Fall is prime time for topwater bass fishing. As water temperatures cool, baitfish often flood shallow to mid-depth flats where both largemouth and smallmouth are a sucker for feeding on top.
But successful fall topwater fishing isn't always as simple as tying on a favorite bait and covering water.
For Bassmaster Elite Series pro Bob Downey, changing conditions and fish behavior usually dictate which topwater gets the call. His approach is based on three go-to baits: the Rapala® Jowler® 127, Storm® Chug Bug®, and Rapala® ClapTail™.
Together, this diverse topwater lineup lets Downey switch between an aggressive walking topwater (Jowler), noisy plopper (ClapTail), and classic popper (Chug Bug) while searching for bass spread out across expansive flats.
"Every day is different, and that's why we have different options," Downey says.
Find Fall Bass on Shallow Feeding Flats
Before choosing a topwater, Downey first locates the right type of water.
In fall, he looks for expansive feeding flats adjacent to deeper basins. Rather than looking for sharp breaks, he targets bass on forage-rich flats.
Within those flats, subtle differences become important.
Healthy grass clumps, isolated rock, and gravel can all concentrate bait and bass. Downey uses his side imaging in conjunction with 360 and live sonar to find the densest patches of green grass.
Once he identifies a likely flat, topwater baits become more than a way to catch fish. They're also efficient tools for finding bass.
"A topwater can be a really good bait to show you fish," Downey says.
A bass may swipe at the lure or follow it without committing. But even if it doesn't eat, you've still found a fish-holding zone that could otherwise go unnoticed.
Slow Down With a Popper
When conditions turn slick, and bass show themselves without fully committing to a more aggressive topwater, Downey works a popper into the mix.
The legendary Storm Chug Bug is a shorter, more finesse-oriented popper-style bait that can trigger strikes when bass pass on more aggressive offerings.
After using the Jowler to pull fish from a grass patch during calm morning conditions, Downey gives the area a rest and returns with the Chug Bug. The subtler presentation produces bass from the same zone.
The subtler pop-and-pause presentation also lets Downey slow down over high-percentage areas once he's identified them.
Add Another Sound With the Rapala ClapTail
The Rapala ClapTail gives Downey a third surface presentation with a distinctly different action and sound.
On a straight, steady retrieve, ploppers like the ClapTail let you burn a ton of water and call fish in with a consistent prop-on-metal-blade rotation for both a unique sound and commotion that bass find irresistible.
Having all three available lets Downey change not only bait size or color, but the cadence, sound, and overall nature of the presentation.
As he explains, these three topwaters provide different sounds and actions that help cover his bases when conditions and the mood of the fish change throughout the day.
That versatility matters during fall, when rapidly changing conditions translate to rapidly changing fish moods and behavior.
Cover Water With a Walking Bait
When Downey wants to search a flat quickly, the Rapala Jowler 127 is one of his first picks.
He works the Jowler fast and aggressively, using its big profile and sound to cover water and draw bass from isolated grass. The louder, more aggressive presentation excels when there's some wind or when bass are actively schooling.
The ability to move quickly is also important on large flats. Rather than picking apart individual targets before knowing whether fish are present, Downey uses the Jowler to search broad areas and find the sweet spots.
As wind increases, the Jowler's cup-faced design really shines at throwing water and getting fish to react.
Let Conditions Choose the Topwater
Rather than labeling one of the three topwaters as the best fall bait, Downey treats them as complementary tools.
Reach for the Rapala Jowler 127 when you need to cover water quickly, there's some chop on the water, and you need to create some sound along with aggressive surface disturbance.
Switch to the Storm Chug Bug in calm conditions or when you've already located a productive area and want to fish it more methodically.
Mix in the Rapala ClapTail when you want a different sound and surface action to trigger bass that aren't responding to the other two presentations.
The trick is to keep experimenting.
During the video, Downey moves between presentations as the morning progresses. Fish that passed on the Jowler under slick conditions become more willing to commit after the wind increases and surface conditions change.
"Changing conditions—be sure to mix up your baits," Downey says.
Target the Healthiest Fall Grass
Although expansive flats establish the general location, Downey doesn't treat every acre of a flat equally.
Healthy vegetation is one of his primary targets.
As fall progresses and vegetation begins dying back, remaining patches of green grass can concentrate both forage and bass. Isolated clumps surrounded by sand or open bottom are obvious targets.
Downey uses his electronics to locate individual grass patches and their highest points, then works topwaters over and around those targets to draw bass from the cover.
The approach lets him efficiently search a large flat while concentrating casts around the features most likely to hold fish.
And if bass reveal themselves without committing, that information is still valuable. Downey can change up to a different topwater—or shift to a vertical presentation like a Neko rig, Texas rig, or jig.
Use Topwater as a Search Tool
One of the biggest lessons from Downey's fall approach is that a missed strike isn't a failed cast.
A trailing bass or missed swipe or boil reveals their location.
On broad feeding flats where fish can be scattered, those encounters help identify productive zones, be it grass clumps or another type of cover or structure. Once a zone produces activity, Downey can slow down, change topwaters, try a soft plastic presentation, or just return later under different conditions.
That makes aggressive surface baits particularly useful for breaking down unfamiliar water.
The Jowler and ClapTail allow anglers to move quickly and call fish from a larger area. Once fish are located, the Chug Bug provides a more finesse-oriented option for slowing down and working the zone.
Keep Your Fall Topwater Options Open
Fall topwater fishing rarely comes down to finding one magic lure and throwing it all day.
Bass position changes. Wind comes and goes. Feeding activity increases and fades. A fish that follows an aggressive bait in calm conditions may crush the same presentation once a little wind kicks in—or respond to a subtler popper instead.
That's why Downey keeps the Rapala Jowler 127, Storm Chug Bug and Rapala ClapTail at the ready.
Three different surface sounds and actions let him search expansive flats, react to changing conditions, and adjust when bass show themselves without committing.
Find a shallow feeding flat near deeper water, concentrate on the healthiest grass and other isolated cover, and let the fish tell you which topwater action they want that day.