Fishing Line??

[Scotteye]

I am looking for thoughts from everyone. On my jigging rods I have switched from mono to fireline, and I love the sensitivity and strenght. I am thinking of switching all of my ice rods..even my dead sticks/bobber rods to fireline.

This is why. We fish a lot of deep water (30ft and deeper), and I fish a lot with my dad, and it seems like mono is too vulnerable to breaking (and then I have to re-tie "his" lines). I always tie a 6-8lb mono leader, to the jigging rods, and I would do the same for the bobber rods. I imagine that bobber stops would work on fireline, but I have not used it.

Are there any negatives to this line that people can share. I don't want to re-line everything and then hate it.

Scott

[Matt Johnson]

I've been using P-Line Floroice pretty regularly the past couple winters. That might be a good option for leaders you attach to your Fireline.

I haven't had too many problems jigging in deep water with non-braided lines.

Me personally, I've never been a big Fireline or braided line user during ice fishing. It tends to freeze up a lot easier than mono, fluorocarbon, or a copolymer. I spend a lot of time hole hopping outside of a portable, and freeze-ups can become quite the nuisance. P-Line's Floroice has proven to be an excellent choice for me.

While Fireline will provide less stretch when fishing deep water, it still has a few drawbacks, but so does just about everything. If you're going to fish primarily inside of a portable, then Fireline with a fluorocarbon or copolymer leader will work well. This doesn't mean don't use it outside of a portable, but I just prefer to use a different type, just my opinion.

What I would do is rig up a few rods with Fireline and few without, and then see what you like more. I do have a couple ice rods rigged with braided line, there is always a time and place. It's all personal preference.

I know a lot of ice anglers who prefer Fireline with a leader, while others just go with Floroice or some type of mono. And I know all of these anglers catch fish.

It can depend on the sitution, so my best advice would be to have rods rigged with both braided and non-braided lines...

[Mr. Pike1]

My two cents. I bring out 8-9 poles rigged and ready for different presentations. For the pannies I like to use 2 and 3 pound berkley ice. It is very thin, strong, and versitile with limited freeze up issues. I have also caught many pike and walleye on the three pound. I also have a couple rigged with 2 or 4 pound vanish. For walleye, pike, and when I chase cats on the shoe I like the 4 lb vanish fireline. When jigging you really feel the fish and no give when you set the hook. It also is very strong and you can handle the bigger pike, cats, or eyes without worring as much about the line getting cut. I also always have one rigged with good old 6 mono.

[Captain B.R.K]

I took Matt's advice last year and went with the P-Line matched it with my THORNE BROS. Panfish Sweatheart outfit and was happy with it. Actually fished that exclusively for panfish and crappie and never had any problem with strength. Great line.

My other rod combos for perch and walleye's did get Berkley Ice line. I go with this line because it is cheaper than the other speciality lines on the market. I have been happy with it's performance over the years.

For my trip to Canada, I did spool up my laker combo with fireline and was very happy with the results. The weather up there was VERY COLD and I had no problems with the line freezing up or stiffing up on me. Also the fireline gives me that much needed sensitivity jigging in 50-60 plus FOW.

I've had dabbled a little in numerous line types and the only way I learned (came up with my favorite's)is by playing a little bit with the line. I'm definately going to go back with some P-Line and Berkley Ice line.

It's all about building confidence in what you fish with.

Good Luck!

[augernaut]

Florice is good stuff - also check out P-Line CX Premium - another very good line, even though it's not "sold" as an ice line. I have a large spool of Seaguar Carbon Pro in 2lb test - awesome line, cannot seem to find it anywhere.(thanks hsolist!). I'm also looking forward to trying the Cajun Red Ice line - I have used the Cajun Red Cast, and it was a nice, limp line with pretty good visibility for line-watching situations. Seriously, you can't go wrong with so many of the lines out - Berkley Micro Ice is still a great, great line IMHO.

[hanson]

Hmmm...

I was just chatting with "ivegottabite" on the phone tonight and we happened to talk about icefishing lines.

