So a bass took my Plopper yesterday...

[Bass Turd]

Had a great day yesterday on my home lake. Caught 16 Large Mouth on my Whopper Plopper 90. The seventeenth fish took it and never gave it back. I'm throwing it on 10lb mono. The plopper didn't have a split ring on the front line tie. I can think of three things I can/should do to better prevent this from happening in the future. (FYI I'm using ten pound because the lake I fish is basically a new lake as it filled up a year and a half ago from 20% full to over flowing. New bass fingerlings introduced when it filled. They are just starting to hit 14" and two pounds. ) My drag is very soft on this casting reel.

1) go to 121b line

2) retie after 5 fish (?)

3) put a split ring on the front

Which of these should I do? Anything other ideas ? 

Thanks in advance...

[J Francho]

I generally retie after EVERY fish.

[jr231]

I like braid especially with top water. And never re tie with the Palomar knot and I honestly can't remember the last time a bass snapped my line. (Shaking the hook is a different story)

[Bluebasser86]

I  throw the 90 on 20lb braid. I can go all day with no need to retie.

[J Francho]

Braid sucks with topwater for me.  ESPECIALLY anything with a prop or rotating blade.

[Bass Turd]

This is a treble hooked bait. Wouldn't I want to throw it on mono like crank and lipless baits?

[J Francho]

I think the whole ripping out trebles thing is internet bologna.  I would recommend a medium power rod, though if you went with a no stretch line.  If you like no stretch line, I prefer Tuf-Line Supercast above all others.

[thebillsman]

it'll float up one day..

 

[Brett's_daddy]

I throw mine on 30lb braid spinning set up with an Eagle Claw dual lock snap/clip. i tie a double Palomar knot from line to snap/clip and than just clip it on the eyelet on the front of the plopper and you're good to go. I also throw mine on a 15lb mono spinning set up again with the dual lock snap/clip and we haven't lost one yet (knocks on wood)!

[Ray K]

I throw my top water propeller baits on 17 lb. mono and a medium fast tip rod.  I use an eagle claw safety snap tied with a Trilene knot.  The snap is 45 lb test and I've never broken one or opened one up.

[Bass Turd]

1 hour ago, J Francho said:

I think the whole ripping out trebles thing is internet bologna.  I would recommend a medium power rod, though if you went with a no stretch line.  If you like no stretch line, I prefer Tuf-Line Supercast above all others.

Ohh hell. Next you're gonna tell me flourocarbon doesn't stretch and braid doesn't fade... LOL My world is upside down...

[Dschouest42]

I retie after every five or six fish. Just because mono can stretch so easily.

[fishballer06]

Like Francho, I prefer braid for topwater as well. I have trouble with hooksets on those long casts whenever I use mono. If I do use mono, I'm using 15 or 17lb test. 

With mono or fluoro, it's good practice to inspect your line after every fish (or bite, especially if you're in toothy critter water), or if your line is come into contact with structure (rocks, wood, etc). When in doubt, it never hurts to retie. There's a common saying in tournament fishing "Retie or cry". 

[jr231]

18 minutes ago, fishballer06 said:

Like Francho, I prefer braid for topwater as well. I have trouble with hooksets on those long casts whenever I use mono. If I do use mono, I'm using 15 or 17lb test. 

With mono or fluoro, it's good practice to inspect your line after every fish (or bite, especially if you're in toothy critter water), or if your line is come into contact with structure (rocks, wood, etc). When in doubt, it never hurts to retie. There's a common saying in tournament fishing "Retie or cry". 

Francho said "braid sucks for top water for me" lol 

[J Francho]

I use a no stretch, coated line, not braid. Behaves pretty close to mono, but with added strength and no scratch: Supercast. Did I mention it floats and will not become water logged?

[Travis Gasper]

I throw my 90 Plopper on 17lb mono with a medium heavy fast action rod. I've never had a palomar knot come loose. If I'm using braid, I use a double palomar. I usually retie at the end of the day. If I were to retie after every fish I wouldn't have any line left lol.

[Last_Cast]

21 hours ago, Bass Turd said:

Had a great day yesterday on my home lake. Caught 16 Large Mouth on my Whopper Plopper 90. The seventeenth fish took it and never gave it back. I'm throwing it on 10lb mono. The plopper didn't have a split ring on the front line tie. I can think of three things I can/should do to better prevent this from happening in the future. (FYI I'm using ten pound because the lake I fish is basically a new lake as it filled up a year and a half ago from 20% full to over flowing. New bass fingerlings introduced when it filled. They are just starting to hit 14" and two pounds. ) My drag is very soft on this casting reel.

1) go to 121b line

2) retie after 5 fish (?)

3) put a split ring on the front

Which of these should I do? Anything other ideas ? 

Thanks in advance...

I retie between ***. depends how the line looks. To catch that many fish in one knot was risky. lol

 

[Big Bait Fishing]

20 hours ago, J Francho said:

I think the whole ripping out trebles thing is internet bologna.  I would recommend a medium power rod, though if you went with a no stretch line.  If you like no stretch line, I prefer Tuf-Line Supercast above all others.

i totally agree with you on the whole treble hook delicacy thing , a hook is a hook ! i treat  hook sets & fighting/landing fish the same , if you believe all the talk about trebles , you essentially believe too much pull on trebles will rip out a basses mouth , then what about a wacky hook ??? ...

[timsford]

I retie after at least every couple of fish and I also add a hyperwire split ring to the front of every bait without a split ring to let it move more freely. I use mono because I'm fishing them on a fast action rod, but if I used a more moderate action rod I'd use braid. I personally think you can both pull the bait away too fast on a strike with braid, and also pull the hooks out if a fish is barely hooked, but that's my opinion

[J Francho]

14 minutes ago, Big Bait Fishing said:

i totally agree with you on the whole treble hook delicacy thing , a hook is a hook ! i treat  hook sets & fighting/landing fish the same , if you believe all the talk about trebles , you essentially believe too much pull on trebles will rip out a basses mouth , then what about a wacky hook ??? ...

This is sort of a separate discussion, but I think in some ways, the fear is reinforced when crank bait get "swatted" and the fish is barely skin hooked outside the mouth.  We've all caught and landed a few like that, and I wonder if that's the what gets interpreted as the sensation of pulling hooks free?  It's important to note that I use different hooksets for trebles, wacky/drop shot/other open finesse, and jigs and worms.  But I do "pop them" every time.

[RB 77]

In my opinion I would just up the line size. I would stick with mono and fish at least 12 lb, more likely 15. It is top water after all. I would use the 10 lb for draggin' worms and such...

[onetime]

I added a swivel to the front of mine, I fish the 90 with 12lb big game and the 130 with 20lb big game, no problems here.

[J Francho]

What does the swivel do?

[Scott F]

On September 7, 2016 at 1:28 PM, J Francho said:

I think the whole ripping out trebles thing is internet bologna.  

I have to agree with this. I've been fishing superlines since they were introduced and long before the internet told me I was doing everything wrong. I also never knew about leaders being necessary, so I never used them. I also don't remember ripping out trebles. It may have happened but except for pike fishing in Canada, I have always used medium to medium light, mostly spinning rods and light lines. so I was never horsing fish in anyway.

[onetime]

37 minutes ago, J Francho said:

What does the swivel do?

When I first started throwing these, I was getting line twist more than I like. So I added the swivel and has been fine since.