Topwater Tubes for Big Sunfish

By Ian

  Let's stroll down memory lane. Back to the days when your grandpa brought you fishing down to the pond with your trusty spincast combo, a cup of nightcrawlers, and an old pail, which you soon filled up with small and eager-to-bite sunfish, whom you would all invite to dinner. Sunfish hold many memories for us as a first fish, which started you off on a road to fishing other species, whether they be bass trout, or whatever. But sunfish holds a special memory in all of us. 

  I love fishing for big sunfish. Let no one tell you that all sunfish are easy to catch; small ones, maybe, but the big ones are no less cautious than a wild brown trout. At the slightest vibration, the big 'uns, especially in highly pressured ton lakes, make off like lightning. Make sure to approach the shore quietly when you fish. Big sunfish are also highly suspicious; I have seen them look at a well presented lure and ignore it. Maybe the pond minnows are bit silvery this time of the year, or some of your sunscreen got on your lure; they don't just bite on impulse, unlike their smaller brethren.

Above: Big sunfish caught on a topwater tube as part of the Buddy Program. 

  However, one way that I've found that drives big sunfish into a frenzy is a weightless be, fish topwater. Simply use a  light line, put the tube on a small hook, and cast it out. I prefer the tube to be in a dark color, but the actual color doesn't matter too much. Once it is on the water, jerk the tube on the surface; pause; jerk; pause. Keep fishing it like that. This is very effective in the summer, early fall, and late spring. I think the tube resembles a struggling insect on the water. Fishing a topwater tube is a nice way to get some big sunfish.

Tight Lines,

Ian