Topwater Fishing Lures

The Duo Realis Pencil 85 is a precision-tuned floating topwater built to draw explosive surface strikes. At 85mm and 9.7g, it delivers a sharp, responsive walk-the-dog action on slack-line twitches — gliding side to side with the erratic, fleeing-baitfish movement that triggers reaction bites from bass that won't commit to anything else.

An internal weight-transfer system loads the bait for long, accurate casts and lets you work it tight to docks, laydowns, and grass edges. Sticky-sharp trebles pin fish on violent topwater blowups. Available in lifelike DUO color schemes including UV-reactive options for low-light and stained water.

Best For

• Walk-the-dog topwater presentations over open water, flats, and grass edges
• Morning and evening surface feeding windows on largemouth and smallmouth bass
• Tight presentations to docks, laydowns, and shoreline cover
• Stained water and low-light conditions (Neo Pearl UV color)
• Finesse topwater situations where a smaller profile outperforms larger walking baits

Key Features

• Length: 85mm
• Weight: 9.7g
• Type: Floating topwater pencil
• Action: Sharp walk-the-dog on slack-line twitches
• System: Internal weight transfer for long, accurate casting
• Hooks: Sticky-sharp trebles for topwater hookups
• Target Species: Largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, surface-feeding predators
• Origin: Japan (JDM)

Duo Realis Popper 64 — Precision Topwater for Bass

The Duo Realis Popper 64 is a 64mm floating topwater built to do two things exceptionally well: spit and walk. The concave cupped mouth throws a sharp, audible pop with a burst of water and bubbles on every twitch — then, with a subtle change in cadence, transitions seamlessly into a tight walk-the-dog action. One lure, two proven topwater presentations.

A built-in weight-transfer system shifts mass on the cast for extended distance and pinpoint accuracy around docks, laydowns, and grass edges. Finished in lifelike DUO patterns and armed with premium treble hooks, the Popper 64 is a compact but capable surface weapon when bass are keyed on small baitfish.

Best For

• Techniques: Popping, walk-the-dog, topwater finesse, surface twitching
• Species: Largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, spotted bass
• Use Cases: Clear-water finesse, pressured fish, small baitfish imitation, dock and cover fishing

Tackle Express Tips:

• Tie straight to the lure with braid or monofilament, a snap will impede the action
• Wait a split second between pops, most people pop it too fast.  After several pops, give it a longer pause.
• For larger fish, change the treble hooks out to a 2X.  It won't affect the action and your hooks won't bend out

Specs

Color Options

The Evergreen Combat Rat offers a larger, lifelike presence with realistic movement and unique noise that will entice fish to bite. Meticulously designed, this lure is an elevated option for modern-day anglers, with a keeled design for improved body stabilization and a natural swimming motion. Its wake and vibration are highly attractive to predators, and the stainless-steel core adds a distinctive one-knocking sound that consistently triggers fish.

Pros:

• Large disturbance on water to bring fish from distance
• Superior action
• Strong front bill to move lots of water
• Internal knocker to attract fish
• Wire keeper to hold tail securely 

Dual-plated joints enhance durability and contribute to a squeaking sound that mimics the rat's natural prey. Swivel hook hangers at the body and tail sections greatly improve hook-up and land ratios, preventing fish from leveraging the bait's size and weight. The tail keeper wire securely holds the rat's PVC tail in place and allows for easy replacement when needed, making it a highly usable tool for anglers looking to improve their game and catch their personal best. Choose the Evergreen Combat Rat for your next fishing trip and see the results for yourself.

TYPE: Floating

LENGTH: 10.8"

HOOK SIZE: #1/0, #1

The Evergreen International Gizmo - a one-of-a-kind 1-1/2 inch long and 1/10 ounce floating jig. Mimicking cicadas and other insect delicacies that bass crave, this lure is a must-have during bug hatch season. Crafted from durable buoyant elastomer plastic, it responds instantly to the slightest rod action. 

With front and rear rubber legs, it creates just the right amount of surface disturbance to trick those wily gamefish into biting. Whether you're casting around trees, brush, or timber laydowns, you can trust the concealed hook (a Decoy size 2) and monofilament weedguard to keep you snag-free. Order the Gizmo today and get ready to reel in some laughs - um, fish.

