stroke “Flatty”
www.ralphphillipsinshore.com
I am with Opti for the most part, but if I had to pick my first choice it is chrome/black. This is especially true for trout.
Iain Pelto
Sea Hunt Triton 160 w/ 90 ETEC “JB3”
Native Manta Ray 14
I use a red and white spook before the sunrise and a chrome suspending crank bait after sunrise
Connor Malark
quote:
Originally posted by OptikerMost are White on bottom. I don’t believe much in topwater color
2000 SeaPro 180CC w/ Yammy 115 2 stroke
1966 13’ Boston Whaler w/ Merc 25 4 stroke “Flatty”
www.ralphphillipsinshore.com
Agreed. I think it’s more a matter of “light versus dark” when it comes to topwater. The fish are seeing a silhouette from below.
No matter how much it hurts, how dark it gets, or how far you fall…you are never out of the fight.
A buddy and I fished a point last fall in the early morning. We both started out getting virtually the same amount of blow ups/hook ups, he was throwing bone color, I was throwing black/chartreuse. As it got lighter, my black/chartreuse color had significantly fewer strikes. Take it for what it’s worth.
Colors I like/keep,
Red white,
bone,
Black and chartreuse
Hambone
I have a skitterwalk in gold and orange (belly)
I think any color works if you hit the spot at the right time
having said that… red/white original size spook is killer
“mr keys”
IMO, I agree with Optiker, not really the color, but the “flash”. The sparkly chrome colored reflect the light and may work better in low light/cloudy conditions. The red heads and bone colored are kinda flat, not much sparkle, better for bright days. (If the fish are feeding on top at all) And the color and pattern on top is for us not the fish. Have a friend who is a very successful semi pro Bass fisherman. He paints some of his top waters flat black.
Whatever Optiker says about topwater should be taken as gospel.
That said, 99% of topwaters are colored white or near white on the bottom, regardless of what’s colored on top. That should tell us something.
Size and sound may have more impact than color, but then again, who knows…
2014 Key West 203DFS
1987 Landau
quote:
Originally posted by bonecrusher Size and sound may have more impact than color
I believe in this statement above by bonecrusher. Size and sound rather than color is what matters in topwater fishing IMO. Whenever I am fishing topwater with a friend, we always throw two different plugs, usually a spook jr (smaller, high pitch rattle) and a skitterwalk (larger, low pitch clack). Usually one will significantly out fish another. If so, just switch over to the one thats working. Sometimes they will both do well, but on different species: Ie. Trout will hit the spook and reds will hit the skitter (or vise versa)
My favorite plug I lost a few years ago to a bluefish 
It was a skitterwalk that started in mullet color and got sun baked to an ugly brown. It was scratched all to hell by teeth marks and that SOB caught more fish…it was unreal! I should have retired it while I still had it - it would be hanging on my wall 
2000 SeaPro 180CC w/ Yammy 115 2 stroke
1966 13’ Boston Whaler w/ Merc 25 4 stroke “Flatty”
www.ralphphillipsinshore.com
I have found the same to be true striper fishing on Murray. If 2 on the boat, we’ll throw a popper type plug and something with a more subtle action like a spook and see what works better.
Like others have said, that seems to me to make a lot more difference than color. In fact, the only color spook I even use at all these days is no color (clear). Always wondered how it would do down there, but I don’t get down there enough to spend time experimenting. 
'07 198 DLX Carolina Skiff
FS90 Suzuki
I actually tend to favor a popper-style topwater. I notice a lot of guys throw “walking-style” baits so I try to show them something a little different. At least that’s what I’m telling myself.
Earn it everyday
If there must be trouble, let it be in my day, that my child may have peace.
Never shoot a large caliber man with a small caliber bullet.
I’ve only had a few misses on this since I almost never use artificial in salt but the best topwater plug by a mile I’ve ever used is a Yo Zuri “Zip’n Ziggy”. Now its made by Cultiva apparently. It will likely require upgraded hooks for the larger stronger salties.
It always caught 10 times what spooks caught me. Always found poppers scared fish off.
Anyone ever had luck with spinner baits on top?
First, Most, Biggest
I want to catch them all
[quote]I love a small white badonkadonk…[/quote}
So do I.
Oh, you meant lure.
“Apathy is the Glove into Which Evil Slips It’s Hand”.
lol dfreedom
for what its worth the $15 live target mullet looks real but i couldnt get it to swim worth a SH*T
quote:
Originally posted by DFreedom[quote="}
So do I.
Oh, you meant lure.
“Apathy is the Glove into Which Evil Slips It’s Hand”.
Ha! I see what ya did, there. [:D"]
I love a small white badonkadonk…
[/quote]
Earn it everyday
If there must be trouble, let it be in my day, that my child may have peace.
Never shoot a large caliber man with a small caliber bullet.
I prefer to match size of plug over color. If larger mullet are in the area I will throw a full size spook. If there are smaller bait working the area, I switch to a smaller profile. I have always thrown chuggers and poppers when the water it not calm or has a little chop on it.