Braid for topwater

[Mike Meier]

I was reading on Bassfan that Kerr used braid for his topwater baits. What is the reason for using braid. I would think on a lake like Mead with it's crystal clear water that you would use clear mono.

The other thing I don't understand is topwater baits use treble hooks and I thought you would want the line to strech and act like a shock absorber.

Just wandering what everyone else is doing out there.

Thanks in advance

Mike

[mark poulson]

I use 30lb braid with a 17lb mono leader.
The 30lb braid casts topwaters a long way.
The mono leader keeps the hooks from fouling.
No stretch is a good thing on long casts for hooksets.

[Ricky-S]

I only use braid for top water and I NEVER use anything lower than 50 pound. The 40 and 30 just break too easy. I use 50 on lakes like Mead, etc and 65 on the Delta or CL.

The fish don't care. On lakes I fish with a glass rod and on the Delta and CL I use a heavy action rod.

[Kelly Ripa]

No leader Ricky? I toyed with leaders and shelved the idea as it wasn't worth it imho.

[some guy]

straight mono on topwater.. that whole braid thing is highly over rated. IMHO.

[drew]

Braid has a few advantages over mono. Its lighter and and has less stretch. When presenting baits which can be casted a relatively long distances these are a benefit. A good example would be a super spook.

The total amount of axial deformation increases or is proportional to the length of exposed line, eg. spool to bait. When there is a large quantity of line exposed the less compliant braid might make it less difficult to set the hook and the lower overall weight of the exposed line will allow the bait to walk better.

Another topwater presentation that can benefit from braid is buzzbaits. They typically use a large single hook and they also plane better with the lower density line as well. Justin actually recommends 15-25#mono (nylon, polyamide) for larger topwater baits. Gary Dobyns is know for using braid on his topwater presentations. My recommendation is braid for buzzbaits, mono (polyamide) for poppers, chuggers and walking baits. I personally use Toray Bawo Polyamide mono in 16 & 20# for my topwater.

[some guy]

I guess the reel has alot to do with it. I throw 15lb mono and i can almost spool my reel if i wanted to. I use a 7:1 reel for my spooks, and i have no problem hooking and landing fish from long distances.

[Ricky-S]

No leader straight braid. I have been doing this for 6-7 years. I don't even own mono anymore.

The braid floats and allows me to work the baits better.

[drew]

Not all lines have the same chemistry and mechanical properties. A relatively stiff 15# mono might be adequate, but would still be considered on the low side.

I guess the reel has alot to do with it. I throw 15lb mono and i can almost spool my reel if i wanted to. I use a 7:1 reel for my spooks, and i have no problem hooking and landing fish from long distances.

[some guy]

maybe i just have a diff approach.. as long as its mono its good for my topwater.. I even have used 8lb mono for surface stuff. I just dont like the braid.. i find it overkill. Only on swimbaits when your throwin a 30lb + leader... that way you can still get long casts.. but if you are using broad with a 10-17lb leader, i find it pointless.Making a 40yd cast versus a 50yd cast isnt the reason people cant get bit. A lot of guys want to do it , simply for the fact its the cool new thing to do and some one said it was cool.. much like how the thread started. IMHO.

[DL]

If you use a line that has the actual strength it is rated for(breaks under the correct load) and your drag is set properly, you can use whatever mono you want. I think it comes down to what each person likes and wants to throw. I have tried them all, and I like 15lb big game or 15lb Izorline XXX. One knot, one line...one result...fish in the boat. I have micro managed in the past and it tends to make things more difficult than they should be...

But I never rule out throwing topwaters on as light as 10 lb...

[some guy]

Amen DL, for me it boils down to drag systems not line strength.. hell i have boated tons of fish over 6lbs on 4lb test.. just gotta have touch. The only time i like braid is when im using a super heavy leader.. because you cant spool a 300 up with 30lb and expect the same results. just wont happen.

[j10b]

braid= less reties.

[DL]

braid= less reties.

That alone is not a good enough reason to use braid. If less reties is what you want, knock yourself out. I'll retie all day long if I have to, its part of the game...

[drew]

I'm sorry about being so specific in my first post with using the super spook as an example. There are many smaller top water baits that can be fished with a lighter line without any issues.

The point I was trying to make is that when presenting a large bait, that casts well with 3 large treble hooks it is better to use a heavier nylon (polyamide) mono-filament or braid to improve the hook set. It has very little to do with altering the casting distance or improving the odds of landing the fish.

