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Boundary Waters Quetico Forum Fishing Forum Line Preference |
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06/06/2019 10:25AM
Power pro 5# main line with berkley vanish 4# flouro leader for light combo.
Power pro 10# main line with berkley vanish 8# flouro leader for med spinning combo.
Power pro 20# main line with berkely vanish 15# flouro leader for bait casting combo.
leader length, swivel or uni knot, and main line color are situation specific.
Power pro 10# main line with berkley vanish 8# flouro leader for med spinning combo.
Power pro 20# main line with berkely vanish 15# flouro leader for bait casting combo.
leader length, swivel or uni knot, and main line color are situation specific.
06/06/2019 10:26AM
I do a LOT of trolling so almost all my reels are strung with 20 lb braid, which is usually pretty similar in diameter to 8lb mono depending on brand. I like the sensitivity and the fact that the line is more than twice as strong while maintaining a diameter that will dive well. I'm not too fussy on which brand I use, but I always buy the "metered" lines which change colors every 20 feet (sometimes 25) so I always know how much line is out and how deep I'm running my bait.
I tie the braid to a length of flourocarbon leader with a double unit knot and terminate with a snap swivel.
Slip bobber rods get 6lb mono.
I tie the braid to a length of flourocarbon leader with a double unit knot and terminate with a snap swivel.
Slip bobber rods get 6lb mono.
06/06/2019 10:46AM
My son and I use 8# Trilene mono on our jigging rods and 12# Triline mono on our casting/trolling rods. I guess that's old school compared to the newer braids, etc., but it seems to work pretty well for us.
If I switch anything, it would be switching to braid on the casting/trolling rods.
If I switch anything, it would be switching to braid on the casting/trolling rods.
"Keep close to Nature's heart, yourself; and break clear away, once in a while, and climb a mountain or spend a week in the woods. Wash your spirit clean." ~ John Muir
06/06/2019 10:55AM
Jackfish: "My son and I use 8# Trilene mono on our jigging rods and 12# Triline mono on our casting/trolling rods. I guess that's old school compared to the newer braids, etc., but it seems to work pretty well for us.
If I switch anything, it would be switching to braid on the casting/trolling rods. "
Exact same here except my trolling is 10# Glad to see someone else do the same.
“Adopt the pace of nature: her secret is patience.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson
06/06/2019 12:05PM
mattclod: "I'm curious what everyone's go-to line brand, type, and test are."
8 lb on everything. One rod with Fireline, one with Trilene clear XL mono. Truth of the matter, don't notice a lot of difference in my catch rate. I might consider a flouro leader this year. Unless there's wood or a lot of current, I haven't ever seen a need for anything more than 8#. That's what the drag is for. (Biggest two pike with that test line were 43 and 45, WCPP) But that's just a personal opinion, no argument with those who go heavier (or lighter).
If jigging, tie straight to jig (they're cheap). If trolling expensive lures, use Knot-2-Kinky titanium leaders I tie myself.
06/06/2019 04:35PM
I'm PowerPro braid on everything of varying tests. My brother had me convinced to go to sufix (I think that is what it is), but the local shop was out of it.
I eschew common wisdom, and unless I'm trolling and need it to get deeper, or using a microlite rod where I think the rod would break before the line, I do not use a leader.
EDIT: Going to braid was eye opening for me. I doubt I'll ever go back.
I eschew common wisdom, and unless I'm trolling and need it to get deeper, or using a microlite rod where I think the rod would break before the line, I do not use a leader.
EDIT: Going to braid was eye opening for me. I doubt I'll ever go back.
06/06/2019 10:15PM
I'm leaning more and more to braid and fluoro combination. Braid is great for checking if your lure is running right, sensitivity, and hook set. It also seems to wrap my rod easily and tangles are hard to fix. It can be a pain to tie on light fluoro leaders.
20# PowerPro to:
6# Seagur Tatsu fluorocarbon for walleyes
20# Seagur Tatsu fluorocarbon for everything else
20# PowerPro to:
6# Seagur Tatsu fluorocarbon for walleyes
20# Seagur Tatsu fluorocarbon for everything else
06/06/2019 11:43PM
STREN Magnathin (6Lb) is / was the best mono out there for years. Still use it. Use full fluro on one setup and I see no diff between it and Magnathin. Braid / powerpro for a few other setups and they have their advantages , but mono properly fished (and un-snagged by using the 20% stretch of mono to your advantage) is still my favorite for canoe county on the ease of getting a snag back.- and not retying etc.
The two loudest sounds known to man: a gun that goes bang when it is supposed to go click and a gun that goes click when it is supposed to go bang.
06/06/2019 11:49PM
For you Trielene advocates - try Stren Magnathin - just once. If your into a subtle walleye/ finicky fish bite/ you'll never go back.
The two loudest sounds known to man: a gun that goes bang when it is supposed to go click and a gun that goes click when it is supposed to go bang.
06/10/2019 10:43AM
-yes you can still use a slip bobber, just put it on the braid section above your leader and know/swivel. if using a swivel I like a bead between bobber and knot to swivel.
-leader length depends on water clarity, species, and subtlety of presentaion. meaning the clearer the water the longer the leader. I usually don't use more than 24'' tops for leader length. Fish like pike and muskie I use titanium leader to braid since they aren't too choosy mostly. If using a finesse rig like senko or Qmike's Zman shadz setup a slightly longer leader gives it a more natural look compared to casting a crank bait where the fish don't have as long to examine it.
-if you are comfortable tying a uni knot it is the preferred line to line knot, otherwise for ease of use and keeping line twist out of your setup a small barrel swivel works wonders.
