Best Bass Top Water Lures: 8 Picks Compared

Our verdict

Bass Top Water Lures: Top Picks at a Glance

Bass guides sort topwaters by how they move across the surface: walked side to side, popped, chugged, spun with a prop, dragged over weeds as a frog, or buzzed. North American Outdoorsman writes that the topwater bite “does well when that water temperature gets above 60 degrees”, and that in the fall bass may still hit one when the water is close to 50 degrees. Bass Forecast names early morning and late evening as the prime windows, with overcast skies or light chop helping through the day. A r/bassfishing thread for a new topwater angler draws answers across the range: whopper plopper, buzzbait, hula popper, spook.

This guide compares eight lures from seven brands, each linked as one specific size, weight and colour. Size, weight, running depth and hook size come from the maker where its page could be read; where the maker’s page and the Amazon listing disagree, the review says so. Every lure here is a surface bait, so the real differences are weight, length, action and hooks.

Compare the picks

Compare the Eight Topwater Lures

All eight lures side by side. Weight, length, running depth and hook size are the maker’s (Heddon, Rapala, Storm, River2Sea, Booyah, Strike King) unless a review says it comes from the maker’s Amazon listing. Pick 2 is in the same Heddon Spook series as pick 1. Tap a lure’s Specs button for the rest.

Detailed Reviews of the Eight Lures

Heddon Zara Spook, Walking Bait

Evidence: Independently reviewed, same series. Bass Forecast: Heddon Zara Spook (size not stated; Heddon lists the 4.5 in X9255).

Heddon’s product page (run by its parent company, PRADCO Outdoor Brands) describes a quiet walk-the-dog bait for bass, 4.5 in and 3/4 oz, with no internal rattle, “essentially the same as when Heddon introduced it in 1939”, and says it is best when bass are feeding on top in water above 60 degrees. Heddon lists it at $9.99. Bass Forecast uses the Zara Spook as its walking-bait example: cast, let the lure settle, then twitch the rod tip downward while reeling up the slack to make it swing side to side, and vary the speed to match how active the bass are. It also advises starting with slower retrieves and adjusting to the bass.

The two sources differ on hooks. Heddon’s page lists “#2 treble hooks”; the Amazon listing says “1/0 Hooks” and “Double hook design”. Length and weight agree. Amazon.com sells this Bone listing.

Specs (X9255, Bone):

• Linked model: Heddon Zara Spook X9255, Bone, sold by Amazon.com
• Length / weight: 4.5 in / 3/4 oz (Heddon; Amazon listing agrees)
• Running depth: topwater; action: walk-the-dog; no internal rattle (Heddon)
• Hooks: #2 treble (Heddon) versus 1/0 (Amazon listing): sources differ

Heddon Super Spook, Large Walking Bait (Zara Spook sibling)

Evidence: Independently reviewed, same series. North American Outdoorsman: Heddon Super Spook (size not stated).

This pick is in the same series as pick 1, and it has its own slot because the size and hardware differ. Heddon’s page calls the Super Spook “the backbone of the famous Heddon Zara Spook family” and points to its stout hardware, from line ties to hooks. It lists the Super Spook at 5 in and 7/8 oz with #4 hooks, against 4.5 in, 3/4 oz and #2 hooks for the Zara Spook, and names redfish, speckled trout and bass as species. Heddon’s description also mentions “three super-sharp hooks” while its spec fields give one #4 size, so we report the size only. Heddon lists it at $9.99.

North American Outdoorsman writer Glenn Walker picks the Heddon Super Spook as his spook for water above 60 degrees, describing a soft side-to-side cadence that works both when bass chase bait and when they will not chase far. He pairs spooks with a high-speed casting reel, 7.2:1 or higher. He does not state a size. The buy box for this listing is held by a third-party seller, Forza Sports, with limited stock at the time of writing.

Specs (X9256, Black Shiner Shad):

• Linked model: Heddon Super Spook, freshwater, Black Shiner Shad, sold by Forza Sports (third-party seller on Amazon)
• Length / weight: 5 in / 7/8 oz (Heddon; Amazon listing agrees)
• Running depth: topwater (Heddon); hooks: #4 freshwater (Heddon; Amazon listing agrees)

Rapala Skitter Pop, Spitting Popper

Evidence: Independently reviewed, exact model. Angling Edge: Skitter Pop 07.

