When you are walking the dog, do you have better success when it is on top or gliding just below the surface? What advantages or disadvantages do you encounter with either of these options? What dog walker do you like the best?
I would say that nearly a 100% of the time I’m surface fishing that technique. For me, it’s because I’m fishing over heavy weed cover and trying to bring active fish up. And a cool plus, is the explosive attack on the lure using this technique! 
Hard baits always on top, I have never tried any of the subsurface ones, soft plastic flukes-like zoom super flukes- sub surface is killer for me on pike and bass. Sometimes I kill the soft ones and let them sink and start working them again.
I love the explosive bites on the top though! All from the same hole on the same trip!
It really depends on what situation you are fishing. Early season I will use both a WTD topwater and a sub surface WTD. Both have their strengths and weaknesses.
I like fishing a WTD topwater when it is relatively calm. The only bummer is the hook up percentage, it can be quite poor in terms of hook up percentage. My two go-to baits are the weagle and the Homewrecker. The weagle sits a little lower and throws some water. I can work it a little faster than the Homewrecker, which I use a lot during really calm conditions and work it very slow and methodically.
Subsurface wise it’s an extremely productive early season bait for skis and pike. My first two choices would be a Rapala 6″ X-Rap Subwalk, and a 6″ or 7.5″ Phantom. Both baits will always hold a place in the tackle box.
In terms of advantages and disadvantages, the main draw back to the topwater is the conditions have to be relatively calm and it has poor hook up rates. Advantages would be it can be extremely effective at triggering fish and its a heck of a lot of fun to watch a fish blow up on it!
For the sub surface, it can be a little difficult to get a rhythm initially until you have fished it for a while. Like the topwater, it is a slower working bait and is often difficult to fish in tandem with blades or rubber because you have to be going a little slower, and will cover less water.
I will use both early season, and continue to use the topwater version later in the year than the Subsurface for muskies.
The Rapala sub walk is a staple for fishing pike year round!!
Hope this helps, and don’t hesitate if you have anymore ?s.
Ben
^^^ Ben is pretty much dead on in my opinion. Sub-surface gliders are one of the best ways to catch big pike. I like them for muskies too, but depending on the time of the year you may end up with more follower than biters, and gliders/WTD baits don’t work very well in the figure 8.
I love the 6″ soft tail Phantom hands down. I rarely fish WTD on Top, but at times can be good 
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