What Line Do You Use?

[Lew]

I recently posted the following on a Smallmouth Bass web site and got quite a bit of activity. What's your opinion?

I've been fishing stream smallies for about 7 years now, but I still consider myself a novice. Sure I've discovered a few lures and technics that I've gained confidence in and I've caught a few nice (15 inches plus) smallies in my time. I've read many Riversmallies articles and posts and I've read a number of magazine articles. I'm even a fan of most fishing shows that spot light smallie fishing in particular and bass fishing in general, but I don't consider myself a true student of the sport. Each year I begin the season attempting one or two new technics or lures that I have learned of over the winter months, but still rely heavily on my old reliables. The one basic thing I've stuck to is my use of light lines. With my ultralight rod I spool on 4 lb test line and with my medium light action gear I spool on 6 lb test line. If I happen to be fishing big water such as the Mississippi River I might try using 8 lb line, but I tend to feel guilty about it. My line is usually Stren Magnathin or one of the other mono lines from Stren or Berkley.

I guess I understand the logic that we have spent a lot of money on lures and we hate to lose one due to line break. But, if your "old reliable" happens to be a jig head with a soft plastic twister tail or tube bait . . . .? I love the feel of a smallie hitting the line and having the rod tip bounce as the fighter attempts to work his way to cover, but part of the excitement comes from knowing that the smallie could break my line or outsmart me by finding the cover that will help him break the line.

I've told the story before (and I won't bore you with details now) but I have had the pleasure of bringing in a 36" musky on 6 lb test line while fishing for smallies. The battle was awesome and I will never forget it ( I have one witness and no pictures), but what captures the attention of fellow anglers when I tell the story is that I caught it on light line. Watching a TV fisherman drag a bass out of slop using 50 lb test line just doesn't impress me. Now had that same fisherman worked that bass out of a weed bed with 10 lb test line or less, now he has my attention.

Please understand, I don't care what YOU use. Everyone has there own reason for being out fishing and they have their own ideas of how their fishing day should end. I just wanted to share my feelings of why I use light line and maybe spark a friendly conversation during these cold winter days when (in Minnesota) wading for smallies is a long ways away.

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Lew

[BigMike]

I too enjoy a good fight, although I don't know if I would categorize myself as a light line fisherman. I tend to fish for river smallies and I end up using a medium action 6'3'' spinning rod with 10 or 12lb diameter 20-40lb test super lines. I have been converted to braided line just because I don't like loosing a big fish or my jigs to rocks, plus the braided lines are pretty easy to manage. Not as easy to manage as mono, but the added strength is well worth it. Plus it doesn't have any line memory, so your line isn't bunching up on the water or in the water column. I like the spiderwire myself, but for a light tackle guy like yourself, you should try fluorocarbon line. I've heard it's good (especially p-line) for spinning tackle. I may even try it myself this year.

[Cyberfish]

Hi Lew! I love light line bassin' too, Like the challenge of fighting them on lighter tackle, and sometimes you just get more bites. Once last summer me and basspastor fished a small clear lake near his cabin. he used his regular bassin' gear and I fished light spinning with 4 pound mono and a small drop shot rig. I outfished him big time, and also got one 20.5 incher that was close to 5 pounds! It is one of my favorite ways to fish. My other fav way to fish is with topwater snagproof frogs. Unfortunatly heavy line and rods are needed for this. light tackle wouldn't get a good hook set with those big hooks, and keep them from buryin' in the grass and escaping! Don't feel guilty about having to use heavier tackle when conditions call for it. If you are using too light of gear in heavy cover, you will snap off lots of bass and they get a lure stuck in their mouth, not good! happy bassin'

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simul iustus et peccator

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[Banger]

I love fishing and also enjoy the thrill of catching fish on light lines, allthough I fish alot of tournaments during the course of the summer and that limits my "fun" fishing time and light tackle fishing. I do alot of smallmouth fishing in the lakes in and around the Alexandria area and the occasional trip to mille lacs. I do use a medium light 6' 6'' rod and usually have it spooled down with 8lb. P-Line flouroclear line. I have been using that line on all of my spinning gear for the past two years and have enjoyed very good success with it. The line has a very low diamater and is super strong. I have used 4lb. and 6lb. on spare spools but usually revert back to the 8lb. on tourny day. If you are into experimenting with a new mono line this summer I would give P-line flouroclear a try, I know alot of guys in my area are using it. I am going to give the higher pound tests a try for my baitcasters this summer.

Good luck
Matt Gilbertson
Gilbertson's Guiding Adventures

[Lew]

BigMike, Banger and Cyberfish, Thanks for the input. On another post I have asked for more info on this P-Line. My question to you though is about the knot. Do I have to use a different knot other than my old palamar knot with a fluorocarbon line? Do I have to do anything special about getting the fluorocarbon line on my spool? I understand with braided lines a backing line needs to be attached. I tell ya, I can hardly wait for the soft water season. For a variety of reasons I don't ice fish. I'm stuck waiting for old man winter to pack his bags and move on.

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Lew

[This message has been edited by Lew (edited 01-27-2004).]

[Banger]

Lew your trusty old palomar knot will work great with the P-line. The flouroclear line is not a true flourocarbon line, it is a flourcarbon coated polymar line. There is no special ways to spool it up, just do it like your old monofilament. If possible I would go to your local bait store and have them spool it up on one of their line winders though, it wraps the line on tight and even and that reduces the "rat nests" that come out of the spool.

[BigMike]

As Banger mentioned, a polymer knot is perfect for fluorocarbon lines and P-line is not a true fluorocarbon, just a coated line. So I'm assuming it works great with spinning, but I've heard (from a previos posts on line) that P-Line/fluorocarbon lines aren't that great for baitcasters. They said it was always backlashing and major bird's nests to work out!!! If I try it this year, I will probably go with 8lb on spin gear only. Fluoro is clear/invisible so it shouldn't really matter on line test for those who opt for lower tests to decrease line visibility.

[Guest]

Hey baby, you rattle my trap