Fishing line of choice

[Musky hunter 82]

I want to get you're thoughts on what line you would spool up these rods with and why.  I'll list what the rod/reel is and what I was thinking I'd use it for and the line that's on it.  I mainly fish for largemouth and the occasional smallmouth, most of the fishing I'm doing is not in extremely thick cover like matted milfoil,  but mostly lilly pads, pencil reeds, deep weed edge and sunken trees.

 

Baitcating setups

1: 6'6" MH moderate tip with a 6.3:1 reel spooled with 50# braid and a 8' 17# fluoro leader - Swim jigs

2: 7' MH moderate tip with a 7.1:1 reel spooled with 15# mono with a 8' 17# fluoro leader - Spinnerbaits,  chatterbaits, lipless crankbaits

3: 7' M fast tip with a 7.1:1 reel spooled with 17# fluoro - Jigs (skipping docks)

 

Spinning setups

1: 7' ML fast spooled with 8# mono - Tubes, worms, topwater

2: 7' ML fast spooled with 8# mono and a 10' 8# fluoro leader - unweighted worms, flukes

3: 7' ML fast spooled with 8# braid and a 10' 8# fluoro leader - Jerkbaits, square bill crankbaits

[bassfshin24]

Baitcating setups

1: 6'6" MH moderate tip with a 6.3:1 reel spooled with 50# braid and a 8' 17# fluoro leader - Swim jigs - I use straight 12-15lbs fluoro. I'm not a big fan of braid to fluoro leader on baitcasters. But if you do like that then I don't think you setup is bad. For me I want the lightest line I can get away with and 12lbs Invizx is as strong as I usually need. 

2: 7' MH moderate tip with a 7.1:1 reel spooled with 15# mono with a 8' 17# fluoro leader - Spinnerbaits,  chatterbaits, lipless crankbaits - Again with this setup I use 12lbs fluoro as well. No real reason why I use it but it does the job. I do think fluoro is better for mono with chatterbait and lipless with ripping the bait out of weeds. Mono has more stretch so makes it a little harder to rip from weeds. 

3: 7' M fast tip with a 7.1:1 reel spooled with 17# fluoro - Jigs (skipping docks)- I use the same line as this but would definitely up my action on my rod. To MH would be the lightest I would use for a jig, especially with fishing them under docks. I want a H rod to lay the hook into them and get them out from under that dock as fast as I can. 

 

Spinning setups

1: 7' ML fast spooled with 8# mono - Tubes, worms, topwater - Tubes and jig worms I use 15lbs braid with 8lbs fluoro leader. I throw t-rig worms on baitcaster with 12lbs fluoro. Any bottom bait I use fluoro. I want the sensativity and low visability of fluoro. I also like that it sinks. Mono floats. For topwater I use a baitcaster as well and throw it on 15lbs mono or 40lbs braid depending on the topwater. Again I use these because they float.

2: 7' ML fast spooled with 8# mono and a 10' 8# fluoro leader - unweighted worms, flukes - Not a bad setup but again I use braid to fluoro on this setup. Especially when a lot of the bites come on the pause and you have to watch your line. Braid jumps a little more than mono does and you can feel more with braid. Also if you are going to use that light of a rod you are going to want a non stretch line to help get a hook burried in the fish. If you use mono and a ML there is a good chance you might not get a good hook into the fish.

3: 7' ML fast spooled with 8# braid and a 10' 8# fluoro leader - Jerkbaits, square bill crankbaits  - I use 15lbs braid to 8lbs fluoro on some of my jerkbaits. The lighter jerkbaits like shadow raps I use this setup. Anything heavier and bigger I use it on a baitcaster with 12lbs fluoro. I use Medium rod actions for jerkbaits. Squarebills I always use on baitcasters with 12lbs fluoro. I am always throwing squarebills around cover and structure so I will not throw on spinning setup. Logs, weeds, rocks, and docks. 12lbs fluoro is perfect for this. 

[Musky hunter 82]

Thank you for the really detailed response, what would you use the 7' Med fast baitcaster rod for? Squarebills? Also what do use for a drop shot rod and the line?