Rapala says the cupped plastic lip and balsa body give one of the loudest spitting actions, and that it can be fished walk-the-dog or twitched. It lists two sizes: the 2 in SP05 (3/16 oz, two No. 6 hooks) and the 2-3/4 in SP07 we link (1/4 oz, two No. 5 hooks), floating, with VMC black nickel hooks and a feather-and-tinsel dressed rear treble. Rapala’s list price for the SP07 was not published in what we could read. The Amazon listing agrees on length, weight and depth, and Amazon.com sells it.

Angling Edge’s Jeff Simpson writes that “if I had to pick one popper size to keep tied on for a mixed-bag surface bite, that 07 is hard to beat”, and describes three retrieves: pop and pause, short twitches that make it spit, and louder chugs in wind or cloud. His article covers largemouth, smallmouth and pike together, so the bass timing is a guide, not a bass-only rule. North American Outdoorsman’s popper pick is a different bait, the Rebel Pop-R, which was not in stock on Amazon when we checked.

Specs (SP07, Shad):

• Linked model: Rapala Skitter Pop SP07, Shad, sold by Amazon.com
• Length / weight: 2-3/4 in / 1/4 oz (Rapala)
• Running depth: topwater; floating; hooks: two No. 5, VMC black nickel (Rapala)

Storm Rattlin’ Chug Bug, Chugging Popper

Evidence: Independently reviewed, same series. Wired2Fish: Rattlin’ Chug Bug (2 1/2 and 3 1/4 in covered together).

Storm says it spits, darts, chugs and walks-the-dog, with a weighted tail for long casts, a loud rattle and a teaser tail hook. Its spec table lists the CB08 we link at 3-1/4 in, 3/8 oz and size 4 hooks, and the smaller CB06 at 2-1/2 in, 1/4 oz and size 6. Storm’s list price for this colour was not published in what we could read. Wired2Fish’s Shaye Baker writes that you can walk it side to side, chug it along slowly, or scurry it back across the surface. He says the smaller size suits a finesse popper bite in a tough post-spawn period, and the bigger one suits fishing around a mayfly hatch where big bass are crushing bluegill; the linked CB08 is the bigger size. He also notes the light-wire, round-bend treble hooks, which he likes for hooking swiping bass but warns can bend on a hard hookset or a fight, especially on braid.

Amazon titles this listing “Storm Chug Bug 08 (Naturistic Perch, Size- 3.25)” without the word “Rattlin'”. Its bullets (weighted tail, loud rattle, teaser tail hook) and its 08 / 3.25 in size match Storm’s Rattlin’ Chug Bug CB08, so we treat it as that bait. A third-party seller, NightGalaxy, holds the buy box; check the seller before you order.

Specs (CB08, Naturistic Perch):

• Linked model: Storm Rattlin’ Chug Bug CB08, Naturistic Perch, sold by NightGalaxy (third-party seller on Amazon)
• Length / weight: 3-1/4 in / 3/8 oz (Storm); Amazon title says 3.25
• Running depth: topwater; floating; hooks: size 4 (Storm)

Berkley Choppo, Cupped Prop Bait

Evidence: Independently reviewed, same series. Wired2Fish: Choppo family (1/2 to 1 oz; the 90 is not singled out).

Berkley describes the Choppo as a top water lure to chunk and wind around cover and in open water for waking action, with a durable cupped propeller tail that “won’t melt in your tackle box”, straight swimming at a variety of speeds and Fusion19 hooks. It sells sizes 75, 90, 105 and 120. Its pro tip for the 90 is to cast and retrieve around shallow cover, “best suited for calmer conditions”; the 105 and 120 can be used in calm to choppy water. Berkley’s page leaves length and weight blank until a size is picked and shows a price range across sizes, so Berkley’s list price for this size was not published in what we could read. The figures below come from Amazon: this listing’s size field reads “90mm – 1/2 oz”, and the length (3.5 in) and hook size (5, two hooks) come from Berkley’s Amazon listing for the size 90 three-pack of the same family. Amazon.com sells it.

