
01 / FRESHWATER / TOPWATER
There is no strike in fishing louder than a topwater blowup. These walk-the-dog baits and surface jerkbaits work the top of the water column with a twitch-pause cadence that bass find personally offensive. Early morning, late evening, and anytime the surface is calm.

HEDDON
The original walk-the-dog bait, kicking around since 1939. You jerk it, it walks, bass blow up on it. Eighty-seven years of topwater violence for nine bucks.

HEDDON
Same Zara body with a cupped lip that makes it spit and chug instead of walk. Injured baitfish action on the surface. Bass eat injured things.

RAPALA
Walk-the-dog action BELOW the surface. Works the 0-2ft zone where topwater spooks fish but suspending jerkbaits sit too deep. The weird one that outfishes both.

RAPALA
Dies on the pause, literally rolling onto its side like a wounded baitfish. That death-roll action is what separates it from every other jerkbait in the box.
FIELD JOURNAL
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