How many of you use tiny torpedos or jitterbugs or some other topwater lure on rivers?  Is it ever effective? 

Its effective if you can find some bait or skools of fish.  Its really hit or miss on the rivers.  The rivers are pretty tough to fish in all honesty.  Gotta do your homework to have good days on them.  Best times for top waters are before sunrise and right before sunset.

Accountant

How many of you use tiny torpedos or jitterbugs or some other topwater lure on rivers?  Is it ever effective? 

Accountant

How many of you use tiny torpedos or jitterbugs or some other topwater lure on rivers?  Is it ever effective? 

IMO more often then not all you need is a rubber worm (motor oil, bubblegum or Junebug) carolina rigged to do some damage on the river smallies. Thunder Cranks, Rebel Crawdads also get the job done.
The largemouth just aren't as prevelant in the rivers so I don't bother using topwater baits.

CatchinPABass

Let me tell you, a drop shot rig catches so many fish its unbelieveable.  Catches all sorts of sizes.  I'm a fineese type of guy and I always have a drop shot ready, especially in the summer months.  When they are lock jaw its deff one of the best ways to go.  Tip from me though, always use a barrel swivel inbetween your drop shot rig and main line.  Saves you lots of headaches from line twist!

Try using 8lb braid main line, and add a 4+ foot section of flouro, using a double-uni knot. You'll never use that swivel again. The braid gives you unmatched feel, and zero strech, and is especially effective at greater depths. One thing to get used to with this set-up is NOT setting the hook. Those little tiny light wire hooks work far better if you just reel and allow the rod to load.
With this set-up, line twist is a distant memory.

What kind of knot are you tying to that leader of flouro?  Always had trouble with knots slipping with braid so never really was a huge fan.  That swivel has treated me well over the years with zero problems.

ready2fish

CatchinPABass

Let me tell you, a drop shot rig catches so many fish its unbelieveable.  Catches all sorts of sizes.  I'm a fineese type of guy and I always have a drop shot ready, especially in the summer months.  When they are lock jaw its deff one of the best ways to go.  Tip from me though, always use a barrel swivel inbetween your drop shot rig and main line.  Saves you lots of headaches from line twist!

Try using 8lb braid main line, and add a 4+ foot section of flouro, using a double-uni knot. You'll never use that swivel again. The braid gives you unmatched feel, and zero strech, and is especially effective at greater depths. One thing to get used to with this set-up is NOT setting the hook. Those little tiny light wire hooks work far better if you just reel and allow the rod to load.
With this set-up, line twist is a distant memory.

I use baitcaster reels for bass so I usually go with 20 or 30 lb. braid on my reels. Helps cuts back on on the birds nest and will never break the line in the lilly pads. I have one set up with 50 lb. braid for in the really heavy stuff. Usually flip in those areas. I like to flip a heavy crawdad with a 3/4 oz. jig head.

I recommend the Crazy Alberto (modified Albright). This is the easiest and so far strongest knot I've used for braid to leader (copoly or fluoro). It's never failed on a fish or hookset for me, only on snags where I force it to fail. More often than not you'll lose the weight before the knot fails. Only knot I've found that can be tied in the boat with wind/waves that won't drive you crazy or take too long.
 
http://youtu.be/J56O3CZVu7M?t=28s
 

CatchinPABass
What kind of knot are you tying to that leader of flouro?  Always had trouble with knots slipping with braid so never really was a huge fan.  That swivel has treated me well over the years with zero problems.

ready2fish

CatchinPABass
 

Cool knot.  Looks like the tag end of the leader will work for teasers too.
 
I've caught some nice river fish on top water, mostly poppers for top water though.  I never really developed a pattern of when to use.  Usually if my go to stuff wasn't working, they'd make the rotation.  Good to pack in the box.  The rivers eat a lot of hardware, especially if fishing from shore, so the stuff that stays around the top is always good to have.  

One day last year when I took a 1/2 day vacation from work in the AM, I hit the river at Harmar.  Once the eyes/sauger stopped biting, I started throwing for bass.  
 
Ending up catching 10 or so (up to 2.5#) that morning before I left.  Half came on a small, white buzzbait with a 3" chart. gulp twister as a trailer.  They were all smallies and came off the edges of weed beds.  I had a lot of fun that morning.

to further elaborate, when using topwater in rivers, do you focus on calmer water or is it just as effective when the water is a little choppier?