Line Question -- How much?

[Blue Kayak]

I am setting up a couple of reels for flatheads. They are both conventional salt water bait casting reels (Penn and Daiwa). The smaller reel holds 300 yards of 20 pound test line. I want to use 80 pound Power Pro on the working end. This line has an 18 pound diameter, so even 300 yards won't fill the smaller reel. Therefore, I'll use a backing line. A clerk suggested 30 pound mono.

These reels would mostly be used on the Minnesota River from a boat making short casts into timber.

The Power Pro comes in spools of 150 yards or 300 yards, and I planned to split the spool between the two reels. Is 75 yards of the 80 pound line enough? Or, should I get the 300 yards and put about 150 yards of Power Pro on each reel? Do the large cats make long runs when you use 80 pound test line? Do you see any problems with using 30 pound mono as the backer line?

[Dirk W]

Get the 300 yd spool and play it safe. This will allow for some backlashes, break off and re-ties, etc. If you fish a lot just reverse the line next year and you will be set. Power Pro would probably be good for 3-4 years but I use it for two. Good luck.

[Dirk W]

PS: Use any old line you want for backing. I save old mono and use anything I have handy. Set your drag tight and hold on. They make runs this way but not long ones. If your fishing near snags it's kind of like hand to hand combat. Give no quarter cause you'll get none from the fish

[rushing]

Get a big spool of berkly big game and use that for backing. Make sure you have a decient amount of backing on your reel. Just remeber with 80lb power pro you are gonna be getting into an ocasional snag that might have to be cut so you might be losing a good chunk of line a few times a year, I used to use the 18/80 PP myself but between the difficulty in recovering from snags and the slighty higher cost than 16/65 PP I switched. With the slight smaller diameter you can also fit more line onto your reel. good luck

[hanson]

Sounds like you got a good game plan.

I think I used regular old 10 or 12lb Trilene for backing. Back to back Uni knots work great for making the splice.

[DARK30]

If the clerk has the power pro your looking for, have them put it on. No extra line you can't use yet just enough to fill you up. One thing I do is when your line becomes a bit worn, just reel your old line onto an empty reel and all the buried (fresh) line comes to the end on the other reel. This works great for stuff like power pro but not mono.

What model Penn reel you using? I got the 320gt2 and love it! I got another lonely

E-Cat rod that needs a friend...I think I'm gonna pick up another one.

[Blue Kayak]

Dark, I have a Penn Jigmaster 500. I think I will put 80 pound test on that reel and 65 pound test on the Daiwa (model FW40H). I got the Penn reel on hsolist. Scheels in Mankato had a great sale just before they moved to their new store, and I picked up the Daiwa. Thanks everyone for your suggestions. This forum is so helpful.

[Guest]

65# is pretty worthless if you hit any type of jagged suface under heavy load.. The 80# stands up much better... 65# doesnt work for long in this concrete jungle I fish.

150 yards is ideal. I usually use 20 lb big game mono for backing. Always keep some type of dowel rod or stick in the boat you can wrap the line around and pull that to try to get your line out of a snag. Occasionaly, the line breaks nowhere near the rig and some line is lost.

NEVER CUT YOUR LINE if you are in a snag.. the last thing you want is a piece of 80# power pro coming off a snag to get wrapped up in the line of future cast.. That line will be as bad as the snag itself.

[Blue Kayak]

Thanks That Guy for the tip to use a dowel or stick to break of the line.