Is this still the best non-mono line for trolling spoons and crank-baits for lakers? Seems when I used it, it tied on the best. Thought of going with an 8-10 lb. test.

If I remember, it does not twist as mono does when you troll.

My braided line of choice is Suffix 832.

I used to be a big fan of Power Pro braided line. Many moons ago I used Spiderwire but the current Spiderwire version is inferior in my opinion.

Yes fireline is a great choice. It’s smooth unlike braid so it ties better line to line knots. I use 6,8 and 10 lb test tied to a flouro leader.

bwcasolo,

Fireline is s very good line.

I use the Precision Trolling APP on my cell phone as a way to figure how much line to let out of my baitcaster reel when I am trolling for walleye and lakers. The Precision Trolling App uses 10 lb. Berkley Fireline or 10 lb. Berkley Trilene XT (Extra Tough) Mono as their line types in their APP. Most professional walleye guides use Trilene XT Mono line as their line of choice for trolling as it stretches more than braid and hook sets seem to be much improved vs. braid.

I have tried both 10 lb. Fireline braid and 10 lb. Berkley Trilene XT Lo Vis Green and I do prefer Trilene XT Mono for trolling. Mastertangler and Pineknot have both given me some tips on trolling for lakers using Trilene XT Mono and I have become a believer.

I have only begun to troll for lakers the past 2 trips in Quetico ( I have been a walleye aficionado for 40 years). I put 10 lb. Trilene XT Lo-Vis Green Mono on my line counter reel and my Precision Trolling App on my cell tells me to let out 112 ft. of line to get my favorite Laker lure (Purpledescent Deep Tail DancerTD-11) down to 25 feet. If I want to get it down to its maximum depth of 29 feet … I let out 182 feet.

Of course, you don't have to use a line counter reel and the Precision Trolling APP to catch lakers, as you will catch lakers just letting out a bunch of line and let the lakers come up and take your trolling lure of choice.

I think the Precision Trolling App and a line counter set up is a great setup to troll ..especially for walleyes, as I you really want my trolling lure to be near the bottom on sunken reefs and flats where most walleye are located. I can place my trolling lure right where I am marking walleyes using my Lowrance X-4 Depthfinder and the Precision Trolling App.

Precision Trolling App using 10 lb. Fireline or 10 lb. Berkley XT Mono

thanks wally, low vis green has been my mono for 35 plus years, i believe in the color for clear water. the linder boys way back when, said to use it in clear water, i did, and have stuck with it.
i have been in the quetico from west to east in the clearest of lakes, and have caught some beauty's.
i did find that fireline, in the past, worked well for trolling,
i may try 8 lb low vis again on my baitcaster.
i may go back to fireline.

bwcasolo,

Like you I have always used 8 lb. line up in Quetico but I have upped it to 10 lb. the past few years, not only to accommodate the Precision Trolling APP but because I have caught some big bad northerns when trolling for eyes and lakers. The extra lb. test helps to land some big butes.

I was fishing with Pineknot on Sturgeon in 2017 and we were trolling some deep edges along some shoreline with a Deep Down Husky Jerk when a 44 inch + northern hit my 10 lb. line. It was a real fat pike with massive girth and head. We were in some pretty windy conditions so we paddled into a sheltered bay to land it. Pineknot got out of the canoe and climbed on a flat rock with his leather glove on one hand to try and land this beast. Well, the pike made 3 long runs as Pineknot tried to bring it up on the rock. Long story short … I can't provide you a picture of the beast … the pike came to life as Pineknot proceeded to slip his finger in the pike's gill for display and the pike wiggled free and plopped into Sturgeon Lake. I have caught a lot of pike in my day and this one was all of 44 inches and likely bigger. Pineknot felt bad not landing it but I said no problem as there would be more big pike to be caught.

Bottomline, I am glad I had upped my line to 10 lb. test, as I am not I would have landed such a big fish with 8 lb. line. With proper drag play … perhaps ?

However, I did follow up and tell Pineknot that if he lost a 34 inch walleye that was 13 lbs. … I would never "forgive" him. LOL … ( I caught a 12 lb. 32 1/2 inch walleye a few years back … hence my handle Wally13 … that 13 lb. walleye is out there somewhere in the Q waiting for me to catch her.)

10 lb fireline breaks at over 20 lbs. A rapala deep tail dancer 11 will dive to over 40 feet with fireline. Casting distance isn’t even close between mono and fireline.

Medium or medium lite action rods with any braid. No giant hookset just reel tight. The hookset problem that was talked about is from using the wrong rod and the wrong drag pressure. 7’ rods or longer work best.

yea, with no stretch in fireline, i have heard of snapped rod stories on hookset.

I use 10lb tracer Fireline on all my rigs up North.