1 Bait, 5 Reasons: Powroznik's Perfect Topwater Bait for Tight Spaces - Major League Fishing
1 Bait, 5 Reasons: Powroznik’s Perfect Topwater Bait for Tight Spaces
3y • Mason Prince • Major League Lessons
Getting a feel for sight-fishing the old-fashioned way with Keith Carson
6d • Tyler Brinks • Bass Pro Tour
Shryock has a new favorite bait for skipping into hard-to-reach places (and fish like it, too)
3m • Major League Lessons
Mrazek’s favorites for the start of the season in Texas
4m • Jody White • Invitationals
Jonathon VanDam always has a vibrating jig on his deck. Here’s why you should, too
4m • Bass Pro Tour
Morrison’s winter smallmouth recipe
4m • Jody White • Major League Lessons
Get the most out of your Garmin mapping with water level adjustments and depth highlights
4m • Major League Lessons
How and why to add color shading on your Lowrance graphs
4m • Invitationals
Getting to know the new(ish) kid on the block: the Yamamoto Yamatanuki
5m • Justin Onslow • Bass Pro Tour
Bill Me – No two crankbait bills are built alike
5m • Sean Ostruszka • Major League Lessons
Color Blindness – When is color important … and when is it not?
5m • Sean Ostruszka • Major League Lessons
The newest twist on the Damiki rig: mid-strolling
5m • Tyler Brinks • Major League Lessons
Clausen shares simple approach for catching cold-water smallmouth
5m • Mitchell Forde • Major League Lessons
Hot tips to take your froggin’ to the next level
5m • Mike Pehanich • Major League Lessons
Probing docks for fall bass
6m • Justin Onslow • Major League Lessons

1 Bait, 5 Reasons: Powroznik’s Perfect Topwater Bait for Tight Spaces

Image for 1 Bait, 5 Reasons: Powroznik’s Perfect Topwater Bait for Tight Spaces
Jacob Powroznik details why the Livingston Lures Walking Boss Jr. is his go-to topwater bait for the fall. Photo by Phoenix Moore
September 16, 2020 • Mason Prince • Major League Lessons

It’s topwater time across most of the country, and MLF pro Jacob Powroznik will have his favorite walking bait tied on at all times as summer transitions to fall. The Virginia pro relies heavily on a Livingston Lures Walking Boss Jr. this time of year.

Powroznik gives us five reasons why this bait is part of his arsenal in the fall:

1. Weighted for Success

Powroznik makes shorter casts with the Walking Boss Jr., which allows him to be more accurate casting to structure and cover. Thanks to the weight distribution in the bait, Powroznik feels like he always has control of the distance when casting.

“This bait is weighted properly for shorter casts,” Powroznik said. “It allows me to be more precise around different kinds of cover. Whether I’m using it with braid or with mono, I feel like I’m always in control thanks to that weight distribution.”

2. Sounds Like a Winner

A lot of topwaters make a racket in the water, but the Walking Boss Jr. has a difference maker inside the bait that makes it louder than the others.

“The EBS (Electronic Baitfish Sound) technology is so important for this bait,” Powroznik said. “Because of that, it can be heard by the fish farther away than any other rattling bait. That’s going to bring those fish in that much better.”

3. Sound to Match the Hatch

The Walking Boss Jr. comes in different colors and those colors come with different sounds. That allows for a lot more opportunities to get bit according to Powroznik.

“If you get a crawfish-colored Walking Boss, Jr., it’s going to make a crawfish sound,” Powroznik explained. “Same thing if it’s shad-colored. The EBS sound is going to match whatever color you buy and that’s awesome. It makes such a big difference when you’re out there.”

4. Close-Range Precision

As he mentioned, Powroznik likes to work the Walking Boss Jr. at a closer range.

“A lot of people want to just launch a topwater out there into open water and wind it back in,” Powroznik said. “I like to work this particular bait around boat docks and in-between the boat slips. I also like to roll-cast it underneath willow trees, branches and other stuff like that. Fish under those covered places have never seen a bait like this before so they are more inclined to bite it.”

5. Space for Bigger or Smaller Hooks

Powroznik likes to work his Walking Boss Jr. on a Quantum 7-foot-3 medium heavy rod with 65-pound Hi-Seas braid spooled on a 7.3:1 Quantum Smoke S3 reel. That part of his setup doesn’t really change. What can sometimes differ is the size of the hook he puts on his bait.

That’s why the topwater’s size is so important, as is the space between each of the hook hangers/eyes.

“We made the hook eyes far enough apart that you can upsize the hooks if you want to,” Powroznik pointed out. “The eyes are far enough apart that you can put No. 1 sized hooks on there and be alright. I have No. 4 hooks on right now because I’m fishing this around cover.”