# Top water recommendations



## southerncannuck (Jun 27, 2016)

I normally use Rapala V rap but I’d like to find a top water walk the dog style of lure that’s smaller. A little more subtle. Any recommendations?


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## Breeze (Aug 7, 2016)

southerncannuck said:


> I normally use Rapala V rap but I’d like to find a top water walk the dog style of lure that’s smaller. A little more subtle. Any recommendations?


Spook Jr


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## Zika (Aug 6, 2015)

Rapala Skitter Walk 08.


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## DBStoots (Jul 9, 2011)

I like the Spook Jr. or the MirroLure Top Pup (74MR). It's 3 1/2" and weighs 5/8 oz.


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## mro (Jan 24, 2018)

Top left, is a top water version of the finger mullet.
Got this when I lived in Florida in the 70's. 
The two spooks on the right are the newest additions.
Not sure when I got them, sometime in the 80's or 90's. 
The rest are from the 60's to about 1970. You might notice how well preserved they are 
Today's the first time I've even looked into my bass box in 20 years. Think the last time I used one of my casting rods was 82 or 3...









The bottom right one had a rubber skirt on the back end, crumbled when I touched it. 

Next to the bass box is one for trout. I might take a look into that one today too.


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## Zika (Aug 6, 2015)

LOL That top left plug is a Bagley Finger Mullet and I almost suggested that one, but they are hard to find. The original balsa wood ones have the best action. You can still find them occasionally on eBay.

I have a few in my tackle box as well, but I don't use them often. Would hate to see a bluefish swimming off with one in its mouth.

That Smithwick Devil Horse (left, third down) with the props is another classic wooden plug. Great slick water trout lure.


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## anytide (Jul 30, 2009)

spook jr.
bone
silver at night / we called it the "steely dan"
best lure made....


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## lemaymiami (Feb 9, 2007)

Thanks MRO for that photo - I might actually know who made most of the ones shown.... Those old Bagley Mullet plugs were still being made (at least a year or two ago...) but like most I buy them whenever someone's selling new ones on E-Bay... The next one down on the left is from South Bend but I can't remember the model name. The next one down is the Smithwick Devil's Horse, the last one on the left at the bottom is an old Dalton Special (and I still have one or two of them around..). 

Everyone of them will still catch fish - but most are long out of production (if the folks that made them are even still in business...). The basic designs don't change -but what anglers will buy is another deal entirely... 

Me, I'm still hoping someone brings back a reasonably priced Creek Chub Darter... That old wooden plug took a lot of snook, redfish, and trout for years and years - when you could still get them...

I use two topwater plugs mostly these days.. The first is the full sized Rapala Skitterwalk (even though we barely make it through a day without one cracking, then starting to take on water - then not much use at all..). 

The second is a topwater I hand beginners that really shines - even though these days they come with freshwater hooks... The Mirrolure #21 - (any color they come in....) something you rarely see in stores any more.. It has a propeller at each end like the Devil's horse and I can get any beginner that has never used plugs at all to fish one properly (simply snap it to make a sound - then let it sit for a few seconds - then repeat...). The freshwater hooks barely last a day or two but it's not hard to replace them with hooks that are a bit more sturdy... and actually meant for the salt... 

Be a hero... Take a kid fishing!


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## mro (Jan 24, 2018)

lemaymiami said:


> Creek Chub Darter...


Somewhere out in the garage is a small card board box that has a few old wooden lures I've come across.
These 3 have been sitting in a drawer in my "fish" desk for a decade or so as I don't remember where that box is.

Another one of those projects
(making a display)
on my list that I've yet to get around to.

BTW, the bottom lure is the Creek Chub Pike version


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## Skram (Feb 8, 2019)

Yep, Spook Jr or the Skitterwalk. Skitterwalk cast a little better imo.


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## southerncannuck (Jun 27, 2016)

Just got a partial shipment of lures. Going to splash test them tomorrow morning early. Thanks for the suggestions.


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## mro (Jan 24, 2018)

southerncannuck said:


> Just got a partial shipment of lures. Going to splash test them tomorrow morning early. Thanks for the suggestions.
> View attachment 126320


white, silver and black

The most fish catching colors of all time.


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## permitchaser (Aug 26, 2013)

mro said:


> Top left, is a top water version of the finger mullet.
> Got this when I lived in Florida in the 70's.
> The two spooks on the right are the newest additions.
> Not sure when I got them, sometime in the 80's or 90's.
> ...


i have all those...somewhere


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## crboggs (Mar 30, 2015)

If you are throwing spin...Spook Jr in bone is all you need...


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## Net 30 (Mar 24, 2012)

crboggs said:


> If you are throwing spin...Spook Jr in bone is all you need...


Yup......If I had only 1 lure for spin fishing, it would be a Spook Jr.


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## Indy (Aug 21, 2015)

The she pup gets the job done


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## Skinnywaterculture (Oct 23, 2019)

Spook jr, hedon one knocker


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## Dlkingfisher (Apr 18, 2020)

Use the small skitterwalks!


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## timogleason (Jul 27, 2013)

southerncannuck said:


> Just got a partial shipment of lures. Going to splash test them tomorrow morning early. Thanks for the suggestions.
> View attachment 126320


Change the hooks on the spook if you are targeting big fish. I hate that feathered treble. The hooks in general feel like paper clips. I change to inline singles of ringed singles. Better for fish, safer for fisherman and makes way more weedless as a upside!


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## lemaymiami (Feb 9, 2007)

I'm pretty old school when it comes to plugs - and their colors... This slot snook was taken last Thursday - and promptly invited home for dinner....








full sized Skitterwalk, on it's second set of hooks.... I was doing some scouting out of Port of the Islands (nine miles west of Everglades City) about 20 minutes before sunup... When I'm guiding not one fish comes home with me so whenever I'm out scouting (or exploring, or just working off a serious case of cabin fever...) I'll try to bring home dinner... 

Just nothing like the 'glades...


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## georgiadrifter (Jan 14, 2009)

Two thumbs up for that Dalton Special. It was money on middle Georgia farm ponds when I was chasing bass.


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## FishWithChris (Feb 6, 2019)

man, only one vote for the One Knocker so far! If I had to rank them.. 

1> One Knocker
2> Top Dog Jr
2> Spook Jr
3> Poppa Mullet


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## elsillo (Aug 6, 2017)

My go to topwater lure is now the StrikePro Hunchback's
https://hunchbacklurestore.com/shop/
I replace the trihooks with Owner J hooks https://www.ownerhooks.com/product/single-replacement-hooks-x-strong/


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## JB the Redfisher (Jan 5, 2020)

Yo-Zuri "L" minnow


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## Marsh Pirate (Sep 15, 2016)

I've been using the Matrix Mullet for the last couple of years. It's my go-to topwater.


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## mro (Jan 24, 2018)

I've been told that you can't cast "wooden poppers" with a fly rod 

So just to be a fly casting pervert 

I made this










This is the largest wooden popper I've ever made and I bet it would cast OK with a light line bait caster and my "big fish popper fly rod" self identifies as a bait caster. 

Front yard cast, 63 feet,
my back cast just missed my neighbors SUV buy a foot or so.


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## Mako 181 (May 1, 2020)

I use and own a lot of the Mirrolure 7M-18.

Last Wednesday morning in Everglades National Park produced a nice slot (out of season) snook on my 5th cast at my first stop in Whitewater Bay along with may others through out the morning







. Been using these exclusively for years.


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