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  1. #1
    Member
    Join Date
    Aug 2007
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    Idaho
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    188

    increasing topwater fish landing

    I would like to hear from people who do a lot of topwater fishing. What type of rod and hooks do you use? I lose a lot of my topwater fish and I am pretty good at the hook setting technique so I am starting to look at the type of rod and hooks I use. I use a crankbait rod and I have tried replacing the treble hooks with thicker, heavier ones. Now I'm thinking the thicker shank on the hooks is making a larger tear in the fish and allowing them to throw it. These are smallmouth so you know how hard they fight. Any suggestions for landing more fish?

  2. Member
    Join Date
    Mar 2015
    Location
    Bixby, OK
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    2,280
    #2
    What line do you use? I use a 6'10" MH rod with 50 lb braid. Fish have a tendency to hit topwaters as soon as they hit the water, and on a long cast the braid with no stretch helps get a good hook set. I can't remember the last time I lost a fish on a topwater since going to this rod/line combination.

  3. Member Jesse-C's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Location
    Kansas
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    1,437
    #3
    Do yourself a favor and get the Gamakatsu Aaron Martens TGW Finesse Treble Hook MH. You won't be disappointed. Great for poppers, spooks, and ploppers.

  4. Member
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    Jun 2020
    Location
    Sharon Springs NY
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    1,319
    #4
    For all my topwater fishing I use a zara spook and a Sammy 115. Change the hooks to owner st 36 trebles. 6 ft or 6-6 med action all star rod. 17# mono. I have used 20# braid in the past. Smallmouth can be tough at times. Best thing is let them take it, crank as fast as allowed and look the other way. Just keep reelin...
    The 6 ft rod works great, wish they were more available. I was actually gonna have a few 6 ft. glass topwater rods made at one point.

  5. Member
    Join Date
    Sep 2012
    Location
    Portland tennessee
    Posts
    898
    #5
    I like a 7’ rod with soft tip and good backbone. Usually have triple grip hooks.
    Caught a few fish on spook jr last week. They were not really eating it good. Lost a few. Very unusual for me.

  6. Member
    Join Date
    Jan 2020
    Location
    South Point OH
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    5,373
    #6
    I use a 6.5 or 7' moderate action rod with monofilliment line, I keep the same hooks that come on the bait and I don't have to many problems with them coming off. I took a trip to Minnesota last year and was catching 15-20 smallmouths a day on top waters and I don't remember any of them coming off, the biggest issue I had was Pike taking my lures.

  7. Member
    Join Date
    May 2015
    Location
    Traverse City, MI
    Posts
    938
    #7
    First and foremost upgrade hooks always especially for smallmouth. Jesse-C is correct on the TGW Gamakatsu's and another great option is the Hayabusa NRB. Both will improve your ratio.

    For poppers (which I've been throwing a lot lately) I have a 6'6" M spinning custom built into a casting rod. I throw braid with a small mono leader to minimize tangling in the trebles. When they blast it, just be a little patient and sweep set into them.

    Walker and Pencil Poppers I throw on a 7' M Casting rod with braid and the same mono leader. These baits will draw strikes a lot better, but they miss them a lot. You really have to be patient and make sure they have it. If you don't jerk it away from them 8 out of 10 times they will come back and bite it again if they miss it.

  8. Member
    Join Date
    Aug 2007
    Location
    Idaho
    Posts
    188
    #8
    Thanks for all the input.

  9. Member
    Join Date
    Jun 2016
    Location
    broken arrow, ok
    Posts
    378
    #9
    I use braid or mono line and change hooks.
    After a strike with slight pause will I set the hook as already said.
    well
    Try to anyway. Lol
    top water action is exciting!!

  10. Member
    Join Date
    Aug 2015
    Location
    Wenatchee,Wa
    Posts
    1,035
    #10
    I use a Denali kovert lt 7ft 2 medium heavy jig rod. Has a good taper in the blank when it loads up on a fish. Was using 40lb braid to a 15 or 17lb short leader but recently started using the pline 17lb top water copoly. Honestly may go back to braid for main line. Get way more solid Hooksets on the end of your cast and you have more control over the bait and what you want it to do. This is for my popmax's and heavier walking baits btw.