Put the 5 incher on TOP!

[efishnc]

I have to admit, when the 5" Thump Grub came out, top-water fishing was not even remotely on my mind as a method to employ this new plastic.  Suddenly this morning it just hit me that I needed to give this a try, so I got some weighted and weightless hooks rigged and was on my way to the water.  It didn't take me long to determine weightless was definitely the way to go... the 5 incher did very well scootin' through the scum.  Because of the narrow nose, it danced through arrowheads, lily pads, milfoil, eel-grass and rarely brought any weeds back to the boat.   And good numbers of fish were striking it, but getting them to hang on was another story... oh well, that's kinda typical when fishing after a mayfly hatch.

For anyone that has bought this mold and has not considered using it as a top-water lure, I would definitely urge you to do so... not only does it sashay through the slop, but it can be buzzed in open water with a nice solid gurgle, and it can be waked below the surface.  I can confidently say it will be a top-water staple in my hands, partly because of its performance and partly because it has a different profile than a frog (which might be a difference maker on some occasions).

Next time out, I think I'm going to try flipping it. 
 

[ctom]

This new 5" Thump-It, along with the 4" Ripper, are my top two soft plastics used as a top water bass bait. I fish them entirely on weighted hooks [1/16 and 1/8 depending on the line ]. Most recently the large pike have shown favor with the Thump-It when fished in junk.

[Muskygary]

I'll bet that bluegill and perch would stay hooked with a two hook tandem (like a nightcrawler rig) with size 8 or 10 hooks tied approx. two inches apart. Something else to rig up!

[Lines]

I don't own that mold yet, but if it ends up in my mailbox, and my wife throws a fit, I'm blaming you EFISHNC!

[efishnc]

This new 5" Thump-It, along with the 4" Ripper, are my top two soft plastics used as a top water bass bait. I fish them entirely on weighted hooks [1/16 and 1/8 depending on the line ]. Most recently the large pike have shown favor with the Thump-It when fished in junk.

Not to be contrary, but I (personally) would be far more reluctant to use the 4" Ripper as a weedless top-water bait because its thicker body has less less clearance for the hook... it's just one more thing that might further limit connecting in an environment that is already problematic.   I could see using the Ripper in more open water where the fish can easily inhale the bait in without obstruction, but I believe the 5" T.G. is a better choice for heavier weeds like I was fishing. 

[efishnc]

I don't own that mold yet, but if it ends up in my mailbox, and my wife throws a fit, I'm blaming you EFISHNC!

I've been a scapegoat most of my life, so I'm used to it... if you want, I can pre-write your wife an apology letter.   

[ctom]

Not to be contrary, but I (personally) would be far more reluctant to use the 4" Ripper as a weedless top-water bait because its thicker body has less less clearance for the hook...

We're in some serious slop here on pool 4 and Pepin where we've been chasing pike. I'm using the new #7320 VMC Extended Locking Bend hooks, 5/0, 1/16 thru 3/16 weights, in the Rippers and have absolutely zero issues with hook clearance or the weeds. I'm running the eye of the hook thru the head end of the body about 5/8" back, then tying the rig on and finishing by setting the hook in the body and finally pulling the hook back a bit bringing the knot and eye back inside the plastic. It looks like the plastic simply has a line coming out of the end. No knot. line tag or hook eye to collect weeds. I have also modified my Ripper molds to make a hook slot along the back side where, when rigged, the hook's point is completely hidden from anything that wants to snag it. The weight cast on the hook is cleaned up so it forms a very sharply tapered, pointed leading edge that also slips thru any vegetation. For the Thump-It 5" I go down to the 4/0 in the same 7320 VMC hook and rig the plastic with just the point of the hook punched back down into the plastic's back to make it weedless.

Both baits work excellent in the crap environment rigged as such. I'm fishing 40 pound braid on both rods.

[Lines]

I've been a scapegoat most of my life, so I'm used to it... if you want, I can pre-write your wife an apology letter.   