• The Evergreen International Gizmo is a unique 1 1/2 inch, 1/10 ounce floating jig.
• Designed to imitate cicadas and other insect forage.
• Small rubber legs that create subtle surface ripples as you twitch your rod tip.
• Size 2 Decoy jig hook with monofilament weedguard.
• Available in 8 colors, including both realistic and exotic.

The Evergreen International OB-68 is a 2 2/3 in, 3/8 oz floating topwater popper.

• Featuring a performance tuned popper mouth, the versatile OB-68 (aka the Evergreen One Bug) will spray, spit, bubble and pop with the best poppers out there.
• The OB-68 has an internal rattle system that is made with four different materials (tungsten, brass, steel and glass) that produces the most unique rattle sound out there.  The weighting and body shape also lets you cast this even further.
• Equipped with a #6 treble hook on the belly, and a feathered #6 treble hook on the rear to add additional profile.
• Check out all of the great new color options.

The Evergreen International OB-68 is Morizo Shimizu's secret popper, and it's about to be yours. The OB-68 is a culmination of all the skill and expertise that Shimizu expects from his popper, and Shimizu reaches for it not because he wants to fish on a topwater bait, but because the fish only respond to a topwater bait. The body, which is designed with its tail flipped up, reduces air resistance, cuts through head winds, and casts long distances to search a wider area. It has increased control due to better weight distribution and body balance. Furthermore, the three fish-appealing features that Shimizu seeks from a popper spit, bubble and pop are all achieved at a higher level.

With a body balance that responds sensitively to rod work, it can handle with ease a variety of challenges, from slow action by standing trees or rocks, replicating high-speed action of a bait chased by backwaters, and turning action within a narrow traveling range to high-speed twitches. Hybrid rattles in four different materials tungsten, brass, steel and glass produce sounds in different frequencies, giving you a wider appeal to fish under various conditions. Pick the best spray, bubble, action, pop or rattle sound that best suits the conditions of the day to build your most effective game plan. Pretty soon you'll be calling Evergreen International's OB-68 your secret popper.

The Evergreen JT Topwater Bait delivers a fleeing baitfish action that is awesome around pressured and weary fish. Completely silent, the Evergreen JT Topwater Bait is inspired from the balsa topwater baits that were a staple throughout the early years of competitive bass fishing.

Designed with a compact, slim body, the Evergreen JT is perfectly sized for all species of bass and stripers delivering a brisk walk the dog action with little effort. At rest, the Evergreen JT sits with a nose-up at a 45-degree angle that entices bass to strike.

Internally, the Evergreen JT is built with a fixed weighting system, it won't move,  which extends casting distance and decreases wobble, so the trebles remain straight and ready for strikes. Offered in a number of colors, the Evergreen JT delivers a killer topwater presentation that excels on pressured waters. 

The Evergreen Shower Blows Topwater Baits is the preferred choice among anglers like Morizo Shimizu for targeting fish on the water's surface. Its distinctive bill creates impressive splashes, sprays, and bubbles that are effective in luring fish from a large distance with just one cast. With a streamlined body and weighted tail, this bait can be casted against strong winds with remarkable distance.

Its well-balanced design also allows for quick, consecutive turns without jumping out of the water, mimicking the movement of distressed baitfish being chased by a bass. The feather hooks on the tail entice light bites from fish unable to breach the water's surface, while also adding sharpness to the bait's movements. Whether using dramatic action to attract distant fish or gentle vibrations to lure skittish ones, Evergreen International's SB-125 is a versatile tool that can adapt to any changes in fishing conditions.

Features:

• The Evergreen International SB-125 is one of the top sizes of Evergreen's well-respected SB (aka Shower Blows) topwater pencil popper walking baits.
• The Shower Blows 125 measures 4 7/8 inches, weighs a little under 15/16 ounce.
• Equipped with built in tungsten weight system helps with long casting and double as rattles.
• Pre-rigged with a size 4 trebles in front, center and the feather-dressed treble in rear.
• Evergreen International makes the Shower Blows in four sizes:  
• Feathered rear treble enhances the baitfish look of the lure.  Available in tons of great Evergreen International colors.

A stickbait lives or dies on whether an average angler can make it walk. The Espetit is built so it does — the taper and balance do most of the work, so you get a clean side-to-side glide without the wrist rhythm a lot of walking baits demand.

Short version: floating topwater stickbait in five sizes from 70mm to 140mm. Walk-the-dog and sliding action, twin cavities that pull bubbles down with the bait, and an internal rattle — with a silent version if the rattle is working against you.

