Walleye line size and brand?

[Lights]

What size line and what brand do you guys like for winter eye's?

Sorry guy's i forgot to mention this will be used on a jigging rod.

Thanks,

Lights

[Jim W]

First, Welcome Lights!!!

I think this is a question with a million answers.

I am a simple set up guy. I have yet to have problems using mono all year round Trilene XT and XL. Generally I never use more than 6 pound at any time. 4lb is often more sensitive.

All depends on species as well.

2-4 lb for crappie and panfish

4-6 for bass and walleye.

There are "ice lines" out there and I am most certain they will be mentioned. So hang tight,pull up a chair and a hot cup of jo!

Keep the rods bendin'!!!

Jim W

[loebs93]

I like Berkley's micro ice in 6 pound and thats what I have used in the past. This year I am giving Strens ice line a chance. I got some in a low-vis green that seems pretty nice...we'll see though. Even though I dont like it, I have one rod spooled up with some 8 pound flourocarbon line for them tough-bite days.

[iffwalleyes]

All I use is Power Pro 10/2 10 lbs test/2 lb diameter. I use that on all my walleye rods. Ever since I switched 2 years ago I have never had a line break. Pretty good stuff. Some guys don't like it because they say if freeze when you are outside but I am always in a house so it works great for me. The times I have used it outside I have never had any trouble.

[gophish]

last year was the first year i really took this into deep consideration and had no complaints with what i chose.

for my walley rods it was six pound stren iceline (whatever they call it) and for crappie/panfish it was four pound high sensitivity stren. no complaints at all and it is recommended. i also tried some fireline last year that was supposed to be for ice. i think i unspooled that about halfway through the season and threw it away. not recommended at all from me.

[korn_fish]

I use mostly Vanish. 4-6 lb. Tip ups and rattle reels will have 6 just because hand over hand doesn't provide as much room for error and shock absorbtion as a rod does. Occasionaly I will slip down to 2# for eyes, but only when I have a lot of "lookers" and no takers.

[upnorth]

4# trilene xl, limp, easy to work with and almost invisible. At least I can hardly see it

[Captain B.R.K]

Myself, I use Berkley Micro Ice 4 pound test for my eyes set ups!

[Sportland_Bait]

I've been partial to Berkley Cold Weather 6#. But some new lines worth looking at are Berkley Micro Ice and Power Pro. All three would be good choices for a jigging set up.

Jason Erlandson

[RK]

Hiya,

For deadsticking and jigging with a bare leadhead for very negative fish, I'm pretty much in line with the other responses. I generally use either 4 or 6 lb mono, either Berkley Trilene XL or Micro Ice. I usually add a short (2') fluorocarbon leader, usually 6# P-Line or Vanish. All my walleye tip-ups have a 3' fluoro leader attached to the main tio-up line with a small swivel. Lord knows if the fluoro helps, but it makes a guy feel like he's trying

For jigging, I'm going to give a totally contradictory answer...

Most often, in water less than 25' or so, I use either 10 or 12# XL, with a short (18-20") 10# fluorocarbon leader. In water deeper than 25', it's 10#, again, with the leader.

The reason I use the heavy line is fall rate on spoons, and 'swing speed' on swim lures like Jigging Shads and Jigging Raps.

With a heavier line you get greater line diameter and more water resistance. The greater resistance slows down the flutter on a spoon, and slows down the swimming speed on swim lures. Jigging Shads swing back down to vertical a little slower, and spoons drop and flutter back down a little slower.

I really think most hits on jigging lures are reaction strikes. A lot of the time, especially with swim lures, I don't even bother tipping them with a minnow head anymore. I did when I first started using them, mainly as a confidence thing, but gradually just sort of stopped doing it unless I think the fish are 'off' and need a little scent to seal the deal. I think the greater the difference in speed - the wider range of speeds you can cover - with your jigging, the more likely you are to get hit. The rapid rise, then a slower fall back to vertical, is a pretty good trigger. The difference in speed between 12# mono and 4 or 6# is pretty noticable, even in 10 or 15' of water. Watch identical lures on different weight lines side by side on a camera sometime... If they're so off that they're line shy, chances are I have to step down to a less aggressive presentation anyhow, and along with that, i'll be using lighter line.

I don't worry at all about the heavier line turning off fish. Fluoro certainly helps, since it's darn near invisible, but even before I started usng fluoro, I caught a lot of fish on 10 and 12# XL.

An added benifit to heavier line, especially with a fluoro leader, is it's a little stiffer, so jigs don't foul quite as often. Nothing like setting the hook on your spoon and nothing else cuz it flipped over and tangled up in the line...

The one caveat to this opinion: pressured water. If the fish get pounded enough, I think they can get line shy, but then again, I'm more apt to be downsizing on highly pressured water anyhow, so with smaller lures comes lighter line.

Anyhow - there's my completely contradictory $.02...

Cheers,

RK