I've used trilene for a loooooooong time but I see all the new types of line out there ,usually fishing 4.6 and 8 lb test looking for better strength abrasion resistance and low memory with good knot strength ,what are your recommendations and why ?

I also used Trilene for many years. A couple of years ago, I tried Suffix Elite monofilament and I like it better than Trilene. It appears to be more durable, lower memory, and it has a nice slick feel to it. I have primarily used it for crappie fishing. I really like their hi-vis yellow line for crappie fishing. I am switching my bass reels over to Suffix Elite.

Thanks Jim ,I just may try that line

If you aren't against braided lines I like Fireline in #10 test ( #3 diameter) It has virtually no memory and zero stretch, allowing you to set the hooks on bigger feesh with ultralight tackle�

Been using P-Line CX alot, low memory, very strong, 6# seems to not break off near what 6 mono does, more like 8-10. Sensitive, sinks, little stretch, so line stays tight before and during hook set.

Lately playing with braid on spinning, using 15# Spiderwire EZ braid on UL (though will run 10 in future and this just overpowers rod and strength to bend and free a hook that is hung up. 20# Power pro on larger reels. So far same properties as Flourocarbon above, though hear braid may be more prone to abrasion. Time will tell, but leaving mono perhaps for good for most purposes......other than if running topwater and wanting line to float more...

I use 6lbs Stren Magnathin a lot, with very good results.

Just spooled up some 8# P-Line flouro carbon and spent part of the day throwing jerk baits with it. Expected it to be "springy" and fly off the spinning reel but it laid down flat on retrieves and was very well behaved.Like most all P-Line's it seems like pretty tough stuff.

In braided lines I am very fond of Suffix Braid and use it quite a bit on both spinning and bait cast gear,10#-30 pound test.

Hey guys suggest away that why I posted it ,ingwe you apparently like the braid ,does it have good knot strength ?

Yes, and everyone maintains that you have to use some special knots with it, but Ive found a regular clinch knot or Palomar work just fine. The other reason I like it is we a do a lot of creek fishing for trout,ultralight, and a lot of hanging our lures up in the brush. as often as not you can straighten the hooks out on the little lures before the line breaks, saving a ton of lure money in the long run�.


Often fishing cover like this, for fish like this�

Have used Power Pro for the past 4 yrs -same line. I was told by a tourney angler that you can turn the line around - end for end and use it for another several yrs, which greatly reduces the price. PowerPro has a new line PP slick? that I will try this spring. Braids aren't the best for ice fishing, though. They tend to pick up water and freeze straight. . which can become a good marker for depth or a pain. You will enjoy the sensitivity of braids.

Flourocarbon could be good line, but really does require special knots. I just use it for leader material.

Good fishing!

Is it so expensive that this technique is worth it?

This schit is funny!

Braid has NO equal. That being said,it's easy to stoke a reel with a braid,that'll get a rod in trouble.







Sometimes Factories make it right. 30# PP on a 4-8# UL,is one of my favorite meldings.




Though I'm not talkin' about catching schit that'd pass for bait,if only to be clear.(grin)

[img]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v136/BigStick/Stuff/Fish%20Stuff/DAD_9565.jpg[/img]

Line is cheap...but I still up-end the spool,because the bottom is still brand new and never gets used. Some spool mono first as a backing,then tie braid to it. I much prefer braid start to finish

Flourocarbon sucks ass and cain't take a lick,but again...I'm not [bleep] around with bait-sized "victims" where nothing matters.

Yarding schit out of cover,is how the game is played and it's all about abrasion resistance,cast distance and rugged reliability.

[img]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v136/BigStick/Stuff/Fish%20Stuff/20110423-DAD_3727.jpg[/img]
[img]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v136/BigStick/Stuff/Fish%20Stuff/20110423-DAD_3749.jpg[/img]

Chameleon still remains head and shoulders above the rest,as leader material.

You've been led to water.

Hint.

Great pictures.... That is beautiful country. I have been converting reels to braid this season though what I'm catching you would call bait so going with 10# test on my UL spinning reels.

I run Power Pro braid on my rods. 40# and I typically fish small mouth, northern, walleye and this year some salmon in Sturgeon Bay.

I like the fact I can horse the line for when things go bad.

I agree with forpest. There are two applications where I don't like braid, icefishing and trolling with downriggers. The only reason I don't like it for trolling is that it wears a grove in the release pad. If you used another type of release, such as the Chamberlain, you'd be fine. Other than that, I use braid 90% of the time.

Stick - did Loomis go good on that rod? Current set up is Croix, which I love but thinking I need a baitcaster and maybe a dedicated trolling rod - willing to look away from Croix.

Braid shines brightly,on a downrigger and nothing else can begin to hang with it,in said application. I was looking for pics,but cain't find 'em.(grin)

In extreme cold,Braid does no favors,especially on the modest eyes found upon a typical Casting(Drift Fishing) rod. I seldom have to contend such temps,so it's close to moot...though I do have extry spools in tow and have seen me slum mono in a pinch(though begrudgingly). Hint.




