Topwater Rods

[Bprice]

Does anyone have any recommendations for topwater rods... not really the brand, but more like the action and length.

Thanks,
brandon

 

[RangerRob]

My preference is a 6'6" medium action. I try to steer clear of anything with an extremely fast taper for topwater. If it has some give in the upper 1/5, you'll be less likely to jerk the bait out of the fishes' mouth when it blows up on that spook or buzzbait. The lighter tip also allows you to 'work' baits when walkin' the dog or twitchin' a pop-r. Don't get anything TOO limber though, or you won't have enough muscle to power a fish out of the junk once hooked up. A longer rod will give you more leverage, but use a length that will just come within a few inches of the water's surface when you have it pointed down (like when you walk a spook) at the water. Some guys actually prefer a 6 footer, but at my height - 6'4" - a 6'6" works out perfectly.

My .02...
RR

 

[Bprice]

Thanks for the info man.

 

[slo-ride]

hope this helps:

Medium and medium-fast rods will usually provide a little more casting distance and still provide adequate hooksetting power. These actions are often used for applications that involve treble hooks, such as crankbaits and topwater lures or other reaction baits such as spinnerbaits. The 'bite' of a treble hook is not as deep as a big single worm hook and it is easier to tear the hook out of a strong fish, plus the slower action will not pull the lure out of the fish's mouth before it fully engulfs it. The type of lure you use will usually determine the action of the rod you should use.

http://www.tacklewarehouse.com/RodSelection.html

 

[ranman]

I use a med action 6 1/2 ft spinning rod. Just because it's what I'm used to.I can't work a spook or sammy with a casting rod the way I can with a spinning rod,and I can't cast a rapala or pop r with a casting rod as well as I can with a spinning rod.

 

[ranman]

I use a med action 6 1/2 ft spinning rod. Just because it's what I'm used to.I can't work a spook or sammy with a casting rod the way I can with a spinning rod,and I can't cast a rapala or pop r with a casting rod as well as I can with a spinning rod.

 

[jason]

Ditto on the spinning rod, but I prefer a 7' MH. For any lure that requires a walk-the-dog or twitch retrieve, surface or subsurface, the cadence of a spinning rod can't be beat. And when you are not using a topwater or jerkbait, it doubles as your drop-shot rod.

 

[RangerRob]

jason & ranman - what pound test are you throwing TWs with on spinning tackle?? And jason, do you really dropshot w/ a MH action rod?? Interesting preferences, guys ... I must say. But, whatever gets the job done, right?! One problem I have with spinning tackle (more so with twitchin' a weightless floating worm) is that I get tendonitis REAL bad after a couple of hours. I have to stop frequently - like every other cast - and massage my hand to get it working again. It also seems to help if I O.D. on ibuprofin. When I dropshot or work a finesse jig or Spotsticker, that motion doesn't seem to trigger it, but a floating worm is murder on me. I hate it too b/c at certain times of the year that is a deadly tactic for me.

RR

 

[polo-dog]

I use a 6' med. action rod with a pistol grip handle with the baits that I walk the dog with. I put the butt of the rod on my belly and after a day of throwing a walking bait like I sometimes do if I use a spinning rod I almost wear a hole in my shirt and my skin. Even with the soft end of the pistol grip I do get a bit of callous on my belly. The softer rod makes it easier to walk baits and with a longer rod is seems like I tend to pull the bait too far per "jerk" and it's tougher to walk the baits. I would try a bunch of rods before I bought one just for topwaters if I were you and figure out what feels best to you. I also like a shorter rod because I throw walking baits back into docks and tight spaces and with the long rod I can't just flip my wrist to get into those places like I can with the shorter rod. I also tend to walk my baits along steep structures like steep rip rap and bluffs and short accurate casts are all I need, I don't need to throw them a mile, so I don't need a longer rod.

 

[CherokeeRidge]

Ever try Blue Emu RangerRob, works great on stiff fingers and hands, ---AL emoGeezer

 

[polo-dog]

I can understand your painful hands with fishing floating worms with spinning gear RangerRob. I don't fish floating worms much but I have the same problems and worse when I use spinning tackle with a soft jerkbait. It wears my hands out and I tend to try to set the hook so hard that a couple of times I thought that I'd broken a finger. With the reel between my fingers and all I've hurt myself many times in the spring fishing with spinning tackle. I don't tend to have any problems except with strong winds with baitcasting gear, and that's just because I try to cast too hard into the wind at times, nothing like a good backlash to get me hot under the collar.

 

[ranman]

8 to 10lb test most of the time. try alieve,hurts your stomach but works great!

 

[dgjswife]

Boy, polo dog, I sure agree with what you said. I have several long rods, but when I pick my short one up to do some pitching and flipping I can't be happier. Just feels real good. I love the action.

 

[jason]

I've been out of town hunting and didn't notice this thread had been replied to...sorry, RR. I'm currently using 30lb Power Pro on my spinning rod. It casts like a dream on spinning gear, even with small baits such as the puppy. When I drop-shot, I simply attach a leader of 8-12lb Vanish to a swivel at the end of the braid.

I fish out of the back of someone's boat and I never take more than 3 rods with me as a courteousy to the owner. Typically, two are baitcasters and the third is my "multi-purpose" spinning rod.

 

[RangerRob]

Gotcha. That Power Pro is awesome stuff, but I haven't tried it on spinning tackle yet. I've also heard of other guys doing the braid/swivel/floro combo with good results. I'd like to have enough spinning rods to dedicate one solely to floating worms and then I'd spool it w/ braid since I have a bad habit of throwing those things into some slop. That habit and 10lb mono are a bad combo! I still prefer mono for my TW baits (buzzbaits, spooks, pop-r's, etc), but I use 15lb Big Game and baitcasting tackle for that.

Thanks for the feedback,
RR

 

[jason]

Since it floats, braid is an excellent choice for topwaters and floating worms.