This is the Skitter Pop that I use.

I have been smallmouth bass fishing in New Brunswick for a few years now and I am starting to build up a tackle box of smallmouth bass fishing lures.  I am someone who loves to see the fish hit the bait so I have been collecting quite a few top water lures.  Right now my favorite is the Skitter Pop lure from Rapala that is fire tiger in color.  It has an open mouth at the front so when you drag it across the top of the water it pushes water with it and makes quite a commotion on top of the water.  I find the best way to retrieve the Skitter Pop lure is to pull your rod towards you when you are reeling in to make the lure jerk towards you as you reel in it.  If you do not do this then the lure just comes in to you in a straight forward motion.  I find the smallmouth bass really like the erratic movements and I get more strikes when I use this motion.

Another top water smallmouth bass lure I really like to use is the Hula Popper.  Right now I have three of these and they are all fire tiger in color as well.  The Hula Popper is thicker in size than the Skitter pop lure and the open mouthed part is bigger as well.  it therefore, pushes more water when you retrieve it.  I also make the same jerking actions when I retrieve the Hula Popper lure.  I really like using this top water lure because it really makes a great deal of commotion on top of the water.
This lure makes a lot of noise and commotion.

I have started using this lure more and more.

When the weather gets windy, which has happened a lot here in New Brunswick this summer, you might want to change from fishing top water baits to below the surface.  A bait that we have had very good success with fishing smallmouth bass and chain pickerel  this year is the senko.  For those of you that do not know what a senko is it is basically a rubber worm.  They come in numerous different colors and lengths but the two colors that work the best for me are pink and red.  I also usually use the 6 inch length.  When using these to go under the surface it is better to use a weight to help with that.  A bullet weight is what I use.  You put it through your line before you put your hook on.  It then slides down to the top of the senko.  When fishing smallmouth bass we had good luck letting them sink to the bottom and them bringing them along the rocks.  I use EWG offset hooks with these senkos.
Love using these for bass and especially chain pickerel.

I use these when it gets windy and for chain pickerel.

Another lure that works well for smallmouth bass is a tube.  I use a weighted jig, which slides inside the tube, to help make it sink to the bottom.  I have caught many bass with this bait.  Again you drag it along the bottom and the bass will go after it.
These work very well for Smallmouth Bass

I use these a lot if I know there is not a lot of weeds.

I will use all these smallmouth bass fishing lures when fishing for bass but if the conditions are right I will certainly try the top water lures first as nothing beats seeing a smallmouth bass strike a lure sitting on top of the water.  I hope mentioning these different lures will help you if you are new to the fun sport of smallmouth bass fishing. Also, if you are new to smallmouth bass fishing you may be interested in buying this Ebook called Bass Fishing Essentials.


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