line recommendations

[bucketmouth64]

I have a canada fishing trip in June and I need some recommendations on what line to spool up. I would like to stay with 8 lb test. I've been thinking of vanish, magnaflex, or sensation. I've used sensation before, but not the others. I will be fishing walleye and smallies with this line.

[DougSpringBay]

Hey Bucket-

This subject was discussed rather lengthly earlier. I would encourage you to give Gamma a try. This is a phenomenal line. The flourocarbon is the best that I have ever used, and the tensile strength of the mono which is a coplymer is so good that I have been able to drop in lb. test and feel I have gained strength. You won't be disappointed.

Doug

[Fishbreath1]

I've had bad luck with flourocarbons but haven't used them in a few years so maybe I will try them.

I think the best line is Maxima when it comes to mono. Ultragreen is limp and castable, while chameleon is tough and abrasion resistant. Maxima is the only mono I use at this point on my spinning and casting applications. I hate to plug something, but I believe in this line. Just my $0.02.

[Questor]

If you plan to use a spinning outfit, I strongly urge you NOT to use Vanish. I tried it last summer and it tangled up so bad I removed and replaced it after about ten minutes of fishing, or trying to fish.

I like Trilene XL as the best of the well known spinning lines and Sufix Elite, which is better and super strong. Elite is my new favorite spinning reel line.

[bucketmouth64]

I will be using a spinning outfit. Thanks Questor for the heads up on the vanish. That is the last thing I want to deal with is a huge overrun birdnest.

[Questor]

Bucketmouth64:

You're welcome.

The Sufix Elite is great because it has the same diameter and castability as the Trilene XL, but has unbelievable knot strength. I think it's really more like 15 pound test. I've been an enthusiastic fan of XL for a long time, but the Elite really has it beat.

[bigdog]

I use Stren Magnathin in 10# on my mono rigged reels, never had a problem with it so have not tried any of the others mentioned above. Ran into the same issue with Vanish on a spinning reel once, now I use it only as a leader material.

[shae1986]

I think it matters how you plan on fishing, are you fishing a river system or lake, if i was fishing a river system using jigs i would defintly go with fireline, now if i was fishing open water i would use a stren or some other brand with a flourocarbon leader. I have been up to canada fishing, but we fished a river system and i love using the fireline bc of the rocks and the pike that attmpt to take your jigs away from you.

[Rost]

Right on Shae!

I'd use Fireline or PowerPro.

[Dances with Walleye]

Quote:

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I have a canada fishing trip in June and I need some recommendations on what line to spool up. I would like to stay with 8 lb test. I've been thinking of vanish, magnaflex, or sensation. I've used sensation before, but not the others. I will be fishing walleye and smallies with this line.

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I've been keeping a journal for the last few years, keeping track of catch rates based on line used is one of the pieces of data that I've been collecting...

Last year I plugged in the combo of the two best, and my buddies who spooled like wise... Amongst the three of us, we all doubled the catch rate percentage of any other combo of three people. Based on 300-350 hours on the water each.

Best combo was running two rods...

Rod A Medium Heavy... Spooled with a monobacker on 10 pound fire line.

This rod was used for Lindy Rigging, and trolling only.

*Note for highest percentage tie your own Lindy Rigs with vanish. (Make sure to incorporate a float on the string.)

Rod 2 Medium Light... Spooled with 6 Pound Vanish Transition... This rod was only used for finesse work, such as jiggin and bobber fishing.

****

A couple of note on Vanish or really any Florocarbon...

#1. You have to spool the line on correctly... The line reacts very sensatively to line torsion. So MAKE SURE YOU SPOOL IT ON STRAIGHT.

To many people do that dump where they just toss the spool on the floor and slop the line onto the reel, maybe holding a hand on the rod to feed the line through...

This will make a crazy amount of torsioned line on the spool.

Also, make sure it's not a cheap reel... Cheap reels create a little bit of line torsion on their own...