What Makes It Different

• Dual cavities — the bait drags air down as it darts, leaving a bubble trail alongside the surface disturbance. Two signals instead of one.
• Internal rattle tuned to a specific frequency, adding sound to the visual and the bubbles.
• Floats at rest — the pause holds it in the strike zone instead of dropping out of it, and the pause is where most stickbait fish commit.
• Aerodynamic profile for distance, which matters when fish are boiling out of reach or you're covering a flat from the beach.
• Five sizes spanning bass-sized finesse to full pelagic profiles.

Rattle or Silent?

The White N Flash (Silent) is not a color variation — it's a rattle-free version of the bait, currently offered in 95mm.

Reach for the silent when fish are heavily pressured, the water is very clear and calm, or the rattling version has been getting follows and refusals. Sound is an attractant right up until it isn't, and on flat mornings a quiet bait sometimes gets eaten by the same fish that just refused a loud one. Take the rattle version everywhere else — chop, wind, stained water, and any time you need to call fish from a distance.

Which Size

We're confirming the 110mm's published weight and hook size with Fishus and will fill those in once verified — we'd rather show a blank than a guess. Call the shop and we'll weigh the one in the case.

Freshwater and Saltwater

The Espetit came out of the European seabass scene, which is why it casts and behaves the way it does — wind, chop, and long distances were the design brief.

Freshwater: 70mm and 95mm for largemouth and smallmouth, particularly on clear pressured lakes where a walking bait needs to be smaller than the standard.

Saltwater: the 125mm and 140mm are legitimate surface options for calico bass over structure, and for bonito and barracuda when they're feeding on top. The distance is the argument — boiling fish are usually further away than you'd like.

Fishing It Around Santa Clarita

Topwater windows on the local lakes move week to week. We publish Castaic Lake fishing reports with current conditions — worth checking before you decide it's a surface day.

Picking a Color

Colors offered vary by size. The selector above is the live list.

Recommended Gear

• Rod: moderate action with a forgiving tip. Stiff rods rip trebles out of fish on surface strikes — the single most common way anglers lose topwater fish.
• Line: braid to a fluorocarbon or mono leader. Braid gives you the direct connection to work the walk; the leader gives you abrasion resistance and a little stretch.
• Avoid heavy fluorocarbon straight through — it sinks and pulls the nose down, fighting the bait's float.

Pro Tips from the Tackle Express Crew

• Slack line makes it walk. Twitch into slack, not into tension. A tight line pulls the bait straight and kills the side-to-side.
• Use the pause. It floats for a reason. Let it sit after a blow-up and miss — fish routinely come back for a bait that's sitting still.
• Wait to feel weight before you set. Setting on the splash pulls it out of the fish's mouth.
• Try the silent version on flat mornings. Same bait, one fewer signal. Sometimes that's the difference.

Common Mistakes

• Working it on a tight line. The bait needs slack to turn.
• Too stiff a rod. Costs you fish on every strike.
• Setting on sight. Wait for the weight.
• Undersizing for saltwater. A 95mm on calicos over structure will get bit — the #6 trebles are the limiting factor, not the bait.

Specifications

See It in Action

What's Included

One Fishus Espetit in the size and color selected, factory rigged with trebles. No spare hooks or split rings included.

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the difference between White N Flash and White N Flash (Silent)?
The silent version has no internal rattle. Same body, same action, one fewer signal — for pressured fish and flat, clear conditions. Currently offered in 95mm.

Which size should I start with?
95mm for freshwater bass and general use. 125mm if you're fishing saltwater surface for calicos, bonito, or barracuda.

Does it float?
Yes. It holds position on the pause instead of sinking out, which is where a lot of the bites come from.

How do I make it walk?
Twitch the rod tip into slack line, not into tension. The bait needs slack to turn — pulling tight drives it straight.

Can I use it in saltwater?
Yes — the Espetit was developed for European seabass. Rinse the hardware after every trip like any other saltwater lure.

What rod and line?
Moderate action with a forgiving tip, braid to a fluorocarbon or mono leader. Avoid heavy fluorocarbon straight through; it sinks and fights the bait's float.

Why are some sizes offered in fewer colors?
Fishus doesn't produce every colorway in every size. The selector shows what's actually available.