Most of my pursuits in my arid locale,are in scorching temps anyhow.(grin)




'Croix makes some nice stuff. Their Warranty isn't Loomis-esque(40 clams to get through the door,as opposed to 20 for Loomis),but they seem to take care. Loomis replaced the above rod,no questions asked and if they wouldn't have...I'd still be money wayyyyyyy ahead of the equation,as I flogged on it purty good(though I prefer the GL3 version of the 1141-S,by a goodly margin).

'Croix action photo,post blank explosion and amidst trying to save face,by hand mucking the victim in for posterity pics. Funny schit! 40 clams and they made good.



'Nother.



Happiness is singin' braid,a screamin' drag and a blank on the verge of explosion...with pizzed off Chrome taking exception to the works.

[img]http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/1024x768q90/850/9yel.jpg[/img]

It's rough.(grin)

[img]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v136/BigStick/Stuff/Fish%20Stuff/2R8G3427_zpsbb1592bf.jpg[/img]

Good to hear about Loomis - never looked at them much and being in WI - when people start talking the higher end rods, it always seems to be Croix - local and all.

I think everyone who really enjoys fishing and not just wasting an afternoon on the bank with a 6'r deserves and should try a really great rod.

I got my walleye rod when Sportsman's was closing. IIRC the list on it was about 3 bills and I managed to hold out and get them down to 75 bucks on the rod. Was a big change going from the usual Ugly Stick to something like that. Amazing sensitivity and I ain't broke it yet....

Hear you on the ice in the eyes with braid - only really have that issue with ice-out walleye on the river and even that's only a couple weeks. I just deal with it. I'll never go back to "regular" line as far as I can see.

Any thoughts on original Power Pro versus the newer Super 8 Slick version? I've used both and switched over to the Super 8 Slick on reels that my son and I use for steelhead. After using the newer version on a few trips, I started to miss the tried-and-true Power Pro original.

I think I fell into the mindset of "...well, if it's a newer and more expensive version of Power Pro, it must be better...." The next time I change the line, I think I'll be switching back to the original.

What line is that YELLOW line Boxer?

Do you slung the Montucky for Nasties? 223 Amax Clown handle?

teal,

Some equipment is local and it's often interesting how that comes to be. 'Croix makes some fair to middlin' stuff and I can't cuss 'em.

Don't try a Loomis.(grin)











Coal',

I drive old school PP expressly and by design.

The schit is simply [bleep] amazing.










'BR,

PP everywhere and yellow is a marked preference.

I never don't not have a rifle over the shoulder and I've seen me schlep a Montucky 223AI with frequency. Tough act to follow.

I'm more than a touch comfy with it and the ilk.(grin)

If your talking about mono line sufix is good stuff as is vicious panfish line. For super line the new nanofil is awesome. Casts better than anything I have tried. A three come in hi viz yellow. I like it cause I'm a line watcher, you don't always feel them bite but you can see your line move. If I'm fising clear water I will tie a lo viz green leader onto my main line with a double surgeon s knot. Yo zuri hybrid soft is good stuff too but the diameter is about one size bigger as stated. 4 pound is about the dia of 6 pound buy ist stronger than most 4 and as strong as six in my experience. It lasts longer than mono too.

The cost is relative. I have to respool my mono reels every year because the memory causes the line to air-knot. Braid will last several seasons and has no memory so no problem with air knotting. So while braid is initially more expensive, I find it lasts so much longer that it's price is effectively the same as mono.

The one thing to be aware of when switching to braid is you put a lot more strain on the rod and the reels drag because the line isn't taking any of the shock and stretch.

Seaguar Invizx 10# is what I use. The strongest line I've used.

Anybody have any feedback on Berkley "Nano-Fil" ?

I just came back from my local fishing store, and they had it stock, but the guy I usually get advice from said he wasn't impressed. Recommended Trilene XL for open face spinning gear.

I also use Fireline. Use mostly 4 and 6 lb for largemouth and smallmouth bass with light lures at Roosevelt Lake Az. Have been doing so for 11 yrs and see no reason to change.

I still reverse lines. Why not? It takes the same time as spooling on new line and the cost is zero.

RickcNY,

My friend from Roch. fishes exclusively for perch in Seneca and Canandaigua with deer hair jigs. He only uses 4 lb smoke fireline.

Anaconda, my research on reviews showed Fireline much prefered over nano-fil. That said, if not braid, do yourself a favor, try P-line CX Premium, Low memory equals limp long cast, and the 6# I use rarely breaks even when hung up bad. It must be closer to 10# break strength. Sensitive and sinks, little slack vs. mono.

Like AZ, when you use something that works so well, hard to go back. XL was a good line in it's day....today much better exists IME. I have used it, it's good, others great.

Rick, what will you be fishing for?

Most of my River rods have spiderwire on them. My trout and steelhead have chamealeon(sp), i believe

My catfish, walleye, and muskie rods all have braid. Save one catfish rod. A downrigher rod rigged with 65 pound braid as backing and 50 pound mono, a drop rig with 3 2 ounce bank sinkers and a 5ought circle hook. That rod is soecifically for deep hole cats. The rest are abu garcia ambassador reels on 8'6" meadium heavy rods rigged with30 pound spider wire.

