Line size

Don

Don

Well-known member
I usually fish ultra lite in thin fresh waters. Hence my reels and lines follow suit in their capacity. I've been hanging around, this town, on the corner (counting crows) and have realized that many or most of the folks that fish warmwater are using much higher strength line. Then I looked at the notes on the reel and saw that there are allowances for much heavier line should one want to use it. I was using 4lb on the Pflueger Trion 8 or 10 on the mid-weight Daiwa. and that is it. Recently I put 6 lb on a Johnson spincast and it is amazing how far I can toss a spinner.
I really don't care terribly for braid. I see how it can change things in your favor but I dislike the feel. I do use it for bite tippet. Also, excessive stretchiness is not a welcome trait.
I'm hoping that you all might make some recommendations to me based on what your preferences are. I have to make a line purchase soon and will welcome your opinion.
For example for a UL , Med, HVY, what are your line sizes? And for both your spinning rods and Baitcasting rods.
 
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Solitario Lupo

Solitario Lupo

Moderator
My thing is it’s all on how you want to fish and what are you fishing for. My spinning gear light stuff all has 6lb mono on it. Then I step up to 10lb mono when using my medium gear. Baitcaster is xxheavy and has 80lb braid on it. The last one is a medium heavy and has 20lb line on it.

Braid I don’t care for cause every time I change I check for tears or rips. Plus I always cut a foot are two off. That’s when I was using 6 and 10lb line.
 
Solitario Lupo

Solitario Lupo

Moderator
I only do 20lb to help fight those big musky in fast current other than that 10lb can go a long way. I wouldn't do more than 10lb for what your going after. I've caught some nice fish on 6lb before. All depends on how line shy a fish can be also.
 
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A-5

A-5

Moderator
Mainline doesn’t Matter, worthless. Use the heaviest you can cast well. The money is on tippet. Main line worthless
 
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troutspinner

troutspinner

Nuts & Bolts Guy
As I am responding to this thread I am realizing I could probably write a book on this subject........I'll save you the boredom, this is what I run after trying MANY different brands, series and types and in many different situations and what I feel are the simplified all around goto lines.

Trout Spinning or Panfish - 4lb. Stren Original Mono in the purple package. It stands up to line twist longer than any other line I've tried. Since I primarily spin fish, line twist is inevitable but I get more trips out of this brand than any other. Even if it did not, it's memory is nicer than others I've tried, the knots are strong and the line outperforms its rating. 6 or 8lb. is also good if pursuing bass when drop-shotting.

Bass Finesse Baitcasting - 10lb. Sunline Assassin, 100% Floro. It is unfortunately very pricey but it comes off the reel so nice, just like Mono without the memory issues of Mono, it has minimal stretch, is very strong and invisible.

Everything else Spinning or Baitcasting, I use 30lb. Power Pro Braid, it is just too versatile, from Bass to Fluke to Stripers. It is also incredibly strong, has no memory or stretch and casts for miles. Not to mention it also has a diameter that is friendly for baitcasters.
 
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Don

Don

Well-known member
troutspinner said:
As I am responding to this thread I am realizing I could probably write a book on this subject........I'll save you the boredom, this is what I run after trying MANY different brands, series and types and in many different situations and what I feel are the simplified all around goto lines.

Trout Spinning or Panfish - 4lb. Stren Original Mono in the purple package. It stands up to line twist longer than any other line I've tried. Since I primarily spin fish, line twist is inevitable but I get more trips out of this brand than any other. Even if it did not, it's memory is nicer than others I've tried, the knots are strong and the line outperforms its rating. 6 or 8lb. is also good if pursuing bass when drop-shotting.

Bass Finesse Baitcasting - 10lb. Sunline Assassin, 100% Floro. It is unfortunately very pricey but it comes off the reel so nice, just like Mono without the memory issues of Mono, it has minimal stretch, is very strong and invisible.

Everything else Spinning or Baitcasting, I use 30lb. Power Pro Braid, it is just too versatile, from Bass to Fluke to Stripers. It is also incredibly strong, has no memory or stretch and casts for miles. Not to mention it also has a diameter that is friendly for baitcasters.
Click to expand...
Sunline assassin. Cool Thanks.

Would floro work on bait caster?
 
Don

Don

Well-known member
I have used Floro in the past on spinning reels and did not like it. I fell off in clumps. I like it for leaders/tippet on sinking presentations.
 