Related Gear

• Topwater Fishing Lures — poppers, walking baits, and stickbaits.
• Freshwater Lures — cranks, jerkbaits, and soft plastics.
• Staff Favorites — what our crew actually fishes.

Buy It From People Who Fish It

We're on Soledad Canyon Road in Santa Clarita and we fish these lures on both the local lakes and the coast. Not sure whether you want the 95 or the 125, or whether the silent version is worth it for your water? Call the shop or come in — that's a two-minute conversation and it saves you buying the wrong one first.

Make pressured predators react with the Fishus Ubuntu Topwater Lure. Designed by Isaac Lorenzo, this floating silent popper combines walk-the-dog movement, popping splash, and a durable steel core in one easy-to-work topwater bait.

One Topwater Lure, Multiple Surface Actions

The Ubuntu responds to light rod work, making it easy to keep the lure moving during long sessions. Walk it side to side, pop it to throw surface commotion, or let it pause and float in the strike zone. The silent presentation is a smart choice when fish have seen too many noisy lures.

Why Anglers Choose the Fishus Ubuntu

• Silent popper design: Creates an effective surface presentation without excessive internal noise.
• Floating construction: Stays on the surface and remains in the strike zone during pauses.
• Walk-the-dog action: Produces an eye-catching side-to-side movement with light rod work.
• Popping and splashing action: Disturbs the surface when you need to call aggressive fish up.
• Steel core: Adds structural strength for big-game predator fishing.
• Size-matched treble hooks: The 70mm model uses Treble #8 hooks, while the 95mm model uses Treble #4 hooks.

Freshwater and Saltwater Applications

Use the Ubuntu for freshwater bass, pressured fish, and other aggressive surface feeders. Its floating action and durable construction also make it a strong choice when saltwater predators are feeding on top.

Choose Your Size

• 70mm: 8.5g floating lure with Treble #8 hooks.
• 95mm: 16g floating lure with Treble #4 hooks.

Choose the 70mm when you want the smaller profile, or step up to the 95mm for a larger topwater presentation. Both sizes are available in White N Flash.

Product Specifications

• Brand: Fishus
• Designer: Isaac Lorenzo
• Lure type: Floating silent popper
• 70mm model: 8.5g, Treble #8 hooks
• 95mm model: 16g, Treble #4 hooks
• Color: White N Flash
• Action: Walk-the-dog, popping, and splashing

Frequently Asked Questions

What action does the Fishus Ubuntu have?

The Ubuntu can walk the dog, pop, and splash. It responds to light rod work and is easy to vary when fish want a different surface cadence.

Does the Ubuntu float?

Yes. Both the 70mm and 95mm models are floating lures that stay on the surface during pauses.

Which Ubuntu size should I choose?

Choose the 70mm model for an 8.5g, smaller-profile presentation. Choose the 95mm model for a 16g lure with a larger profile and Treble #4 hooks.

Where can I fish the Ubuntu?

Use it for freshwater bass, pressured fish, and saltwater predators or any aggressive surface feeder willing to strike a topwater lure.

Watch it in action: Fishus Ubuntu Topwater Lure video

The Halco Roosta Popper 135 is perfect for targeting game fish that are aggressively  attacking bait fish near or on the surface.  The hardware on these poppers is of the highest quality and will stand up to big fish like tuna, GT's, dorado, and peacock bass. They are best used with a heavy spinning rod and reel due to the higher inches of line retrieved per crank.  We prefer to have braided line with a short 3' top shot of monofilament or fluorocarbon.

While designed with a blooping style retrieve in mind, the Roosta Haymaker can be simply wound in at speed or trolled for excellent results.The recommended method of retrieval for best results is to point the rod tip at the lure, retrieve any slack line and firmly sweep the rod tip in a downward motion approximately 45 degrees. Allow the lure to rest for several seconds and if a fish hasn't taken the lure repeat as necessary.

Roosta Popper 135 Specs

The Halco Roosta Popper 160 is perfect for targeting game fish that are aggressively  attacking bait fish near or on the surface.  The hardware on these poppers is of the highest quality and will stand up to big fish like tuna, GT's, dorado, and peacock bass. They are best used with a heavy spinning rod and reel due to the higher inches of line retrieved per crank.  We prefer to have braided line with a short 3' top shot of monofilament or fluorocarbon.