  Thanks 

[efishnc]

We're in some serious slop here on pool 4 and Pepin where we've been chasing pike. I'm using the new #7320 VMC Extended Locking Bend hooks, 5/0, 1/16 thru 3/16 weights, in the Rippers and have absolutely zero issues with hook clearance or the weeds. I'm running the eye of the hook thru the head end of the body about 5/8" back, then tying the rig on and finishing by setting the hook in the body and finally pulling the hook back a bit bringing the knot and eye back inside the plastic. It looks like the plastic simply has a line coming out of the end. No knot. line tag or hook eye to collect weeds. I have also modified my Ripper molds to make a hook slot along the back side where, when rigged, the hook's point is completely hidden from anything that wants to snag it. The weight cast on the hook is cleaned up so it forms a very sharply tapered, pointed leading edge that also slips thru any vegetation. For the Thump-It 5" I go down to the 4/0 in the same 7320 VMC hook and rig the plastic with just the point of the hook punched back down into the plastic's back to make it weedless.

Both baits work excellent in the crap environment rigged as such. I'm fishing 40 pound braid on both rods.

Make no mistake, I love the 4" Ripper as an early season walleye jig dressing and an anytime bass swimbait, and I know it can work in other applications as well (such as your top-water presentation or my vertical jigging for winter cats).  I don't think either of us will undermine the other's confidence in personal lure selection, so whatever is working (for any of us) I suspect we will (all) keep doing... and then again, maybe we're just set in our ways.

[ctom]

and then again, maybe we're just set in our ways.

Well, darn..... ya, think?

[BareKnuckleJigs]

Swimbaits and Ribbontail Worms have been my topwater soft plastics for a while.
Since the majority of my LM Bass fishing tends to be on the lighter side, my BT 6005 tends to be the common projectile, along with the 3.5" Taper of the 6" Regular Carrot.

The 6005 Swimbait does well with a steady, straight retrieve but get it on top and twitch it good.  Make this part of your presentation, and with varying frequency and authority.
Doing so turns a Swimbait into a topwater noise-maker.

Swims are versatile tools and the 5" Thump Grub is probably a perfect contender.

Side Note:
Shoot some 5" Thump Grubs in Salt 'N Peppa, and Twitch it Good!

[efishnc]

Swimbaits and Ribbontail Worms have been my topwater soft plastics for a while.
Since the majority of my LM Bass fishing tends to be on the lighter side, my BT 6005 tends to be the common projectile, along with the 3.5" Taper of the 6" Regular Carrot.

I used ribbon tails, finesse worms, and even tubes for topwater back in the 90s when I had limited water and it was tough to get bit on anything else... using these with a slow play and twitch retrieve paid off back then and I know it would now as well, but given my access to water is so much greater here on the Miss, I typically change venues rather than going with the really light gear.

[Lines]

When I lived in Iowa, we fished many ponds with moss and pads in the shallows.  A weightless, weedless, flippin' hog was a very effective top water largemouth bait.  Poured with green pumpkin top, and pearl white belly laminate. Sure pulled back many weeds and trash to the boat though. If you could stand up fishing a 7' or longer rod, with shorter casts, you could eliminate a lot of the trash. Most of the boats we fished from were questionable when standing. Redneck yacht club ya know!

[senkosam]

As for paddle tails, does anyone still use 5" Sassy Shads or any size SS for that matter? I still have quite a few in storage going back decades and never cast them.

[efishnc]

Back in the day, the shad was my #1 jig dressing for walleyes, but then I discovered the lizard and that became my go because BIG walleyes seemed to be particularly susceptible to it... then Do-it got into soft baits and the Flippin' Zip almost instantly became my new keystone bait, then the original Thump Grub stepped into play followed by the Ripper, and these three now make up my walleye trifecta.  Anyway, the only shad usage I have today in on a spinner bait.