Ice Fishing Line?

[srainman]

I'm going to be heading up to Sportman Lodge LOW next weekend and was wondering if anyone has any suggestions on choice of fishing line? I was thinking of going with Fireline crystal micro ice 10 lbs test 4lbs dia. Any suggestions?

[hanson]

I would go a little lighter than 10lb Fireline personally, like 4-6lb. The lighter lines are more limp and provide your lure with a more natural action.

I have used 6lb Fireline for many years through the ice and have landed plenty of large fish with it, a 20lb Northern being the biggest.

Make sure your drag is set properly and have fun!

[fiskyknut]

Good old TrileneXL in 4 thru 10 covers my winter Walleye and Perch fishing up here pretty darn well......Still!

fiskyknut

[mjrfishing]

I usually rig my "jigging rod"(spoons, chubby darters, and buckshots) with 10lb fireline. On my "deadstick rod" with a bobber i usually use 6-8 lb mono(with a little more flexibility it gives you that extra stretch to get the non-aggresive strikes). The only fish that has broken my fireline was a 41in. 20 lb. northern that took off right at the edge of the whole, but was tangled in my old mans' lines and didn't get very far

[RipJigger]

I agree with Fisky ya cant go wrong with plain ol Trilene XL either 4 or 6 lb is what Ive been using for years with pretty good luck

[Crappie_ Kid]

For panfish you cant get better than 3lb p-line floroice. For my walleye rods nothing better than 8lb test with 1b pound diameter powerpro ice.

[mjrfishing]

If you use slipbobbers with mono the "slipknot" will slide after every decent fish. Fireline does a good job holding your slipknot in place and has a higher lb. test with a smaller dia. compared to most line

[bgreen82]

that put me over the edge. i hate it when the slipknot does that. i am gonna have to try it now.

[fiskyknut]

I dunno but to me it seems bobber knots slip easier on braids than mono? May depend on just what material one uses/buys for there bobber knots though?

I don't use bobbers very often but when I do I put 2 stopper knots on the line a few inches apart then I can tell if they've moved on me.

fiskyknut

[opsirc]

I have use Trilene XL 6lb for a few years and like it. If I am fishing for crappies and such I drop down to 4lb test. the stuff stays limp and has little line memory.

O

[zamboni]

That Fireline is the ticket. I bought some last night and strung a new Ugly Stick with it, seems unbreakable. My South Bend rig had Berkely Micro Ice on it, this off-season, it is definitely getting switched over to Fireline.

[alwaysfishin]

I think 6 lb. crystal with a properly set drag can handle most anything.

[eyepatrol]

I've got 4lb Trilene Cold Weather mono spooled on my reels. Used it up on LOTW 1.5 weeks ago and it performed flawlessly. Caught walleyes from 4" up to 29.5" without any problems, plus I fought a fish for about 10mins before it got tangled in everything and I just broke it off.

Great line, held up very very well.

[fiskyknut]

I hear you Basscatcher on the ability of 4# mono. My Big Walleye on the main page from January came on my Perch Sweetheart thats spooled with 4# XL. Last Tuesday that same rod pulled a 38 inch Pike for me while I was Perchin. I think that the bit of stretch mono gives you when playing the fish is important with the short 28 to 36 inch fast action rods I use on the ice. The stretch and loss of sensitivity people speak of in the mono vs. braids talk is a non factor when dangling a bait straight down the hole on a relatively short line. That little jig certainly is'nt stretching the mono line any either. Mono stretches with a big fish on though and in my book thats only a good thing, absorbs shock and the hook won't tear out as easy if the fish is barely hooked. I believe in this so much that I even tie in a length of mono between my running line and wire trace on my tip-ups that I use for Pike just to give me a bit of that stretch and shock absorbtion. I do have skinny braids on spare spools and do use them in the winter now and then in deep water current situations on the river, or for deepwater Perchin with the way tiny stuff. I use braids alot for different open water applications, Power Pro and Fireline both. I like one or the other for different presentations and they work great with longer softer rods. Could'nt imagine flatlining a DTD11 160 foot back or a Reef Runner Deep Diver 220 back with mono, those big plugs and long line out lengths would really put a stretch that mono line!

[eyepatrol]

The 4lb mono really does stand up well. I do, however, have to give credit to Team Otter for recommending it to me. Kudos to TO. That cold weather Berkley really did a job though. I don't know if it had anything to do with the line I was using, but when we were up there, my rods caught all the big fish. My buddy had Stren 6lb mono and he didn't catch any big fish, and I certainly caught more, even though we were using the same jigs & presentations most of the time. After fighting all those fish along with one I had on for nearly 10mins, there wasn't a tick in the line, whatsoever.

Can't ask for anything more IMO! (Good rod and reel with a good drag goes a long way too)

PS - I might just have to try and find a way to get back up there yet this year. I wouldn't expect quite the same for size, but it sure was fun regardless!

[Boar]

I've been using power pro for years an got just plain tired of it, if you dont double the knot it can slip on big fish, the bobber stop is either to loose or to tight, i've set the hook to only have it snap because of no stretch an improper drag setting, I cant cut it with my teeth an on tip up in slices down to the bone on the first joint on my index finger. I have really enjoyed it for the most part but recently whent back to 4lb stren, tough suff. Whats your best low memory line? lATER boar