While designed with a blooping style retrieve in mind, the Roosta Haymaker can be simply wound in at speed or trolled for excellent results.The recommended method of retrieval for best results is to point the rod tip at the lure, retrieve any slack line and firmly sweep the rod tip in a downward motion approximately 45 degrees. Allow the lure to rest for several seconds and if a fish hasn't taken the lure repeat as necessary.

Roosta Popper 160 Specs

The Halco Roosta Popper is perfect for targeting game fish that are aggressively  attacking bait fish near or on the surface.  The hardware on these poppers is of the highest quality and will stand up to big fish like tuna, GT's, dorado, and peacock bass. They are best used with a heavy spinning rod and reel due to the higher inches of line retrieved per crank.  We prefer to have braided line with a short 3' top shot of monofilament or fluorocarbon.

The Halco Roosta 195 Haymaker is designed for catching some of the toughest fish that swim, from Giant Trevally to Dogtooth Tuna. It is built with extra heavy duty, custom made 7xx fish rings and is equipped with Mustad 5 extra strong 5/0 trebles. While designed with a blooping style retrieve in mind, the Roosta Haymaker can be simply wound in at speed or trolled for excellent results.The recommended method of retrieval for best results is to point the rod tip at the lure, retrieve any slack line and firmly sweep the rod tip in a downward motion approximately 45 degrees. Allow the lure to rest for several seconds and if a fish hasn't taken the lure repeat as necessary.

Roosta Popper 195 Specs

The Heddon Spook Boyo Topwater Walking Bait  proves to be another genius addition to the renowned Heddon Spook family! Whenever schooling bass are reluctant to hit any of the larger bodied lures, then it’s the BOYO’s time to shine.

The BOYO measures in just below the Super Spook Jr at 3 inches long, but still packs a punch at 3/8 of an ounce. It carries inside of it the same construction as the other spook models with a single lead rattle in the tail to aid in walking and sound to bring fish to the surface, as well as the aesthetics which make a spook such a wonderful lure! Pick some up today for immediate topwater fishing success.

• Available in fresh and saltwater patterns
• Quality components
• Same spook walk-the-dog action
• 3 inches long
• 3/8 oz.

The Loud One, Built to Call Fish From a Distance

The Heddon Super Spook is the big-water member of the Spook family — 5" and 7/8 oz with a loud rattle chamber and three #4 treble hooks. Where the standard Zara Spook is a finesse-of-the-surface bait, the Super Spook is built to be found: heavier, louder, and rigged with stouter hardware. Six colors in stock.

Why Anglers Reach for the Super Spook

Three things separate it from the rest of the family. The extra weight buys you casting distance, which matters on big open flats and when the wind is up. The louder rattle pulls fish from farther in chop or stained water where a quieter bait goes unnoticed. And the third treble means a fish that swipes at the tail or the belly still finds a hook — Heddon rates it at roughly 30% more hooking power than the two-hook models.

The Problem With Undersized Topwaters in Wind

A 3/4 oz walker on a windy flat is a frustrating bait. You lose distance on the cast, the chop hides the surface disturbance, and the sound doesn't carry. Fish that would eat never know it's there. The Super Spook's weight punches through wind and its rattle carries — which is the whole reason to own one alongside a standard Spook rather than instead of it.

What Sets It Apart

• 5" and 7/8 oz — the heaviest walker in the standard Spook lineup
• Three #4 treble hooks for roughly 30% more hooking power than two-hook models
• Loud rattle chamber, tuned louder than the Zara Spook's
• Stout hardware built for hard strikes
• Long-casting profile for covering big water
• Effective in freshwater and inshore saltwater

The Right Pick If…

• You're fishing wind, chop, or stained water where a quieter bait disappears
• You need distance to cover a big flat without running the boat over fish
• You're targeting bigger-than-average fish and want the extra hook
• You fish inshore saltwater as well as freshwater

Where It Sits in the Spook Family

The Super Spook is the top of the standard lineup. Reach for something else when:

• Conditions calm down — the Zara Spook (4.5") is the everyday size and draws more bites on a flat, quiet surface.
• Fish get picky — the Zara Puppy (3", 1/4 oz) matches small forage and pressured fish.
• You want the same size without the noise — the Super Zara Spook is 4.5" with no rattle chamber at all.
• You're in hard saltwater duty — the Super Spook XT carries extra-stout hardware for the same 5" profile.

