Best overall 24/7 bass line? Fireline seemed to tangle.

[Slyster]

If you could choose just ONE line for ALL your reels.. what would it be?

I am into simplicity... I use the same line on all 5 reels. Last summer I used 8Lb Fireline on all of them for the whole summer.

I did like the strength and the limited stretch.. but I did get a high number of knots and nests.

SO... now... as we dream of open water (3 months away!) is there a better choice for a universal line for all my reels?

I pretty much go JUST for bass... and I always use a long 4-5 foot fluorocarbon leader... so any line will do really... I just want the best line possible to minimize tangles and knots and limited stretch and memory and all that stuff.

Getting in the mood soon to spool all my reels and to get excited for the upcoming open water season... it's coming sooner than we think!

Help?

[SluggoMaster]

If I could only use one? Stren Superbraid in whatever size you want. It stays pretty round, and the worst thing that happens is that it fades after a couple of months. Otherwise, it is great. PowerPro is a close second.

[Bass_Bully]

I use 15-20 lbs. Power Pro on most of my bait casters. Great line and the diameter of 20 lb. line is equivelent to 8 lb. mono. My 2 cents...

[Ray Esboldt]

Sly,

My guess is (and please don't take this the wrong way) that the line is not the problem. You can avoid a lot of tangles and "line explosions" by closing the bail by hand instead of with the reel handle. Closing the bail with the handle adds twist to your line and causes the line to jump. That leaves some slack on the spool which ultimately leads to a massive tangle.

I use 8lb. mono on all of my lighter spinning outfits. I do not like braided line with light wire hooks. I tried it and either end up staightening the hook on the hookset or losing the fish because I ripped the hook from the fish's mouth. I just couldn't convince myself not to slam the hookset home or use the drag on a reel.

I do use braided PowerPro on heavy setups, but have managed to blow the gears out of a couple spinning reels and crack a couple reel seats. If you can get by without making fishing a contact sport, braided line is great.

[Deitz Dittrich]

Sly- I echo everything ray just wrote.. great post ray! Flipping the bail over by hand on spinning reels is a must!!! Also, do your very best to never reel against the drag.

[Slyster]

Crazy.. I never heard that tid-bit.. I always let the reel snap the bail shut.. that's a great tip... I'll get into that habbit. Perhaps that's the issue more than the line?

[wormburner]

I have relied upon Power Pro in 20# and it has worked great for the applications in which I use it, I even use 10# on spinning reels, but I did not use that set up once last year, but when I did it worked great.

Last year I happened to give the 17# Spider Wire Braid a try and had good luck also, to sum it up, it is a personal preferance on the style of fishing you do and what application you will be putting your line through.

I have become very comfortable with my baitcaster reels over the last couple years and use them 100% of the time for every thing I do, but it may not be right for the next guy.

[Deitz Dittrich]

Sly- give that a shot, depending on the reel. All spinning reels put about a 1/4 to 1/2 a twist in the line each time you click the bail over with the handle. Which isn't much.. but if you make 200 casts in a day?.. it adds up. Then lets say you have a big fish on and you start reeling in fast and all you do is reel against the drag, lets say you have a 5.1 -1 gear ratio reel.. in one hand;e turn you have now put 5 twists in your line.

I dont think any line will twist more or less than any other line.

[SluggoMaster]

I have also run into the problem with lower end reels having an alignment problem on the bail to cause the line to tangle or loop.

[sicheneder]

seems like i'm the only one who lines mono but i would have to go with berkely big game. superlines are to much of a hassle to me except for a slop rod

[Deitz Dittrich]

Sich-not true at all, about 1/2 of my rods have mono, maybe more than half even, I was just answering the question about the fireline. I myself don't even use fireline.

[Wayne Ek]

Ray, you cracked a couple of reel seats... On the hook-set?

