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Expanded Line Discussion

Spurhunter

Spurhunter

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The other thread got me wondering about stuff other than mono. What's everyone's favorites and give some pros and cons.

Braid:
Spiderwire Stealth. 65# on baitcasters and 15# on sissy sticks. Honestly it's the only braid I've ever used and I love the castability, sensitivity, and no stretch. No real cons.

Flouro:
Seaguar InvisX. I like it but it does break easier than I'd like at times. I only use it as a leader to braid on fairy wands. If there is something better I'll gladly try it. I wasn't impressed the one time I tried Red Label, but that was back when I didn't use it only as a leader.

Mono:
Sufix Elite. Smooth, low memory, good castability.
Berkley Big Game. Cheap, won't break, but develops memory and castability isn't nearly as good as Sufix Elite.
 
I don't use braid or flouro on a regular basis but have tried both in the past. For me the line that matters most is the line I use for stripers. So were talking line to handle 20-40 lb fish that put up as good of an effort for fresh water fish as can be found.

Braid: For me, hard to tie, expensive, likes to pull down into the spool on baitcasters, and hard on drags and gear since there is zero stretch. I have tried it 5-6 times over the years for stripers but I always leave it for reasons above. It is very strong and pretty durable so those are good but too many negatives for me personally.

Flouro: I thought this was going to be the best thing since Cotton Cordell Redfins came out for striper fishing. For me it wasn't. The good: Practically invisible. Decent strength but I don't feel it had an advantage over good ol mono. The bad: Expensive, stiffer than mono, becomes brittle faster, very little stretch, harder to cast due to stiffness.

Mono: My definite go to for striper fishing. Inexpensive, fairly limber so good casting, good stretch which I like, It's fairly easy on drags and gear. I use 17lb mono to land +30lb fish on a regular basis. You will get more break offs than braid but fewer than flouro. My favorite brand is good ol original Stren line. Easy to find and doesn't break the bank. I change my line out on my striper reels at least once a season and sometimes twice.
 
Dbllunger said:
Braid: For me, hard to tie, expensive, likes to pull down into the spool on baitcasters,
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The only tying issues I've ever had with braid is sometimes the knot will cinch down prematurely leaving a big loop, so I have to cut it and start over. This is with the improved cinch knot which is almost all I use. I don't find braid to be expensive because I will leave it on a reel for over a year. It doesn't get memory or seem to lose strength. But that last one is aggravating as hell. Get hung up or catch a fish and forget to pull it out, and you are asking for a world class backlash.
 
super lines: on most of my spinning outfits each with a different purpose. i use gliss, suffix 832 and ygk ohdragon sinking braid with a flouro leader, usually. i use a shins knot on the braid and an albright special on the gliss. my long line spinning reels have mono. mr crappie hi vis yellow.

my other rigs have mono or copoly on them and even have some cheap zebco omniflex on my catfish rod but i vertical fish with a 3 way rig. id hate to try and cast it. i have pline cxx on most of my bait casters and big game on my spinner bait rod.

flouro- i switched to sunline sniper(numberone recommended) and i only use it on c-rigs and jigs. stretches less than other flouro and sensitive. with less stretch i find i dont have to cut and retie as often. most other flouro will stretch more than mono or copoly.

i use backing on all my reels, except my c-rig and catfish reels. mr crappie 8lb mono. its cheap and packs well on the reel and keeps line from digging into itself plus it saves me money and its yellow so i know how much line i have on. i keep my most of my big spools in the freezer. it lasts longer.

i guess im old school and use mono more than flouro but i also go up a step in rod power. i guess if its good enough for Clunn its good enough for me. lol, i still use 5 1/2 and 6ft trigger rods for docks and way back into the creeks.
 
I am now using braid on most everything except when fishing light line, 4 to 8 lb test, then K-9 flouro. I have caught up to 20 lb northern pike in canada on 6 lb K-9, had to take it slow, but no problem and it throws great. Would be using bigger line, but the water is clear there and am generally throwing smaller baits for smallmouth there.

Braid is awesome, even more so for Hybrids and Stripers. I do use anywhere from a 15 to 30 lb flouro leader. Never goes down into baitcaster, even when catching 10 lb plus hybrids and no where near as many or as big as I used to find, but up to 20 lb stripers with braid, no issues. I use 30 lb power pro super slick and started using bright colors last year, blue, yellow and my favorite, moonshine. I buy it in 1500 yard spools.

For mono I have used stren high impact for years, anywhere from 10 to 20 lb. I have over 5000 yards of high impact, it is great line. Would still be using it but since I have found the fg knot for joining braid to flouro, most likely will used braid most of the time.

With braid and flouro leader I think I can stick worm hook through the top of a bass. Super sensitive and no issues there either.
 
