Walk The Dog

[joeD]

Had to look that one up. Daddy likes! Skin "eruptions."  My teenage skin described in one word.

Sorry. Off top water topic.

Fish like them. Always have one ready to go.

[Gavin]

Buzzbaits are not neglected. Coldwater and Hoff run that program. Not as productive as the dawg but both are big fish baits. Can't toss a treble hooked dawg through a partially submerged tree top and expect it back.

[top_dollar]

On Saturday, July 23, 2016 at 10:55 PM, joeD said:

Poor buzzbaits. Shunted aside and neglected.

(Don't worry. Your time will come again).

Wopper plopper is a fancy buzz bait ND those things are crazy popular.  ( for good reason)

[drew03cmc]

The real question is does color matter? Also, what gear do you toss it on? Mono, copolymer,  braid?  Straight braid, leader? Spinning, casting?

[evilcatfish]

3 hours ago, drew03cmc said:

The real question is does color matter? Also, what gear do you toss it on? Mono, copolymer,  braid?  Straight braid, leader? Spinning, casting?

I'm not sure color really matters, I just pick one and roll with it. Though most of the topwaters I throw at smallmouth are some kind of baitfish pattern. 

 

Casting gear for me. 10# on my medium setup, 8# on my medium-light 

[MOsmallies]

5 hours ago, drew03cmc said:

The real question is does color matter? Also, what gear do you toss it on? Mono, copolymer,  braid?  Straight braid, leader? Spinning, casting?

As far as color you want some opaque and translucent options. Translucent for clear water and opaque for water with some color. Keep it simple. You really just need the belly to be white, clear, or black. The fish will see the sides of the bait a little. The action is what's calling them in way more than the color.

All of your gear options will work. Mono is probably the best option for topwater since it floats and will allow the lure to work freely. Braid also floats but is so limp that it can often get wrapped around the trebles and ruin your cast. Another con of braid is that it has no stretch which I want when using treble hooks. I prefer casting gear when standing on the deck of a boat, but I usually prefer spinning gear when in my kayak or wading. Basically when I'm standing and can twitch the rod downward or slightly to the side I prefer casting gear. When i'm sitting or standing waist deep in water I often have to twitch my rod tip up or to the side and spinning gear makes this easier. Just a preferance.

I throw either 10 or 12 lb P-Line CX Premium on casting gear and 8 lb on spinning gear for all treble hooked topwaters. For larger walking baits i throw 15 lb on casting gear.

One last thing, I always use a clip or split ring on my walking baits. Allows the bait to move freely side to side. Hope this helps!

[Al Agnew]

One thing to add to MOsmallies's excellent advice...if fishing from a canoe or kayak, the shorter your rod is the better.  5.5 feet makes it easier to walk them than 6 feet, and in my opinion should be the longest rod you use for them.  My WTD rod is a 5 ft. moderate-fast action, medium power casting rod, with a good, durable reel and 8 pound test copoly line.