Skeet Talks Topwater and the Lucky Craft Gunfish

Most bass anglers get goose bumps when the thought of a day filled with topwater action is the topic of conversation. There may be no more exciting way to catch a bass than to experience the raw power of a black bass as it erupts on a topwater plug.

Yet, as exciting as topwater fishing can be, many anglers don't have a complete understanding of where topwater can be applied, let alone how to incorporate it into a tournament game plan. For 2009 Bassmaster Classic Champion Skeet Reese, topwater fishing is certainly exciting, but more importantly, it can produce the kind of bites that win tournaments.

Having an understanding of when to choose surface baits, and how to make them produce is an important part of being a successful angler, and as Reese points out, having the right equipment, and using the right baits can make all the difference in the amount of fish caught.

“My favorite topwater bait is kind of an unsung hero to the average weekend angler,” Reese said. “My go to bait, for situations I face across the country is a Lucky Craft Gunfish.” Reese was careful to point out that while Lucky Craft is his sponsor, he is not the only tour level angler that feels that way. “I know a lot of guys who count on the Gunfish as their primary surface bait, regardless of who they are sponsored by.”

The reason is that Gunfish has a reputation for combining the attributes of a popper and a walking bait into a precision tuned package, and also because it has tremendous castability for a bait that is relatively compact. “Gunfish has a tail-weighting system that gives it incredible stability and a streamlined flight on the cast,” said Reese. “The design not only allows for long casts, but it also gives the angler more accuracy and control of the flight of the plug.”

Reese said that Lucky Craft produces many quality topwater baits, and that the Sammy, perhaps the company's most popular bait is the bait that fits a specific niche, more so than Gunfish. “People look at the Sammy and equate it to Spooks or other cigar type baits, but it is truly a finesse walking bait,” Reese opined. “The Sammy is made for clear water situations where a subtle glide is needed, so, it has somewhat of a limited application to me.”

For Reese, Gunfish has become the kind of lure that fits his needs from post spawn through the fall schooling season, and its versatility is key. “It creates so much commotion with its cupped face and slashing walking action that it calls fish to it,” he revealed. “In post spawn, I can cast it into small pockets and shade lines where the post spawn females hide, and I can make long casts and keep it moving and walking when the fish are schooling, and I don't have to get so close to them that I spook the school with Gunfish.”

Reese has two distinct thought when the topic of equipment enters the conversation, and they relate to the line choice the conditions force him to choose. “If I had my way, I'd use 30-pound-test Spiderwire Ultracast braided line all the time,” Reese said. “However, there are times, when the water is super clear, and calm, that I need to use monofilament, then I use 15-pound-test Trilene Maxx.”

When Spiderwire is the line, Reese uses his signature Wright & McGill Co. Skeet Reese S-Glass cranking rod because he said that the combination of low stretch line and shock absorption in the rod. When forced to use Trilene Maxx, he turns to his Jerkbait / Topwater model. He chooses to throw Gunfish on his signature Abu Garcia Skeet Reese Revo 6.4:1 reel.

“The reason I like braided line so much is because the line allows me to really apply the kind of sharp movements that bring the bait to life without having to over work the rod,” Reese said. “Plus, when a fish strikes the bait, the braided line really allows me to really bury the hooks and keep them pinned.”

Reese said that he chooses colors based on the conditions he is fishing. “In clear water with high skies, I throw Laser Clear Ghost, but will turn to Ghost Minnow, Aurora Black or American Shad if it is overcast or windy in clear water,” Reese said. “If the water is stained I will turn to Chartreuse Shad, or my new colors White Flash or Gunmetal Shad.”

Gunfish Laser Clear Ghost

Gunfish comes in two sizes, 95 mm and 115 mm, Reese said he chooses the smaller most of the time. “The 95 really is my ‘go to' bait for most situations,” he said. “But, if I'm at a place with big fish, like Amistad, Clear Lake , Guntersville, Falcon or the California Delta, I upgrade to the 115; it gives the fish a bigger target.”

Gunfish in 95mm and 115mm Sizes

Reese offered two tips for anglers to get the most out of their topwater fishing. “I always upgrade the size of my hooks one size,” he said. “The Gunfish 95 comes with size 5 hooks, and I upgrade to 4's, while the 115 comes with size 4 and I go to 3's or even size 2's.”

The other is about keeping an open mind about when to throw surface baits. “Most anglers throw topwater early in the day only, but they are missing some of the best topwater bites,” he reported. “If the water is slick calm in the middle of the day in summer, that's when some of the best action can happen, and by then, a lot of people have put their topwaters away."

Reese points to the 2007 Elite Series stop at Clarks Hill Lake and his 6 th place finish as an example of how the Gunfish can perform. “Those fish at Clarks Hill relate to the blue back herring, and the Gunfish 95 was a major part of my finish there,” said Reese. “It helped me catch them quickly, and obviously got the right strikes during that tournament, more people should know about Gunfish's effectiveness.”