[dampeoples]

mmmm, beer

[Bterrill]

If you've ever fished a Lucky Craft Sammy 100 in streams for smallmouth, you'd see the impact splash can draw reaction strikes. Often.

The bait was designed to draw strikes the way it hits the water and pops back up to the surface. Bass seem to think another fish has taken a swing and miss, and get competitive for the bait, often multiple fish follow trying to steal it when you get a hook up.

It's great when it happens. Seems to happen more with flashy topwater on a sunny day thrown into some shade.

This happens on some very small streams, so I imagine it the surfing water strike rather than a 'Ker-plunk' that works.

[robbor]

A very good question. It all depends in my opinion but I do always try to have as little splash as possible. I recall a bass pro who gave some tips on trying to make as much noise with his jig as possible by bouncing it off of stumps and splashing it into the water. I have gotten a ton of fish from reaction strikes on spinnerbaits and buzzbaits and always try to have the softes presentation but i feel location is more the key then the subtle entry. I started fishing large trout imitation lures for bass many years ago and my baits weigh up to 16oz and splash like a boulder on long sloppy casts and they will still catch fish because the bait is natural and not like other lures being thrown. I have also fish smaller fish when a large bobber will send them all diving for cover and a smaller float will not.

[black_co]

The biggest bass I ever caught was on a black and blue spinner with a blue pig on the back, in the middle of the day. I cast it on to a rock shelf just out of the water and popped it off into the water....next to no splash. I thought I snagged a log or something...then it started swimming...8lb largemouth. I really think it was a reaction bite, I dropped the spinner right in his mouth.

I've also caught a lot of fish slapping a frog into the water close to the edge of the lake....

So I say depends as well, but I think it depends on luck mostly....did somebody say beer....

[Grimsbane]

I think the biggest thing is water clarity. If its really clear like the spring fed rivers around here in north florida a lot of splash is a no no. If your lure is near the fish when it hits they are gone. I like to throw rapalas on these rivers and you have to generally through past the pockets you think the fish are in and work the bait through the holes.
Now at night or dusk the opposite works for me, a good devil horse or chug bug, walking the dog and pounding noise works, dont get as many hits on the rapala during low light.

This is just my opinion and u know what they say about them.