Ice line

[Fowlmouth]

Just wondering what pound test every uses. Not interested in starting a brand war here, so brand is irrelevant. I like 2 lb for sunfish, crappie and perch and 6 lb for walleyes.

[20lbSloughShark]

All my ice rods get 4lb (or 5lb if I ever find powerpro ice tec). I'd definitely go bigger for stronger fighters like pike or catfish.

[Esox_Magnum]

2-3 for gills and some perch rods 4-5 on dedicated perch rods 6 for eyes...

[Vitreus]

3 for panfish, 6 for eyes.

[holmsvc]

I use 8 lb suffix ice fuse on my Walleye SH that I use for fishing darters and large spoons. 4 lb suffix ice fuse on my Perch SH. 3 lb suffix ice mono on my DH Al Dente. I use 4 lb suffix mono on my dead sticks.

[Agronomist_at_IA]

2 for panfish 4 for eyes.

[BDiss]

2 on the ultra light, 4 on the medium light and 6 on the medium all flurocarbon. I also have 8 braided on the medium heavy that I use with blades baits and darters.

[Jdjulik]

You guys fish overly light. I usually use 4-8 pounds on all my ice setups. I would rather have too much than not enough. You learn that the hard way when using 2lb test for pan fish when a close to 30" walleye decides to bite and break loose halfway up the hole. It is extremely rare that there is an instance where I wish I had a lighter line than 4 lbs.

[Bureaucrat]

2 lb braid for perch and panfish

6 lb braid for walleye

30lb braid for tip up leader

I try to go as light as possible. It enables you to use smaller tackle in deeper water when fish are finicky. It preserves your ability to have strict control over jigging and sensitivity when you're in that situation.

I caught this guy on 6 lb braid on saturday. In all fairness, he only had the treble in his mouth. Had he gotten it deep, it probably wouldn't have made it to the iPhone hall of fame.

[IcerRon2010]

I think the real answer to your question is diameter not lb's. 2lb stren ice is really .006 in diameter. which is other brands 4lb. Northlands 1 lb. is .004 and is a true 2lb.line.

.004 2lb.

.005 3lb.

.006 4lb.

I am real picky when it comes to line. I do not like mono or braid. I like a copolymer with a flouro coating. Stays straight with less coiling, which keep you better connected to your jig/movement.

My advice is a .005 line. That is real good all around line for panfish. Used on 80 percent of all my rod/reel combo's. I will go to a .003 to .004 for smaller jigs when I have a negative bite situation.

I know people who will use a smaller jig with .006 line to slow down the movement on a jig, and to make it fall slower thus helping you out in poor bite conditions.

Stay with ice lines also. I have tried open water lines in the past with terrible results. To me they are weaker lines and have more coiling.

Hope this helps.

[B-man715]

I like to use 1lb for pannies, with a few rods with 2lb for the wife.

4lb mono for walleyes. Never have had a walleye break it. Even landed some 35-39" pike on it.

Even toyed around with 1/2 pound for pannies, but you can't really lift a fish out of a hole with it.

[Hawg]

It's not the weight of the fish that I think breaks line, more the edge of the hole or floor. I never go less than 4# on pan fish or 8 for rattle reels. Besides, at 61 yrs. old, even with bifocals, I just ain't tying the 2#.

[TruthWalleyes]

4# or 6# P-Line flouroclear on my rods.

8# or 10# Flourocarbon on my rattle reel leaders.

I'm not gentle enough for anything under 4#

[paceman]

4lb for pannies/clear water

6lb for most eye fishing

[BartmanMN]

I think the real answer to your question is diameter not lb's. 2lb stren ice is really .006 in diameter. which is other brands 4lb. Northlands 1 lb. is .004 and is a true 2lb.line.

.004 2lb.

.005 3lb.

.006 4lb.

Copolymer for me too. 2lb (.004) Gamma ESP ice for my panfish rods and 4 lb (.006) Gamma ESP ice for my Perch/Walleye rods.

I just checked an old spool of Pline florooice that I have left over and it's 2lb is .0044

Gamma ESP ice always gets my vote.

[Scott O.]

On my panfish/trout rods, I use 3# Northland Bionic Ice Fluorosilk on them. My walleye rods have 6# Fireline MicroIce line on them, with a 6# fluorocarbon leader.

[Vitreus]

Is that fluorosilk pretty decent? I'm thinking about giving it a try but I heard some nasty reviews about northland line last year...

[Scott O.]

I think Fluorosilk is great line despite the reviews I've read on it too. It is tough, easy to tie jigs onto, and doesn't ice up too bad when compared to other mono ice lines. I've been using it for 3 years now and it hasn't let me down. Got an 8# pike last year with it and the line held strong, confirming my already great opinion of the line. Is there a little memory on it after using it all season...yes, but it is negligible and happens with most any fluoro or mono line anyways. Couple of tugs straightens it out. Give it a try if you're interested.

[Vitreus]

Bought a 3# spool tonight. Hopefully it does the job.