Best Techniques

• Long-cast walking: Bomb it across a flat and walk it the whole way back — the distance is the point
• Wind-lane retrieve: Work it along the seam where wind-driven chop meets calmer water
• Burn and kill: On schooling fish, speed it up and then stop it dead in the middle of the boil
• Inshore flats: Same walking cadence over grass and oyster edges for redfish and speckled trout

Best Conditions

• Windy days and choppy surface — where this bait beats the smaller models outright
• Stained to lightly muddy water, where sound matters more than sight
• Large open flats, main-lake points, and long shorelines
• Inshore saltwater grass flats and oyster bars

Best For

• Species: Largemouth bass, striped bass, redfish, speckled trout, pike
• Techniques: Long-cast walking, wind-lane retrieve, burn and kill
• Environments: Open freshwater flats, main-lake points, inshore saltwater grass and oyster bars

Key Features

• 5" length, 7/8 oz
• Three #4 treble hooks
• Loud rattle chamber
• Stout hardware for hard strikes
• Six colors: Bone, Foxy Shad, Clear, Okie Shad, Bone Silver, Nickel
• Freshwater and inshore saltwater rated

Specs

Tackle Express Tips

• Give it a real rod: At 7/8 oz this is not a medium-power bait. A medium-heavy or heavy rod with a moderate tip moves it properly on slack line and drives three trebles home at distance.
• Braid for distance, mono for forgiveness: 40-50 lb braid gets you every yard of the cast and a solid hookset a long way out. Straight mono is more forgiving of premature hooksets if you're prone to them.
• Let the wind pick the bait: Glass-calm morning, throw the Zara Spook. The moment there's a ripple and the bites slow down, switch to this one before you switch colors.

FAQ

How is this different from the Zara Spook?
Size, sound, and hooks. The Super Spook is 5" against the Zara Spook's 4.5", its rattle is louder, and it carries three #4 trebles instead of two hooks. Choose it for wind, stained water, distance, and bigger fish; choose the Zara Spook for calm conditions and more bites.

Can I use it in saltwater?
Yes — it's a proven redfish and speckled trout bait on inshore flats. If you're fishing saltwater hard and regularly, the Super Spook XT carries extra-stout hardware in the same 5" profile.

Why three hooks?
Topwater strikes are frequently misses. A third treble covers the middle of the bait, so a fish that hits short or swipes at the belly still finds a point. Heddon rates the three-hook layout at roughly 30% more hooking power.

The Heddon Super Zara Spook Topwater Bait combines the smooth "walk-the-dog" action anglers love with a deadly silent presentation. Free of rattles, this 4 1/2 in. hard bait slips across the surface without a sound, fooling even the most cautious predators into striking. Its weighted tail delivers the casting distance you need to cover more water, while the side-to-side glide mimics an injured baitfish to draw aggressive surface attacks from bass, pike, and other game fish. The Super Zara Spook pairs sharp treble hooks with lifelike finishes to withstand ferocious strikes. This silent topwater bait excels at drawing strikes in open water and along weed edges, making it an excellent choice for targeting fish that shy away from noisy lures.

features:

• Hard bait with a smooth, rattle-free "walk-the-dog" topwater action
• Silent presentation triggers strikes from wary fish
• Weighted tail ensures long, accurate casts
• Sharp treble hooks and durable components for tough fights
• Available in a range of realistic color patterns to match local forage
• Quantity per pack: 1

The Small Spook for Fish That Have Seen the Big One

The Heddon Zara Puppy is the smallest walker in the Spook family — 3" and 1/4 oz, fitted with two #6 trebles. Same walk-the-dog action, scaled down for pressured water, small forage, and light tackle. On lakes where every bass has watched a full-size Spook go by, this is the one that still gets bit. Eight colors in stock.

Why Anglers Reach for the Puppy

Downsizing is the oldest fix in fishing, and topwater is where it works best. A 3" bait matches the shad, bluegill fry, and small minnows that fish are actually eating for most of the season, and it presents a target a smaller or more cautious fish will commit to. You trade some average size for a lot more bites.

The Problem With Overlining a Light Bait

At 1/4 oz the Zara Puppy is easy to overpower. Heavy line drags the nose down and flattens the walk; a stiff rod jerks it off its rhythm instead of swinging it. This is a light-line, light-rod bait — fish it that way and it walks beautifully, fish it on a heavy setup and you'll wonder what the fuss is about.

