I'm going to be adding most likely a dedicated topwater rod for poppers, spooks, etc.

 

Straight braid?

Straight mono?

Braid with a mono leader?

 

What works best for you?

 

THANKS!

If you're talking mid size stuff 3/8-5/8oz I like 10lb yo zuri hybrid. 

Small stuff, top end of bfs like pop-x I've been using 6lb ultra green recently.

I only run straight braid for my biggest spooks because I can dump a spool of 12lb hybrid down to the knot.

Berkley Trilene XL 12lb. 

It's hard to beat 12 or 14lb Trilene XL.  I've been using this line for over 35 years and no need to switch.

12 minutes ago, Peacedivision said:

If you're talking mid size stuff 3/8-5/8oz I like 10lb yo zuri hybrid. 

 

 

Yeah basically like your "normal" sized stuff.

 

Nothing big or small.

 

105 Shower Blows, KVD Splash, PopMax, 4" Spooks.

I use 12lb Izorline XXX for most topwaters. 

20 minutes ago, HawkeyeSmallie said:

 

Yeah basically like your "normal" sized stuff.

 

Nothing big or small.

 

105 Shower Blows, KVD Splash, PopMax, 4" Spooks.

All the plastic lines mentioned in the thread are good choices. Hybrids just my confidence line and so dang cheap

13 minutes ago, Peacedivision said:

All the plastic lines mentioned in the thread are good choices. Hybrids just my confidence line and so dang cheap

 

I figured mono would be popular.

 

I've never had mono on a baitcaster so I wasn't sure how it performed vs say braid with a mono leader.

I personally think straight mono casts better than braid.  One might want one over the other  based on the  rod action, but since most of us set too soon on surface, a stretchy line is probably the best choice.  Mono in the pound tests most have favored, 12-14.  But with the right mono, one can go higher.

When I recently put together a topwater rod for myself, I went really old school on the line, at least for me. 14lb Stren. Haven't used it for probably 30 years. 

I'm fishing mostly for smallies in open water.

Walkers & poppers are very effective here 

but are at their highest power when I can get them as far from my rig as possible.

This is how I get it done ~

A-Jay

Monofilament Nylon line is ideal because it tends to float on top of the water and doesn’t affect a top lure action. Braid also floats but is too soft and the lure trebles hook snag the line. FC and hybrid line tends to sink and fouls the front treble hook. You can add fly line dressing about 3’ of FC line to make it float.

I use 10#-12# mono for both top water lures and crank bait baits because I like it.

Tom 

25 minutes ago, TTS said:

Stren.

 

Heck yes.

 

It's ALL I used back in the day.   

 

I still put it on some UL spinning combos I have.

Take a look at Sunline Natural mono line, smaller diameter with better performance.

 

I agree ^. I use Sunline Super Natural in 12# and I love it.

6 minutes ago, WRB-2.0 said:

Take a look at Sunline Natural mono line, smaller diameter with better performance.

 

 

Maybe a dumb question, but with the smaller diameter you mention, does it not float as good then?

Braid to whatever leader you like.

 

I've tried several nylon lines for topwater and they all sort of take on water, dragging the bait under on a long cast.

 

Armilo was the best of the bunch.

 

If you're bombing a walking bait, braid is the only thing I've found that keeps the lure fishable throughout the entire cast. It's also easier to get good, solid hook penetration at the end of a cast. 

Berkley Trylene xl 12 

49 minutes ago, HawkeyeSmallie said:

 

Maybe a dumb question, but with the smaller diameter you mention, does it not float as good then?

Specific gravity (weight ) has nothing to do with volume. If it’s lighter then water it floats.

Tom

I currently use 30lb sufix 832 braid to a small yo-zuri hybrid 12lb leader for these lures...works fine for me but I also have a note to try out some sufix advance mono (which looks more like a copoly to me anyway) when the spool runs out and have a strong feeling this one comes down to personal preference since I've seen good arguments for both...one thing I like about the idea of using mono is there's no leader knot involved. I suspect the mono might also not last as long as a spool of fluoro but it also seems to be half the cost of a comparable fluoro spool...

Always braid to a mono leader.

Supernatural for me also, though in 14# as my norm.  If I know I am going to be throwing a walking bait as far as possible to cover a ton of water (ala AJay style) then I’m braid to leader with 30# 832 and a 16# supernatural leader on casting gear.  

I can't see a reason not to use braid on a topwater rod. If it fouls just add 6 or 8 inches of mono or flouro leader. 

Most likely it comes from overworking the bait vs the braid itself.

Back in the day working a spook was an art ,especially when Heddon kept moving the line ties around. I never liked the tie under the chin and used to unscrew it and put it in the nose then epoxy the hole shut.

Today baits like the sexy dawg are so easy to walk my youngest grandson does it with ease.

I like to move my walking baits quickly so I only use braid to keep my cadence. With mono it's just too slow to recover 

i am also a super natural fan, i have bulk spools of 20, 16 and 12. a month ago i grabbed a few spools of varivas bbm (replaced their dead or alive lineup) and bass nylon. so far, i am quite pleased with their offerings and will be using their line again, along side my sunline, next season.