Is it me, or have you found that Power Pro, for example, has a better hookup ratio in slop than, say, flurocarbon or monofiliment?
Just wondering because when I fish with someone who’s not using a braided line, they seem to have fewer catches than with a braided line.
Thanks 
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Nope, Exactally the opposite. I get more hookeups on mono but I lose more getting them out of the slop and have more issues presenting with mono so I stick with braid. I wish I could have the streach on the hit but the wench during the fight.
jc
I have nothing good to say about mono in the slop. Power pro all the way. I have never had an issue hooking up with braid in the slop and I think that is because i am mentally prepared for the fish to hit so i dont jerk it away. I usually try to hold the rod away from my body so I am forced to drop my rod tip and feel for the fish before I swing.
What kind of rods do you guys usually use for slop fishing?
JHall
Hmmm… I actually agree with JC… Uh-oh! 
The slack in the line seems to allow the lure to “seat” better in the fish before hook-set… not sure, just speculation. But, to JC’s point, if the hit comes 40′ from the boat on the initial set-down of the lure, getting a fish out can prove difficult without braid… or, without 30+ lb mono/flouro… which is too heavy to throw light frogs/rats etc.
So, I throw both, depending on wind/distance/presentation/etc. BUT, for simplicity, simply throw 15′ P-line most of the time; however, I always have 1 braid rod handy, though! 
I use an All Star Rod (all my rods are All Star -I really like them!), TS806C Spinnerbait2 6’8″, medium heavy, fast action.
Thanks 
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Courtland Musky braid, on a 7′ 4″ Quantum Tour Edition PT heavy flippin stick, and a Quantum 860 reel.
I use a Falcon 7 foot heavy action Carolina Rig special rod. And braid all the way. Tried Stealth this year, will be going back to Power Pro next re-spool.
Mono is like dragging them out with a long rubber band if they hit at the end of a long cast.
JC,
While I always value your opinion , i’m gonna disagree w/you here. You mentioned that you would rather have the stretch on the hit…I want just the opposite. When I have the hit..I want as much power and torque immediately to try and pull the fish out of the slop. The quicker you can get the fish out of the slop, the better.(or at least closer to the surface) 
In my lowly opinion, the stretch you get on the hookset w/mono allows the fish time to get down into the thicker weeds, and thus makes it harder to battle.
Which for the 2nd part of this convo, 6’6 Medium Heavy Rod MINIMUM….and even Musky Rods will work just fine. I’ve also just upped my line to 50lb Power pro for yet more additional Power..(still trying to work my way up to 80 JC… )
Quote:
Mono is like dragging them out with a long rubber band if they hit at the end of a long cast.
Great analogy, Moss Boss! 
I haven’t had the same experience with the composit lines like P-Line, though.
You must not swim a rat as fast as I often do. When I am searching I pull this frog looking for busts and like to get a couple in the mix. I often don’t have enough give to let the fish have it. As for keeping them up and on top without worrying about breakage I do say that 80 is the way to go. If I have trouble I can stick the line in the trolling motor and let the Minnkota pull the fish in for me. 
jc
True..true…
I’ll have to try the Minnkota retrieval method..
Quote:
I do say that 80 is the way to go. If I have trouble I can stick the line in the trolling motor and let the Minnkota pull the fish in for me.
jc
You can’t be serious! 
Thats sounds like it would actually work!
JHall
Cute JC! I like the part about using the MinnKota
for a power reel. And here I thought getting your line
in the TM was an accident
I go ultra light for slop fish, at least relative to
the Slop Bubba’s on this board. I fish 20 lb PowerPro,
on a 7′ Med action St. Croix Avid, or 30 lb PowerPro,
on a 7’6″ MH Allstar “Big Carolina Rig” rod, depending
on what I am throwing. If I am throwing smaller
hollow body stuff, like Scum Frogs, I use the Avid,
and for anything else that casts decently with the
Allstar, which really is a medium action Musky rod,
I use the Allstar.
As for the performance of the line, I am going to
have to dissgree with JC on the mono part, too.