Deitz, please remind me never to fish in a canoe with Ray

[delmuts]

heavens no ! you're not the only one who uses mono. but the guys orignal question was about braids. many/most of us have different lines rigged on rods for different uses. i for one use; 2&4 # mono on my ultra lite.4&6# mono on my jigging and small crank bait rod.10 # mono,& 20# braid on a multi purpose spinning rod , plus 20# braid on one bait caster and 20# mono on another . each type of line is a preference, or a choice, and only suggestions.

[fisher98]

If I had to choose 1 type of line, I would choose a Trilene monofilament, depending if I had to use a baitcaster or a spinning set-up.

I only use super-lines for slop fishing, and casting a drop-shot with a flourocarbon leader. I used superlines a lot once they first came out, but i set the hook too hard and broke a few rods, straightened a few hooks, and even snapped the line.

I first liked to fish super-lines for the sensitivity, but I found the more I fished with mono I learned to be more in-tune with what my lure felt like with mono...so that is what I prefer for 95% of all my fishing situations.

It also helps that I have plenty of set-ups that are technique specific, so I don't need to rely on only a few rods and reels.

fisher98

[Ray Esboldt]

Agape,

Yep. My hook setting style does not lend itself to canoes very well. I can tame it down some, but it is still very firm.

For many years, back when I was much poorer than I am now, I fished from a 15 foot AMF Crestliner. Remember the old resort style aluminums, I had one...with a deck in the front and the back...a modification that scares me today. More than one guy ended up on the bottom of the boat when I set the hook. It's a habit I cannot break; good, bad, or otherwise.

[Slyster]

Great stuff thanks. Maybe I should diversify. Here's another more tuned question. It will help me and perhaps some other newbies. I use only Shimano spinning reels.. $50-$70 range. I know there's not magic solution but generally as a guide what would you suggest?

What line would you use for each of my setups? What type (if any) of leader as well?

Reel #1-(a Shimano 2000) Large spinnerbiat reel.

Reel #2-(a Shimano 2000) General Rapala reel.

Reel #3-(a Shimano 1000) Panfish reel (jigs and plastics)

Reel #4-(a Shimano 1000) Bass (large tubes)

Reel #5-(a Shimano 1000) Bass (med/large senkos)

[Ray Esboldt]

Reel #1: If I were you, I would think about adopting a baitcaster for spinnerbaits. It can also double as jignpig or Texas rig setup. I feel a baitcaster gives you much more control over a fish, handles large lures better, and handles larger test line better. If you can afford it, the low profile Shimano baitcasters in the low $100 range are well worth the money. Otherwise, large faced Garcias in the $70 range are durable reels. However, they are not the most forgiving casters.

Reel #2: A 2000 series spinning reel. I think a Shimano Symetre 2000 is heck of buy for a really high quality reel.

Reel #3: A 1000 series spinning reel like Shimano Sedona or Sahara would fit nice. They are not expensive, and have held up for several years of panfish action for me.

Reel #4 and #5: Again these could both be 2000 Series spinning reels.

I actually use 1000 series spinning reels for all of my spinning reel applications. They are lighter, and therefore much easier on my tendinitis. They're better suited for 6lb. test, but I suffer through some line coils and use 8lb.

[Slyster]

Yes- I should look into bait casters I hear that.. never tried one yet.. but here great things on the forums here.

I actually am already currently using three of the 1000's and two of the 2000's for these uses- all the higher quality pricier balanced varieties.

Perhaps you misread the question..?

I am not wondering about the reels but the best fishing lines to use for the applications (1-5) specified (assume that I have already picked the appropriate reel)

[delmuts]

i run 20# PP on one spool of my sym. 2000, and 10# mono on the other spool on a 6'6" M rod. this gets used for tubes, jerk baits, and lighter jigs and or worm rigs . it would be fine for spinner baits too, but is hard on my hands the toss anything very heavy with it.( i can hold a baitcaster easier) i use a sym 1000 on a lumis 6' ML and have 4# and 6# mono on the two spools. this gets used for vertical jigging,small cranks, serious panfish, and ultra lite surface lures. i use a baitcaster for most other things. i know several guys using the 8# braids on spinning reels for vertical jigging with good results too.hope this helps.

