Two Rod Set Up For Top Water (No Frogs) ?

[ChrisD46]

Too many times people ask : "What is your favorite top water rod for bass" ? If you use smaller poppers as well as larger walking baits and buzz baits  - it's difficult for one rod to be used for all top water (again , minus frogs which is a different top water category altogether) . I propose that for smaller poppers and top water  prop / twitch lures  a bait cast (or spinning rod) in the 6' to 6'8" M/F ~ XF is ideal while for larger top water walking baits and buzz baits a 6'6" to 7'3" MH / F is ideal ... *What are your preferences for a top water , two rod set up ?

[Deephaven]

I have a 6'8 MXF for baits requiring rod motion (twitch, walk, pop) and use a 7'10" MH for baits that are primarily reeled (buzz, plopper, jitterbug).

[J Francho]

I user whatever I was using for spinnerbaits for buzzbaits, not any rod I'd designate as a topwater.  For almost all others like spooks, poppers, as well as jerkbaits - basically any rod tip down presentation with trebles - I use a SC AVC62MXF or AVC68MXF.  Either can throw light baits with the right reel, and have plenty of oomph for the bigger baits.  Now if you talking about BIG baits like a Punker or large Plopper, then I have swimbait rods for that.

[BrianMDTX]

44 minutes ago, ChrisD46 said:

I propose that for smaller poppers and top water  prop / twitch lures  a bait cast (or spinning rod) in the 6' to 6'8" M/F ~ XF is ideal while for larger top water walking baits and buzz baits a 6'6" to 7'3" MH / F is ideal ... *What are your preferences for a top water , two rod set up ?

I'm still working on all this lol. But for now, I use a M/F 6'6" baitcaster for smaller baits requiring rod action, and a MH/F baitcaster for larger topwater baits like a Spook. Truth is, I use the M/F about 95% of the time for a topwater with trebles. 

[MN Fisher]

My rods for those?

Spooks, Ploppers (to 110), Buzzbaits, etc - Dobyns FR-704C or 7' Diawa Aird-X MH/F

Poppers, Puppies, Jerks, etc - Dobyns FR-703C

 

[Deleted account]

Having a (or several) "topwater" rod(s), has never made sense to me, just like having a "subsurface" rod(s) doesn't make any sense. The rod gets picked by the bait, and besides, not needing to be very sensitive, they have little in common. poppers (small ones like the pop-r or rico) get a 6' med rod with a short butt. Walking baits get a similar rod, but a tad longer and stouter based on the size as the bait, which is the same for larger poppers., usually 6'6" or so, again short butt.

Larger tip up (or side) lures like buzzbaits, wakebaits, WP, and the like, get a 7' MH mod fast rod. So add the frog rod and that makes 4. If forced to use 2, I'd go with a 6'6" med, and a 7 MH. 

[Dens228]

Poppers and smaller topwaters I use either a M/Mod or M/Fast depending on what else I'm doing. 

Buzzbaits I use my frog rod, H/Fast, I started doing it a couple years ago and like it. 

[Bankc]

For buzzbaits, I too use my spinnerbait rod, a M/F or MH/F, depending on size of the lure.  I don't really use special rods for those baits, but select between what I already have.  So I only need one rod for "topwaters", and that's a M/M 5'6" pistol grip.  I like the extra rod flex for keeping treble hooks pinned, and don't really need stiffness to create the action I want on poppers and walking baits, nor do I care about sensitivity.  I like the pistol grip because it makes snapping the rod easier on my wrist, and I like the shorter rod because I fish from a kayak, and longer rods just get in the way.