What Sets It Apart

• 3" and 1/4 oz — the smallest walker in the Spook lineup
• Full walk-the-dog action in a downsized body
• Two #6 treble hooks sized to the bait
• Matches shad, fry, and small minnow forage
• Castable on spinning tackle, unlike the heavier models
• Eight colors including Bull Frog and Glitter Shad

The Right Pick If…

• You're fishing clear, calm, heavily pressured water
• The forage in your lake is small and the fish are keyed on it
• You'd rather catch more fish than hold out for one big one
• You fish spinning gear and want a walking bait you can actually cast on it

Where It Sits in the Spook Family

The Zara Puppy is the finesse end. Size up when the situation calls for it:

• Step up to the Zara Spook (4.5") for the standard full-size profile and better average fish.
• Step up to the Super Spook (5", 7/8 oz) when it's windy or stained and you need sound and distance.
• Split the difference with the Super Spook Jr. (3.5", 1/2 oz) — a half-inch and a quarter-ounce up, with an internal rattle the Puppy doesn't have.

Best Techniques

• Slow walk on light line: The core presentation — short soft taps, plenty of slack, no hurry
• Skip and walk: Light enough to skip under docks and overhanging limbs, then walk it out
• Schooling fish: When bass are pushing small bait to the surface, this matches the size they're actually chasing
• Pockets and grass edges: Small profile works holes and edges a bigger bait fouls in

Best Conditions

• Clear, calm water — a flat surface is where the small profile shines
• Heavily pressured lakes and community water
• Late summer and fall, when fish are keyed on small shad and fry
• Docks, laydowns, grass pockets, and shallow shoreline cover

Best For

• Species: Largemouth, smallmouth and spotted bass, crappie, larger panfish
• Techniques: Slow walking, skipping, schooling-fish matching
• Environments: Clear lakes, reservoirs, ponds, docks, laydowns, grass pockets

Key Features

• 3" length, 1/4 oz
• Two #6 treble hooks
• Downsized Zara profile with full walking action
• Light enough for spinning tackle
• Eight colors: G Fin/Shad, Clear, Bone, Baby Bass, Black Shiner, Shore Minnow, Glitter Shad, Bull Frog

Specs

Tackle Express Tips

• Go lighter than you think: 6-8 lb mono or 20 lb braid with a mono leader. Heavier line pulls the nose down and the walk falls apart — the single most common reason people say the Puppy "doesn't work."
• Medium-power rod, not medium-heavy: You need a tip soft enough to swing a quarter-ounce bait. A heavy topwater rod will overpower it.
• Match the hatch literally: When bass are blowing up on shad you can see, this is usually closer to the right size than a full Spook. Bring it out when the big bait draws follows but no eats.

FAQ

Is this too small to catch good fish?
No. Big bass eat small forage constantly, especially on pressured water. You'll catch more fish overall on the Puppy and give up some average size — many anglers keep one tied on specifically for when the full-size Spook is drawing follows without commitments.

Can I throw it on spinning gear?
Yes, and often you should. At 1/4 oz it's right in the range for a medium-power spinning rod with 6-8 lb mono, which is one of the main advantages over the heavier models in the family.

Puppy or Super Spook Jr.?
The Puppy is 3" and 1/4 oz with two #6 trebles; the Super Spook Jr. is 3.5" and 1/2 oz with an internal rattle. Choose the Puppy for the smallest profile, the quietest presentation, and light spinning gear. Choose the Jr. when you want a little more size, casting weight, and sound.

The Bait Every Other Walking Bait Gets Compared To

The Heddon Zara Spook is the lure that made "walk the dog" a technique. At 4.5" it's the original full-size profile, and decades later it's still the reference point — when someone describes a new walking bait, they describe how close it comes to a Spook. Nine colors in stock.

Why Anglers Still Reach for the Original

The Spook's balance is the whole trick. Rod-tip taps make the nose swing side to side in a rhythm that's easy to fall into and hard to mess up once you have it, and the weight distribution lets it glide rather than skip. It also casts a long way for its size, which matters when you're covering a flat and don't want the boat on top of the fish.

The Problem With Fishing It Too Fast

The instinct on a topwater is to hurry. Fish will follow a fast Spook to the boat and never commit. A slow, deliberate walk with the occasional dead stop gets more strikes from bigger fish, because the pause is what convinces them the bait is hurt rather than fleeing. When they're genuinely fired up you can speed it up — but slow is the starting point, not the fallback.