If you don't heed this torsion issue, you will get some of the most bizare ratnests you've ever seen!

2. Always remember... Vanish sinks... So if you're bobbering in an area where there is no current... (Or making your own Lindy/roach rigs) Keep in mind that you'll need to slowly keep working the bobber back to the boat. (Or keep a float in the line of the roach rig.)

****

The combo of these two lines used properly in the right situation really went a long way toward raising my percentages.

[bucketmouth64]

I will be on Eagle Lake. I am assuming most of the fishing will take place on the lake with the guide. My other reels (baitcasters) have PP on them. I plan on using those for pikes and cranks. I asked the folks at Temple Bay Lodge about crappies and they said there are none. That was a shock. Is it too cold in Canada for crappies? Or are there too many big predators that would eat them? Again, thanks for the info. all of you have provided.

[big musk411]

I will have to agree with Fishbreth on this one, eventhough he is from Iowa . You can't go wrong with Maxima. I really like the strengh and abraision resistance of Maxima Chameleon. If you prefer mono to braid on your spinning reel, as I do, it is the best stuff I have used. I have had nothing but trouble with Vanish, but I hear it has been reformulated so who knows. I would be a bit wary of superlines around rocks.

[Dances with Walleye]

Quote:

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I will be on Eagle Lake. I am assuming most of the fishing will take place on the lake with the guide. My other reels (baitcasters) have PP on them. I plan on using those for pikes and cranks. I asked the folks at Temple Bay Lodge about crappies and they said there are none. That was a shock. Is it too cold in Canada for crappies? Or are there too many big predators that would eat them? Again, thanks for the info. all of you have provided.

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I'm sure there are Crappies, but outside of certain early times in spring or through the ice in winter they are probably really hard to find, and in small numbers...

Crappies are plankton eaters... It stands to reason that the further north you go the lesser the growing season, meaning the lesser the plankton blooms, means the weaker the crappies can compete for food, space and forage base.

Besides you're going to Canada... Going to Canda to fish for Crappies, is like being invited to a bikini oil wrestling party at the Playboy Mansion, and then spending all night doing needle point with the coat check girl!

In Canada you fish for Walleye... If the walleye aren't biting then you fish for Champion Pike of Maybe Musky... If they aren't biting, then you switch back to Walleye.

[bucketmouth64]

That was great Dances. All we planned on fishing for were for walleye, northern, smallies. Muskie season isn't open during the time I am there. But if we fish for northerns I wouldn't be surprised if a muskie came around and accidently catching it.

[river rat316]

If I went to Canada fishing sewer trout would be so low on the list I wouldn't even bring anything for them, Smalies, Muskies and Northerns

[Shorelunch]

For the Canadian shield stained water lakes, I'd strongly recommend a super line whether jigging or trolling. Don't worry about flouro leaders, you can just tie direct.

[Dances with Walleye]

Quote:

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For the Canadian shield stained water lakes, I'd strongly recommend a super line whether jigging or trolling. Don't worry about flouro leaders, you can just tie direct.

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The problem though with jigging super line on a CS is that if you're in a rocky area, and you tied a good knot... You get into a rock snag, and unless you're lucky... You're going to be cutting your line at water level, because the knot isn't going to give...

[Shorelunch]

However, most of the time your snagged w/a superline, it's much easier to get loose. It's also much easier to feel bottom to prevent snags. You're going to lose a lot more jigs w/mono, which will break off when snagged or get cut up on rocks.

[BigWadeS]

enjoy this thread, thanks for all the info

[youngie22]

Fish breath knows the truth. Unfortunetly he let the cat out of the bag. Maxima is the only mono to go on any of my reels. if your going to be jigging I would strongly suggest down sizing at least 2 #s; if your going to be mostly trolling I'd stick with the 8. Maxima is the only way to go. Oh, its not that easy to find... mostly big stores or online. Strongly reccomend for many great attributes.