Make a Topwater Impact
There is no other experience that compares to standing on the front deck as the sun rises in the cool summer morning. Bait caster in hand winding up and making a long cast with the sound of only a whisper of a “plunk” as the lure lands on the surface of the calm water. You focus diligently watching the plug as the ripples separate and fade into the calmness. With morning fog rising from the water’s surface, you make a sharp twitch with the tip of the rod and then another as the silence is broken by the chug- chug of the bait gulping at the surface. With a pause in your cadence the early morning sounds of nature fill the air as the sun breaks over the horizon and then…KATUGE! The battle rages on as a massive bass has accepted your offering. After the fight you reach down and lip the beast, raising the fish into the air as the water on its scales glistens in the morning rays of sun light. This my friends is fishing at its finest, the long awaited summer top water bite!
Many big bass are caught using top water presentation generally as the water warms above 65°in the spring until it cools back down to 65°in the fall. Many companies manufacture top water baits, but the nostalgia and the look of handmade wooden lures add something to the experience of topwater fishing that even the bass seem to relate to. The pride and the confidence that anglers of a passing generation had in the classic wooden lures seems to have a close kinship to the reaction of the bass when they have the opportunity to crush a wood lure. Not to say there is anything at all wrong with the new generation of plastic baits, they catch fish too, but I have noticed wood lure call up big bass, especially when they have the solid chug and pop that only comes from a solid wooden lure.
Companies like Impact lures that manufacture all hardwood lures that are crafted individually by hand with the best woods and quality components understand this relationship between anglers, bass and a lure. In the process, each lure is personally hand turned, hand painted and hand assembles providing a lifelike action as well as durability. Even the Buck tails on the hooks are made of natural materials and are hand tied. The company being ran by fisherman that boats that their lures have been rigorously tested on some of the toughest and toothiest fish in Florida, from Peacock Bass in the Miami Canals to Black tip Sharks off the Beaches. This first hand field testing is what makes them confident in the quality and durability of their lures. Impact offers an endless array of colors, shapes and sizes. Hand selected quality woods are used but they also offer exotic hardwoods for special order.
With the lures made by Impact being produced one at a time by hand allows the craftsmen to carefully inspect each and every lure made. Each lure is then assembled by hand insuring durability and quality. Because the lures are made with quality hardwoods, they are weighted to cast further than any plastic lure which is important to any topwater presentation. The hardwood will also hold up to toothy fish (even sharks) as much as ten times longer than hollow thin plastic baits.
I have come to the conclusion that Impact Lures makes fishing lures that work, they put bass in the boat. Since becoming acquainted with the company, I know firsthand that the company is built on a simple concept of producing quality baits in the Old American style. Using only the best components–stainless steel eye screws, double strong split rings and hooks–for their hardwood lures. They take pride in creating products that they themselves have tested and found to be successful. 
Happy Fishing!
For more information about these great handmade lures visit Impact Lures at: http://www.impactlures.com/
There is no other presentation that can cause bass to aggressively attack an artificial lure than fishing with a top water frog. This technique can be one of the most exciting summer tactics for catching largemouth bass in any region or lake that you fish. Regardless of the brand or design of the frog you use, the appeal to the bass is the same, a familiar silhouette on top of a lily pad or the grass matt above. Without notice, the quiet serenity of fishing in calm still water can be altered with a sudden explosion that can stop a faint heart. This is the reason that many anglers eagerly wait for fishing for bass during the “Frog days of summer”. 
No other lure is better designed for fishing heavy cover than a weedless frog, and in summer that is exactly where the big bass are going to be found. Search for shaded areas with heavy vegetation near deep water. Make long cast with the frogs onto the bank and then “hop” it into the water or onto the lily pads. In water a temperature above 80 degrees, a fast retrieve appears to produce not only more strikes, but more violent strikes by larger bass. Frog eating bass seem to attack their prey with much more intention of making a kill than eating a meal. 
Pausing until you feel the weight of this fish, and a sweep to the side will bring the bass to the boat. Quickly get the bass’s head above the slop in heavy cover to avoid losing the fish in the dense root systems of the aquatic vegetation. A higher gear ratio reel loaded with 20 -30 lb. braided line will help get your trophy to the photo shoot. A heavy “fogging’” rod is your best bet for fighting a big bass through the slop. Give this tactic a try if you can handle it. There is no other bass fishing technique more extreme unless you are in a kayak or a canoe to get right into the slop when froggin’. 
Fishing topwater baits in the summer can be both fun and productive. In the warmer water of summer the metabolism is at its highest requiring more foraging and faster digestion. Bass will strike topwater baits with an aggression that will stop your heart. This is the right time to see shad flipping on the surface and wood topwater bait mimics an injured shad better than other lures and achieves results perfectly.
The cadence of the retrieve is important in the warmer water and faster moving bait seems to be the preferred choice of bass. Establishing a rhythm with the lure greatly helps to attract the bass. The retrieve of the bait determines the rhythm and can make a big difference in the effectiveness of attracting bass. All bait fish make noises that bass can hear and feel. Predators attack and strike because of distressed sounds. Anglers should keep in mind that the sound a topwater lure makes can be just as important as how good the lure looks. Poppers create a sound that mimics a dying baitfish struggling on the surface and with its large eyes combine with natural colors and flash, the bait appeals to bass as much as anglers. The concaved mouth spits water everywhere to fool bass into striking as the action and splash contributes to the commotion on the surface.
With durable construction to their casting ability, we are confident that you will see the difference between our product and mass produced lures. The wood lures are unique and crafted one by one, hand sanded and individually painted. These works of art can catch quality fish all summer long. The craftsmanship of each lure speaks for itself and their fish catching ability has been proven time and time again.
A lot can be said about wooden lures, they have definitely left their mark on history with long standing world records yet to be beaten by modern designs. They also hold a place in the hearts of anglers that remember the vintage lures in their fathers and grandfathers tackle boxes. Impact Lures with modern design concepts and time proven techniques in manufacturing give anglers the confidence of vintage lures and the technology of modern tactics in fishing. There is something special about the topwater bite of summer and using a handcrafted wooden lure can add to the excitement even more.