Wired2Fish’s Walker Smith reviewed the Choppo family (weights from 1/2 oz to 1 oz) and writes that it “starts spinning right when it hits the water” and does not veer to one side. He fishes it for schooling bass in open water and for isolated shallow cover, usually on braid. Bass Forecast also lists the Choppo among its topwater favourites. Wired2Fish’s Pete Anderson describes the Choppo as one of many versions of the Whopper Plopper lure type, which is why pick 6 is the closest comparison.

Specs (90, Black Chrome):

• Linked model: Berkley Choppo Size 90, Black Chrome, sold by Amazon.com
• Length / weight: 3.5 in / 1/2 oz (Berkley’s Amazon listing; the size field reads 90mm – 1/2 oz)
• Running depth: top water (Berkley); hooks: size 5, two (Berkley’s Amazon listing, size 90 three-pack)

River2Sea Whopper Plopper, Soft-Tail Prop Bait

Evidence: Independently reviewed, exact model. Bass Forecast: River2Sea Whopper Plopper 90.

River2Sea presents the Whopper Plopper as Larry Dahlberg’s musky lure, so the maker’s page does not itself pitch it at bass. It calls the 90 and 130 the “little brothers” of the larger version and says the 90 “relies more on quickness”, with a sound “more reminiscent of a buzz saw”, and is “tailor made for topwater fishing in high pressure situations and when the forage base is smaller”. The 90 is listed at 1/2 oz and 3 1/2 in with two extra-strong #4 trebles and no rattle; the Amazon listing agrees. River2Sea also sells a 130 (5 in, 1 3/8 oz); this guide links the 90 because Bass Forecast names the 90 for bass. River2Sea’s list price for the 90 alone was not published in what we could read (its page shows a range across models).

The bass case rests on other sources. Bass Forecast lists the “River2Sea Whopper Plopper 90” for steady retrieves. Wired2Fish says the Whopper Plopper “is available in six sizes, five geared toward bass fishing”, and advises a steady retrieve. In the r/bassfishing thread, the top reply (38 points) is “Whopper plopper is my favorite.” A third-party seller, Fishermen’s Source, holds the Amazon buy box, with limited stock at the time of writing.

Pick 5 has the same size and weight. The differences we can source are the tail, which River2Sea describes as soft and pliable and flexing back into place after a bite, against Berkley’s cupped propeller tail, and the sound River2Sea describes.

Specs (WPL90/11, Chubby):

• Linked model: River2Sea Whopper Plopper 90, Chubby (WPL90/11), sold by Fishermen’s Source (third-party seller on Amazon)
• Length / weight: 3 1/2 in / 1/2 oz (River2Sea; Amazon listing agrees)
• Running depth: top water; hooks: two River2Sea X-strong treble #4; no rattle (River2Sea)

Booyah Pad Crasher Jr, Hollow-Body Frog

Evidence: Independently reviewed, same series. Wired2Fish: Booyah Pad Crasher (standard size; the 2 in Jr is its smaller sibling).

Booyah’s product page (run by its parent company, PRADCO Outdoor Brands) describes the Jr as shaped like the standard Pad Crasher “but with a smaller profile that produces less commotion on top”. It lists 1/4 oz, 2 in, topwater, a 2/0 double hook and a super-soft collapsible body, with a flow-thru design and a weedless build; the belly is meant to walk in open water and scoot over slop. Booyah lists it at $8.99. The Amazon listing’s bullets carry no figures, so the numbers here are Booyah’s. Amazon.com sells this Night Train listing.

Wired2Fish writer Walker Smith reviewed the standard Pad Crasher, not the Jr. He writes that it is smaller than a lot of hollow-body frogs, that it casts on 65-pound braid, that it skips under overhangs and docks, and that he fishes it from the prespawn through the fall; so the review covers the series, and the Jr is smaller still. The Jr itself is named in the r/bassfishing thread Anyone use a booyah pad crasher jr frog bait, where one owner writes “Pad Crasher Jr. is my go-to frog” and another uses a heavy rod, 50-pound braid and lets the fish eat before setting the hook. Other commenters suggest trimming the legs, bending the hooks up slightly or softening the body in hot water if hookups are poor; those are owner tips, not Booyah’s.

