What poundage braided line?

[NELS-BELLS]

I just bought a 7.1:1 baitcast reel and a MH 7' rod and I was thinking of putting some Suffix braid on it with a 3' flourocarbon leader. I wanted a heavier set up so I could fish a variety of techniques in heavier cover. I want something versatile since I only have 2 baitcasters. The other is a Medium action with 10 lb mono on it that I use for casting spinnerbaits and crankbaits etc. Otherwise I use mostly spinning rigs with anywhere from 6 lbs to 12 lbs mono for bass.

I know you tournament fisherman always go with 30+ lbs braid but I'm not a tournament fisherman. I actually enjoy fighting a fish for more then 3 seconds. (don't worry, I'm not overfighting them and they are released immediately)

I was thinking 15 lbs or 20 lbs. should be heavy enough since I have never even had 12 lbs mono break on me.

What do you folks recommend?

Nels

[gritsnham]

20lb power pro was my first bait caster line and you can use it for a lot of different applications.

Unless you go fishing really heavy milfoil or pad cover you shouldnt have much need for going higher.

[Craigums]

The problem with 15-20 braid (on a baitcaster) is that it has such a small diameter it will dig into the spool. For that reason alone I would suggest 35lb braid. Still thin enough that it should be really versatile.

[Deitz Dittrich]

yup- what craigums said. Its has nothing to do with lb test and reeling them in fast, but how easy it is to cast. 20lb braid would be the minimum I would use, but 20 lb works.

[NELS-BELLS]

Thanks for the reply guys. That's something I had never thought of.

I had always assumed you serious bass guys went with 30 lbs so you wouldn't lose as many expensive lures to those submerged logs and tree stumps.

Nels

[mainbutter]

You can set your drag to whatever you want and still fight the fish. I'd say that the rod has more to do with the "fight" than the line. You can throw braid on an ultralight which will way outperform the breaking strength of similar mono, never have a breakoff but still have the fight of an ultralight.

[RumRiverRat]

30 pound braid would be my choice.

[blakjack23]

Like the other guys said, 30lb seems to work a lot better than 20lb on baitcasters. I went from 20 to 30 and never looked back.

[MuskieFever]

I use 30lb power pro on all my baitcasting setups but that's just me. Heavier line for heavier cover.

[skocsuhs]

go by what diameter mono you like that you were using on whatever set ups...for what i do i don't care for anything under 40# braid = 10# diameter mono...

some of my reels have 40# braid, others 50 & others 65#...in general terms i like 50# = 12# diameter mono...it handles well on the BC's, over runs are easy to get out & just a very versatile diameter & strength for me etc...

for heavy cover 50/65#...remember a lily pad stem has a breaking strength of around 16#'s...

the braid strength isn't about fish fighting, but its all about the junk i'm fishing

[delmuts]

I use 30# PP on most of my reels, and have had good luck. 30 #pp has the same dia. as 8# mono.

[FrankTXbassman]

As quoted "The problem with 15-20 braid (on a bait caster) is that it has such a small diameter it will dig into the spool." I do not feel this is a proper statement.because

1. unless you use the proper reel for example a spider reel which cris crosses the line so it does not dig into the remaining line.

2. if you spool up the first portion of the reel with a heavy mono line and leave about twice your casting distant remaining then tie a blood knot with the braided line of choice and then place a piece of tape over the knot,which this will stop your casting any further then the line you had spliced on.

3. also save braided line remaining for another reel.

As for power pro i feel this is @#$% line for me. i have broken 30+ lbs line every time i have purchased it. maybe it was a bad batch of spools of line, idk . but then again i haven't used it in years.I also feel that if you open a brand new box of braided line if you feel a powder film on it take it back at-least that's what i did after the 1st line broke. just my thoughts about this. "everyone has they're own opinion"

[thatoneguy]

I can't even break PowerPro when I'm trying to.

[Jared_P]

Only thing that breaks my PP is a slimmer attack...

JP

[Doufish2]

60lb on my frog rod, 60lb on one of my flippin rods, 30lb on another flippin rod, 30lb on a jig rod and 20lb on one of my cranking rods(used mostly for rattle trap type baits in the grass)

[NELS-BELLS]

I ended up going with 30 lb Suffix with a short 15 lb flourocarbon leader. I don't fish Muskies, so this is the heaviest line I have ever spooled on a reel.

Thanks for all the advice. Thats what I love about this site.

Nels

[Bigguyone]

30# - as mentioned above...not for break strength but for an issue of castability in wind and digging into itself. Also - have you tried getting a "birdsnest" out of 15# braid...PAINFUL!