Different topwater lures are used under different conditions, and the type of fish you are hoping to catch or the time at which you are fishing also player arole in lure selection! If you know the key differences between the lures, it will help you in optimizing your selection according to the conditions you will be fishing in.
Topwater lures are effective in several conditions, but they are usually the most effective in the early hours of the day or in the evening, a couple of hours before sunset. Why? Because this is the time when a lot of surface prey is available for the fish (bugs), and the lures tend to be more effective in catching bass.
Early morning is a good time to fish with a topwater lure. Similarly, bass move to feed as the suns get down in the sky. Therefore, late afternoon or dusk is also a good time to fish. Topwater lures can be used throughout the night in summer when water is warm, but fishing outside of the times mentioned earlier might not get you the best results. Topwater lures specifically designed for night fishing do exist however, so if you are going to fish at night, they are your best bet.
In terms of the best locations around the lake to use them, they work wonders when used around any surface vegetation. This is because surface prey is typically in close proximity to vegetation, and thus, you will find more fish there.