What kind of line??

[FISHINGURU]

What kind of line would you use in dark water where diameter doesn't matter? Bobber riggin and jiggin for big eyes and pike, getting sick of goin finesse and having them thrash the line with a few head whips.

I never use heavy lines so I'm new to it thats why I'm asking, I'll be using it both in my shack and run n gunnin, so I'd like something that doesn't freeze easily. Mainly fishing with jigs in the 1/8-1/2 range.

Any suggestions?

[slipperybob]

My typical jigging pike rod has 14# Fireline on. For walleyes and occasional pike 10# Fireline this year. I've done okay with 6 to 8# mono or Fireline before, but looking to reduce a few line breaks to even a few less line breaks.

[FISHINGURU]

Nice, do you use the Fireline outside or just mainly inside? Just wondering how Fireline reacts when your out jigging when the temps are in the single digits.

[jwmiller33]

by dark water, do you mean stained water? or dark, as in late at night after the sun goes down?

[FISHINGURU]

I meant stained water, like the tea colored water on Rainy for example or backwaters on the Miss, but yeah I also fish at night alot on local lake and Upper Red.

[PerchJerker]

If you're in a shelter so the line won't freeze, then fireline or power pro are great. I use the 6 or 8 lb lines and love the strength, thin diameter, and sensitivity. But these are jigging lines or deadstick lines, not bobber lines --- these lines don't work very well with bobber knots.

For bobber lines and even for some deadstick or jigging lines, I also like P Line or Gamma in the 5-6 lb range. Gamma and P Line have some great properties compared to regular mono, and they're very strong.

I make multiple trips to LOTW and Red every year, and those are the lines I use on those trips. Hope that helps.

[slipperybob]

Nice, do you use the Fireline outside or just mainly inside? Just wondering how Fireline reacts when your out jigging when the temps are in the single digits.

I prefer being sheltered regardless of my line type. I like Fireline better when it's single digits to negatives. All my lines are going to freeze pretty much outdoors and I have found it far easier to strip a frosted line on Fireline. It however isn't so good for Fireline when temps are from 10 to 32 F because the water don't freeze fast enough to frost, it clumps into ice chunks and/or collects at the guides. Mono or flourocarbon lines will be my preference for outdoor fishing at that time.

I'm trying out some KVD Line and Lure conditioner this ice season.

[Ed Carlson]

Try jigging aggressively with a stout longer glass rod, 30 to 40 lb Power Pro or Sufix Performance Braid, 14" of Titanium 30# leader (Very thin and Very strong plus resists kinks.), and Salmo Zippers.

Rip them Salmo Zippers in 2-3 foot pulls and fallow them down on a semi-slack line, and call in the hogs to play.

Big pike love Salmo Zippers..a bit too much for my liking actually. They work, and it is far from a finesse presentation, its bullying them in for a fight.

I catch a lot of sow sumo eyes on this presentation too, so big eyes are not going to be spooked by the tackle or the aggressive presentation.

With longer rods like 32" to 38" rods, I would go to lighter line, like 30# braid, but stay with the longer Titanium leader...you will be just fine.

[FISHINGURU]

Yeah, frozen line and frozen guides gets annoying, I do all day trips so I like to get out of my shack to run and gun quite a bit otherwise I'll get bored out of my mind in my portable all day. Thing is when I get out there movin around jiggin I always hook into beasts that just shred my 6lb gamma like it was dental floss.

All my rods last year were spooled with Gamma, it was alright but really nothing to write home about. I'm beginning to think all line freezes no matter what anyone tells you. The Gamma worked no better then any line I've used before outside, and indoors seems line is just line, it's all nice when its warm.

I'm thinkin about goin in the direction Ed talks about, go with some heavy line and a titanium leader, nothing will break my line then.

It don't matter how you have your drag set or how you fight a fish when the lure goes deep into a heavy fishes mouth and he starts fighting your toast. Now when you get a good hookset in the side or upper lip then it's all about the drag and fighting the fish.

My longest rod is a 32", so I might have to try Ed's "light" 30# line lol. Its funny when someone says light and 30# in the same sentence. Around here when people talk about lighter line its 2# or 4#.

[FISHINGURU]

How does the Power Pro line perform outside when it's cold out? I was looking at some today, I like how strong it is and it still has a small diameter. Seems wierd using green, red, or yellow line.

I'm so used to going as small and clear as I can for ice fishing line.

[herefish101]

I'v used all that fancy line, floro, braid, co-poly, I always end up back to mono. Some people hate the stretch, but as far as complete fishability you just cant beat mono. My personal choice is 6lb for jigging walleyes and 4lb on my bobber rigs, and I usually spool one ultralight with 2lb for those finness days. If you've tried em all as I did, you just go back to basics.

[jjz]

I am always in a hut when walleye fishin. Either fireline or braid has worked great for me for jiggin. however I always tie on a flurocarbon leader. I buy the stuff intended for leader material in the short spools(it is a lot more tooth tough than the stuff meant for main lines). as stated the superlines are not that great with slip knots. the superlines offer awesome hook setting and strength and the fluro leader gives clear line that has major bite off resistence.

[buzbunni]

I'v used all that fancy line, floro, braid, co-poly, I always end up back to mono. Some people hate the stretch, but as far as complete fishability you just cant beat mono. If you've tried em all as I did, you just go back to basics.

What he said .

I will have one rod rigged with a superline/flour leader this year.

Missed too many walleye last year on LOW cause I couldn't drive the hook home. Deep water+mono stretch made it tough.

I haven't used superline for a couple of years, but I'm gonna give it a shot again this year...on the one rod.

[FISHINGURU]

I do alot of fishing in 50-60 FOW fishing for suspended fish that are 20-30ft off bottom. It's important to get a solid hookset when fishing deep, I'm with you I've missed alot of deep fish because the hookset wasn't all that, but then again on the next bite you jack that thing as hard as you can and you rip it out lol.

[FISHINGURU]

Alright I'm gonna go with some 30lb PowerPro with a Titanium leader, I also ordered up 6 Salmo Zippers.