A-5

A-5

Moderator
Never understood why I would fluro my reel. It’s expensive and breaks before mono. 12lb mono I uni knot a fluro leader and never had a issue. Fluro breaks before mono it does not streatch it break. Mono stretches. I like the shock absorber. Steelhead is 10-12 with 6lb leader blue label. I don loose shot lines or bobbers by downsizing line. Bass I do throw topwater with braid. 8-12lb mono on my bass stuff. Fluro is only needed at 18” to the bait. Rest is worthless
 
A-5

A-5

Moderator
Love the topic. I could ramble. For me trilene big game and some nicotine and a coffee on the river dark 1/2 before daylight is Heaven on earth
 
troutspinner

troutspinner

Nuts & Bolts Guy
A-5 said:
Never understood why I would fluro my reel. It’s expensive and breaks before mono. 12lb mono I uni knot a fluro leader and never had a issue. Fluro breaks before mono it does not streatch it break. Mono stretches. I like the shock absorber. Steelhead is 10-12 with 6lb leader blue label. I don loose shot lines or bobbers by downsizing line. Bass I do throw topwater with braid. 8-12lb mono on my bass stuff. Fluro is only needed at 18” to the bait. Rest is worthless
Click to expand...

Floro does not stretch so it is like braid in that property but the benefit of floro over braid is sensitivity. If you are slow fishing bass, like dragging jigs or ned rigs, the extra sensitivity over braid will net you more catches. Mono would be preferred over braid for sensitivity as well in this method but mono stretches too much so when you need to give and go so to speak to hook a bass with a jig floro is preferred.
 
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MB3

MB3

Well-known member
Trout and panfish 4lb
Smallies 6lb
Bass/Pickerel/etc 6-10lb

Braid has its place. It's great for tossing frogs on weed beds waiting for a blow up.

Anyone who hasn't used Sufix Siege mono, try it. I use 20lb for large Blues and Stripers and it never lets me down. I had mates on party boats try to break the line and couldn't. I seriously swear by it salt or fresh.
 
Don

Don

Well-known member
MB3 said:
Trout and panfish 4lb
Smallies 6lb
Bass/Pickerel/etc 6-10lb

Braid has its place. It's great for tossing frogs on weed beds waiting for a blow up.

Anyone who hasn't used Sufix Siege mono, try it. I use 20lb for large Blues and Stripers and it never lets me down. I had mates on party boats try to break the line and couldn't. I seriously swear by it salt or fresh.
Click to expand...
Is it stretchy?
 
Don

Don

Well-known member
Basically I Fly fish. But recently my collection of 75 Spincast reels has been begging me for some love. A slow dislike for Spinning reels has been creeping in for years and now I rarely use them. Spincast, like Baitcaster, is a closed system and I think Floro would work well. These reels also are rated a size or two up from what a spinning reel would use and I think that they could catch more fish in that the line is a hair stiffer. Case in point: A size 20 Spinning reel may be loaded with 6-8 lb line when used for bass whereas a Zebco 33 would carry 8-10lbs.generally. So with just going up a size or two you can gain stiffness without switching to another type.
When you folks mentioned Floro leader (Sol and A-5) were you talking fly type leaders or were you thinking tippet?
This has been an excellant cross section of line and style preferences and I hope we can add insights to this for years to come as the line choices morph over time.
 
A-5

A-5

Moderator
I have tested fluro relentlessly. When you try to reel in a 5-15lb fish on 6lb fluro you need to be 100 percent confident on the line. As me testingmy opinion is. Fluro does not stretch like mono. So it breaks way easier than mono in the same weight class. It’s just common sense. Mono will stretch then break. In my humble opinion here is the the best 18” leader line under 8lb test.
Blue Label
Cabelas Ice fluro
Blood run
Seaguar STS orange label.


Drennan I hate drennan but it’s a great line.

as for over 8lb fluro. 100 percent viscous line is my go to. That stuff doesn’t break. It’s unbelievable



I don’t fly fish. When you start talking 2x,3x 4x tippet it irritates me and is one reason I’m not real thrilled with fly fisherman. ( members here are great fly fisherman. I am in no way pointing a finger at them.). I’ve fished with these guys and they are not the snob fly guys you encounter.
 
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A-5

A-5

Moderator
On the 4x. Just tell me 6lb or 4lb. Don’t talk in tongues with the x stuff. 2lb is 2lb. Not 6x or whatever some weirdos made up to be different
 
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