Different Lines for Different Times

[BP21]

I am 26 and have been fishing all my life. I have a few friends that are very serious about bass fishing. They fish many tournaments around the state. They got in an argument about what fishing line to use and in watch situation. My question is: When is the best time to use braid? When is the best time to use flourocarbon or mono? Which set-ups do you use them crankin rods, flippin sticks, spinning reels?

Don't know if this is the best forum to post in. Bass fisherman utilize the widest range of baits and ways to present them. Thanks for your help!

[bemidjibasser]

Heavy cover like reeds, pads, slop, and even docks, often times warrant the use of braid. Drop shotting, cranking, jig worming, and the like more often than not call for flourocarbon. Some people will use mono for cranking to allow for a little strech when playing fish on trebles, while others prefer the less strech of flouro and or even braid for gained depth and better feel.

With that being said, I use Yo-zuri hybrid line for pretty much everything except for one or two muskie rods. I like the way it fishes and have had no problems with it to speak of. It is a co-polymer, meaning it is a blend of mono and flouro. It has individual mono strands coated by flouro, then fused and coated with flouro ove rall of the smaller strands to make it a single strand. It is strong and abrasion resistant in my experiences.

[EBass]

Nice post bemidjibasser. I'm a dork and have braid on all of my rods. I do tie on a floro leader in clearer water if I think it'll help. I like no stretch and the thin diameter for ripping jigs/cranks outa the weeds. I like that braid floats for topwater frog action. I like how it doesn't twist as much on spinning reels.

[BP21]

Thanks for the post Bemidjibasser. I always thought that braid was the way to go when it first became popular. Have been using Power Pro for years and have switched to Crystal as of last year. I always have one spinning rod set up with flourocarbon. And with that I have been using P-Line. My Buddies argument as I stated above was about crakbaiting one was screaming at the other for missing a fish due to him using braid with no stretch. Back and forth it went all night. They were just [PoorWordUsage] it cost them some money fishing in a weekend tourny.

[Deitz Dittrich]

I can see people having quite a few opinions on this. Heck, take me 10 years ago and me today and they would have a knock down drag out fight over the whole subject.. LOL.. Its really dependent on your fishing style and what works for you.

Thats why there are so many lines out there, each of us is looking for different qualities and fish differently.

For me, I use braid on some spinning reels when I want a higher lb test than what my reel will hold. I dont like using higher thn10 lb mono on spinning, it doesnt cast well in my opinion.. so if I want more than 10, I go with a braid.. so, for me, thats most of my dock rods. I also look for more lb test for heavy veg rods, IE frog rod.. so I have at least one frog baitcaster with braid.. and then 1 flipping stick.

floro, I have one crankbait rod, 2 dropshot rods, and 1 all purpose rod,a nd one flipping stick with floro. I use it because its more invisible in water and it sinks...

all the rest of my rods have copoly or what most call Mono. 10 years ago.. 95% of my rods had Braid..

[Fever]

I too use Power pro and have it one 4 of my six bait caster set ups in different pound tests. They range from 20 - 65lb braid. One set up 7 foot medium (crankbait, spinnerbait)has 15 lb trilene sensitive while the other 6 '6 MH has 20 lb Flouro. I too like dietz use a couple spinning set ups with braid on them for similar applications around docks and such. I also have 12 lb flouro on a spinning drop shot set up that I admit need some practice with. Just haven't had too much luck with that approach yet. This may be the year. I like the topic... Makes for good conversation as alot of anglers don't think about the big picture often enough, Line - Rod - Reel capacity - lure weight - structure / weeds - targeted fish species... It all goes into the decision making process along with what you are comfortable with.

[Bass Whacker]

I use braid on all my rods except on one flipping stick for a texas rig and one flipping stick for a jig both of those have flouro on them. One thing with fishing a crankbait on braid you have to use a softer tip rod to make up for the no stretch.

[EBass]

Quote:

One thing with fishing a crankbait on braid you have to use a softer tip rod to make up for the no stretch.

Agreed - I have a gander crankbait rod that's a noodle. Also I only have 6 combo's to use. I had floro on my crankbait rod, but had some braid left over so I just used that.

I have a mix of power pro and sufix.