Current Top Water Rods of Choice ?

[ChrisD46]

From smaller poppers to larger walk - the - dog spooks - what two top water rods will you be using this late Spring into Summer ?

[Maico1]

Not just two.....Poison Glorious GreyHound 168MH-LM , Poison Glorious WolfGang 166M , Conquest MBR 782C and G Loomis SMR 702C -TW.

 

[CountryboyinDC]

I generally only use one, but if I'm throwing really light lures, I'll tie a mono leader on the spinning rod too.  I've got a 6'6 St. Croix Premier M/F split grip casting rod, and the spinning rod I may take along is a 6'6 St. Croix Avid M/F.  I mostly fish shallow rivers from a kayak.  Haven't been on the river fishing this year when the water wasn't stirred up pretty bad, so topwater hasn't been something I've been throwing.

[Deleted account]

3 rods, nothing fancy, a 6' med for poppers, a 6'6" MH for walking baits and larger poppers, and a 7' MH that punches above it's weight for buzz baits, ploppers and wakebaits. Too fast or too much modulus is not your friend for top water.

[Bankc]

I prefer to use an ancient 5'6" Medium/Moderate rod with a pistol grip.  I like pistol grip rods for working that type of action, as the split grips tend to get in my way and I'm not bombing these lures anyway.  I also use the shorter rod, because I fish from a kayak, and it makes it easier for me to control since I'm actually standing below the water line.  I'd go for a longer rod if I were standing on the deck of a large bass boat.  

 

Though I don't always bring that rod with me, as it's pretty specialized and space is a priority in kayaks.  When I don't bring it, I'll use a variety of different rods.  So long as it's got some give to keep the treble hooks pinned, that's all I care about.  MH/M, M/MF, or ML/F all seem to work well enough for me.  

[casts_by_fly]

For walking baits or similar that I am actively working the bait I use my 6'10" falcon expert finesse jig/topwater model (5 power).  Its a lighter side of medium heavy (though not quite medium) and fast action.  Perfect for for walking baits.  I have an Abu MGL on it and the whole thing weighs a shade over 9 oz.

 

For buzzbaits and ploppers I use the 7'3" Hudzon special.  Also a 5-power but totally different rod.  Moderate fast but twice the diameter of the finesse jig/topwater.  Tons of power down low with a lighter top third.  A true medium heavy, it throws a 1/2 oz buzzbait a long way (I did it just last night in fact) but can also throw a 4 1/2" unweighted sluggo (also did that last night).

 

Both rods have 14 lb Suffix Elite mono on them (0.015" diameter).

[Deleted account]

1 minute ago, casts_by_fly said:

6'10" falcon expert finesse jig/topwater model (5 power).  Its a lighter side of medium heavy (though not quite medium) and fast action.

I'm a big fan of that stick, works well for a lot of things.

[casts_by_fly]

3 minutes ago, Deleted account said:

I'm a big fan of that stick, works well for a lot of things.

agreed.  My favorite in the Falcon lineup and of all my rods, this is the one I'd have multiples of first.  Given the rest of the rods I carry, I tend to keep this one for walking baits, swim jigs, and 3/8 bladed baits but it fishes squarebills, light T-rigs, finesse jigs, and more.  

[Kevhead19]

Johnny Morris Platinum 6'9 M/F - Nearly exclusively Popmax and Showerblows 105s.

 

Evergeen Combat 7'2 MH/Mod Fast - Showerblows 125 and full size walking baits

 

Other main topwater rod is a custom swimbait 7'8 1-5oz for spro rat 50s + crawlers. That gets used more than the others lately.

[Dinger0306]

I actually prefer a spinning rod for walk-the-dog baits or poppers. It is 100x easier for me to work topwaters with them compared to palming a baitcaster and doing it. I've got an old 6'6" M/MF Lightning Rod that does the trick. Smaller rivers/creeks for small jaws I have a 5'6" Ugly Stik casting rod that works pretty well for things like Whopper Ploppers/Buzzbaits, etc. I throw some smaller ones like Ploppers in 60-size or Rebel Tiny Pop-R on a 6'6" ML St. Croix Premier. 

[Bankbeater]

6'6" M/F for poppers, torpedoes, and small walking baits. 7'0" MH/F for Jitterbugs, large walking baits, buzzbaits, and frogs.

[Dangerfield]

I was hoping my 6' 10" MHF Lew's custom lite spinnerbait rod could dual duty for topwater but no matter how slow or fast I worked it, I could not get a diamante dog-x to walk. Wondering if I need something with moderate or mod-fast action to over come the use of braid.

[Boomstick]

For lighter baits or treble hooks I use my 6'8" Mojo Bass M/XF topwater rods. It;s also a great jerkbait rod and weightless soft plastic rod. For larger spooks, buzzbaits and ploppers I use my 6'10" Tau=Tula MH/F.

[zell_pop1]

6'3" Team Daiwa S Topwater/Twitchin MH/F rod. Perfect for treble hook lures and is rated for lures from 1/4 to 1 oz. Tried it out as a target spinnerbait rod but it is too soft tipped for that.

[soflabasser]

The rod I fish with topwaters depends on what topwater I am fishing with. I like fishing with a heavy action rod when I am fishing a large topwater, or somewhere with heavy aquatic vegetation. For smaller topwaters I like fishing with a medium heavy action rod.

[ChrisD46]

Top water rods have always been a bit of a challenge to select : Too x fast is not the best action in a top water rod (poppers / walking baits) neither is a rod that is too long ... Rods that are fast , M/MH and from 6'8" to 6'10" seem to be the sweet spot for many using braid + leader for top water . 

[FrnkNsteen]

My main two topwater setups are a Dobyns 704cb for poppers and a 7' Mojo MH/MF I use for Whopper Plopper 90.

 

Other than that, I occasionally use an older Fenwick Venture 6'6" MF for spooks and a Hack Attack 6'10" MH/MF Spinnerbait/Buzzbait rod

[Woody B]

95% of my topwater fishing is with a 3/8 ounce devils horse so all 3 of my rods work great/ 

[roadwarrior]

G. Loomis GLX PR844C

https://www.americanlegacyfishing.com/g-loomis-popping-fishing-rod-pr844c-glx.html