The 10 Best Topwater Lures for Bass Fishing: The Ultimate 2025 Guide

There's nothing more exciting than a topwater explosion, but choosing the right lure from countless options is a real challenge. With 15 years of tournament experience, I've selected the 10 best topwater lures for bass fishing for 2025, based on proven, real-world results. This guide doesn't just show you what to buy, but exactly how and when to use them to conquer the biggest fish. Let's dive into the killers of riversiderelics.com that will deliver unforgettable strikes.

Quick Comparison: The Best Topwater Lures for Bass Fishing at a Glance

Lure	Type	Best For
Heddon Zara Spook	Walking Bait	Clear water, calm surfaces, pressured fish
River2Sea Whopper Plopper	Plopper/Prop Bait	Covering water, windy days, aggressive fish
SPRO Bronzeye Frog 65	Hollow Body Frog	Heavy grass, lily pads, thick cover
Rebel Pop-R	Popper	Calm water, targeting specific objects
War Eagle Buzzbait	Buzzbait	Low-light conditions, covering shallow banks
Yo-Zuri 3DB Pencil	Walking Bait/Spitting	Clear & stained water, long casts
Megabass PopMax	Popper/Chugger	Clear water, highly pressured bass
Arbogast Jitterbug	Crawler/Wake Bait	Night fishing, calm, dark conditions
Smithwick Devil's Horse	Prop Bait	The bass spawn, bed fishing
Booyah Pad Crasher	Hollow Body Frog	Heavy cover, best value, easy to walk

1. Heddon Zara Spook

If you can only have one topwater lure, the Heddon Zara Spook is it. This is the "granddaddy" that pioneered the legendary "walk-the-dog" technique, and its smooth, side-to-side gliding action is the most realistic imitation of a wounded baitfish you can get.

To a bass, it's an irresistible signal for an easy meal. The Super Spook model, with its deep, single "thump" from the one-knocker rattle, has an uncanny ability to call big, wary bass up from deep water. It's a true icon in the world of bass fishing for a reason.

• How to Fish It: This is all about a rhythmic cadence. Use short, downward twitches of your rod tip on a semi-slack line to make the lure dart side-to-side.

• When to Tie It On: Ideal for clear to stained water with a calm or lightly rippled surface. Excels when fished over points, large flats, and along the edges of submerged grass lines.

• Pro Tip: Never rush the retrieve. Many strikes occur when you pause the lure for 3-5 seconds after a series of twitches. Let the ripples settle before moving it again.

2. River2Sea Whopper Plopper

The River2Sea Whopper Plopper completely revolutionized the world of topwater lures for bass fishing. Designed by legend Larry Dahlberg, its unique rotating tail creates a deep, gurgling plop-plop-plop sound that bass can't ignore.

It's one of the easiest lures to fish-just cast and retrieve-yet it's incredibly effective at triggering violent strikes from aggressive fish, even in wind or stained water. Its two treble hooks also give it a much better hook-up ratio than a single-hooked buzzbait.

• How to Fish It: The most effective technique is a steady retrieve. Simply reel at a pace that allows the tail to spin and create its signature sound. Use a stop-and-go motion as it passes ambush points like stumps or docks.

• When to Tie It On: Works great in a light to moderate wind, which helps break up the surface. Perfect for covering water quickly over flats and along grass lines.

• Pro Tip: If you get a "follower" that won't commit, give the reel handle a quick, hard turn to make the Plopper surge and spit water. This often triggers an immediate reaction strike.

3. SPRO Bronzeye Frog 65

When bass are buried in the thickest, nastiest cover imaginable, the SPRO Bronzeye Frog is your go-to weapon. Designed by "Frog Master" Dean Rojas, its success lies in its super-soft body, which collapses easily on a strike for a phenomenal hook-up ratio.

This isn't just a "slop frog." Its design allows it to walk-the-dog effortlessly in open pockets of water, making it incredibly versatile. It is the ultimate tool for conquering matted grass, lily pads, and reeds.

• How to Fish It: Walk it like a Spook in open pockets between vegetation. Twitch and pause it across matted vegetation, letting it sit in any openings.

• When to Tie It On: Anytime you're faced with heavy cover that would snag a treble-hooked lure. Throw it deep under docks and into the thickest lily pads you can find.

• Pro Tip: When a bass explodes on your frog, resist the urge to set the hook immediately! Wait until you feel the weight of the fish on your line, then reel down and swing hard.

4. Rebel Pop-R

The Rebel Pop-R is an icon, a "secret weapon" made famous by legendary pro Zell Rowland. Its classic cupped mouth can create a deep, resonant "bloop" or a subtle "spit" depending on how you work the rod.

The Pop-R's greatest strength is its versatility and its ability to stay in the strike zone. You can work it slowly, teasing fish out of cover, making it deadly for targeting isolated objects like a single stump or dock piling.

• How to Fish It: The key is the pop and pause. Give the lure a sharp twitch, then let it sit motionless. Be patient; the strike almost always occurs while the lure is still.

• When to Tie It On: Calm or lightly rippled water is best. Especially effective during the spawn and post-spawn when bass are guarding fry or feeding on bluegill.

• Pro Tip: Don't always go for the loudest pop. Sometimes, the most subtle twitch—just enough to make the lure spit a small amount of water—is what triggers wary bass.

5. War Eagle Buzzbait

Among tournament pros, the War Eagle Buzzbait is a top choice, famous for the signature "squeak" it develops as the metal blade rubs against the wire frame. This unique sound is known to trigger bites from bigger, more conditioned bass, cementing its place among the best topwater lures for bass fishing.