[j10b]

I think you get better action too without the break. I used retie to mean less break offs due to nicks etc in the line as well as not having to stop throwing into a school while you retie. The hookset is better as well because you are getting a solid one with braid and the benefit of the line not snapping.


Topwater usually doensl ast all day and its nice to have one think taken out of the equation that will slow you geting the bait back in the water.

Im also not going to talk you into using braid. It works for me for the reasons stated among others. I dont have time to worry about line breaking, nicks in the line causing a lost fish, not being able to give a solid hookset, and having to retie all the time.

[Otay Michael]

I was reading on Bassfan that Kerr used braid for his topwater baits. What is the reason for using braid. I would think on a lake like Mead with it's crystal clear water that you would use clear mono.

The other thing I don't understand is topwater baits use treble hooks and I thought you would want the line to strech and act like a shock absorber.

Just wandering what everyone else is doing out there.

Thanks in advance

Mike

which Kerr?

[Mike Phua]

It's not a cool thing or a trend it's simply a different tool to try out that has benefits.

Braid for the topwater with a 4 foot section of 10 to 15lb mono top shot is a Very versatile setup for different baits with the adjustment only being the leader. You don't work as hard on a long cast with the braid as well and hooks are buried in the fish with a simple reel set because of the low stretch. I think it's personal preference. One thing I know the braid pretty much last forever I've had the same braid on my topwater rod for over 3 years. With over $100,000 on the line I'm confident with my setup and the knots I tie! MP

[mark poulson]

It's not a cool thing or a trend it's simply a different tool to try out that has benefits.

Braid for the topwater with a 4 foot section of 10 to 15lb mono top shot is a Very versatile setup for different baits with the adjustment only being the leader. You don't work as hard on a long cast with the braid as well and hooks are buried in the fish with a simple reel set because of the low stretch. I think it's personal preference. One thing I know the braid pretty much last forever I've had the same braid on my topwater rod for over 3 years. With over $100,000 on the line I'm confident with my setup and the knots I tie! MP

Funny, I was just thinking the same thing. The braid on my topwater rod is almost white now, it's been on there so long.
It's the first Super Stren Braid I bought, when it first came out. When I retie enough to have to put on a new leader, I cut off the first 10' of braid too, in cast it is tired/frayed. But that's maybe once or twice a season.

[GaryKey]

I use braided line for topwater baits. With a topwater bait there needs to be some give somewhere in your setup and so I'd rather have the give in the rod rather than the line. My topwater setup is a Dobyns 703c rod, with a REVO STX 7:1, spooled with 50lb UltraCast. The heavy line gives me the power to move the fish where I need him (such as out of heavy cover).

The clear water I don't think makes much of a difference with regards to braided line since these are reaction baits. So I am convinced the fish have tunnel vision and are focused exclusively on the bait. I've fished with Klinger on Mead before and he was throwing his spinnerbaits on braided line. I also throw spinnerbaits almost exclusively on braid. I can't say I have had any reason whatsoever to believe that the line resulted in fewer bites. Like with topwater above, there needs to be some give somewhere in your setup. I prefer that give to be the rod, not the line.

[SoCalBassAssassin]

I throw braid on everything but plastics. I use it for cranks, jerks, spinners, and top water. I have 50# braid on my swim bait rod. I like Kelly used to use the mono leader, but I gave it up except for plastics. I also think it's a matter of personal prefrence. Whatever you feel fishing with is what you are going to do your best fishing with.. But I personally don't like the streatch of mono.. JMHO

[Otay Michael]

I was reading on Bassfan that Kerr used braid for his topwater baits. What is the reason for using braid. I would think on a lake like Mead with it's crystal clear water that you would use clear mono.

The other thing I don't understand is topwater baits use treble hooks and I thought you would want the line to strech and act like a shock absorber.

Just wandering what everyone else is doing out there.

Thanks in advance

Mike

which Kerr?

Never mind, I asked John at Anglers Marine San Diego at the Brent Ehler and Gabe Bolivar lecture and it's not him, so it must be Justin.

[Mike Meier]

Thanks for all the feedback.


Otay Michael it was Justin. It was an article on bassfan.com

Thanks

Mike

[DeltaBound]

I've used mono for topwater before they ever came up with Braid and it still works.