Specs (BYPC2910, Night Train):

• Linked model: Booyah Pad Crasher Jr BYPC2910, Night Train, 2 in, sold by Amazon.com
• Length / weight: 2 in / 1/4 oz (Booyah)
• Running depth: topwater; hook: 2/0 double (Booyah)

Strike King Tri-Wing Mini Buzz King, Light Buzzbait

Evidence: Independently reviewed, same series. Wired2Fish: Strike King Buzz King (standard size; the linked one is the 1/8 oz Tri-Wing Mini).

Strike King sells the Tri-Wing Buzz King in 1/8, 3/16 and 5/16 oz, with a Diamond Dust head and skirt and a three-blade, diamond-pattern prop that it says “enables slow retrieves”. Hook size and running depth are not published on the page, and Strike King’s list price for the 1/8 oz in this colour was not published in what we could read (its page shows a range across sizes). The Amazon listing agrees on 1/8 oz and suggests baitcasting tackle and fluorocarbon line. Amazon.com sells it.

Wired2Fish reviewed the standard Buzz King, not this mini. Walker Smith writes that “if I had to choose one to throw every day, I’d honestly probably go with the Strike King Buzz King”, that it takes a crank or two to reach the surface, and that it has no hook keeper, so he suggests a dab of super glue on the nose; we did not find the same detail for the mini. For sizing, North American Outdoorsman calls 3/8 oz the most common buzzbait weight, with 1/4 oz for small pin minnows and 1/2 oz for murky or choppy water; the 1/8 oz here is lighter than all three. The writer adds that buzzbaits are snag-resistant around wood, weeds and docks. In the r/bassfishing thread, one reply says “Buzz Bait 4 life.”

Specs (1/8 oz, Black Blue Head):

• Linked model: Strike King Tri-Wing Mini Buzz King 1/8 oz, Black Blue Head, sold by Amazon.com
• Weight: 1/8 oz (Strike King; Amazon listing agrees)
• Running depth: surface bait; not published as a figure; hook size: not published

Matching Topwaters to Water and Weather

Walking baits and poppers

North American Outdoorsman splits topwaters into walkers, poppers, props, frogs and buzzbaits, and notes that poppers come in sizes that let you match the baitfish: smaller for small streams or farm ponds, full-size or magnum for a massive river system with large shad. Bass Forecast has anglers cast walking baits near docks, pilings or fallen trees. For poppers it suggests casting near cover, pausing, then popping the lure sharply and pausing 2 to 5 seconds. Picks: Heddon Zara Spook, Heddon Super Spook, Rapala Skitter Pop, Storm Rattlin’ Chug Bug.

Related guide: Best Florida Bass Lures for Grass Lakes, Pads and Ponds

Related guide: Best Jerk Baits for Bass: 8 Picks Compared

Prop baits, frogs and buzzbaits

North American Outdoorsman describes the aggressive prop bait, a two-section plug with a spinning rear, as loud enough to call bass in from a distance on a windblown bank, point or flat. It uses a topwater frog where vegetation gets too dense for other lures, with braid that cuts through it. It calls the buzzbait snag-resistant around wood, weeds and docks. Picks: Berkley Choppo, River2Sea Whopper Plopper, Booyah Pad Crasher Jr, Strike King Tri-Wing Mini Buzz King.

Timing, tackle and hooksets

For colder water, see our bass lures for winter comparison, since the sources we read tie the topwater bite to water of about 60 degrees and up, with North American Outdoorsman allowing about 50 degrees in the fall. For rivers, our river smallmouth lures guide includes a popper, and new anglers can start with our bass fishing tips for beginners. The sources differ on tackle. Bass Forecast suggests a 7 to 7 1/2 ft medium-heavy casting rod, a 6.3:1 to 7.1:1 reel, and 15 to 20 lb fluorocarbon or 40 to 65 lb braid. North American Outdoorsman wants a reel at 7.2:1 or higher for topwater plugs and fishes them on 40 lb braid. On the hookset, North American Outdoorsman says to wait until you feel the fish’s weight, counting “one-thousand-one”, before setting.

