MAGICAL TOPWATER PART 5 : PROP BAITS

Prop-Style Bait

A prop bait, like the other styles has a niche. For Mueller, choosing a prop bait is based on how the fish are reacting. A popping bait is closely related to a prop bait, as the mood of the fish usually calls for one or the other.

“It’s totally trial and error over a popper. If I am throwing a popping bait, its mostly going to be that 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. window, the banks are shaded, fished around docks, or inside weed edges. It shines like a popper but totally depends on the mood of the bass.”

He believes there is something about each bait that triggers the bass, and you have to keep both on-hand until you can get dialed in on the specifics.

The other scenario that Mueller employs this presentation is when the bluegills are spawning. When a bass’ main forage is spawning, the fish let their guard down and bass know it. Big, lazy largemouth bass like an easy meal—and they know how and when to get it.

“I have seen a prop bait do magical things when they get on it and nobody else picks up on the bite,” he said. “Around the bluegill spawn, I like to find the honeycomb beds in one zone and then you have to figure out when to get to those areas and fish them.”

While early and later in the day may be optimal, there are times when the bass want to eat surface baits mid-day. Fishing in Arkansas on Lake Ouachita, Mueller dialed in a prop bait and has applied it back home on Candlewood Lake and uses it now, all around the country.

“It is a smaller window than some baits, but it has a place and it catches them extremely well.”