Open Water panfish lines

[Mr. Pike1]

Historically I have used 2-4 mono for most of my panfish poles. However, many time I end up hooking into LM bass, smallmouth, pike and risk that tragic cut off. This ice season I had great success with Fireline crystal for panfish and everything else with no cut offs. Do any of you panfish guru's ever use gamma, power pro, or fireline crystal on your open water rigs in 4lb or less?

I like the others I mentioned for bass, walleye, ank pike Just curioss if anyone uses this for panfish. I am looking to try some different line this year. I also have ran into the light mono twisting quite a bit. Any feedback is appreciated.

[Mr. Pike1]

Historically I have used 2-4 mono for most of my panfish poles. However, many time I end up hooking into LM bass, smallmouth, pike and risk that tragic cut off. This ice season I had great success with Fireline crystal for panfish and everything else with no cut offs. Do any of you panfish guru's ever use gamma, power pro, or fireline crystal on your open water rigs in 4lb or less?

I like the others I mentioned for bass, walleye, ank pike Just curioss if anyone uses this for panfish. I am looking to try some different line this year. I also have ran into the light mono twisting quite a bit. Any feedback is appreciated.

[CrappiesNCats]

i use 4lb Trilene Sensation. never had a problem.

as for the tough lines, im too traditional. i want the fish to have a chance to snap me off. did land an 8lb pike on my rig last year as well as a 7lb walleye all while trying to catch bluegills and crappies.

i just realized that i was no help at all since i dont use it, oh well. happy fishing!

[theiceman]

I use nothing but fireline crystal, 14/6 for walleyes,10/4 panfish and the heaviest i can find for muskie/northerns. I find that it doesn't twist, but you may want to set your drag looser because of the no stretch.

[slipperybob]

Monos: 4lb Gamma, 4lb Yozuri Hybird (strongest 8# break), 4lb Silverthread AN40 (most supple) or Super (thinnest diameter).

Less stripping and retying with all these lines.

[Neighbor_guy]

I normaly use the real off of my Walley ice rod on my ultra light in the summer. 7' Ultralight spinning rod with a good real and 10# Fireline Crystal. I do put a floro leader on it if I am fishing panfish shallow, usualy 4lb, about 14 inches or so. If I am fishing river fish or spiners, swimming jigs, anything moving, I leave the floro off and very rarely get bit off.

[lovebigbluegills]

I use 4lb Trilene Sensation as well, and have landed quite a few larger fish, and have had my share of cut-offs too. I've never had a problem with line twist or memory problems.

[Dark Cloud]

I use the 4/1 fireline for most of my panfishing. If you like it for icefishing you'll love it for open water. More sensitive and cast better. In clear water i'll put on a 2ft piece of 3 or 4# flourcarbon attached via a small size 14 swivel...

[fisherdog19]

I like the Gamma 4lb test for open water pannies. The break stregth is actually closer to 6, but the diameter is less than other 4lb lines. Not to stiff so it doesn't coil bad, and very abrasion resistant.

[Fred_Bear]

I use old school 4lb trilene. This stuff is great, you just need to keep fresh line on meaning replace it at least once a month and more if you do a lot of fishing.

I used to use all 4 lb fireline because of the strenth but mono always outfished fireline and using a leader seemed foolish because your line is only as strong as its weakest point anyway.

The one thing i really miss about fireline is no line memory. The first few minutes of fishing can be rough when using mono which is why i won't spool anything bigger than 4 lb.

[Matt Johnson]

I use mostly 4 pound test for open water pannies. Gamma copolymer is great. Fishes very well in my opinion. P-Line flouroclear is another good option, both are similar in nature.

However, don't disregard the 4 pound Trilene XL, a standby for most anglers...

[Dark Cloud]

 Originally Posted By: Fred_Bear

using a leader seemed foolish because your line is only as strong as its weakest point anyway.

Yes the line is only as strong as it's weakest link but strength is not the only reason to use fireline. Castability and strike detecting are the main ones I like.

[Fred_Bear]

Very true dark cloud, very true.

It's the price that really made me convert. For the little advantage it gives I just didn't wanna pay the big bucks. What does a 125 yd spool of fireline go... $12 or $13 right???? I picked up over 20 125 yd spools of trilene XL a couple years ago at a dollar a piece and am still working off of that. Really makes it easy to keep fresh line on the spool which in some cases can be more important than what kind of line you have on.

[LanceJ]

Last year I tried a few different lines. On a 7'ML I use for pannies and walleyes I found 6lb Trilene sensation is pretty nice stuff. On a 5'6 L I use for pannies I tried a couple different lines. I had a bad experience with one line of Suffix 4lb, and a good experience with the other line of 4lb Suffix (red or blue, don't remember). I have another spool of 6lb fireline crystal for my 5'6 which seems pretty nice but it doesn't lay on the spool of my sahara 750 THAT well so it kinda catches on the spool while casting from time to time, but it sure seems like solid stuff. Especially with the short rod (helps hook sets).

[goblueM]

I just use standard 4 pound line, whatever I feel like. Usually trilene XL, but I've used fireline a lot. I've started converting to PowerPro recently - for my money, most lines out there work pretty well, depending on the situation

[rockman]

4 lb. Trilene XL has been for years, and still is, my standard for line.The Gamma lines are getting my curiosity up a bit, however.

[Mr. Pike1]

Thank you for all the feedback. I will be mixing up a few lines for the pannies. I usually have 6-8 pannie rigs with variety of jigs, plastics, spinners, and the old reliable flu flu. I also read a disturbing post that they may no longer be making the exude micro shads. These for the last two years were my number one sunfish plastics. I have a couple of bags for this summer but after that I will need to do the old internet searches... I have a few new plastics to try and although I am not a big gulp guy I must admit the small maggets look like they might have some promise.

[Wookiee]

They still make Exude Microshads. They just dropped a couple of colors and added a few in their place. You can buy them on the Twister HSOforum.

[Bob/Mn]

For panfish I use 4 pound gold stren with a six foot floralcarbon leader. High vis line makes for better bite detection under low light conditions.

<BTW> I use a blood knot to connect line to leader.

[Grant Pearson]

I like to use 4 pound Vanish. I believe that it greatly improves my catch and have seen an improvement in a friends catch rate after introducing it to him.

[52luge]

This may be a dumb question, but what is the prefered way you guys wind your line on. With the spool laying flat, with the spool in front of the reel, etc.? I use alot of Fireline and Powerpro and it doesn't seem to matter how you wind it on but with mono, flouro, etc. I was just curious as to the prefered method.

[Wookiee]

This is a very good question. i would like to hear some answers as well. Like what kind of tension do you put on the line and how tight do you set your drag?

[EYEHUNTER10]

After years of trial and error I now let the spool float in a pail of water, or right in the hole if im ice fishing, seems to help alot.

[Wookiee]

There is one in every bunch! Ha!

[ozzie]

I would guess toomuchfun? you would want your drag tightened as this is a cause of line spinning......I have always given it a couple spins of the reel and then open the bail and see how the line comes off if I don't like the way it comes off I flip it over and spool that way..good luck