[Deitz Dittrich]

Sly-I would like to answer this question, however, would like to know the lenght and action of the rod first as that has as much to play into what I spool the reel up with as anything.

My preliminary set ups would be(for the lures stated)

#1-12 lb Mono... whatever you are happy with, I have been pleased with P-line CXXX, but Trilene Big Game is good, Gamma is good..

#2 8lb mono.. but this time I would go with a florocarbon based line, P-line Premium is what I use for all my cranks... it helps it get down deeper...

#3 4-6lb mono, Again, your choice....

#4 20lb braid, but again, this and the next rod I am most interested in the length and action of the rod to be sure, mayby heavier....

#5 20 lb braid but again see above...

[Slyster]

Thanks for that info!

MORE INFO (in case this generates any more knowledge transfer!):

All my rods are "Ugly Sticks"

Two 6' MH (spinner/rapala)

Two 6' M (bass senko/tube)

One 5'6" L (pans)

[Deitz Dittrich]

Quote:

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Reel #1-(a Shimano 2000) Large spinnerbiat reel.

Reel #2-(a Shimano 2000) General Rapala reel.

Reel #3-(a Shimano 1000) Panfish reel (jigs and plastics)

Reel #4-(a Shimano 1000) Bass (large tubes)

Reel #5-(a Shimano 1000) Bass (med/large senkos)

---

Wonderfull, now we have more to go on here. Sly,again, these are just my opinions. This is what I would do if I had your rod and reel set ups. You however need to do what you are confortable with!

And instead of calling them rod #1 again... I am going to call them by their set ups..

6'MH Ugly Stick, Shimano 2000, 30 lb braid... this rod could then be used for slop, carolina rigs, texas rigs, senkos, tubes...

6'MH UGly Stick Shim 2000, 12 lb mono, but I would use the rod for the same things listed above. This rod will fish a little different because of the mono, mabye use this more often in clear water(I know you fish WBL a lot)I think the mono may get you a few more bites there.

6'M Ugly stick, Shim 1000, 8lb mono.. This should be your crankbait rod.. rapala rod as you call it.

6'M Ugly stick Shim 1000, 30 braid. This is your spinnerbait rod.. I know I normally dont like fishing braid and spinnerbaits. But you have it on a medium action ugly stick which tend to run a little light in thier action ratings. The lightness of the rod will match nicly with the briad line and the 30 lb braid will cast well on the 1000 reel, you could go with 20 lb braid and gain a little in casting distance if you wanted.

5'6"L Ugly St, shim 1000...4lb mono... panfish rod.

Sly-I Know this is not how you have your rods set up now, you had the rapala rod as the MH and tubes and senko rods on the M... again, in my opinion, these set ups here will help you catch more fish..

[Crank It Up Pro]

Sly,

reel 1 12# mono any brand you are going to want an extra strengh because you should be fishing spinnerbaits in and around cover, anything over 12# is to much for that size reel will cause to much lineslap which means shorter casts.

reel 2 8-10 extra limp great for making long casts with minnowbaits,you also get the best action with this size 12# or more kills the action of subtle movement.

reel 3 4# extra limp

reel 4 10# extra strength

reel 5 10# etra limp stiff line will kill the natural movement.

baitcasters POWER PRO except for cranking

Hope this helps you out and good luck this coming year.

[redrocketangler]

Quote:

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If you can get by without making fishing a contact sport, braided line is great.

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thats funny

[big musk411]

I strongly reccomend maxima chamelion monofiliment. I have tried just about every mono there is and I have yet to find a tougher mono. I use Maxima chamelion on nearly all my spinning set-ups. I like the old triline xl for my lighter finess set-up. I use powerpro or spiderwire on my baitcasters, I like to be able to rip throuth the weeds.

I am no pro and am not paid to endorse any lines, In my personal opinion maxima chamelion is the best mono on the market