I like to move the bait when I load the rod. Having
fished with JC, and have seen his “hair trigger”, I
know why he wants more stretch…It gives him time
to duck as that 2 lber flies at his head
I have found the patience to wait until I feel the
fish.
Big Bass Bane
7 foot Fenwick 6 power heavy action or 7’6″ flippin stick, 50 – 65 lb whiplash. I pump the rod from 10 – 11:00 o’clock when I’m retrieving regardless what kind of retrieve fast or slow to cause me to have to drop the rod tip before setting the hook giving the fish plenty of time to suck in the bait… when I set in slop I want to move the fish as fast as I can… the draw back is … POP… damn adrenaline hook set and no give… I like braid in the heavy slop.
Curt
I agree on several notes here. I like to use a longer rod for 2 reasons, one is longer casts when needed and the obvious is pulling power once you get the hook in them. The biggest problem most have with slop fishing is setting the hook to soon. I like to wait a couple seconds or feel the fish before breaking their jaw . One thing here is you are going to have some misses slop fishing, that’s a fact 
, not much you can do about it. All you can do is try is not make mistakes and limit the misses that you have, and not get upset when you do miss, stick to your game. I feel braid is the only way to go. Two reasons here again, one is the no stretch feature for a solid hook set, and the other is for the power to pull the fish up and out and do what I like to call “skateboarding” the fish to open water as fast as possible. Once in open water (if any is around) I fight the fish like any other in open water. Hope this info is helpful, it has worked pretty good for me. Although, sad to say it was learned from trial and error .
80# Power Pro/ 7′ HEAVY Fenwick HMX.
I usually throw St.Croix Avid’s, but not in this situation. Why do you need the extra sensitivity when your rat fishing? True, you need to wait until you feel them after they pull it down, but I’m just waiting for that one pump after the blow-up. I could feel than with a pool cue (especailly with braid)! If I can figure out how to get a Fuji rod seat on a pool cue, I bet I’d give it a try!
Get em’ up FAST and keep em’ coming to the boat!
– d-nort
Nice call d-nort
JHall
I KNOW THAT MOST PEOPLE WILL DISAGREE WITH THE METHOD I USE, BUT I USE A BERKLEY FLIPPING STICK AND 50LB# BRAID. I TIGHTEN DOWN THE DRAG WITH A PIPE WRENCH.
THE PART I DO A LITTLE DIFFERENT IS THE HOOKSET. I DON’T WAIT TO FEEL THE FISH. MY REASON IS THIS, THE BASS EITHER HAS IT OR HE DOESN’T. WAITING DOES NOT ALLOW THEM TO GET HOOKED ANY BETTER OR WORSE. THE ONLY THING WAITING CAN DO FOR YOU IS GIVE YOU A SECOND CHANCE AT THE FISH WITHOUT RECASTING THE BAIT. I HAVE FISHED ENOUGH SLOP TO KNOW THAT IF A BASS WANTS YOUR FROG, HE IS GOING TO GET IT. NO MATTER HOW THICK THE MAT, NO MATTER HOW LONG YOU WAIT, NO MATTER HOW FAST YOU MOVE THE FROG. IF THE BASS MISSES THE FROG, I GENERALLY THROW A SENKO OR JIG IN THE HOLE. ALSO, I RARELY JUST PULL THE FROG ON A STEADY RETRIEVE. I IMPART SOME SORT OF ACTION TO IT. I THINK YOU GET A BETTER REACTION STRIKE THAT WAY.
Tbass…i’m not sure I understand your post…mainly about the waiting part…I thought it was a fairly common procedure when fishing any topwater to wait those additional seconds to ensure the bass(fish) had the bait and was taking it down. Cause i know if i pull the “hair trigger” lol immediately upon seeing a strike, watch out, cause there will be a lure flying back at mach 1.8….
Just curious if we are talking the same thing?
There is one advantage to an expensive rod in the slop – weight.
There can be a big difference in how tired you get throwing a lightweight rod like an Avid compared to something like an Ugly Stick after 500 casts as far as you can to a slop field.
That said, I still use a medium price rod.
