Hard bodied topwater rod

[bklimek]

What's a good length & action rod for hard bodied top water baits (ie chuggers, walk the dog, prop style baits). I like to use rods for more than one application. I currently use a 6'6" St croix mh rod with 14# test. What I don't like about this is the lack of distance I get from my casts? The bait sems too light for the rod. Do I need to go longer or lighter with the rod and line or all of the above?

[Gardiner14]

I use a St.Croix Mojo Bass topwater rod in the 6'8", Medium X-fast action with 14lb FireLine Crystal. Works very good for walk the dog style baits but it was also one of my first and only bait casting rods and used it for almost every thing. Jigs, spinnerbaits, topwater, soft plactics and all worked very good. At times it was a little underpowered but got the job done.

If you are having trouble getting the distance you are looking for go with longer rod IMO. You will give up accuracy but gain more distance. Just IMO.

[PartyWhine]

Well I think your right ... the baits are too lite for the rod.

I speak from experience ... I have the same rod.

Anything smaller than a big Zara Spook is tough to throw.

You need a med rod.

I use a Fiberglass St Croix 6'6" med / med.

All the casting distance I need, even with smaller lures.

I seem to get better hook ups using fiberglass.

Its also my preferred crankbait rod.

In terms of line, I'll recommend something you'll find counter intuitive :

I use 17 or 20 pound test Trilene when throwing topwaters.

Even small lures. Even in shallow gin clear water.

The heavier line actually improves the action of the lure.

Why ?

The wider diameter allows the line to lie on top of the water.

Lighter lines tend to sink and drag the nose of the bait down.

And that hurts the action, and hook ups.

Give it a try.

[Larson15]

I think that the action you are using is big part of the problem. I prefer to use a medium 6'6" rod with a slow moderate action. A st.croix mh is too stout for throwing smaller topwaters.

[Raider4ever]

Depending on on how high off the water your deck is and how tall you are, you may want to go to a 7'0" rod with a moderate action (assuming your fishing them using the rod-tip down technique). Maybe glass? This kind of rod will allow a smaller, lighter topwater lure to load the rod more and you should be able to throw it farther. I don't think it will work well if you're plowing it through junk. I played with that Skeet Reese Tri glass crankbait rod last month on a trip through GM. I thought that it would be perfect for my Pop-R's, Torpedos, smaller spooks, as well as smaller cranks. I will be picking one up here pretty quick. I see that St. Croix replaced their Premier glass rod with Mojo glass rods. I haven't had one in my hand yet, but will be looking at them soon. I don't know the Mojo's action other than what the HSOforum says.

[Cecil]

I use a 7' medium heavy moderate casting rod. I just started using braid last year for my topwater and it works great. You get great action from the lures and great hookups on long casts. Just make sure you have a softer rod to absorb the lack of stretch in the line.

[fishfearme]

I would not get a 7' rod for top water. It is too long and you will end up putting the rod tip in the water every time you work your bait. Now of course if you are fishing out of a walleye boat and not a bass boat, it might be a different story.

My favorite rod for top water is a 6'6" med/lt St. Croix premier. With a Daiwa Millionaire CV-X.

You can really cast the smaller pop R's and light weight baits good. Of course alot of your casting ability has to do with how good of reel you have. I can cast a #9 floating Rapala with this set up also and that is a really light plug that is hard to cast.

[Cecil]

It depends on your height too. Im 6-3 and a 7' rod never hits the water.

[TR21HP]

I'm 5-10 in a bass boat with a 7 ft. rod and don't have a problem hitting the water.

I use the same setup as Cecil with a medium heavy G Loomis and fast action with Sammy's and Spooks.

[RK]

Hiya -

For anything other than walk the dog baits, I use spinning gear with braid and a mono leader. (It just took me three tries to spell 'anything' - this is what happens when I don't make coffee soon enough...) I use a 7' ML X-Fast rod, and 10# Sufix Fuse. With spinning gear I can whip a 1/4 oz popper a mile, and hook fish on a long cast, plus the braid floats so it works very well. A mono leader helps keep the braid from hanging on the front hook. I throw poppers, prop baits, topwater tubes, etc., with this setup.

For WTD baits, wake baits, etc., I use a 6'9" MH Mod-Fast glass crankbait rod (same rod I use for shallow cranks) with 15# mono. A good spinnerbait rod works well too.

My $.02.

Cheers,

Rob Kimm