BEST LINE TO USE

[WOLFRAD]

HEY, I'M QUIT NEW TO THE FORUM, EXCEPT FOR THE FLOAT TUBE LINE. I HAVE A PONTOON BOAT AND FISH MAINLY FOR BASS AND CATFISH IN SMALL LAKES AND PONDS IN THE MIDWEST AND TEXAS. I FISH MAINLY WITH ABU-GARCIA OPEN FACE REELS FOR CATFISH USING EITHER 20,30 OR 40 POUND TEST. SO FAR THE ONLY LINE I'VE USED IS BERKLEY BIG GAME FISHING LINE AND USUALLY ANY KIND OF LINE FOR MY BASS SPINNING REELS. LIKE TO HAVE SOME ADVISE ON WHAT BRAND AND TYPE OF LINE WOULD BE THE BEST TO USE FOR BASS FISHING. ALSO I'D LIKE TO KNOW IF THERE ARE ANY OTHER BETTER LINE TO USE FOR CATFISHING. THE STORES THAT I MAINLY SHOP AT ARE WALMART, BASSPRO AND CABELAS. THANKS FOR THE ADVISE.

[DrownedDesertRat]

If you talk to the guys at BassPro they are probably the best qualified to answer the question for your specific fishing areas. For the most part it's a matter of taste as to which brand you buy. Most brands (Stren, Trilene, etc) are owned by the same company. The conditions in which you are fishing (depth, weeds, and so on) will determine the strength or material you use. For thick weeds I prefer a braided line. For long casts and the possibility of hooking out far, braided with a monofilament or flourocarbon leader are probably good combinations. For fishing fairly close to where you are I'd go monofilament or flourocarbon.

Anybody else have any suggestions?
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[gdn443]

I've been useing Fire line for the past couple of years and like it alot.I do have Iron Silk on one bass rod and it does a good job, but I get better distance from the Fireline.I do use 15lb test in the weeds to pull those boys home.Good luck
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[davetclown]

First I would like to welcome you to bigfishtackle. and second I would like to add, you have come to the right place to get the answer you seek.

I have been testing out several different lines for spinning reels for some time now.

I have found one to out shine all the rest and that is silver thread.

when fishing for bass I know you will be using light to medium class rods and spinning reels. (cant beat the action)

these are the things I beleive you will be looking for [ul] [li]line plyability, [ul] [li]will the line stay spooled on your reel [li]will you line move freely through your guids and off the reel [li]will your line be free of curles [li]will your line be some what free of line twist [li]strenth of knots when tied[/li][/ul] [li]line diamiter [ul] [li]can you get 110 to 150 yards of line on your reel [li]diamiter verces strenth[/li][/ul] [li]line visibility [ul] [li]in the water [li]on the serface of the water[/li][/ul] [li]what kind of fish is this line a match for[/li][/ul]

now dont get me wrong, there are several lines out there I like and will do the job with respectible reliablility.


Maxim - first let me say I have found this type of line that fails on open faced spinning reels. and that is maxim. dont get me wrong this line when used in a bait casting reel for trolling on the bottom of lakes and rivers it has its advantages of being abrasion resistant. (meaning is is less likely to get cut or worse weekend by scraping sharp rocks while trolling.

as for use on a spinning reel, it tends to unravel off the reel when casting leaving you with a birds nest in your reel wich will cost you valuable fishing time....

Why do I mention this line if it is not good for your spinning reel, well as for leader material I rate it top of the line.... strong knots kink resistant and dark color makes it a valuable tool in my box. (I do tie spinners rigs and crawler harneses for my soft plastics with this line) no wories here about spinner blaids weeking or cutting the line during compitition....

Trilene XL - what can I say about it other than it is an exiclent product. I would not be the least bit shy to battle a 20 pound class bass with a 6 or 8 pound test line. I have battled the comon carp with this line and landed many a 15 pounder in excess of 25-30 inches.

this line resists kinks and line twist, and is durable and lays nicely when casting, (no curls) and flees freely off the reel and through your gides giving long smooth cats with confidance of controll.

this line has found its way in to my box with a perminate home.

Stren - yet another excilent product. same features of Trilene and has one more feature I like and that is it disipears in the water, (becomes invisible to me at least)

I have the utmost confidance in the 6-8 pound class here as well and this too has a perminate home in my box.

Silver Thread - imagine this if you will, all the qualities of the above mentioned lines in a smaller diamiter! In my book I belive this to be gods gift to fisherman. I load a spool with 10 pound class of this line only because I can load 120 yards on my reel. The 10 pound test has the diamiter of the 8 pound Trilene and Stren. It has the flexibility of 6 pound test line, excilent sensitivety. Has a long life span.

If I were to enter a serious compitition My reels would be loaded with "Silver Thread"

here is a couple shots of fish I caught just this past few weeks with this line.... [center][/center] [center][/center] [center][/center] [center][/center] [center]you may wonder why there are no bass in this picture, that is because the season is not open. why do I rant and rave about the line with these fish, well look at all the teeth on that gar, the sucker is near 6 pounds and both the gar and sucker are master angler fish and the dowg fish (bowfin) weighed in at 8 pounds and put up one unbelivable battle...[/center] [center]did I forget to mention I have not retied the knot on my swivle snap in these weeks of fishing? thats right, I have not done cut the line and retie the knot thing that is one of the most important things all pro anglers do in compititon to insure concidance in line and knot strenth. [/center] [center]Needless to say my money would go on Silver Thread 10 test for bass for knot strenth line sensitivity and long life with line twist ristance abilities.[/center] [center]hope this helps... [/center]
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[Dryrod]

[cool][#008000][size 2]Hey there davetclown - a good report both for the novice and us old timers. I am with you on line test. I don't have any line over 8lbs. If I can't pull them in then I don't deserve to have them.[/size][/#008000]
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[DrownedDesertRat]

Very nice report. I've looked at the Silver Thread but haven't bought any yet. I decided to try out the Cajun Red Lightning and, to my dismay, every 5th or 6th cast I get a tangle in it while it's leaving the reel. I usually end up reeling in at least half of what left so I can spend a few minutes untangling and untwisting the line.

