rods that work best for walking the dog

[Bigs]

Just wondering what are some rods I should check out for walking topwater. I have read some articles online but would like to hear from people who walk alot of topwater and what rods they use. Most of my rods are either really long or have long handles so Im thinkin I might invest in 2 rods just for walking the dog. I'm just startin to walk and am still just so so at it. My wrist doesnt always do what I want but I'll get the hang of it soon Im sure. I just bought the River 2 Sea Bubble Walker 80, Sebile *** 98 and the Sebile Ghost Walker. The reel is either my Daiwa Sol or my Curado E5 since both reels are so easy to palm and so light. Im guessing I need a light weight rod with a short handle and a fast action tip ? Keep in mind that Im usually fishing water with heavy grass a foot or two below the surface.

[J Francho]

I use a St. Croix AVC62MXF.

[roadwarrior]

St. Croix Avid AVC66MF is what I would suggest.

The rod is great for working both topwater lures

and jerkbaits. The tip is soft enough to cushion

treble hooks.

8-)

[Bigs]

Funny you guys mention the Avid, I own a 7 foot medium heavy avid and it is my fave rod. I use it for swimmin jigs tho and buzzbaits. I was thinkin I wanted another one for this purpose but wasnt sure which would work best. Im gonna go to the store and handle a few and see what I think. I'll bring my reels with me and put them on the rod so I can get a good idea. I was gonna do that anyways but didnt wanna be fumbling around puttin my reels on 10 different rods at bass pro shops

[Lucky Craft Man]

Just wondering what are some rods I should check out for walking topwater. I have read some articles online but would like to hear from people who walk alot of topwater and what rods they use. Most of my rods are either really long or have long handles so Im thinkin I might invest in 2 rods just for walking the dog. I'm just startin to walk and am still just so so at it. My wrist doesnt always do what I want but I'll get the hang of it soon Im sure. I just bought the River 2 Sea Bubble Walker 80, Sebile *** 98 and the Sebile Ghost Walker. The reel is either my Daiwa Sol or my Curado E5 since both reels are so easy to palm and so light. Im guessing I need a light weight rod with a short handle and a fast action tip ? Keep in mind that Im usually fishing water with heavy grass a foot or two below the surface.

Using these reels could be a problem. When walking the dog, you need to reel in the slack line rapidly between quick jerks. If you have any slack in your line, your next jerk will pulling in slack and not jerking the lure to walk to the other side. Therefore, I found it so much easier to perform the walk the dog technique with a higher gear ratio reel. The Curado E5 and the Daiwa Sol are both slower reels (5.X:1). If you have a faster reel, you may find it a little easier getting your lures to walk the dog more effectively. (I know you original question was about a rod, which several others have provided you with good answers, I just thought I would offer a suggestion based off my own experience)

[steezy]

Lucky is right, a 7.x ratio reel really makes that frog fishing smoother.

[Bigs]

no problem, I have an anniversary zillion which is 7.3:1 so problem solved, thanks for the tip guys. Guess I'll be taking the braid off my zillion and puttin some 14 pound mono on it tonight. I'll just continue using my curado for crankbaits and buzzbaits then  ;D

[Bigs]

oops, I just looked at my curado and realized its an e7 which is 7:1 so Im good to go. I'll leave my zillion as it is since I love throwing frogs with it.

[Wayne P.]

You will have better lure contact/control and better hook-ups with braid for the walking baits.

[Bassyak]

I use a St. Croix Mojo 6'6" M F and it works great for all my topwater hard baits.  I didn't see the need to spend the extra money for the Avid or a comparable rod with more sensitivity.  Also, I really like the split grip on the Mojo.

[Big Tom]

I am using a 25 dollar Dicks Sporting Goods Special.  I have tried fishing topwaters with rods that are so much more expensive but none of them beat that little rod.  Its so light and the tip speed is perfect for walking baits.

The rod is a Quest IM-7, 6' Medium action. It really feels like a steal for 25 bucks.

[lightsout]

There are many options out there and others have gave some good reccomendations. My only suggestion is go as lightweight as possible if you plan on using this technique exstensively. I've fished sammys/spooks/frogs that walk etc. a ton over the last 3 years and my wrist and forearm just dont enjoy it anymore. I mainly used a plueger president 6740 (a tank of a spinner) and I blame that.

This year I got a great deal on a H 6'6'' airrus mated with a revo  and its helped, but the damage is done i'm afraid  :-/

[Dan:]

I agree about not needing to spend too much for a walking bait rod. You're going to see the fish hit so all you need is a rod with good components and durability, you don't need to spend the extra money to get something that is sensitive on top of that unless you really want to.

I have no problem walking a bait with a 6.x:1 ratio reel. It's more about your rhythm than the speed of the reel IMO. I do use braid for walking baits but not if I am using an XF rod. For a F rod then braid will work fine. I don't like XF and braid because there isn't enough give and it doesn't allow the bait to swing back away from your retrieve as well as an XF rod with mono/copoly or a F rod with braid.

[J Francho]

I have NO issues walking the dog using an Ito Alphas Ai, which happens to be 5.8:1.  What I think is funny, is anglers have been walking baits for over 50 years, and up until just a few years ago, 5:1 was "high speed."  I actually think something as fast as 7:1 is a DISADVANTAGE, as I often find that the faster cadence most people use doesn't trigger strikes like a slower one.

