3 Best Times To Use Topwater Lures (And When To Avoid Using Them)
- By: Tony Acevedo
- on February 7, 2020

It’s topwater time!!
Throwing topwater lures is one of my favorite ways to catch fish.
Watching your lure click-clack across the surface and then seeing an aggressive trout or redfish explode on it… Pa-POW!!
Although throwing topwater lures can be great all year, there are three times when throwing these lures is best.
Want to see what those times are?
Watch the video below.
Best Times To Use Topwater Lures [VIDEO]
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This post is part of a series of best times to use baits and lures. Check out the other posts in this series below:
- The BEST Time To Use Shrimp For Inshore Fishing (Live & Artificial)
- BEST Time To Use Blue Crab (For Redfish, Snook, Tarpon & Black Drum)
- The BEST Time To Use Cut Bait (For Trophy Redfish, Trout & Snook)
Topwater lures can be effective all year long and I usually have one rod rigged with a topwater lure whenever I’m on the water.
They’re great because:
- They elicit a reaction strike because they resemble an injured baitfish
- You can use them to cover a lot of water
- Predator fish can easily ambush baitfish on the surface because they have nowhere else to go
However, even though topwater lures work well, they don’t work well all the time.
Throwing these lures is best when there is not a lot of sunlight, including:
- At sunrise
- At sunset
- If there is lots of cloud cover
There are a few theories as to why topwaters work best at low light conditions, but one is that when the sun is high and bright, they’re blinded by the sun when they try to look up to the surface.
When the sun is up high you’ll want to avoid using topwater lures and instead use a lure such as a soft plastic.
Conclusion
Have any questions about catching fish with topwater lures?
Let me know in the comments below!
And if you know someone who wants to catch more fish on topwater, please TAG or SHARE this with them!
Knowing the best times to use topwater lures is only part of the equation…
If you’re not in the right spot, it doesn’t matter if conditions are perfect for throwing topwater, you won’t catch any fish.
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STOP WASTING TIME ON THE WATER!
Do what the “SMART ANGLERS” are doing and join the Insider Club.
Here’s what you’ll receive today when you join:
- Weekly fishing reports and TRENDS revealing exactly where you should fish every trip
- Weekly “spot dissection” videos that walk you through all the best spots in your area
- Exclusive fishing tips from the PROS you can’t find anywhere else
- Everything you need to start catching fish more consistently (regardless if you fish out of a boat, kayak, or land).
I remember reading an article in the Florida sportsman mag about using topwater in the wintertime but they said that pretty much when the water temps get below 70 an angler has to slow down his or her retrieve dramatically well in my experience once the water is about 60 topwater are pretty much done until spring but I did talk to a guide once and he said up to 55 fish can still be caught but the retrieve does have to be slow to do it right what water temp do you stop fishing with them? Thanks for the video and all you do????
Great video. Appreciate the tips!
No problem John! Thanks!
Helpful as always, that 1st spec was nice!
Thanks Mike!
Great video Tony!!!
Thanks Cody!