Edited March 15, 2017 by Musky hunter 82

[bassfshin24]

7ft Med fast baitcaster would be a good squarebill or jerkbait rod. I tend to like a little shorter rod for a jerkbait though. I just bought a new dropshot rod this year. It's a 6'8 M and Ill have 10-15lbs braid w/8lbs fluoro leader. I went with the shorter rod because I'll be mostly using this rod for vertical dropshot on Mille Lacs. If I am going to fish the edge of a weedline with a dropshot and Im pitching I will probably use a 7ft M with the same line setup. 

[RuddyDuck]

I'm no expert but just my thoughts.

BC

1. If you wanted to use braid for swim jigs, maybe stepping down to 30lb would be a little better. Not sure if you would even need a flouro leader then, unless water is ultra clear. Maybe could even use that for lipless cranks or chatterbaits too when fishing around thicker weeds. I use flouro or 15lb mono for that set up myself.

2. Here I think straight mono or flouro would work. No need for a flouro leader. I use flouro sometimes and mono other times. 12-15lb.

3. I agree I would go to MH on this rod. 15-20lb flouro would work. I use flouro mostly, but because I am cheap I have also used mono. This would also make a good t-rig set up for beavers, dbombs and such.

 

I won't even comment on the spinning set ups. I just use 8lb flouro on my two setups since I don't use them much.

 

Good luck.

[AlwaysFishing23]

33 minutes ago, RuddyDuck said:

I'm no expert but just my thoughts.

BC

1. If you wanted to use braid for swim jigs, maybe stepping down to 30lb would be a little better. Not sure if you would even need a flouro leader then, unless water is ultra clear. Maybe could even use that for lipless cranks or chatterbaits too when fishing around thicker weeds. I use flouro or 15lb mono for that set up myself.

2. Here I think straight mono or flouro would work. No need for a flouro leader. I use flouro sometimes and mono other times. 12-15lb.

3. I agree I would go to MH on this rod. 15-20lb flouro would work. I use flouro mostly, but because I am cheap I have also used mono. This would also make a good t-rig set up for beavers, dbombs and such.

 

I won't even comment on the spinning set ups. I just use 8lb flouro on my two setups since I don't use them much.

 

Good luck.

 

I 100% agree that's how I have my setups right now. Spinning always use 8lb mono have for a few years and it seems to work fine. 

[Meyer8043]

Using braid on a light wire swim jig like a Northstar custom swim jig or a lethal weapon swim jig is asking for trouble straightening the hook on the hook set. I'd go with straight Fluoro. I will use braid in really thick stuff when using a Northstar custom flip and swim jig, but that's it.

Edited March 17, 2017 by Meyer8043

[SwimbaitChucker]

Dan Brovarney is basically a Swim Jig Pioneer and he recommends 30 to 50lb braid for Northern style swim jigs.

 

I use 30lb braid and a 7ft medium power rod for swimjigs. The only one I throw is the NorthStar Custom Baits Swim Jig.

 

I use Fluorocarbon in 12 to 17lb on casting gear for Cranks, Jigs, Texas Rigs, pretty much most bottom contact baits other than heavy cover when I use Braid.

Fluorocarbon on casting gear for jerkbaits.

Braid for Frogs, Walking Baits, Buzzbaits, Pitchin, Flippin and Punchin. Spinnerbaits and Swim Jigs I use braid too.

For swimbaits I use Mono, Fluorocarbon and Braid...depends on the swimbait. Big topwater Rats/Wakes I use 20lb Trilene Big Game....

Glide Baits like the Gancraft Jointed Claw 178 and Deps Slide Swimmer 175 I use 15lb mono. Huddleston Trouts and other big Soft Plastic Swimbaits I use 15 or 20lb Big Game.

Small soft plastic swimbaits like the Havoc Sick Fish and Big Bite Bites BB kicker get thrown on 12 or 17lb Fluorocarbon depends on the type of cover I am fishing.

When I throw a Skinny Dipper/Big Dipper/Cane Thumper type bait it is on Fluorocarbon if I am swimming over submerged grass and other submerged shallow cover. Swimming it over Matted Grass/Pad and through Pencil Reeds and around hard cover l ike docks and wood they are thrown on braid.

Edited April 2, 2017 by SwimbaitChucker