Its unique keel-shaped head helps the lure get on plane and start working the moment it hits the water. It's a pure noise-making machine designed to cover water quickly and generate violent reaction strikes.

• How to Fish It: Start reeling the moment the lure lands, maintaining just enough speed to keep the blade churning and squeaking. Intentionally bump it into cover like stumps or dock pilings to create an erratic action.

• When to Tie It On: Low-light periods like dawn and dusk, or on cloudy, windy days. Excellent for fishing quickly along all types of shallow cover.

• Pro Tip: To accelerate the squeak on a new buzzbait, gently pinch the rivet with pliers or run the bait on your truck antenna on the way to the lake.

6. Yo-Zuri 3DB Pencil

The Yo-Zuri 3DB Pencil blends classic design with modern technology. It features an internal "3D Prism" finish that creates a brilliant flash and is incredibly durable. Its "one-knock" rattle provides a sharp cadence, while a slightly cupped mouth allows it to spit water as it walks, combining the action of a popper and a walker. It's designed to walk-the-dog with incredible ease and casts like a bullet, making it a must-have in any collection of topwater bass fishing lures.

• How to Fish It: Use a quick, sharp twitching motion for an aggressive, wide, splashing action that excels when fish are active. For finicky fish, use a slower retrieve with shorter glides and frequent pauses.

• When to Tie It On: Extremely versatile, working well in both clear and stained water, especially on windy days where other walking baits might get lost in the chop.

• Pro Tip: Use the spitting feature to your advantage. If a bass is following but won't commit, give the rod a sharp downward "pop" instead of a twitch. This creates a loud splash, often triggering a strike out of pure reaction.

7. Megabass PopMax

Designed by the legendary Yuki Ito, the Megabass PopMax is a feat of engineering. Its most unique feature is the "Gill System," a series of water intakes that channel water internally and expel it through the gills, creating a bubble trail and underwater disturbance unlike any other popper. This hybrid lure can be popped aggressively or worked with subtle twitches to create a "roll-walking" action. The PopMax is renowned for its ability to draw bites from quality, kicker-sized fish, cementing its reputation as one of the best lures for bass on the market.

• How to Fish It: Create a loud, distinct "bloop," then let it sit. The pause is absolutely critical. Alternatively, use gentle, continuous twitches to make the lure "roll-walk," a subtle side-to-side wobble that mimics a dying baitfish.

• When to Tie It On: Excels around hard cover like rock, seawalls, and over shallow points, especially in the calm of the early morning.

• Pro Tip: Master the roll-walk. On slick calm days with intense fishing pressure, this subtle action will get bites when loud popping actions will only spook fish. It requires a very light touch and a semi-slack line.

8. Arbogast Jitterbug

The Arbogast Jitterbug is an immortal icon and a legendary name among topwater lures for bass fishing, the undisputed king of night fishing. Its distinctive double-cupped metal lip creates a rhythmic side-to-side wobble and a hypnotic, gurgling sound. In the dark, when bass rely on sound, the Jitterbug's steady, recognizable plop-plop allows them to locate and strike with precision. In an era of loud, aggressive lures, its unique and more subtle sound can be a secret weapon.

• How to Fish It: The simplest and most effective technique is a slow to medium steady retrieve to create that signature gurgling sound. There is no need to twitch or pause; the lure's design does all the work.

• When to Tie It On: It is the king of the night. Most effective from twilight until dawn, or on extremely dark, overcast days. The calmer the water, the better. Black is the only color you'll ever need.

• Pro Tip: Your retrieve speed should feel "painfully slow." Cast it out, let the ripples disappear, and then reel just fast enough to get the lip to start gurgling. If you think you're reeling too slow, slow down even more.

9. Smithwick Devil's Horse

The Smithwick Devil's Horse is a legendary prop bait, considered the ultimate weapon during the spawning season. Crafted from wood, it features propellers at the front and rear. Its magic lies in its ability to create maximum disturbance without moving forward. This allows an angler to keep the lure directly over a bedding bass's nest, aggravating it until it's forced to strike out of pure aggression. This action is incredibly effective at triggering the defensive instincts of big female bass on beds.

• How to Fish It: The twitch and pause is key. Cast to your target, let it sit, then give it a short, sharp twitch just hard enough to make the props spin and spit water. Pause again. The strike almost always comes on the pause.

• When to Tie It On: The spawning season (pre-spawn, spawn, and post-spawn). Works best around shallow cover like docks, stumps, reeds, and known spawning flats.

• Pro Tip: Don't pull the lure, "rip" it. The goal is a quick 3-to-6-inch pull that makes the props churn and throw water, not a long sweep that moves the lure too far out of the strike zone.

10. Booyah Pad Crasher

The Booyah Pad Crasher has become one of the most popular frogs on the market because it offers incredible performance for its price.

Its standout feature is a super-soft body that collapses easily on a strike, exposing the sharp double hooks for a much-improved hook-up ratio. Its V-shaped belly helps it glide over vegetation and allows it to "walk-the-dog" effectively. It's a versatile, true workhorse for fishing in the thickest cover.

• How to Fish It: Skim or walk it quickly across the top of matted vegetation or along grass edges. Use a low, side-arm cast to skip it into tight spaces under docks and overhanging trees.

• When to Tie It On: Anytime you're fishing in or around thick vegetation like lily pads, hydrilla, or scum mats where other lures would be useless.

• Pro Tip: After a missed strike, don't immediately recast to the same spot. Instead, turn 180 degrees and make a long cast to a completely different area. Let the spot cool off for a few minutes, then come back and try again. The fish is often still there and will strike again.