20lb braid for topwater

[Peter]

I have a 6’6 med fast casting rod I’m planning to use for poppers and small walking baits and the like. I have a whole spool of new 20lb powerpro so I was wondering if that would suffice or should I go heavier. It will only be for small top waters and maybe weightless plastics. 

[Outdoor Zack]

I would use mono because the thin braid is likely to hang up/get wrapped in your trebles.If you have to use it, at least tie on a leader

[NorthernBasser]

You can definitely get by with that. Personally I like 12 lb mono for topwater (not counting froggin). 

[NittyGrittyBoy]

I use 30lb power pro braid, on a 6/6 and fish topwater poppers and weightless flukes. Works just fine for me! 

 

If you fish prop baits tie a small flouro leader and you'll be good as gold

[Peter]

37 minutes ago, Outdoor Zack said:

I would use mono because the thin braid is likely to hang up/get wrapped in your trebles.If you have to use it, at least tie on a leader

Yah I forgot to add that. I usually use a leader with braid unless froggin. 

[Happybeerbuzz]

20# braid with a 12-15# mono leader is one of the setups I use for top water.  The other is my frog rod which has 20# mono leader.  I take the frog off and use it sometimes if I want to alternate a popper and a Whopper Plopper.  Somehow I am going to have to work my new Toad Runner into the lineup.  I bought one but still haven't tied it on yet. 

 

[Beetlebz]

I use mono for topwaters on fast action rods. The stretch helps make up for the faster action of the rod. If I had room for another rod I would run a mod or mod fast and braid would do dandy.

[Bluebasser86]

I use 20lb braid for most of my treble hook topwaters, no leader, no reason to. I don't set the hook, just reel until I feel weight and then lean into them. I've never had the issue with the line tangling on the hooks with braid. Hooks are below the surface, braid floats, they shouldn't come into contact except maybe during the cast or while fighting a fish. A leader knot is just one more thing to fail. Only baits it doesn't work for are baits with a front prop. 

[iiTzChunky]

I only have 1 pole, and I fish a lot of places with all kids of under water debris to get hung up on, so I've switched to braid. I use 50-60# braid for everything and I mean everything. I havnt had any problems with  my top water baits actions 

[Darren.]

I use 15# braid with an 8 or 10# leader for my buzzbait

setup right now. That's on a spinning rod, too. I'll likely

go up to my baitcaster with 20# braid + leader if and 

when I buy a heavier buzzbait. I'm not usually throwing

a treble hook topwater, though I've done it, and usually

on spinning gear.

[ww2farmer]

My topwater/jerkbait rod has 20lb braid on it. And has for years. No problems what so ever. I tie direct to the braid for topwater, and add a rod length's worth of fluorocarbon leader for jerkbaits. I fish both styles of baits on a 6'6" M power. fast action rod with a little bit of "tip"....IE, not quite a moderate fast rod, but not a stiff fast or XF rod. Everything I catch stays buttoned up nicely, and imparting action to the baits is not a chore as the low stretch lines, and action of the rod mate up nicely to do so.

 

Very small, or light topwaters, and jerkbaits, I will throw on spinning gear. With 10lb braid tied direct to the TW baits, and also with a rod's length worth of FC leader for the jerkbaits. I look for the same properties in a spinning rod, as I do a casting rod for this. 6'6", M power, fast action, with a little "tip". This spinning set up also doubles as my weightless soft plastic dock skipping rod, as the tip has just enough springy-ness to it to really sling shot baits way way back up under overhanging cover.

[Sam]

I use braid for topwaters, with the exception of frogs.

 

Frogs drive me nuts.

 

So I use 8 pound fluorocarbon for frogs on a baitcaster and that seems to do the trick.

 

Otherwise, braid is fine with topwaters.

 

Just make sure you don't "pull the bait" out of the fish's mouth since there is not stretch.

[5by3]

I normally throw my topwaters on a 7’ MH crankbait rod with 30lb braid. The slower action of the rod allows me to keep fish pinned even with braid.

 

I think you could also get away with braid for your set up, as long as your rod has some tip and not too stiff.

[crypt]

12 hours ago, Bluebasser86 said:

I use 20lb braid for most of my treble hook topwaters, no leader, no reason to. I don't set the hook, just reel until I feel weight and then lean into them. I've never had the issue with the line tangling on the hooks with braid. Hooks are below the surface, braid floats, they shouldn't come into contact except maybe during the cast or while fighting a fish. A leader knot is just one more thing to fail. Only baits it doesn't work for are baits with a front prop. 

this.............

[NHBull]

Braid to co-poly leader.....don’t need the leader, but I get less fouled hooks with it

[Angry John]

I do use braid and mono for topwaters.  For tiny poppers I use a spinning rod with 6lb mono.  Little larger poppers aND the smallest wopper popper I use 14 lb xl or 30 braid on a bait caster.  I have used 20 but sent a spook into orbit so now 20 is for spinning rods.  Can't get my mind around around people who try and use fluorocarbon on topwater.  It sinks and is the worst possible choice.

[NittyGrittyBoy]

For a short leader it works just fine. (10"-16")The fact that it might sink a tiny bit is negated by the fact that it has enough memory to keep it from tangling the props on prop baits like devilhorses. 

 

Now throwing a whole spool may be different

[Angry John]

4 minutes ago, NittyGrittyBoy said:

For a short leader it works just fine. (10"-16")The fact that it might sink a tiny bit is negated by the fact that it has enough memory to keep it from tangling the props on prop baits like devilhorses. 

 

Now throwing a whole spool may be different

Keep reading and you will see people asking about using 20 lb flouro for frogs.  Just not a good plan.  Using mono in the same place in a leader is a's good or better unless your dealing with teeth.

[Yakalong]

I throw 20 lb braid with a leader, not a problem. I even throw it without the leader depending on the situation. You shouldn't have an issue.

[NittyGrittyBoy]

2 hours ago, Angry John said:

Keep reading and you will see people asking about using 20 lb flouro for frogs.  Just not a good plan.  Using mono in the same place in a leader is a's good or better unless your dealing with teeth.

I understand what your saying, I'm not saying mono wouldn't be better as a leader. I've just had experience with flouro and it's worked just fine for the application.

 

I fish straight braid 99.5% of the time so don't have to worry much! What I don't understand is how people can fish such light line 10lbs and under, and not break off every other cast!!

[Angry John]

Lightest I have gone is 15, and it's plenty strong on a mlxf spinning rod but never on a bait caster.  The new suffix nanobraid goes down really light but think that's for pan fish.