Some of the best color Whopper Ploppers for largemouth bass are white, perch, loon, monkey butt, bluegill, phantom shad, bone, powder, and “I Know It.” Whopper Plopper offers colors for almost every situation when largemouth bass fishing. These include clear water, muddy water, and everything in between.
There’s nothing like catching bass on topwater baits. Massive strikes, leaps out of the water, and intense fights lead to exhilarating fishing. One of the best bait options anglers can use for topwater largemouth bass fishing is a Whopper Plopper. The Whopper Plopper comes in many colors, so knowing which one to use in each situation is essential.
Whopper Plopper Colors
Whopper Plopper designer Larry Dahlberg first created the Whopper Plopper for musky fishing. As it gained popularity and proved its effectiveness, largemouth bass anglers began using them. Dahlberg made more colors to help largemouth anglers land more fish.
White
If you want a universal color pattern that works well in all types of water, white is an ideal option. I’ll fish white Whopper Ploppers in clear water on sunny days, and it’s also proven its worth in cloudy water on overcast days.
The lure makes enough noise and moves a ton of water, so the fish will know it’s present regardless of the color.
If you want the white lure to stand out, use it when the conditions are dark. The white creates a nice contrast and attracts the attention of a lurking largemouth.
I’ll throw a white lure if I’ve tried other colors and nothing seems to work. It usually gives me an idea of what the bass want.
Smallmouth bass also love small, white Whopper Ploppers.
Perch
If I know perch are in the same water where I’m fishing bass, it’s one of my go-to colors. Bass love to eat perch, so it’s too tempting for them to avoid. The perch color has a green body with dark green stripes and an orange belly.
That orange belly is a dead giveaway for largemouth bass in the area.
Throw it near thick vegetation or heavy structure. Perch will hide in particularly dense areas, so the perch color perfectly represents a fleeing fish.
I like to vary my retrieve when I’m fishing the perch color. I’ll start quickly and move to a more slow retrieve. I think it represents a fleeing perch well.
Loon
Growing up in Minnesota, it was hard not to love the Loon-colored Whopper Plopper. Seeing our state bird represented on a lure was cool enough. Once it hit the water, its effectiveness was even more impressive.
The Loon color has proven to be one of the most versatile options. The black body with white accents and red eyes is a killer combination.
If I’m fishing early in the morning near some lily pads, the dark color blends in well. It works well if I’m fishing during the day under overcast skies.
I’ll use it on a bright, sunny evening near structure and land fish. I haven’t found a situation where the color scheme doesn’t work.
As the tail spins and moves water, bass see it as fleeing food. Whether it’s a small mammal or a fish, bass are eager to go for it. I like to be aggressive when I’m fishing with the Loon color.
Fast retrieval and the occasional twitch are usually enough to get the bass fired up enough to strike on the top water.
Monkey Butt
When I first saw the Monkey Butt design, I couldn’t help but smile. I was struggling to find a quality topwater lure for clear water, and I knew the Monkey Butt would fill my needs.
It has a translucent design that makes it challenging for largemouths to determine whether it’s real or fake. Many bass leap out of the water and hammer the Monkey Butt.
In clear water, bass have more time to analyze and examine their food, so they don’t hold back when they commit to eating something. They’re confident that it’s real, so the strikes I get on the Monkey Butt are some of my favorites.
Whether you find schooling baitfish, or it’s a calm day with good conditions, don’t hesitate to throw the Monkey Butt. If I fish clear water for largies, I do not hesitate to throw a Monkey Butt Whopper Plopper.
Even if the conditions aren’t ideal for top water, I can’t help it. It’s exhilarating.
Bluegill
The Bluegill Whopper Plopper is another impressive design. The belly of the lure is translucent, but the top has a nice blue and green pattern that looks just like a bluegill.
Hungry largies prioritize small bluegill, so if you can find bass in the right mood, you won’t have any trouble getting them to hit this color scheme.
I like to throw the bluegill Whopper Plopper near docks or large rock piles. Bluegills will school in these areas, so bass are often nearby, waiting for the perfect opportunity to strike.
A quick retrieve away from the school of sunfish aggravates that lurking bass and usually creates an epic chase and strike.
I’ll throw the bluegill pattern in both clear and stained water.
Phantom Shad
Big largemouth bass devour shad. They’re an easy meal and found in high numbers in lakes and rivers with largemouth bass populations.
The Phantom Shad color is a quality shad representation. It has a dark head and a black and yellow body with lines and spots across it.
Shad are known to school near the surface, so I toss out the Phantom Shad pattern whenever I stumble across them.
I’m aggressive with my retrieve because I want my lure to stand out from the rest of the shad. I’ll rip it through the school and then slow down as I get further away from it.
Largemouth are suckers for an easy meal, and a fleeing shad fits the bill. Don’t hesitate to cast this lure numerous times into the school.
Largemouth bass often need a few different looks at a lure amongst other food. Sometimes, all you need is a slight twitch or retrieval speed change.
Bone
Bone-colored Whopper Ploppers are versatile. The yellow body with red accents can represent a variety of foods and works well in clear and stained water.
I’ve found that the Bone color is best in clear water because it’s not so flashy that the fish swim away from it.
In darker water, the red accents help it stand out and give the fish that little bit of extra flash that they need. Wherever you usually fish for bass with topwater lures, feel free to use the Bone Whopper Plopper.
The red tail is a nice asset for the fish that want a little extra pop of color.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Color is Best for Largemouth Bass?
Any Whopper Plopper with green and an orange or red pattern always works well. The green is a safe color because it’s natural, and the red/orange adds a nice pop that makes the bass even more curious.
What Time of Year are Whopper Ploppers Best?
In the warmer months, Whopper Ploppers prove to be the most effective. Bass are more willing to exert energy to feed, and topwater meals often mean good things for largemouth. Fish these in lower light in the mornings and evenings.
What is the Best Setup for a Whopper Plopper?
I fish my Whopper Ploppers on a medium-heavy rod with a 15- to 20-pound braid.
Conclusion
Whopper Ploppers are one of the most effective topwater lures on the market. Largemouth bass, muskie, and smallmouth bass strike them with extreme aggression. When summer rolls around, I can’t wait to tie on a Whopper Plopper and see what size bass I can find. Fishing with topwater lures is one of the best ways to fish.