Braid - YGK for light braid on spinning
Sufix 832 for Baitcasters

Flouro - Anything Sunline but Sniper is a good price point for me and its good
Seaguar Red label for a cheaper option

Mono - Sunline Super Natural but I am not as picky on mono

If anyone "hates" flouro and has a difficult time with it, make sure you are taking your time and putting it on the reel the right way. There really is a right way that the line is suppose to come off the spool when you are reeling it on (Line needs to come off the top of the spool and have someone hold the spool with some tension). This prevents line twists and it keeps its form better. You dont want to just start reeling the line off the spool and letting the spool dance all over the place. You will create all kinds of line twists which weakens the flouro. Flouro is finicky but I love using it. Check out a youtube video it will save you some pissed off moments.
 
Not cool enough to sport braid on any of my combos. Straight mono guy here, both main line and leaders. It has caught me at least a couple hundred thousand fish, both fresh and saltwater ;) Trilene and Ande are my go to.
 
Braid: Power Pro, as recommended by my uncle who lives in Tampa. I use a small enough diameter and weight for my panfish/trout rig. Also had a slightly bigger/heavier rig for bass/inshore saltwater.

Flouro: P-Line CX Premium. It's flourocarbon coated, not 100% flourocarbon.

Mono: Either Stren or Trilene, whichever is most available. I'm not picky.

I use spinning rod/reels exclusively. I've used baitcasters, and I ended up picking out more birdnests (and cussing) than fishing. So I've ditched the baitcaster rigs and used spinning rigs ever since.
 
8lb stren on almost everything but my crankbait pulling poles,30lb powerpro braid on them.Only reason for 30lb braid on my crankbait poles is because i loose less lures.
 
I have spent a lot of time/money trying out different lines. When I tried the bass pro XPS floro I never looked back. I change line on all of my reels twice a year and have never had a WTH moment. When my line has broken I have known exactly why and that it was my fault.
I only use mono as a leader on my c-rig and on top water. For that I use big game.
I use power pro for braid.

P.s. WTM I tried the gliss and was by far more disappointed in it than any other line I have tried. Maybe I was doing something wrong lol
 
For Braid try the power pro max quatro if you can find it. Its the smoothest smallest braid I have ever used. Ive had zero problems with it, and its way smoother than another braid I have used. I also like that it doesnt flatten out over time like the super 8 does.
 
TRIGGER said:
I have spent a lot of time/money trying out different lines. When I tried the bass pro XPS floro I never looked back. I change line on all of my reels twice a year and have never had a WTH moment. When my line has broken I have known exactly why and that it was my fault.
I only use mono as a leader on my c-rig and on top water. For that I use big game.
I use power pro for braid.

P.s. WTM I tried the gliss and was by far more disappointed in it than any other line I have tried. Maybe I was doing something wrong lol
Click to expand...
naw probably not, other folks has had problems with it. its a super finesse line i use for light hair jigs, small plugs and weighless plastics. after i use up the rolls i have i will switch to suffix nano braid. same qualities as gliss without the hassle of using certain knots and line wear.
 
TRIGGER said:
I have spent a lot of time/money trying out different lines. When I tried the bass pro XPS floro I never looked back. I change line on all of my reels twice a year and have never had a WTH moment. When my line has broken I have known exactly why and that it was my fault.
I only use mono as a leader on my c-rig and on top water. For that I use big game.
I use power pro for braid.

P.s. WTM I tried the gliss and was by far more disappointed in it than any other line I have tried. Maybe I was doing something wrong lol
Click to expand...
IMO, power pro, not super slick, is crap to me. It is loud and abrasive on rod guides, wind knots all the time, and even the lightest hook set on a bass when fishing with a super fluke and a hook will break every single time.

Power pro super slick is quiet and not rough on guides, strong and almost zero wind knots.
 
Headhunter said:
IMO, power pro, not super slick, is crap to me. It is loud and abrasive on rod guides, wind knots all the time, and even the lightest hook set on a bass when fishing with a super fluke and a hook will break every single time.

Power pro super slick is quiet and not rough on guides, strong and almost zero wind knots.
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The noise and abrasion I too do not like but haven't had the other issues. I will try the super slick next time. Thanks.
 
Braid — I've dabbled in just about every brand there is and still don't like any of it.

Fluoro - Seaguar Red Label in 4lb test for trout. It's the only line I will trout fish with now. I know a lot of guys use 12-17 lb test for crankbaits but I don't like fluoro for that and I fish crankbaits a lot.

Mono - Panfish = 4-6 lb Trout SOS line. Cheap and can find it anywhere. Pretty good stuff for the $. Bass = 12-14 lb Trilene Xt green or P-Line CXX. That's what I use for my crankbaits.
 
TRIGGER said:
The noise and abrasion I too do not like but haven't had the other issues. I will try the super slick next time. Thanks.
Click to expand...
I posted a couple pics but I get to fish a private place a time or 2 a year. Loaded with bass is an understatement. Big and small. I tried everything I could with power pro, not superslick, and could not get it to stop breaking on the hookset, even on a 12" bass. And it is so loud compared to super slick. Super slick almost makes zero noise, even when catching 10 lb plus hybrids.

I am running a flourocarbon leader on all my braid use now, that may have solved the break issue, but I only use super slick now.
 

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