What is the best line to use with a top water hard bait?

[drbeat1]

Looking for some opinions...  I am currently looking for a good top water line setup for fishing with a hard bait (like a KVD Sexy Dawg Jr).  What kind of line setup would you recommend (straight braid, braid with leader, straight mono, etc.)?  Thanks in advance for your input.

[Bluebasser86]

Straight braid, no leader. Only time I use anything different is if the bait has a front prop or with a buzzbait. I use 20lb, but it's not forgiving if you make a mistake. Great thing is you can walk the bait, a fish blows up, all you do is crank into them to start digging the hooks and then lean into them if they're there. If they miss, just keep fishing it, no need to swing on them like with mono. The bait doesn't tangle on the line for me like I keep hearing stories of it happening, and I can cast a mile with the thin line.

[drbeat1]

14 minutes ago, Bluebasser86 said:

Straight braid, no leader. Only time I use anything different is if the bait has a front prop or with a buzzbait. I use 20lb, but it's not forgiving if you make a mistake. Great thing is you can walk the bait, a fish blows up, all you do is crank into them to start digging the hooks and then lean into them if they're there. If they miss, just keep fishing it, no need to swing on them like with mono. The bait doesn't tangle on the line for me like I keep hearing stories of it happening, and I can cast a mile with the thin line.

Thanks for the great info.  Another question .. With using straight braid, would it require a special knot or just use a non-slip loop knot?  I have heard of braid requiring special knots.

[Bluebasser86]

21 minutes ago, drbeat1 said:

Thanks for the great info.  Another question .. With using straight braid, would it require a special knot or just use a non-slip loop knot?  I have heard of braid requiring special knots.

I tie a palomar, haven't had any issues.

[Loomis13]

I tend to use braid as well. With baits like the sexy dawg or similar, I can cast a long ways. I dont want all the stretch that mono has in those situations. I use the same knot I always use, but a loop knot works just fine with braid.

[drbeat1]

1 minute ago, Loomis13 said:

I tend to use braid as well. With baits like the sexy dawg or similar, I can cast a long ways. I dont want all the stretch that mono has in those situations. I use the same knot I always use, but a loop knot works just fine with braid.

Thanks for the info...

[OnthePotomac]

My favorite line for top waters is 17lb XL mono on a MH 7' rod.  I like the little boing in it for good hook ups.  So far it works great.

[Log Catcher]

I use 12#Sufix Siege mono for topwater baits. Setup is a 6' medium rod with a 6:4-1 reel.

[Fishes in trees]

I'll use 14 to 20 lb mono, whatever brand is on sale during the winter close out sales at Walmart.  (Within reason - no Big Game or stuff in that range, past few years I've been using Suffix 17 or 20). I'm generally throwing a top water walker ( I prefer a Sammy) on a shorter, medium action rod, shorter because I don't want to be smacking the tip of the rod on the edge of the boat all the time.  Medium action because I'm going to want to throw that bait pretty far some times.    I like some kind of a loop knot just to give the bait the most possible action.

I prefer the King Sling - it is a challenge for me to tie, and I don't tie it all that often so it might take me a try or two to get it perfect.   I think that it is a loop knot that gets you the most line strength.

 

If I'm of the opinion that I'm going to be throwing the Sammy off and on all day, I will double up the line and tie a King Sling with a doubled up line.  When I do this, I'm 100% certain that if the line breaks, it won't be at the knot.

[NYWayfarer]

4 hours ago, Bluebasser86 said:

Straight braid, no leader. Only time I use anything different is if the bait has a front prop or with a buzzbait. I use 20lb, but it's not forgiving if you make a mistake. Great thing is you can walk the bait, a fish blows up, all you do is crank into them to start digging the hooks and then lean into them if they're there. If they miss, just keep fishing it, no need to swing on them like with mono. The bait doesn't tangle on the line for me like I keep hearing stories of it happening, and I can cast a mile with the thin line.

I have been using 10-12lb Big Game for my topwater baits. This has convinced me to try braid. Looks like it will avoid some of the pitfalls I have with mono.

 

Do you think going up to 30lb or even 40lb will be an issue with walking baits or Ploppers?

[Bluebasser86]

3 hours ago, NYWayfarer said:

I have been using 10-12lb Big Game for my topwater baits. This has convinced me to try braid. Looks like it will avoid some of the pitfalls I have with mono.

 

Do you think going up to 30lb or even 40lb will be an issue with walking baits or Ploppers?

No it works fine too, I just like the thinner line for extra casting distance. 

[5by3]

I throw mine on 30 lb straight braid unless I’m throwing a bait that has a front prop, then I’ll add a short mono leader to help with the foul ups.

[newyorktoiowa57]

Mono because it is stretchy and because it floats

 

Also cheap

[bwjay]

I've been throwing most of my topwater on straight braid or braid to leader, but straight braid works fine. Some stuff like walking baits can be annoying depending on the bait and how you work it - sometimes a treble will get caught on the line. I haven't had the issue much with what I have so I don't worry about it. As for tying with straight braid, if you use the Palomar, go through the eye again from the same direction a second time before you go back through the eye. I didn't have an issue before I started doing this, but it doesn't hurt.

[Bird]

I also use braid exclusively for top water baits and tie with a palomar.....20# braid for everything but frogs in slop.

 

[CountryboyinDC]

Plugs, except the Whopper Plopper, I fish on mono, and I use 10 or 12 lb.  I feel that anything over 10 lb sort of degrades the action, particularly walking baits.  Braid is even better (never used 20 lb on a baitcast reel, but I'd imagine it's even better than 30 lb), but I have a tendency to get braid looped around the front treble.  I've tried cutting off the forward-most hook, etc., but it's easier for me to just use mono to make up for my propensity to foul baits in this manner. Whopper Ploppers I fish on 50 lb braid, and I'll fish a buzzbait either mono or braid.

[Bankbeater]

15 lb Big Game because to me a topwater bait is a moving bait that stays on the surface. 

[Heartland]

I have been using Sunline Shooter Defier Armilo the last couple of years with good results.  Truthfully one of the best lines I have ever used.  Not Cheap.

[freelancer27]

Use a heavier Mono. It floats, has some stretch (good for treble hook baits) and it has a much lower risk in catching the front hooks of the lure. It is also more stealthy when you are using a top water bait that you want to rest every now and then (like a popper).

I also use Sunline Shooter Defier Armilo . Not cheap but good line.

[frogflogger]

I like braid for frogs and popshad z's - but opt for mono with hard plugs - although with a whippy fiberglass rod and braid I can make a spook do amazing things. The whippy rod keeps them snugged up.

[NYWayfarer]

On 5/20/2020 at 1:48 PM, Bluebasser86 said:

No it works fine too, I just like the thinner line for extra casting distance. 

Well I loaded my Crush baitcasting combo with 40lb Moss green Kastking Superpower braid and went Plopper fishing this morning. Caught one smallmouth and missed one. I like it enough to try it again. I might eventually go down to 30lb braid if it means some extra casting distance.

 

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[Teal]

50lb braid is pretty much what i use across the board, unless were are talking a spinning rod.  I could probably be a little more specific as far as pound strength on each set up, but it works fine for  everything including topwater.. Like Blue said, you dont need to cross their eyes, I just reel down quick and just lean into it.  I have baitcast rod with 12 test mono that I use for a little bit of everything... it's a good topwater line.