[J Francho]

Lucky is right, a 7.x ratio reel really makes that frog fishing smoother.

I do like a fast reel for frogs, but this is a thread about spook baits, not frogs.

[Maxximus Redneckus]

A 6 ft pistol grip rod med heavy action

[.RM.]

For ChugBugs, Spooks, etc. I have always used a custom 5'6" to 6' pistol or straight grip med power, mod tip action rod, with a Curado 201B mounted.

Good Luck & Tight Lines!!!!

[Dan:]

For ChugBugs, Spooks, etc. I have always used a custom 5'6" to 6' pistol or straight grip med power, mod tip action rod, with a Curado 201B mounted.

Good Luck & Tight Lines!!!!

left hand?  :-?

[Bigs]

Ok theres alot more replies then I ever expected in one day so Im taking it all in. Two things, first off Im just a newbie to walkin the dog but everything I have read elsewhere and all the videos I have watched say to use 12-20 pound mono and not to use braid at all becuz its so limp. Plus I have found that when I cast topwater plugs with braid I tend to wrap the treble hooks up in the line sometimes where as with mono it almost never happens. Im aware that part of that is my casting technique and with more practice I'll be able to throw braid without hangin the hooks up on it. So now Im confused even more.

Also as far as gettin a cheap versus expensive rod, I think that my wrist would greatly appreciate the much lighter and more expensive st croix over a 25 dollar rod. I also play piano in my free time and sometimes for money so I dont wanna risk messin up my wrists any further then I already have from 14 years of bangin on the keys. It seems to me like a light reel and a light rod would work best in terms of the action itself and long term affects on my wrist and forearm. For example when I tried walkin my frog with my flippin stick I got nowhere fast. The long handle was part of it but also the weight drags the wrist action a ton for me.

Again Im just guessing cuz I have only just recently started walkin baits. But why take the chance and put more wear and tear on my body then I need to ? Furthermore Im not a price shopper when it comes to gear, I do like gettin the best deal but I dont buy something cuz its cheap. So if theres a cheap rod that is just as light and strong enough for fishing topwater right on top of heavy cover then so be it, point me in that direction please. I do appreciate all the advice and I'll have to set up my reel with mono and practice and see how it compares to the braid I been using.

[Big Tom]

I didn't mean to mislead you. It was a 25 dollar rod but it is also lighter than you would probably believe without feeling it firsthand. Trust me, I have tried to upgrade away from it because I am becoming a brand name kind of guy but you just cant beat that stupid little thing for its intended technique.

DO NOT BUY A HEAVY ROD if you can afford a different one. You will just grow tired of it and buy something else later anyhow. I am a guitar player so I know what you mean about unnecessary stress on joints.

Sensitivity isn't nearly as important as weight in this rods case. For me, length is the most important factor. I am a tall dude but I hold the rod in a way where the tip is close to the water and a 6 footer allows me to work the baits without touching the surface of the water no matter if I am on shore or in a boat.  A 6 ft. rod typically has the shorter handle you are looking for as well.

If I were you, I would go to a Bass Pro or similar store and feel all of the rods that are available at your price point and in the length that you feel would be the most comfortable for how you hold and work the rod. The consensus here is that most every one uses a faster action in a medium power so try those rods out first.

Find what feels right to you and give it a whirl.

* People start out fishing the heavier mono because its not as limp and it is less likely to tangle in your hooks on walking retrieves. It also floats better in larger diameters. Mono also stretches allowing cushioned hook sets and it gives the fish more time to inhale the bait which increases your chances for a nicely hooked fish anyhow. I prefer 14-17 lb. mono or co-polymer. Right now, I am running 15lb. P-Line CX premium on my top water setup.

Man, I hope I have not confused you more. I just didn't want you to get the wrong idea about rods and such. Good luck and let us know what you decide.

[Lucky Craft Man]

Here's a set-up that will fit all your criteria and work well for walking the dog.  Shimano Curado E7 (which you said you have) with mono (I am not a fan of braid on walking the dog type baits, unless it's a hollow frog in heavy slop, because it seems to get fouled up in the trebles too often) and a G Loomis MBR 783 (IMX or GLX, depending on what you want to spend).  This rod is very light and you could use it for other applications if you want (jerkbaits, spinnerbaits, lipless crankbaits, etc).  There are deals to be had on this rod if you look (I picked an IMX version for $103 new on eBay).

[Bigs]

I also love throwing braid with my spro frogs, I use 50 pound power pro but Im gonna stick with mono for walkin, at least for now. I just think I will get better action with the stiffer line and my plug will have less chance of runnin over the floating line that way too. I went fishing with a pro by the name of Terry Olinger recently and I watched him catch bass after bass walkin with mono on a 70 dollar rod. And he's an experienced pro, so if mono is good enough for him then its good enough for me. It was good enough to get him second place this year at the stren potomac stop http://www.bassresource.com/bass_fishing_123/stren-potomac-09.html

I just talked to him on the phone and he told me to get a short medium rod, nothing fancy and keep practicing. So Im gonna head over to bass pro and gander mountain and look at some shorties 8-)

[Redlinerobert]

Evergreen Amazon Flip paired with a Steez 100H and 50 lb Sufix braid.  Whether fishing for bass, stripers or peacocks, this setup works.