I tried Spiderline's Fusion last year and I liked it but it was still a bit stiffer than expected. And this year when I pulled out the spool, the entire thing was frayed and losing its color. That's a line you need to change from year to year even if it's only been used a couple of times.

I've tried Berkeley Big Game line and it just didn't do much for me except being exceptionally visible. I had a lot of problems with line twist as well. Might work much better on a baitcaster.

My next test line is Trilene's Sensation line. I received some free in a 10 karat gold color. I just spooled it on my spare spool and will be testing it out for a while.
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[davetclown]

I loaded a spool with this brand with 12 pound test gold last year, I have not changed it yet. it still looks and handles like new.

for slow speed trolling (drifting) I realy like it. an exicilant walleye line. but when I start trolling at 15-20 miles its line twist city....... I am not taking it off my reel I still value it as a good line for the porpous I use it for (walleye) besides It matches my Bigfishtackle.com costum fishing rod that can be perchased at the [left][font "Verdana"][size 1] [url "http://www.bigfishtackle.com/bigfish_gifts.htm"]BFT Gift Shop[/url][/size][/font][/left]

go to the 16 spicies contest and go to the last page or go to the wall of fame month of may 2004 and you can see me with my clasic rod and the sensation line holding a 3 pound kitty fish...
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[Bassmaster-ND]

I've tried alot of differnt lines and I like Spiderline XXX the best. [cool]
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[tubeN2]

Hey Davetclown, I am doing an Excalibur Silver Thread Showdown this weekend at Catalina Island. I may have some more species to enter when I'm done and I'm sure I will have a good time just testing the line.

I was challenged with 6# and 12#. I need some BFT cheers for this one.
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[daymere]

ve been testing out this new cajun red line and have found that i have out fished all my conpanions four to one
Water filters out certain colors more quickly than others. The color red is the first color to be completely filtered. This means that once Cajun Red LineTM goes under water it starts to become "invisible" to fish in as little as three feet of water! All the fish see is the lure.




3MB QuickTime movie ([url "http://www.apple.com/quicktime/products/qt/"][#0000ff]Download QuickTime[/#0000ff][/url])
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[DrownedDesertRat]

It's my hypothesis that Cajun Red is better for verticle fishing rather than casting.
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[daymere]

i have great use in both and no problems in any either one but have had better hit when fishing right beside my friend fishing a diffrent line.
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[davetclown]

Well n ow that a given,,, compaired to cheap mono,,, (not saying that cheap is bad, It just has no compairson to any high quality line of any brand or type)
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[DrownedDesertRat]

The reason for my hypothesis is because every 4th or 5th cast it'll twist on me before escaping the guides and the twist would bird nest on me anywhere between 10 and 30 feet from my hook.
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[AFDan52]

[font "Arial Black"][red][size 2] I have to say that I'm hooked on Fireline. I like to use Fireline and use some Vanish for leader with a uni-to uni knot . Great comboination and hasn't failed me yet. In any poundage. Just my opinion.[/size][/red][/font]

[font "Arial Black"][#ff0000][size 2] AFDan52[/size][/#ff0000][/font]
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[SenkoSam]

The great responses include pretty much everyting I would have suggested. Line twist is my biggest peeve with mono used on baitcast or spinning reels. Since I also use a spincast (closed face) reel, I need a line that is supple, low torque (for less twist) and low stretch.

Berkley Iron Silk is my best casting line for spincast and spinning. People on many forums have related defects in a spool and I've had spools that seem to break at will, but only when I've used a double uni-knot to attach a braid leader. Maybe it's the friction when drawing the knot tight. All I know is that on the long cast in weeds, 8# test has held up great and no breaks occur at the knot or anywhere else. I just bought 12# test and will compare it.

I always use a braid leader for spinning and spincast because braid has little torque or memory and is like adding a giant swivel between the main line and the lure. I can even use in-line spinners without swivels and not get twist for at least 50 casts. (I use a swivel for line twisting-lures). Line twist is the leading cause of tangles at the spool and end guide, alont with stiff mono that comes off in coils due to line memory.

You can use any good braid, but I really like Spider Wire Stealth. First becasuse 30# test = 8# test diameter; second because it's the smoothest and lowest abraison braid I've used; third because it has no stretch (and I'm a long distance caster into heavy weeds); and fourth it's cheaper than other braids. It catches panfish and any sportsfish, especially those with sharp teeth. Therefore, it's like using a steel leader because few strands are cut of the 1,000 fibers in one mm of line, whereas one slice in mono or flurocarbon is all she wrote for a lure to become a pike's mouth jewelry. [laugh] The combos mentioned cast a 1/16 oz. weight 25 yds easily, even into the wind.

I like Fireline, Vanish for clear water and Fusion (when I run out of Stealth).

Try the braid leader idea. Gone are the days of untangling knots for half hours. Refer to Dave's post of what to look for in any line you may try. He's covered all the bases.

Sam
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