What is your current go to set up for Fall top water set up (i.e. walking lures , poppers , wake baits , etc.) ? ... *In many places now , top water is becoming an all-day event as bass form wolf packs chasing shad shallow . 

Topwater here is right on the verge of being done for the year, but not quite. I like a walking bait this time of year, like a Skitterwalk or a DogX. But the way the pickerel were slamming the walking baits yesterday i switched to a popper (PopMax) and worked it slow. Pickerel ignored it and I was able to get a few bass. Hard to get a bass when pickerel would slam the walking bait every single cast. 
 

I throw poppers on a 6’6” M-F casting, and walkers on a 6’8” M-XF casting both with 10lb Berkley Trilene XL. 

This time of year, I'll often have a lot of rods rigged up for topwater, so I can quickly switch between them.  My preference is a M/MF casting, but I'll use a ML/F spinning or a H/F casting just as well.  Whatever rods I have lying around will work.  I don't lose too many fish on topwaters once hooked.  I tend to ski them back so they never get a chance to fight.  

I use Major Craft Iovino Splash-It rod, 6’8” MF for 1/4 to 3/8 oz Splash-It poppers and 1/2 oz wood Sammy in shad colors.

11 lb Armillo line, Shimano SLX MGL 70 reel.

Tom

 

falcon expert 6'10" topwater/finesse jig rod with an Abu Revo MGX loaded up with 14 lb Sunline supernatural.  That setup gets walking baits, poppers, small ploppers, as well as other stuff.  Buzzbaits and bigger ploppers go on another rod.

Buzzbait is my main topwater now due partially to all the leaves on the surface. 7' MH/F H2O Ethos rod, Okuma Hakai 7.3 reel, and 20lb mono just like I used all summer are the tools of choice. 

For walking baits and poppers the ol' All Star Zell Rowland TWS and 30lb braid. 

For the Buzzbait or Plopper  whatever jig rod is handy , usually that would mean 12 or 15 lb. Flouro.

14 hours ago, rangerjockey said:

For walking baits and poppers the ol' All Star Zell Rowland TWS and 30lb braid. 

For the Buzzbait or Plopper  whatever jig rod is handy , usually that would mean 12 or 15 lb. Flouro.

Same rod but Shimano reel

For anything under 1/2 oz I use a 6' Medium powered spinning rod and reel, spooled with 10 pound braid and a 1 foot mono leader.  This is mainly for fishing out of my kayak on the river.  Great for hitting tight spots with super spook jrs and poppers.  

 

For bigger walking baits and prop lures up to an oz, I use a 6'6" casting rod and reel, with 30 pound braid  spooled with the same foot long leader.  Whopper Ploppers and my personal favorite Yo Zuri 3DB Pencil are great on this setup. 

 

For the big ones like the Strike King Mega Dawg I just use my football jig rod with 60 pound braid on it.

7'2 lews custom M with pro ti, will handle any topwater besides frog/rats. Wish I had all day topwater bite but the ole shakey head and jerk bait are whats working all day for me.

12 hours ago, Kdizzle said:

For anything under 1/2 oz I use a 6' Medium powered spinning rod and reel, spooled with 10 pound braid and a 1 foot mono leader.  This is mainly for fishing out of my kayak on the river.  Great for hitting tight spots with super spook jrs and poppers.  

 

For bigger walking baits and prop lures up to an oz, I use a 6'6" casting rod and reel, with 30 pound braid  spooled with the same foot long leader.  Whopper Ploppers and my personal favorite Yo Zuri 3DB Pencil are great on this setup. 

 

For the big ones like the Strike King Mega Dawg I just use my football jig rod with 60 pound braid on it.

*What rod action is your 6'6" : M or MH ... Fast or Moderate Fast ? 

8 hours ago, ChrisD46 said:

*What rod action is your 6'6" : M or MH ... Fast or Moderate Fast ? 

Medium powered Fast action.  I leave my drag pretty loose so I really don't have problems with fish spitting hooks.