I use a large range of surface lures for my bass fishing, but most tend to fall into one of two broad categories - "spitters" or "walkers".
Spitters such as the Xorus Patchinko, Savage Gear Slap Walker or Lucky Craft Gunfish all create some sort of "spitting" action when fished with a walk the dog (WTD) retrieve. These lures can all be worked in a wide variety of conditions, but I particularly turn to them when there is movement/chop on the waters surface, as I feel their design helps them to cut through turbulent water.
Walkers, on the other hand, are what I tend to reach for when the sea conditions are calm. Their subtle left-to-right "walk" works really well over a flat sea, and is fantastic when you want a more delicate presentation and to make less noise. Some of my most frequently used walkers are the Savage Gear Surf Walker, Bullet Mullet, and increasingly, the Berkley Dex Mullet Walker.
This Rapala Magnum Xplode has the typical "popper" shape
Another popular style of surface lure, but one which I very rarely use for bass, are poppers. These are probably the oldest surface lure design, and are typically characterised by their concave face and the "popping" noise they create. Although they are used all over the world, particularly in big game fishing, they seem to be very rarely implemented for our bass here in the UK.
Personally, I rarely use poppers because I can cover water a lot more quickly with a spitter or a walker. However, poppers do have their advantages, the main being that they are very effective at creating a lot of noise and commotion.
9cm Berkley Dex Strider
For the last few sessions, I have been trying the new Berkely Dex Strider. Its a really interesting surface lure, and one which I would describe as almost a cross between a popper and a walker. This means that you can cover a lot of water with this lure, whilst still creating a similar noise to a popper. It casts like a bullet, and when walked across the surface it creates a great popping sound. It also has an internal rattle which creates a lovely click when twitched across the surface. Although it may look similar to a spitter, the action it creates is rather different.
9cm and 12cm Dex Strider
I have tried both sizes (9 and 12cm), but I am a particular fan of the smaller 9cm size. I personally believe that bass are more willing to take a smaller topwater lure, and this 9cm version is just that. For a lure of its size, it is fantastic at allowing you to cover a lot of water whilst creating a good amount of noise. This is particularly useful when fishing in fairly coloured water, where I think a bit of extra commotion can make a lot of difference.
The larger 12cm size is an absolute missile, and casts like a dream. It's not as good as some other lures when casting into a head or side wind, but if you want a larger profile and to create some noise at range then it is fantastic.
Engulfed!
I've had a few fish on these lures now, but it'll certainly be interesting to see how this lure performs throughout the summer, especially when water clarity isn't at its best. Of course, there are times when bass will hit virtually any surface lure, but I do feel this one might attract that extra fish.
