Rod Do Overs

[rps]

Last year, while sheltering at home, I made a new topwater rod. Per the recommendation of a well known pro on the Mudhole site, I used a particular rod blank.For me, and the way I fish topwater baits, the rod causes more trouble than it should.

The action is too soft and too slow. That causes a lob cast or creates back lashes on casts that are not lobs. It feels as if it were one of my walleye rods. It will, therefore, become my new walleye rod.

Those of you who make rods , or pay attention to action and power, what blank with what characteristics should I use to tie a new one?

BTW, 99% of my topwater baits are light, and I do not often throw a whopper plopper.

I look forward to this discusion.

[Ham]

I throw a lot of different top water baits. I really like the old Allstar TWS Zell Rowland rod for 3/8 oz and down. I like a short handled Spinnerbait rod for 1/2 oz and up. I fish braid about as often as mono on my Topwater stuff.

I for sure do not want extra fast. 

[dtrs5kprs]

20 minutes ago, Ham said:

I throw a lot of different top water baits. I really like the old Allstar TWS Zell Rowland rod for 3/8 oz and down. I like a short handled Spinnerbait rod for 1/2 oz and up. I fish braid about as often as mono on my Topwater stuff.

I for sure do not want extra fast. 

The action of the Zell rod was perfect.

A Saint Croix SCII 6'6" M isn't bad. I have a factory Premier with that blank. Works well for walking baits, chuggers. The Triumph would be the same blank, different components.

 

[mixermarkb]

The old school G. Loomis IMX MBR-782 is for me, the perfect top water rod.  I would call it a fast, maybe a mod-fast, medium power. It’s THE rod for walking baits up to 5/8oz. I have no idea if they still make the MBR-782, or what the newer blanks feel like. I know I preferred the IMX to the GLX for this application back in the day, as the GLX was just a mite too crisp. 
 

For redfins and other wake baits, I have a couple of really, really old G. Loomis IM6 PR-844 popping rods. These things are 7’ long al dente pasta noodles, but they load up well on a cast, and keep fish pinned that smack that fin wobbling along really well.

I also have gone back to mono for topwater. I liked the hook set of braid, but I just couldn’t keep braid from blowing up and backlashing really bad about every 50 casts. I think I was probably just overthrowing it, but the bait would just stop in mid cast and fall to the water and the reel would be blown up, seemingly at random, so back to 15 pound big game it is for me on the floating stuff. 
 

P.S. - Sunline Defier Armillo mono is flat amazing on topwater, but it’s awful spendy and I like being married. 

[rps]

Great input folks. Your insight has lead me to a decision. I will continue to use the rod I built for the heavier baits, such as larger spooks, whopper ploppers and the surge shad. The moderate action loads well with the heavier baits.

I will unretire the rod I used for my beloved Top Dollars, spook juniors, and chug bugs. It is a 6' medium power, fast action, built on a St. Croix SCIII that I bought deeply discounted. It has nothing wrong with it and I only retired it because I wanted to make a new rod during lock down. Of course that leaves me using the non tubed side box and a reel short until my Revo MGX returns from its rebuild. (Different thread)

On the topic of lines, mix, I know your pain. The professional over run problem has caused me to go back to 6# Yozuri for the Ned. I will load the light top water with 10# Yozuri, but I may keep the braid for the heavier top water baits. Heavier baits don't seem to cause as much problem since their weight seems to match the speed of the spool better. Jig rods will stay with the braid as well.

Again, thanks for your input.

 

 

[Gavin]

I like a fast action medium blank for topwater up to 1/2oz. North fork composites makes some really nice blanks in the 5..5’-6.5’ range in the Shooter series of blanks. Love my 5’6” NF canoe WTD rod. I use a 6’6” for buzzers & ploppers.

[Al Agnew]

I'll go ahead a paste my reply from your original post in the wrong place, just to further the discussion...Personally, I like my topwater rods to be shorter than my other rods.  My canoe rod is 5'3" medium power, just a typical fast action.  My jetboat rod is 6 ft. medium power as well.  I just like the way the shorter rods work in using walk the dog topwaters.  Others' mileage may vary.  But from the canoe, the shorter rod really does make a difference in how easy it is to walk those lures; the shorter rod means a better rod angle with tip down, while sitting in the canoe.

The rod you made sounds like it might work well as a crankbait rod.

[fishinwrench]

By "Top water" I'm not sure what you're tossing.   

I fish WTD baits and poppers on my 6' jerkbait rod, Buzzbaits on my high speed 6'6" spinnerbait rod,  WhopperPloppers and Frogs on a 7' heavy jig pitching rig.  

[rps]

51 minutes ago, Al Agnew said:

I'll go ahead a paste my reply from your original post in the wrong place, just to further the discussion...Personally, I like my topwater rods to be shorter than my other rods.  My canoe rod is 5'3" medium power, just a typical fast action.  My jetboat rod is 6 ft. medium power as well.  I just like the way the shorter rods work in using walk the dog topwaters.  Others' mileage may vary.  But from the canoe, the shorter rod really does make a difference in how easy it is to walk those lures; the shorter rod means a better rod angle with tip down, while sitting in the canoe.

The rod you made sounds like it might work well as a crankbait rod.

Thank you for carrying over to this post. Your opinion is valuable.

[rps]

16 minutes ago, fishinwrench said:

By "Top water" I'm not sure what you're tossing.   

I fish WTD baits and poppers on my 6' jerkbait rod, Buzzbaits on my high speed 6'6" spinnerbait rod,  WhopperPloppers and Frogs on a 7' heavy jig pitching rig.  

Wrench, I think you have put your finger on it. Top water does not mean everything on one rod. Different baits mean different rods. I went astray.