ok so here is the dilemma I'm facing I'm trying to revamp my rod line up. my original jerk bait/ top water rod was a 7' medium weight moderate action carbonlite rod but after using it A) i find that the rod is a touch to long for me and I'm starting to wonder if the moderate action is to week. Now for a reel i have 6.4-1 bps pro qualifier with 50 lb braid on it. So to fix the problem i went out and got a team diawa t medium fast action 6'6" rod and was going to put the same reel and line on to that rod for both top water and jerk baits. so the question i have is would it be smart to turn my medium  moderate action rod into a square bill rod or keep it as a either a top water buzz bait rod. any feed back is appreciated thanks a bunch

Sure, then you have two dedicated rigs!

 

 

 

keep it as a top water rod?

Use it for your squarebills

You can use it for square bills if you're not pulling them through cover, when you bang and grind square bills I prefer MH-Moderate to moderate fast rods but they have to be MH in power. You can also keep it as the topwater and that is what I'd use it for.

Moderate for shallow to mid cranks in light cover, new medium fast for jerks/top

how about for throwing a buzz bait?

I'd throw that on the 6'6M too, last thing I would want is getting a hookup with a buzz bait and the bass diving into some vegetation with a moderate rod

how about for throwing a buzz bait?

I prefer a MH/mod. for throwing buzzbaits. I like a little more backbone than a M power rod provides for setting a large single hook.

 

Like tomustang said, shallow to medium depth crankbaits or topwater.

 

Tom

how about for throwing a buzz bait?

 

I'm "Old School". MF, MHF or HF, but ALWAYS Fast Action for single hooks.

Moderate Action or Fast with a soft tip for treble hooks.

 

 

 

all thats really good advice guys, thanks. so is braid alright to use on my top water, i started out using trilene xl mono and then switched to their braid 50 pound am in the ball park on that or should i switch it up?

For topwater I like mono because it floats. Braid and flourocarbon sink.

For topwater I like mono because it floats. Braid and flourocarbon sink.

Braid doesn't sink ... Only Flouro

I have the t rod in xf for both top water water and jerk baits. Light mono works well for both.

50 lb braid may seem a little overkill, but that is fine because it'll be more manageable than your lighter braids that will dig into the spool.

all thats really good advice guys, thanks. so is braid alright to use on my top water, i started out using trilene xl mono and then switched to their braid 50 pound am in the ball park on that or should i switch it up?

 

If the braid works for then by all means use it because you are using a moderate action rod but if you weren't the braid would be a no-no.

why shouldn't i use braid on my non moderate action rod?  i already have the fifty pound braid on the moderate action rod for my topwater so then what your saying is i should look into a good mono or co polymer  line for my jerk bait set up on the medium fast action rod? any suggestions on line for that then I've always been trilene fan mainly because of the cost to actual performance you get out of the lines.  and why shouldn't i use braid on a fast action rod? I have it on my one med/heavy fast action jig rod and haven't had any problems yet?

For treble hooks, I use braid on a moderate action, mono on a fast action rod. For single hooks, braid on a fast action. The way I look at it is that treble hooks need stretch, and single hooks need power. And it can either be in the line or in the rod, your choice, because it's more about confidence than anything.