19 hours ago, WRB-2.0 said:

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.

Nailed it. 

 

6 hours ago, rangerjockey said:

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.

I've had plenty of issues with the braid looping around a hook on the cast or landing. And the short mono leader is fine until you need to retie- now its two knots instead of one. Also, two potentially weak connections instead of one. If I do resort to throwing a trebled topwater on braid, I put a few bobber stops right up against the knot and that helps a lot. 

How does mono handle a backlash compared to braid?

 

16 minutes ago, JHoss said:

Nailed it. 

 

I've had plenty of issues with the braid looping around a hook on the cast or landing. And the short mono leader is fine until you need to retie- now its two knots instead of one. Also, two potentially weak connections instead of one. If I do resort to throwing a trebled topwater on braid, I put a few bobber stops right up against the knot and that helps a lot. 

What does the bobber stop do ?

28 minutes ago, rangerjockey said:

What does the bobber stop do ?

While I use a mono leader on the front of my braid mainline,

the bobber stops in front of a bait thrown on just straight braid 

can assists in keeping the braid from fouling into the baits front treble

on the cast and while working it.

A-Jay

 

39 minutes ago, rangerjockey said:

What does the bobber stop do ?

Prevents the braid from wrapping the hooks as easily. The bobber stops make the line stick straight out in front of the bait a little more rigidly. 

I use Suffix Siege mono

I’m with @A-Jay. Spinning tackle with light braid to a heavy monofilament leader casts far, avoids tangles with treble hooks, and fights fish well at distance. 

29 minutes ago, Gutierrez said:

I’m with @A-Jay. Spinning tackle with light braid to a heavy monofilament leader casts far, avoids tangles with treble hooks, and fights fish well at distance. 

I don't have a problem with poppers but I really dislike working a spook with a spinning combo

12 hours ago, rangerjockey said:

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.

Wouldn’t using braid with treble hook baits be a bad idea? Do you use a moderate action rod?

5 hours ago, HawkeyeSmallie said:

How does mono handle a backlash compared to braid?

 

 

Usually just fine. Mono doesn't do that thing that braid does sometimes where it just decides to catch on itself and stop dead. 

12 hours ago, woolleyfooley said:

Wouldn’t using braid with treble hook baits be a bad idea? Do you use a moderate action rod?

No , I use a medium or medium heavy fast even a heavy on the 130 plopper. 

Personally ,when I get one hooked I start cranking and don't stop. I think they throw more baits because of slack line than the line itself.

I like to throw top water around sunken brush piles and pole timber so the last thing I want is the fish getting back there.

They should get on the plopper/choppo in a few weeks .

Of course your never going to have a 100 % landing percentage on anything regardless of the bait or line.

 

13 hours ago, woolleyfooley said:

Wouldn’t using braid with treble hook baits be a bad idea?

In my experience, bad idea. It’s a guaranteed headache. 

I use 15# Kovert FC on my dedicated topwater rod

I like to use 15# Big Game for larger, heavier topwater baits. For smaller topwater baits, I use 10# Big Game. 

22 hours ago, HawkeyeSmallie said:

How does mono handle a backlash compared to braid?

 

 

Braid backlashes easier, but (as @PGA Dropout said) it tends to stop on itself and not run too deep. Mono doesn't backlash as easy in my experience, but the memory means more of the spool fluffs up when it does and it takes longer to pull out.

P Line #12 Topwater line

Braid gets into the hooks on topwater. It gets in the split rings. It ties an overhand knot on it's around the front hook.

 

Mono is easy to cast and work with. Unless you get a birdsnest from snagging something on your back cast, it doesn't knot up normally and just makes loops.

7 hours ago, Bazoo said:

Braid gets into the hooks on topwater. It gets in the split rings. It ties an overhand knot on it's around the front hook.

 

Mono is easy to cast and work with. Unless you get a birdsnest from snagging something on your back cast, it doesn't knot up normally and just makes loops.

You should definitely stick with mono if you have those kind of issues with braid.

Sufix Siege 10lb or 12lb for me.

So last week I got my dedicated topwater combo so I've been enjoying fishing poppers.

 

So far, I've only been using braid, 30 lb.

 

Is it me or does braid after a certain amount of time start holding water?

 

It seems after a decent amount of time, my popper doesn't seem to "pop" as good.

 

If so, I'll probably add a mono leader (if that would help).

 

Thoughts?

 

THANKS

The rod is more important than the line regarding working a popper!

My preference is 6’8” MF baitcasting using straight mono.

Tom

5 hours ago, WRB-2.0 said:

The rod is more important than the line regarding working a popper!

My preference is 6’8” MF baitcasting using straight mono.

Tom

Mine is 6’11” basically built for jerkbaits but it handles topwater really well.

 

Running straight braid now but might throw on a mono leader.

Braid to leader for the big stuff

14 mono for mid size 

8 mono for little baits.

All on casting set ups.

I threw the Shower Blows last night for the first time. 105 size.

 

It worked perfect with 30 lb straight braid and the rod I was throwing it with.

 

You can make bomb casts with it and not sure how mono would work on a far away strike. Good chance there would be too much stretch.

 

 

I use heavy mono, 17 or 20 lb.