We all know how dynamic Kansas' weather can be at this time of year. Thunderstorms -- vicious ones, at that -- can blow up seemingly out of nowhere. You shouldn't even think about fishing when conditions are ripe for severe weather. You should, however, think about where at your favorite bass lake you might find some flowing water to fish after a spring storm front passes.

Let's say that you're aware of the feeder creek on the south side of Osage SFL, and that you know that, after a rain, some fairly significant current will be flowing into the lake from that creek. Bass are going to work with that current a lot like trout in eastern freestone streams do -- that is, they'll pick off easy meals that come drifting into the lake from upstream. Places like the one described (an actual site, incidentally) can prove amazingly productive after a storm, and later in this article, we'll go into more detail on just how to fish them.

On the smallest lakes recommended in this story -- the farm ponds and strips pits that collectively boast such wonderful Kansas bass action -- the best places to fish are any of those that you can reach with your favorite topwater. Accordingly, you should cover those little gems as thoroughly as is possible, because bass will hit your lure just about anywhere on them.

WHAT TO FISH
Take your pick. Poppers are my choice, because I have the most confidence in my ability to fish them effectively. Some anglers prefer "walking" baits; others opt for buzzbaits. As far as this story's concerned, soft-plastic jerkbaits qualify as topwaters; your approach when using them will consist simply in keeping them from getting much below the surface film of the water.

The same can be said for the venerable safety pin-style spinnerbait. Topwater purists might disagree with their inclusion -- the soft-plastic jerkbaits' too, maybe -- but the fact remains that they can be most effective fished right at the surface, and this is the time of the fishing season when those approaches are most suitable for fooling the bigmouths.

And if you've ever wanted to take a crack at catching bass on a fly rod, try it now, because deer hair poppers and frog patterns are killer when the topwater bite is on. Fishing them is as easy as learning to cast a fly, and there's nothing to that.

All things considered, some conditions will see certain baits working better than others, which might mean that you'll need to depart from your favorite topwater offering. In my case, choppy water makes poppers at least slightly less inviting to bass than they appear to be when I fish them on calm or almost-calm waters. When there's a slight chop, the walking baits seem to work better -- and as we all know, in Kansas you're more likely than not to encounter at least a little chop.

Back to basic spinnerbaits for a second. They might be the very best choice for a topwater bait on those Kansas days when spring winds are howling. Why? Well, think about what's happening then, especially at the state's largest impoundments.

When the topwater "chop" is actually wave action of a foot or two, wads of baitfish often get blown into the bank. If you can rip a spinnerbait just under the surface along any of those windblown banks, you're going to catch bass. Your biggest obstacle will probably be boat control, and trying to keep your boat oriented so as to achieve the most effective presentations can definitely be frustrating work. On the other hand, when the surface is rolling, bass tend not to spook quite so easily, so you at least won't have to worry about that if you're having to move the boat repeatedly as you strive to maintain optimal casting and presentation positions.