With all of this overcast and rainy weather, many anglers will be switching to their topwater lures to take advantage of these late season conditions. Normally in August the water has warmed up and the oxygen levels have dropped and because of this the fish become more lethargic and less aggressive. However, with all of this rain, the water temperature remains cooler and the falling rain helps maintain higher levels of oxygen, allowing fish to burn energy faster and subsequently seek out prey. Topwater Lures work well in these conditions also because with limited light, they call attention through their swimming action and surface noise. Fishermen can cast relatively safely in these conditions without spooking fish as the lure enters the water. It should be noted that in heavier downpours topwater lures can lose their effectiveness, essentially being lost in the commotion of the rain falling on the water, but for overcast and light or even moderate rain, these types of lures still stand out.

This brings me to the Prop bait. There are a number of classics and hybrids that sport what are called ‘props’. Props or propellers are just what they sound like, airplane like propellers mounted to rotate as they are drawn through water most often where the aft treble hook is mounted but also can be found on the nose. Two classics to get you started on prop baits are both by Heddon, the wounded spook and the baby torpedo. The wounded spook is about four and a half inches long, with a prop at the nose and aft (tail) of the lure. It is a straight un-jointed lure in the shape of a cigar if you will. It boasts two large treble hooks, one mid-belly and the other off the aft. They can be found in a number of paint styles depending on the type of conditions you wish to fish. For the most part they all host a painted eye near the front.

The Baby Torpedo by Heddon is much the same however measures in at a mere two and a half inches and lacks the forward prop. It still has the painted eye and two treble hooks however and can be used in much the same manner. Many fishing pros will describe the technique for using these as ‘walking the dog’ this entails reeling the lure in at a slow to moderate speed and slightly twitching the lure faster every other rotation so as to make it pull left, then right, then left and so on. It will almost look like the head of a snake if you have ever seen one swimming on the surface of the water, methodically leaning left and right as it moves forward. The props and rattling treble hooks will work as it is pulled through the water to attract the fish’s attention and the body of both of these lures will remain buoyant. Primarily a bass Lure, the fish will rise to the noise of this lure and strike from below, often sucking the lure down and managing an outer lip snag even if they happen to miss.

On a still night I would even use this lure across glassy water during a new moon and it wouldn’t be out of the question to land a walleye as well. If walking the dog seems too difficult, try reeling the lure slowly while jerking the lure two or three times in a row, just as you might a plug lure.

*If you have any luck with the lure of the week, feel free to email your pictures to events@riverreporter.com for an opportunity to share them on our website. If you have a favorite kind of lure we haven’t reviewed yet, feel free to send that lure to our office at PO box 150 Narrowsburg, NY 12764. We will add it to our weekly reviews and share the results. Check back each week on Mondays to see the new lure of the week!