Fishing Line: Mono or Braid

[FisH_SLaYer24]

Hello all,

I just picked up a brand new 6 ft 6 medium light fenwick elite tech walleye rod and paired it with 1000 series shimano saharas. My question is what kind of line would you guys recommend that I put on there. I'm not sure if I want to go braid or if I want to stick with mono. This is going to be mainly a jigging rod and some light rigging and I'm trying to see if I'm really going to produce more fish by switching over to braid. I fish mainly northern lakes and a lot of the waters I fish have stained water. What do you guys think on type of line?

[Mike Stark]

I would give braid a try if you would be mainly jigging. It is amazing how much more you can feel using braid vs. mono. Power Pro's 10lb test has the same diameter of 2lb mono. Can't beat that.

[FisH_SLaYer24]

The powerpro comes in high-vis correct? Also, do you tie a flourocarbon or mono leader to the main line, swivel, or do you just tie straight to the jig? Sorry for all the questions at once, just trying to get some info

[Dark Cloud]

I like to run a small swivel then a 2 ft piece of mono or flourcarbon. Alot of times I dont believe it is neccessary but it certainly helps with confidence. For the most part I use 6/2 fireline and usually 8# flourcarbon, sometimes 6#. About 90% of the time Im jigging and pitching stickbaits 10%...

[Northlander]

I have been using the Suffix 832 this spring and I can honestly say its the smoothest casting, best handling Superline I have ever used. Power Pro was my superline of choice for many many years but after using the Suffix 832 it will be hard to go back. Its a bit thicker than Power Pro but its much more consistant from start to end of the spool. I think its very well worth the $ and they do have a Hi Vis.

In dark waters I tie direct and in clear I tie on a 2-3' clear mono "shocker" leader.

[wannafish2]

I used to use fireline and "super line".... and I never lost more fish!

lost so many jigs I should invest in Northland Tackle. while it is true you can feel every little thing with those lines, the lack of stretch combined with the little razor teeth of a walleye or nothern adds up to alot of lines breaking. I swithed back to 10lb mono on my Fenwick and have boated many many more fish, including my largest walleye to date (31") and my largest northern (39") - No line breakage.

So, if you like to boat fish and not just "feel" them...stick with a high quality mono...

just my .02

[whos_on_first]

I've had the opposite experience...I lost more fish with mono due to line breakage from teeth or rocks. My experience has been I save a lot more $$$ on jigs because I can shake them out of rocks without the line stretching. It was tough getting use to though because for a while every rock felt like a bite, but once I got use to it I wouldn't go back to mono again. Braided also saved a few rats-nests for me as well...no line memory like mono.

Also, I usually tie directly to a jig unless the fish are extremely skiddish...then a 3-4 foot mono leader...although I'm not sure it matters.

[goblueM]

same here - I lose way more fish with mono, especially bite-offs. I've never had a walleye bite off EVER - no matter what the line. I've also caught numerous large pike (and a 46" musky) on 10 pound power pro braid while bass/walleye fishing. Very few pike bite-offs with braid.

Maybe you are having knot issues, wannafish2? Before I figured out you needed a knot like the palomar, I did lose a lot more fish with braid due to knot failure.

[Farley]

I've noticed I've lost more walleyes with braid, not so much the line breaking, just pulling the jig out of their mouth on the hookset. Same deal with lindy rigging, but have learned if I use a really soft tipped rod I can just sweep the rod up and set the hook. For jiggin though I have gone back to mono.

[FisH_SLaYer24]

Thanks guys, this has really helped a lot! With what you guys have said I think I'm going to give the Suffix 832 high-vis a try and see how it works, if I don't like the feel ill probably switch back to the 6lb PLine