What Sets It Apart

• The original full-size Spook profile at 4.5"
• Balance tuned for an easy, repeatable walking cadence
• Rattle chamber for sound attraction in chop or stained water
• Long casting for its size
• Nine color patterns from natural shad to bone to nickel plate
• Freshwater and light inshore duty

The Right Pick If…

• You want the benchmark walking bait rather than an imitation of it
• You're fishing surface-feeding bass in open water, over grass, or along shorelines
• You want a bait fish can hear as well as see
• You're learning to walk the dog and want the easiest bait to learn on

Which Spook Do You Need?

The Zara Spook is the middle of the family and the right default. Move off it when conditions push you:

• Stay on the Zara Spook (4.5") for typical open-water and shoreline bass fishing. This is the one to own first.
• Step up to the Super Spook (5", 7/8 oz) when it's windy, the water is stained, or you want to call fish from farther. Louder rattle and three #4 trebles.
• Drop to the Zara Puppy (3", 1/4 oz) when fish are pressured, the forage is small, or you're fishing lighter gear.
• Go silent with the Super Zara Spook (4.5", no rattle) on clear, calm, heavily pressured water where the rattle is working against you.

Best Techniques

• Walk the dog: Slack line, rhythmic downward rod-tip taps, reeling only to take up slack. The bait does the rest
• Walk and pause: Three or four taps, then a full stop. Most strikes come during the stop
• Burn and kill: When fish are schooling on the surface, speed the cadence up and then stop it dead
• Parallel the bank: Long casts down a shoreline keep the bait in the strike zone the entire retrieve

Best Conditions

• Early morning and evening, and overcast days throughout
• Water in the mid-60s and up, when bass will commit to the surface
• Light chop — the rattle earns its keep when the surface isn't glass
• Open water, grass flats, points, and shorelines

Best For

• Species: Largemouth and smallmouth bass, striped bass, pike
• Techniques: Walk the dog, walk and pause, burn and kill
• Environments: Freshwater lakes, reservoirs, grass flats, points, shorelines

Key Features

• 4.5" length
• Rattle chamber
• Classic Zara profile and balance
• Nine colors: Bone, Clear, Black Shiner, G Fin Shad, Flash Bass, Black Shore Minnow, Baby Bass, Nickel Plated, G-Finish Blue Shad
• Treble hooks fitted from the factory

Specs

Tackle Express Tips

• Fish it on mono or braid, not fluoro: Fluorocarbon sinks and pulls the nose down, which kills the walking action. Mono floats; braid floats and gives you a harder hookset at distance.
• Don't set on the splash: Wait until you feel the weight of the fish. Setting on the sight of the blowup pulls the bait away from a fish that hasn't got it yet — the single most common way to lose a topwater bite.
• Bone when in doubt: If you only carry one color, carry Bone. It shows up as a silhouette in low light and reads as a shad in bright sun.

FAQ

How do I make it walk?
Keep a little slack in your line and give short downward taps with the rod tip, reeling only enough to recover slack between taps. The bait swings its nose left on one tap and right on the next. If it isn't walking, you're almost always reeling too much and taking the slack out.

Zara Spook or Super Spook?
The Zara Spook at 4.5" is the everyday choice. The Super Spook is 5" and 7/8 oz with a louder rattle and three #4 hooks — pick it for wind, stained water, distance, or bigger fish; pick the Zara Spook for calm conditions and more bites.

What rod and line should I use?
A medium-heavy rod with a moderate tip, and 12-17 lb monofilament or 30-40 lb braid. Too stiff a rod rips the bait away from short strikers; too soft and you can't move it properly on slack line.

The Ima Baby Stik 105 Walking Bait is perfect for those times when fish are chasing smaller bait or there is an increased amount of fishing pressure. Featuring a rear weighted design that allows it to cast like a bullet, the Baby Stik is perfectly balanced  for an effortless walk the bait back and forth to resemble an injured or feeding baitfish. In addition to walking the dog, it’s also equipped with a cupped mouth that pops and spits water up to 2 feet in front of the lure.

On the inside, the Baby Stik is fitted with a boisterous internal rattle chamber the generates a distinct wake as it is worked along the surface. Armed with two razor sharp treble hooks and available in a variety of baitfish color patterns.