Related guide: Best Bass Lures for Beginners: 8 Picks Compared

How We Chose These Lures

The criteria we applied

• On brief: a surface lure for bass (walking bait, popper, prop bait, frog or buzzbait) named in a bass guide or a bass forum thread
• Several brands and a distinct action for each pick; the one same-series pair (the two Heddon Spooks) is labelled
• One specific size, weight and colour per pick, with the maker’s length, weight, running depth and hook size where published
• In stock on Amazon with a new offer; any seller other than Amazon.com is named in the review

How the sources are graded, what the r/bassfishing thread says and seller and stock checks

How the sources are graded

Each review shows an Evidence line. “Independently reviewed, exact model” means a guide names that lure and size; “same series” means a guide covers a sibling or does not name the size; “owner reports” means forum or Reddit comments. We used North American Outdoorsman, Bass Forecast, Wired2Fish and Angling Edge. Maker figures come from Heddon, Booyah, Rapala, Storm, Berkley, River2Sea and Strike King pages; Heddon’s and Booyah’s are on parent company PRADCO Outdoor Brands’ own store. Where a page omitted a figure, the review says which listing the figure comes from.

What the r/bassfishing thread says

The thread’s top reply, at 38 points, is the whopper plopper; other replies name buzzbaits, hula poppers and spooks. One commenter suggests starting with a plopper, then moving to poppers and a spook, and leaving frogs for last because the frog hookset is the hardest.

Seller and stock checks

Outgearly’s policy accepts any Amazon seller, with Amazon.com and reputable sellers preferred. Five picks are sold by Amazon.com and three by third-party sellers (Forza Sports, NightGalaxy and Fishermen’s Source) at the time of writing, and each review names its seller. Stock and prices change; the review box shows the live Amazon price. Several lures we looked at were out of stock or had no featured offer on Amazon when we checked, including the Rebel Pop-R, so they are not picks.

Frequently Asked Questions

The sources do not agree on one. North American Outdoorsman names one per type: War Eagle Buzz Toad, Rebel Pop-R, Berkley Choppo, Northland Reed-Runner Frog, Daiwa Evergreen SB and Heddon Super Spook. Bass Forecast lists ten favourites, and the top reply in the r/bassfishing thread is the whopper plopper. Pick by action and water, not by one name.

North American Outdoorsman says the topwater bite does well above 60 degrees water temperature, and may still happen near 50 in the fall. Bass Forecast names early morning and late evening, spring and fall with water between 60 and 80 degrees, and overcast skies or light chop. Heddon says the Zara Spook is best when bass feed on top in water above 60 degrees.

The sources suggest a casting setup but differ on numbers: a 6.3:1 to 7.1:1 reel from Bass Forecast and 7.2:1 or higher from North American Outdoorsman. For frogs, Wired2Fish casts the Pad Crasher on 65-pound braid and an r/bassfishing owner uses 50-pound braid.

North American Outdoorsman says to wait until you feel the weight of the fish, counting “one-thousand-one” in your head, then set firmly. An r/bassfishing commenter says to let a frog be taken under the surface before setting.

One highly upvoted commenter in the r/bassfishing thread suggests starting with a whopper plopper because the bait does the work, then adding poppers, a spook and finally a frog. Our beginner bass tips cover the basics.

The bottom line

Final Verdict

For a first topwater bag, start with the Heddon Zara Spook (check price) for open water and docks, the Berkley Choppo (check price) for shallow cover and the Booyah Pad Crasher Jr (check price) for vegetation. Add the Heddon Super Spook (check price) for a larger walker, the Rapala Skitter Pop (check price) or Storm Rattlin’ Chug Bug (check price) for popping, the River2Sea Whopper Plopper (check price) for pressured water and the Strike King Tri-Wing Mini Buzz King (check price) for a light buzzbait. Check the size, weight and seller shown in each review before you buy.

Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon.com at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.