A surface lure or topwater lure is a diverse class of fishing lure designed to attract predatory fish through commotions produced at (or immediately below) the water surface, imitating preys of interest swimming at the surface such as injured baitfish, frogs, wading mice, lizards and water snakes, drowning insects (dragonflies, cicadas, moths, etc.) and dabbling ducklings. These lures are preferred by some anglers due to the belief that they attract larger-than-average fish (who tend to be more territorial and unafraid of venturing out and away from underwater hidings), and from the added excitement of actually seeing the sudden splashes created by fish aggressively breaching the surface to strike the lure, in some instances even clearly seeing the fish stalking the lure before striking.

Like other types of fishing lures, topwater lures produce enticing actions through passive movements when being reeled through water. They come in several different shapes and dynamic styles, and most topwater lures have lighter specific gravity than water and tend to float on or just below the surface, but others are sinking (heavier than water) lures that must be reeled rapidly upwards towards the surface to produce the intended action.

Walking baits or walkers, also called stickbaits, pencils or spooks, are surface lures that tend to simply slide across the water surface in a serpentine fashion, which resembles a baitfish swimming close to the surface. These lures are popular for both fresh and saltwater fishing and come in a large range of sizes. Walkers are often streamlined or cigar-shaped, and are usually equipped with two or three treble hooks. Some walkers have internal roller balls that rattle to better draw in fish from farther away, and may include a blunted or even concave front end to splash more water during retrieval. Others may have designs that emphasise more on tail action to create a greater propagating wake that entice fish to pursue, and these have been unofficially named wakebaits.

Walking baits are so-named as they are typically retrieved using a special cadence called "walking the dog", in which the angler retrieves the lure using a combination of rod twitches and reeling. They are often cast into schools of actively feeding fish and retrieved quickly to imitate a fleeing baitfish. Though mostly used to imitate baitfish, some walking baits are patterned to resemble frogs, insects, or snakes. Propular game fish such as largemouth bass have been known to come up from deep water to attack these lures.

Crawlers or waddlers get their action from a scooped metal dish attached to the front of the lure body, which causes the lure to wriggle and splash in a movement reminiscent of a front crawl. Others are designed with a pair of rigid "wings" that flattens out when the lures splashes down and paddle water like a butterfly stroke.

This style of lure more closely resembles a small terrestrial animal struggling to swim afloat at the water's surface, such as a winged insect, small mice or bird. In most cases, these lures a retrieved at a slow and steady pace. These are a popular style of lure for night fishing. In some cases, these lures may be equipped with rattles or propellers for additional action.

Poppers or chuggers get their action from a cupped face carved or molded into the front of the lure body, which funnels water towards its tail and produces turbulent bubbles and wakes behind it to imitate an injured or drowning prey. These are among the oldest types of fishing lure and come in designs suited for both conventional angling and fly fishing gear. Very large models are used for targeting saltwater species.

Poppers are often cast to isolated cover, such as a fallen tree or patch of weeds. The traditional retrieve is to wait for the ripples to disappear and then to slowly "pop" the lure by twitching the rod tip, giving pauses in between lasting up to several seconds. They can also be cast to more open areas and worked back more rapidly. Some models can also be "walked" much like a walking bait.