Looking for Topwater Walking Bait Without Rattles

[MK49]

In the last few weeks, I caught more bass with topwater walking bait w/o rattles. Do you know any other silent walkers?

These are the ones I have.

- Heddon Original Zara Spook (and Puppy)
- Heddon Zara Gossa
- Evergreen Gigantes
- Evergreen Justine
- PH Custom Walkin' P
- Ichiban Balsa Pro (Fat Sum?)
- Lucky Craft Balsa Sammy

Anything else?

[dragon1]

Gonna have to consider walking a wooden topwater popper.

Owner Zip N Ziggy doesn't have rattles either.

That's a rather complete arsenal you have there.

[MK49]

Gonna have to consider walking a wooden topwater popper.

Owner Zip N Ziggy doesn't have rattles either.

That's a rather complete arsenal you have there.

I forgot about Luhr Jensen PJ Pop (not a real popper, but a walker) and Wood Walker. Haven't used them for a while, but used to use them a lot. I do own an Owner little walker, but haven't used it for very long time. Thanks for mentioning it.

[Real]

One that I like a lot is the Pro Zara Spook, the one with the three rotating trebles.

[MK49]

One that I like a lot is the Pro Zara Spook, the one with the three rotating trebles.

Never heard of Pro Zara Spook, so I searched for it. I didn't find it. If the name has "Zara Spook", it's made by Heddon, right?

[i_am_R2]

There’s a silent version of the Megabass Diamante

[Real]

One that I like a lot is the Pro Zara Spook, the one with the three rotating trebles.

Never heard of Pro Zara Spook, so I searched for it. I didn't find it. If the name has "Zara Spook", it's made by Heddon, right?

It's a Zell Rowland signature lure from that series. Maybe it's under the Excalibur name and yes, it's made by Heddon. It's shorter than a regular Spook ( 4 1/2 inch) and it's got three rotating hooks with no hook hanger. Very good lure for smallmouth.

Look for Zell Rowland Pro Autograph Series maybe

[slipperybob]

The Pro version came out after the Xcalibur version was no longer produced.

[MK49]

Thanks for the info. So, it has to be around 20yrs ago.

[MK49]

It's a Zell Rowland signature lure from that series. Maybe it's under the Excalibur name and yes, it's made by Heddon. It's shorter than a regular Spook ( 4 1/2 inch) and it's got three rotating hooks with no hook hanger. Very good lure for smallmouth.

Look for Zell Rowland Pro Autograph Series maybe

Thanks. I found it by searching "Zell Rowland Pro Autograph Spook". Now, I remember them. My friend had a few. Totally forgot about them. Now, I need to find them.

Thanks

[MK49]

There’s a silent version of the Megabass Diamante

I didn't know that. Thanks

[dragon1]

There’s a silent version of the Megabass Diamante

I didn't know that. Thanks

Yeah I need to look into these as well...the standard rattling Diamante is one of my favorites for choppy water.

[MK49]

For whatever the reason, bass just don't want baits with rattles in this year. Maybe, they just got tired of hearing rattles? For both lipless crankbaits and topwater walkers, non-rattle version of them caught way more fish this year. I don't think I caught one with one knocker walking bait in this year. It's unusual, indeed.

I fished a few hours this morning. I used a balsa walking bait (no rattles in it), got two bites, but missed them both. The bass looked small, 1 ~2lbs, and the lure had size 2 hooks. So, I grabbed my 2nd rod, which had a PJ Pop with size 4 hooks. Sure enough, I caught a 1.5lbs bass in the first cast, probably the same fish I just missed. Then, I had 5 more bites in the next 15min or so. The last fish was bigger, probably 4 ~ 5lbs, and unfortunately, the braid to the leader knot came loose (which doesn't happen often), when I set the hook. I lost the PJ Pop.

I have two more PJ Pop, but no more bone color. So, when I got home, I ordered 6 more bones on eBay. The PJ Pop was something I used in the 90s, and kind of forgotten. When I started this thread, I remembered it. It still gets bites.

[MK49]

BTW, in addition to the rattles, bass doesn't seem to like feather hooks this year. I removed some feather hooks from some poppers and walkers, and they do get more bite. I did look for some silent walkers in the past, but I had never removed feather hooks in the past. This year has been weird. Either they got tired of seeing them, or the feather hooks make the lures look bigger. But, they still bite 3/4oz walkers, so the size is probably not the reason.

[slipperybob]

And sometimes less is more effective too. The same reason why I remove the skirt off some of my Hula Poppers, especially for the smaller ones. For such small 1/8 oz lures, there's improved casting distance as well as better lure control.