Using Topwater Lures In The Fall For Inshore Salt Fishing

One of the best and most exciting options you can use while inshore salt fishing is a topwater lure. These lures create a ton of commotion in the water and can trigger some of the most exciting strikes you’ll ever get as an angler. These lures work especially well in the fall, and here’s why. 

There are lots of reasons why fall is so great for topwater action while inshore fishing. One of the main factors is cooling water temperatures. As water temperatures are declining, inshore baitfish begin migrations. When this happens, larger inshore predators become more active, targeting these baitfish as they begin to move.

Another factor that relates to this is that during the fall, you’ll start finding many of the inshore species like redfish, speckled trout, and striped bass in the shallower inshore waters. These shallow areas are ideal for working topwater lures and getting explosive strikes. Additionally, fall tends to offer some of the calmer conditions in these areas. Because of this, it’s much easier to find ideal conditions to work a topwater lure without tons of wind and waves.

When it comes to picking the right topwater lure for inshore fishing in the fall, there are really two that stand above the rest. 

The first are poppers. Poppers are designed to create a ton of noise and splashes on the surface of the water. This makes them great for grabbing the attention of fish near and far, and triggering strikes.

These lures are going to be best used on aggressive fish near structure. When fishing a popper in these areas, cast it out and retrieve it with twitches in your rod. This action creates the pop you’re looking for. 

Make sure to pause and let the lure sit on the top before reeling in the slack and repeating.

The other topwater lure that works really well in the fall for inshore fishing is a walking bait. These baits are designed to more closely mimic injured baitfish. While these can work well on aggressive fish, they can be especially effective when the fish are a bit more pressured and less willing to strike. 

When fishing with a topwater walking bait, you’re going to need to do the walk the dog action on your retrieve. Basically, this means consistent, steady rod twitches with pauses mixed in to make the bait “walk” side to side.

These two types of topwater lures are going to be your best bet the next time you head out to fish the inshore waters in the fall.