Jackson: Noisy lures are the way to go

There always seems to be a flying critter willing to forge ahead and attack a lure, especially when that lure is being pulled along on the surface.

Of course I have seen the likes of shore-bound rodent-like characters attacking baby ducks and geese. And then there are the "swoopers."

Take a hawk, or even the mighty eagle, as an example. With super-keen eyes and the ability to swoop down like a jet fighter, these raptors have been known to attack a surface lure making noise, waves, and splashes as it churns its way back to the boat or a person standing on a bank.

It's the surface lure or plug, if you will, that creates the commotion which in turn translates to hungry fish.

And now because we are in the midst of a Chicago heatwave, surface activity with the lure of choice is one great way to make a day on the water pay off in a big way.

I have a dedicated plastic tackle box to specifically hold top-water lures, heavy leaders, and ball-bearing swivels.

In my opinion, surface or top-water angling is by far one of the most productive activities you and I could enjoy.

Change that - it is without doubt the most exciting way to go.

Some will argue with my choices, but in reality I believe there are four main categories of surface lures.

The ageless popper pushes water out of its way as its moving back to the origin of the cast. Old-timers would suggest to their neophyte students that one should stop the retrieve and allow all the ripples to calm down. These sages held fast to the idea that a bass or pike would see the lure as a wounded creature and attack it once it stops moving.

The second class of lures could probably be called glide baits, like the giant muskie wooden and plastic hunks. This class could also be the place for the famous Zara Spook, a favorite of fishermen who like to have the bait swing back and forth in what has been described as the "walking the dog" technique.

No. 3 includes plastic critters which will definitely float on the surface if you leave all weight-related accessories in the tackle bag.

And lastly there are the prop baits, lures with spinner propellers on front and rear areas (some models just have front-mounts).

One of the most famous brand names of that category is the Woodchopper.

The surface popper is represented by the Chug-Bug; Skitter-Pop; Creek Chub's Plunker Dinker and the Weed Bug.

Now some of these baits are much older than you and I and yet people still use them to catch bass, pike, and muskies.

I'll also toss in surface, weedless frogs. These are the lures I'll use when fishing heavy cover, like matts of algae and thick weeds. And more often than not I've had huge largemouth bass explode through the heavy cover just so it could lock its jaws around the frog and any of the lures I mentioned.

In my book, there's nothing that compares to surface fishing now, especially when fish attack the bait in a very aggressive mode.