With winter in the rearview mirror, FLW Tour pro Jacob Wheeler continues his year-round series at topwater baits with a look at his top two springtime choices.
For Wheeler, the must-haves lures to tempt from the top are a Rapala X Rap Prop and a Spro65 Frog. “There are many topwater lures to choose from, but these two baits are ones that I really like to take me through all the different phases of spring,” he said. “The determining factors in which of the two that I will use are the current water temperature and the immediate cover.”
Pre Spawn Lure Selection:
Earlier in the season, when the water temps are still on the colder side and there is less available cover, Wheeler opts for the X-Rap. “This is a good pre spawn pick,” he said. “The fish are just starting to pull up in the target areas and they are still not as active, yet. They are just not ready to go after and bite a whole lot of baits at this time.” He finds the X-Rap (an elongated prop bait) an early spring/pre spawn favorite, because he can use it to offer a slower presentation to provoke a strike. He described his retrieve as a “twitch, twitch, pause – twitch, twitch, pause”. His average kill time on the pause is three to four seconds. It is longer in colder water. “The bait has counter-rotating props and three hooks, so it will make a lot of commotion on the twitch,” he explained. “When I cast, I just wing it out there and then begin the retrieve. The twitch makes a disturbance and then it sits. The action will get their attention and the pause will give them enough time to hone in on the bait and strike.” He utilizes the bait well into the spawning season. “If there are visual, flatter banks that they are spawning on, I will throw the prop bait around those areas,” he said.
For his X-Rap color selection, 90 percent of the time, Wheeler will rotate between two colors. “In bass fishing, people can get really complicated with colors,” said the angler. “I try to keep it more basic. My favorite color is Yellow Perch. It works really well and has a little bit of orange on its throat like a bluegill. I also throw Golden Shiner, when I am in places like Florida.” The majority of the time, Wheeler will throw the X-Rap with 17 lb Sufix Pro Mix mono. “I like mono for this application for its stretch, so I don’t pull the bait out of the fish’s mouth,” he said. “Another factor in hook-up ratio is the rod. I use a 6’6” to 7 ft medium-action Okuma EVX casting rod, because of its soft tip. That tip also allows the fish to get the bait, so you don’t pull it out of its mouth.”
Post Spawn Lure Selection:
As the water warms, nearing the low 60 degree mark, Wheeler is ready with a floatin’ frog. His first choice is the Spro Frog65. “The frog really becomes a factor when the fish start to get off of their beds,” he said. “You can fish a frog in colder water, but when the water temp creeps up, the fish start moving up higher in the water column and they start getting further back in the backs of the pockets. This repositioning makes the frog a very good target for the fish. It can also be good throughout the spawn in heavier cover, like aquatic willows.” When fishing the frog, Wheeler keeps an eye out for vegetation. “A lot of times around the spawn and post spawn, the grass will start growing up,” he explained. “The bass will push their fry into those grass mats for protection. That is a good area to key in on and fish the frog over.” Other target areas, for Wheeler’s frog are skipping underneath bushes, docks and overhangs and working it over shallow flats. I keep it moving, aggressively poppin’ and twitchin’. I want it to displace water and move very fast, so the fish have to make a decision very quickly to hit it. If I miss a blow up, I will pause it and slow down a bit, so that the fish can come back at it.” Wheeler also employs the Spro Poppin’ Frog for times when the fish want a slower action. “The poppin frog walks better slow,” he said. “When I twitch it, I am throwing slack back at it. Snappin’ the rod throws the slack back in the line, to allow the frog to turn. If you don’t have slack in the line and the line is tight, it won’t allow the frog to turn. It will only continue to move forward.”
Due to its propensity to attract big fish, Wheeler’s chooses a stout rod for his frog and ties it to 65 lb Sufix braided line. “I want direct connect to set the hook in heavy cover and a fast reel to pick up a lot of line,” he said. “My setup is an 8:1 Okuma Helios reel on a 7’6″ heavy-action Okuma Scott Martin Signature TCS rod. This rod is really beefy to handle the big fish and the heavy cover. The high gear ratio reel is important to picking up a lot of line quickly.”
Click Link To Shop: Bass Angler Magazine
Four Seasons On Top Spring 2015 Bass Angler Magazine (Jody Only pg. 39-41)
4 colors available- 33 colors available
- 1 colors available
