Saltwater Topwater and Poppers

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.

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 Ima Big Stick topwater lure is the result of years of development by the Japanese engineering team at Ima and professional angler, Randy Pringle. Extremely easy to fish and impart excellent action, the Big Stick doesn't require a big swimbait rod either, it's actually designed for use with conventional gear. The bait's rear weighted design allows the bait to start up its characteristic action as soon as you start your retrieve, and it also helps increase casting distance and accuracy.

In addition to highly detailed finishes, massive eyes and a unique head, designed to push significant volumes of water, the Ima Big Stick also features eight individual sound chambers that when fished fast creates a huge ruckus, but also allows it to be popped subtly along the surface. Featuring a durable wire-through construction, heavier split rings and Owner hooks, the Ima Big Stick can stand up to any trophy fish - bass, musky, pike, stripers and various saltwater species. It will spit like a magnum popper, walk like the hardest-sashaying walking bait, and anglers don't have to be experts to make it do its thing.

Length: 7"

Weight: 1.75oz (50g)

Type: Pencil Surface Popper

Hooks: Owner ST-66 #1/0

The Clear Choice Tuna Propper is a hard-hitting topwater lure built for anglers who demand explosive surface strikes. Its flying fish / injured baitfish profile triggers aggressive reactions from big pelagics and inshore bruisers alike — whether you're casting from the rocks or slow-trolling behind the boat. Unlike most topwater plugs, the Tuna Propper can be trolled through clean water at low speeds, giving you a versatile weapon that covers more water and more situations.

Features

• Long-distance casting design for maximum reach
• 5x heavy-duty hooks included — ready to fish out of the box
• HD hardware throughout for big-game durability
• Mimics a flying fish or injured baitfish for lifelike action
• Castable AND slow-trollable — rare versatility in a topwater plug
• Triggers explosive surface strikes from large pelagics

Best For

• Target Species: Bluefin & Yellowfin Tuna, Giant Trevally (GT), Amberjack, Snapper
• Techniques: Long-range casting, slow trolling, surface popping
• Conditions: Open ocean, blue water, clean inshore flats
• Available Sizes: 140mm | 160mm

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

Drifter Tackle Doc Topwater Lure have been one of the hottest plugs for East Coast Stripers for over 10 years.  It not only works on the east coast, it works from coast to coast on largemouth, stripers and more. For a long time, the unpainted “Bone” colored Doc’s were some what of a mystery.  Over the past couple years, as tackle shops have begun to stock them, the name and reputation has grown. 

These “Walk The Dog” top water plugs create a violent side to side action, and unmatched loud rattle unlike anything Striper have ever seen.  Striped Bass literally can not ignore them!

These lures come equipped with stainless steel hardware, and 4/0 VMC Perma Steel hooks able to hold up to the Saltwater environment. 

7" Lil' Doc weighs 2.75oz.

9" Doc weighs 3.25oz.

Phenix Black Diamond Spinning Rods are excellent for both inshore  and offshore fishing. Black Diamond Rods incorporate a new generation of saltwater blanks. Using Toray’s high strength Carbon Fibers, the Black Diamond is created with a unique layering process and a “secret sauce” resin. This combination of aerospace technology allowed Phenix to fabricate a super strong blank that has a thinner diameter and weighs considerably less than any other series of rods in its class.

We offer the entire line of Phenix Black Diamond Rods including both the casting and spinning rods. For more detailed information please click the technical specs tab to see a rod by rod breakdown.

• Proprietary blend of High Modulus Graphite and High Strength Carbon Fiber
• Thin and lightweight
• Extremely strong
• Fuji Alconite Guides
• Fuji DPS Reel Seat

Unleash the power of big bait fishing with the Fishus Espetit Goliath 210mm, a completely redesigned topwater monster engineered to tempt the most aggressive predators in saltwater and freshwater. This heavy-duty edition of the legendary Espetit combines massive profile with effortless action, delivering the walking-the-dog performance of a 30g lure while packing the fish-attracting presence of a true 97-gram bigbait.

Built around a reinforced core designed to withstand brutal strikes from trophy stripers, tuna, and monster bass, the Goliath comes rigged with three 1/0 4X-strong treble hooks that won't fail when you hook into the fish of a lifetime. The revolutionary weight-transfer system doesn't just maximize casting distance—it creates self-generated momentum on the first twitch, making walking and sliding actions incredibly smooth and responsive even at 100 grams. Simply reel and chop with baitcasting gear, and watch the Goliath's fluid, aggressive action trigger explosive surface strikes.

Product Specifications

• Brand: Fishus by Lurenzo
• Model: Espetit Goliath (Bigbait Edition)
• Length: 210mm (8.2 inches)
• Weight: 97g (3.4 oz)
• Type: Topwater walking bait
• Hooks: 3x 1/0 4X-strong treble hooks (pre-rigged)
• Construction: Reinforced core for heavy-duty applications
• Target Species: Stripers, tuna, trophy bass, large predators
• Use: Saltwater and freshwater

Key Features

• Completely redesigned bigbait edition of the classic Espetit
• Reinforced core withstands the hardest-hitting predators
• Advanced weight-transfer system for maximum casting distance
• Self-generated momentum creates effortless walking action
• Smooth, fluid movement even at 100g weight class
• Pre-rigged with 3x 1/0 4X-strong treble hooks
• Aggressive topwater action triggers explosive strikes
• Perfect for baitcasting gear—simply reel and chop

Available Colors

• White N Flash - High-visibility pattern for low-light conditions
• Mullet - Natural baitfish imitation
• Flashy Shad - Reflective finish for maximum flash

Perfect For

• Trophy striper fishing in surf and estuaries
• Offshore tuna on topwater
• Big bass hunting in reservoirs and lakes
• Targeting large predators in saltwater and freshwater
• Anglers seeking bigbait performance with easy handling

When trophy fish demand a bigger meal, the Fishus Espetit Goliath delivers unstoppable topwater action that turns follows into explosive strikes. Built for serious anglers chasing serious fish.