Years ago, all I ever used was mono. Somewhere along the line, I spooled my rods with 6lb Fireline and absolutely fell in love with the stuff.

After ice fishing many years with Fireline, I've realized there are a great number of drawbacks.

1- It does become stiff.

2- Slip bobber knots will NOT stay put on Fireline.

3- Ice build up is horrible.

On the other hand, even 6lb Fireline will land almost any sized fish that you can catch below the ice during winter. I love it for its strength. There is a 20lb Northern Pike on my wall that would love to argue with me about that but I got the best of her that day.

I switched up to PowerPro last winter on some of my rods and P-Line on my other rods. I honestly loved both of them. 2lb P-Line for the pannies was definitely the ticket and a few othe ProStaff here absolutely sold me on that line. Thanks guys!

PowerPro seamed to be a little better than Fireline but was honestly not able to give it the same comparison. I have just used Fireline for so long that it will take another good year of using PowerPro to make some comparisons.

I'm spooling up some rods this winter with 4lb & 6lb P-Line and we'll see how that works for my fishing.

There's my thoughts.

I've use MicroIce in the past but I would personally go with P-Line first. Honestly, I got so fed up with MicroIce that I switched to FireLine and thought I'd solved the worlds problems. Thats how much of a fan I am of straight mono.

[ivegottabite]

P-line seems to be a popular option for many anglers i've talked to recently. I am planning on spooling some rods with P-line and some with Micro Ice yet as well.

What test do you guys generally go with for the various species? I am thinking 2 lb for pannies, 4-6 for eyes? Not much of a pike chaser so not really looking to get into anything heavier than that.

[tomfromblaine]

Chris, were you having problems with twist and or inconsistant line/knot strength? Thats been my problem the last 2-3 years, when I first got back into icefishng I really liked using the micro ice because I'm not usaully fishing that deep and I was spooling up a couple a times a season, but then I don't know what happened to that stuff. at first I thought it was me or my reels or some thing, then my buddy needed some leader so I tossed him a spool and about 15 minutes later he was questioning my heritage . I was going to try that P-ice last season but the 2 places I went to didn't have any or were out. I am ready for something different.

[Paul Waldowski]

I have re-spooled all of my rods this year with Power Pro Ice either in the 8 lb test (1lb diameter) or 10 lb test (2lb diameter) I first started field testing it near the end of last season and really liked it. Ice build up was minimal even at extreme temps, no stretch, small diameter, and no memory. I absolutely love the stuff.

[hanson]

tomfromblaine-

Both.

I hate the mono "coil" and MicroIce was definitely twisting on me. Superlines won't do that but there are definitely other drawbacks as well.

Breakage was another problem.

Like I said, I used 2lb P-Line FloroIce for awhile last winter (for gills) and was definitely impressed. I'm going to try it in some of the heavier tests this winter for LOW eyes & URL crappies to see how I like it. I listened to one of the FM seminars last winter (Pete Riola & Jason Van Ert) and walked away confident in my decision to switch to P-Line on a few rods. Jason landed that large muskie through the ice seen on the IceLeaders.com home page. I'm not sure if that was on P-Line or not but I listened to him talking about using that line laker fishing in Canada and was sold.) Not to mention Matt Johnson & Dietz both use that line religiously. I typically don't question their judgement.

MicroIce was my line of choice years ago but I have been searching for something better ever since. I had absolutely fallen in love with Fireline for ice fishing but eventually realized it had its drawbacks as well. I spooled P-Line upon the suggestion of a few FM ProStaff and was very happy. I'm going to continue to try it this winter as well.

[Patrick Star]

power pro ice line is great stuff. p-line for deadsticking and power pro for jiggin. fireline freezes up and sucks for slip bobbers.

[tomfromblaine]

Paul, do bobber stops stay puy on that line?