SLOP, WE ARE ON THE SAME PAGE. I KNOW THAT COMMON PRACTICE IS TO WAIT. BUT BY WAITING, YOUR SAYING YOU AVOID A LURE FLYING BACK AT YOU AT MACH 1.8. I SAY, LET’EM FLY, I STILL HAVE ONE GOOD EYE. SERIOUSLY THOUGH, I FEEL IF I SET THE HOOK ON THE INITIAL STRIKE, THE LIKELYHOOD OF GETTING THAT FISH UP AND OUT IS 100 TIMES GREATER THAN IF YOU WAIT. SECONDLY, AN IMMEDIATE HOOKSET WILL HAVE THE FISH “SKIING” FROM THE GET GO. NO BATTLING TO GET THEM ON TOP. AND I DISAGREE THAT WITH A QUICK STRIKE, YOU CAN PULL THE BAIT AWAY FROM A BASS. AGAIN, IF A BASS WANTS YOUR FROG, HE IS GOING TO GET IT.
SLOP BASS, I KNOW THERE IS SOME PRIME FROGGIN’ SALAD ON POOL 7-8. JUST TRY IT. LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THINK. IT IS THE SAME AS WAITING THOUGH, YOU WILL PROBABLY HAVE TO TEACH YOUR SELF TO SET IMMEDIATLEY, BUT I THINK YOU WILL AGREE IN THE LONG RUN THIS IS THE WAY TO GO. MAYBE NOT.
I WILL USE AN ANALOGY TO EXPLAIN MY LAST POINT. I TREAT HOOK SETS IN SLOP LIKE A SNEEZE. THE BEST SNEEZES ARE THE ONESWHEN YOU LET THEM GO, SNOT AND ALL. IF YOU COVER UP OR TRY TO HOLD THEM BACK, YOU TAKE SOME OF THE LUSTRE OFF OF THE EXPIERIENCE AS A WHOLE. SOME TIMES IT IS BETTER TO JUST LET THEM RIP.
TBASS
Well I hope you guys are finding more fish in the slop than I am! 
I am patiently waiting for them to move in. 
30lb test Power Pro line. I don’t like using mono line…too much give in the line. 6’8″ Medium-Heavy.
D-Nort….do you know where I could pick up one of those Fenwick HMX’s?? 
I’ve done a couple of things over the years that have increased my hook up ratio a lot. Honestly, I probably hook up probably 80% of the time. 1st, rod and line, 7’3″ custom made from a heavy salt water popping blank, it has the butt of a flippin stick but a softer tip that lets me cast further and doesn’t rip the bait away too fast (kind of like when you use a glass rod for cranks)the rod is also real light (4.5oz) so fishing it all day isn’t as tiring , line is 65lb power pro. 2nd is the rat, I use a Boss Rat all the time, the size and shape seems to go down a lot easier, most of the time I hook up with both hooks right in the top of the mouth, just like you want, I also change all the hooks to 4/0 Owner frog hooks and add a couple of beads for noise and weight. Finally the rat gets slathered in garlic kicknbass throughout the day, I had a fish that hit last year on a backlash that swallowed the rat all the way down. You guys have some great slop fishing up there, its good on 13 down here too but I can’t wait for every trip up your way. take care, hope it helps
W.W.4FISH
where are you getting the hooks for your frogs i gotta get some! that is the number 1 complaint i have about my frogs is that the hooks are never sharp enough (for me anyway) and i would love to switch to a premium hook. any info would be great
Basshog D-nort might have another place closer to you but the Factory outlet in Spirit Lake, IA has new rods and factory seconds plus all kinds of Berkley products. You can call them and ask for what rod you want specifically. They ship all over the US.
Web address: http://www.ffo-tackle.com/
I buy rods there all the time. I use almost exclusively Fenwicks. The Techna’s are also an incredible rod… just need to morgage the house before you buy a set hahaha!
Curt
I usually get them from a little tackle shop by my house, they order them for me from their supplier. Last time I ordered rats direct from snag proof though I asked if they had any for sale (because they put owners on their pro series), they only have them in bulk for manufacturing but she sold me some for $.50 each which is a lot cheaper than I usually pay, but you’d probably have to order some baits too. I haven’t looked but I’m sure you could find them online somewhere too. Gamagatsu also makes a frog hook.
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