Stream rods for trout ,balance ,panfish,bass ,trout ,northerns ,walleyes,salmon ,muskies ,some catfishing ,bullheads

With a high country creek fishing expedition coming next weekend, it was time.
I spooled my ultra light with 6 lb Fireline, smoke color.
I've been using 4 lb Stren for decades.
We will boat across a lake at about 7,500 feet, and hike a few miles up the creek that feeds it, throwing spinners for trout
in the 1-2 lb range.
I'm thinking 1/8 oz Panther Martens and Blue Foxs.

I'm hoping the fireline will out cast the old 4 lb mono, and be strong enough to pull me out of some snags.

I switched to fireline quite a few years ago and never looked back. Well I shouldn't say never... A buddy talked me into trying this new mono that came out. I don't remember what it was exactly. I tried it on one trip and stripped it off as soon as I got home and put fireline back on.

To me it is so much more sensitive and hook set friendly. Not to mention that you can use it to pull your truck out of the ditch in a pinch!

I found when I switched from 4# to 6# that I rarely loose tackle to snagged sticks or lilly pads and I didn't seem to give up much casting distance.

If you really want to get some distance, go up to 1/4 oz lures. They will outcast the smaller lures, and also seem to keep the smaller fish off the hook.

Power Pro in braid for certain applications and Berkley Trilene Big Game for mono. Still feeling out the flourocarbon's as to which I like best. Mono is good for topwaters and general fishing. Braid is good for pitching and flipping. Floro's are good for crankbaiting and worm fishing/senko's and swimbaits. I usually bass fish FWIW

Largely based on information from this thread, I switched from 5 decades of using mono to some new superlines and went fishing this weekend.

I spooled my ultralight with 6 lb Fireline, and was impressed.
I was casting 1/8 oz spinners much better than the old 4 lb mono, and this stuff is way stronger. The one time I hung it up in rocks I was able to pull it free. With the old 4 lb Trilene or Stren, it would have been a lost spinner.

I set up a lake trolling rig with 30 lb Power Pro on a Shimino Cardiff and caught a dozen rainbows ranging from 12" to 19".
I was afraid this rig would be overkill for trout of this size, but it was perfect for handling the blade-flasher trolling rigs and weights we run. My friends, mostly running 10-12 lb mono on open faced spinning rigs had tangles and line problems on and off both days. I had no problems and was able to keep my rig behind the boat while they messed with gear.

My new trolling and heavy crankbait rig.

Lots of the guys on here that are loving the fire line would like nanofil better, try it.

Another vote for braid.

Bait casting- power pro or cortland master braid

Spinning- fire line.

I looked all over town for nanofil, and the only place that had it only had white, and the guy behind the counter didn't recommend it.
The "smoke grey fireline" was invisible in the lake water.
I still have a couple of medium spinning rigs, maybe I'll try nano on one of them, but Fireline is pretty impressive to someone who has been using Stren and Trilene since Nixon was president.

I am a fire line fan.

I run 100lb power pro on my halibut rig. I have had the same line on it for about 5 years now, and it is still going strong. There is something to be said about getting hung up on the bottom and using the boat to pull it off. I normally run a corkscrew swivel and tie it on with a palomar knot. I have had no issues with knot strength.

I use the yellow cause I can see it. I just add a 6'-7' length of low viz green mono to the end of the nanofil regardless of water color. It gives you a little shock resistance so you don't rip their mouth. You lose less fish when you do this. It also makes the line more invisable to fish. I tried floro but like mono for leader material better. You can still feel every little peck on your line. A little bit of stretch is a good thing. I tie them together with a modified surgeons knot, no swivel unless im using a lure that causes a lot of line twist like a jigging spoon or inline spinner. Othewise the knot passes right through the guides.

Good info - can you give more info on the swivels used for spinners? Thanks.

I don't know what seal billy uses for a swivel, but I never use one on spinners�every 3rd or 4th cast I need to let out about 4 ft. of line and let the thing 'unwind' as it were, but I haven't found a swivel that will get me the quick starting speed I need on the spinner. ( The majority of my fishing is fishing upstream, retrieving with the current so getting the spin started can be problematic�)

Power Pro w/Palomar knot. Floro 100# leader 10-12" tied to welded ring/swivel crosslock w/Miller knots for toothy fish (musky).
Power Pro is tough.

Sorry I didn't reply sooner. I use regular barrel swivels. Spro makes a small bearing swivel that is available in barrel swivel sizes, gonna try those. If I use a barrel swivel I only tie a leader 12" - 18" so you don't have 4 foot of line hanging off you rod tip when trying to cast. You can still have some line twist but way less than if you didn't use one.


Try a 1/4 oz. joes flie. killer on river smallies!

Ingwe good point about spinner action coming downstream towards facing fish...Thanks.

Seal Billy - thanks for the reply/info as well.

I just changed the line on my 8ft crappie jig rod from 6 lb Trilene XL to 12 lb Nano-Fill. Having fished it twice now I think I am going to like it. 1/16th ounce jigs work just as well, I can feel the thump just fine and I can straighten the hook instead of breaking off when snagged. I have to fish it more before being fully convinced, but so far so good.