[Paul Waldowski]

Tom,

I have had them move once or twice...but only when I was stupid enough not to cinch them tight enough before I cut the tags

[iffwalleyes]

I have used only power pro the last two winters the two winters before that I used Fireline. I have absolutely nothing but good things to say about the performance of power pro. I use a deadstick on a rockn' reel but I still put bobber stops on it for a line marker. A trick I have found for power pro line since just 1 standard knot will slip put two on there and that should take care of the problem. Otherwise those dog bone shaped stops work ok but they are kind of a pain to get on and then they tend to twist so they aren't on the line straight. I will have to get some of that P Line and give it a shot this year. I have just been using 10/2 powerpro and that has been as I mentioned great. I suppose after deer hunting I will have to get some stuff out and rigged up.

Just one question do any of you fully spool up a reel of P-Line or do you just use it to make leaders.

[Jim Hudson]

Some great advice here... I too have used Fireline on some of my ice set-ups, and immediately I seen a problem, it retained too much water and I had to deal with freeze up... It wasnt bad in a heated ice shack, but when jigging outside the cold did a number to the line.

So after having good success with Power Pro in cold weather open water trips, I re-spooled and couldn't be happier. Sure, I still get some freeze up outside, but not as bad as Fireline. And what I seen with the Power Pro Ice, it is even better, but just wish I could get some of this line in a larger diameter for when I am Lake Trout fishing.

And for the depths your are fishing, I would stick with a super line for sensitivity!! As long as your going to be fishing inside a shack with heat, Fireline will get you by. But in the future, like others have said, try out some Power Pro.

Oh, and for those depths deeper then 20FT. I havent noticed a big difference in hook up percentages pertaining too tying direct with a super line or using a mono/floro leader with it.

[SteveWilson]

Do any of you use florocarbon leader on your PPro or Fireline? I've spooled up a couple of reels with 10/2 PPro and thought I might tie on a 2-3' section of florocarbon leader (2-6lb test) when the fish are line shy

[augernaut]

For you guys using the Powerpro Ice line - how does it work for finesse bluegill fishing - I mean, superlight size 12-16 jigs, etc? I have a very hard time believing you can get the same action on the jig as you can with a limp 2lb test mono or fluoro line.

[Jim Hudson]

auger

Really the only time I have had good luck with any braid while searching out panfish, is when they were really snapping.

Mono or floro to me, will outproduce in those finicky situations. For one, it lets you get better action onto the lure, and two, in most instances it will be more invisible to the fish.

[augernaut]

Jim - I have to think you are right on the money. Most ice fishing for panfish is an ultralight/finesse presentation. Thin/limp/invisible is the name of the game. I can maybe see having one rod rigged with PP Ice for super finicky deepwater (over 35') perch - but I honestly doubt I would gain much benefit from it. Sorry, not trying to poo-poo the stuff, I just think that mono and fluoro are better suited overall for my ice-work. If you use it and like it - great!

[Huskiedevle]

All have given good info. here, but I would like to know where a guy can get P-Line Floroice locally,or some of the other recommended lines.I went to Cabelas in Rogers today, and could not find any of the forementioned lines, or any fishing lines in 2 or 3 lb test, except for Tectan,which is from Germany. They did have plenty of the MicroIce line, but not in 3 lb. test. If Thorne Bros., or Vados Bait are the answers to give, those two stores are my next stops anyway.

[Jim Hudson]

Auger

Yup, I hear you. Now days, each line is almost line a different lure. Each has their place and time. And like you mentioned, for deeper water fishing... a line like Power Pro or Power Pro Ice can shine!! But overall, for shallower water pan fish applications... one would be better off to stick with a mono or floru, as most of the time, these fish are negative to neutral throughout the ice season!!

Huskie

You bring up a good point with line... One of the reasons I try to stick with Trilene XL.... You can find it just about anywhere and everywhere you go... And by buying it in a larger spool, you can carry the stuff with you on away from home trips.

If you fish hard, re-spooling several times throughout the season is not uncommon and finding some lines can be a bugger. So either order enough the first time, or stick with a line that does work and can be found locally!!