-leader length depends on water clarity, species, and subtlety of presentaion. meaning the clearer the water the longer the leader. I usually don't use more than 24'' tops for leader length. Fish like pike and muskie I use titanium leader to braid since they aren't too choosy mostly. If using a finesse rig like senko or Qmike's Zman shadz setup a slightly longer leader gives it a more natural look compared to casting a crank bait where the fish don't have as long to examine it.
-if you are comfortable tying a uni knot it is the preferred line to line knot, otherwise for ease of use and keeping line twist out of your setup a small barrel swivel works wonders.
06/10/2019 10:47AM
Matchman: "Those of you who use some sort of primary line with a flouro leader, a few questions:
- Does that still allow for slip bobber applications?
- How long a leader do you tie?
- Direct tie or swivel?"
Slip-bobber knots don't stay put well on braided line for me. I tie on maybe 30-50 feet of flourocarbon if I'm going to rig up a slip bobber. If I decide I want to jig, that same leader can be cut back as short as wanted.
I always tie a double uni knot, which is easily reeled on to the spool and casts just fine.
06/10/2019 11:25AM
thegildedgopher: "Matchman: "Those of you who use some sort of primary line with a flouro leader, a few questions:
- Does that still allow for slip bobber applications?
- How long a leader do you tie?
- Direct tie or swivel?"
Slip-bobber knots don't stay put well on braided line for me. I tie on maybe 30-50 feet of flourocarbon if I'm going to rig up a slip bobber. If I decide I want to jig, that same leader can be cut back as short as wanted.
I always tie a double uni knot, which is easily reeled on to the spool and casts just fine. "
Try the dogbone style bobber stops. The work pretty good on braided.
06/10/2019 01:25PM
As the name suggests I like to fish for SMB. Grew up on bass living in the South and the smallie is the best fight around.
Use 8lb Fireline Crystal with a 8-12 inch fluoro leader. The Fireline is prone to abrasion and weakening and the fluoro isn't. Casting fluoro sucks, so I try to keep it to a minimum.
As for attaching the fluoro leader to the Fireline I use a loop-to-loop connection, just like one would with a fly leader. Before I go out I cut and tie loops on a bunch of fluoro segments. Really cuts down on knot tying on the water which I can't stand doing, especially as I've gotten older and my eyesight isn't what it used to be, and it also means no knots between two different types of line which I never trust.
Use 8lb Fireline Crystal with a 8-12 inch fluoro leader. The Fireline is prone to abrasion and weakening and the fluoro isn't. Casting fluoro sucks, so I try to keep it to a minimum.
As for attaching the fluoro leader to the Fireline I use a loop-to-loop connection, just like one would with a fly leader. Before I go out I cut and tie loops on a bunch of fluoro segments. Really cuts down on knot tying on the water which I can't stand doing, especially as I've gotten older and my eyesight isn't what it used to be, and it also means no knots between two different types of line which I never trust.
06/10/2019 06:05PM
On my spinning reels I run 15lb PowerPro braid to a 10ft 10lb Sunline Sniper fluorocarbon leader using a double uni knot. I use those setups for casting, jigging, and trolling. The braid helps with quick hook sets and sensitivity.
On my baitcasters, I run 40lb Sufix 832 OR PowerPro Super8Slick V2 to a 14lb Sunline Sniper fluoro leader, about 10ft as well. The heavier braid prevents digging into the spool and adds abrasion resistance; it also mates better with the 14lb fluoro for the leader knot. I use the baitcasters for casting (obviously) and trolling for big fish as the rods are sized up accordingly and are able to haul in bigger fish faster, ideally tiring them out less and letting me get them back into the water sooner.
The Super8Slick is extremely bright (neon green) so the fluoro leader is a MUST. I used a frog and a spook with the fluoro leader (people typically go straight braid for these applications) with no issues walking the bait, though I only got one bite (and successfully landed a fish) on the spook, so I can't really speak towards hookset problems with those baits, though it shouldn't be an issue. I wasn't throwing punching or throwing frogs into thick weeds where the heavy braid helps to rip the bait (and fish) out of it, which is when I think straight braid would be a better option.
Although the Sunline Sniper is expensive, it comes very highly recommended from many other anglers (bass focused). It is not as rigid as other fluoro brands and has a small amount of stretch to it, so you can walk baits with it and tie things more easily. Tying leaders all the time is no fun, but if you tie on a super long leader, you can cut and re-tie a few times while still having a very long leader that doesn't require re-tying. I also used small VMC snaps for the entire trip, with a tiny bass getting away with a 1/4oz Red Eye Shad because a larger VMC snap opened up on me. I won't be using those again. I DID however catch both of my big lakers with a direct-tied jig (didn't feel like tying a snap). Still, I caught plenty of fish while using a snap. Re-tying is for schmucks. Just make sure to check the line every couple casts, and after every fish. If it feels frayed or weak, try to snap it with your hands. Better safe than sorry, if you're going for lunkers.
On my baitcasters, I run 40lb Sufix 832 OR PowerPro Super8Slick V2 to a 14lb Sunline Sniper fluoro leader, about 10ft as well. The heavier braid prevents digging into the spool and adds abrasion resistance; it also mates better with the 14lb fluoro for the leader knot. I use the baitcasters for casting (obviously) and trolling for big fish as the rods are sized up accordingly and are able to haul in bigger fish faster, ideally tiring them out less and letting me get them back into the water sooner.
The Super8Slick is extremely bright (neon green) so the fluoro leader is a MUST. I used a frog and a spook with the fluoro leader (people typically go straight braid for these applications) with no issues walking the bait, though I only got one bite (and successfully landed a fish) on the spook, so I can't really speak towards hookset problems with those baits, though it shouldn't be an issue. I wasn't throwing punching or throwing frogs into thick weeds where the heavy braid helps to rip the bait (and fish) out of it, which is when I think straight braid would be a better option.
Although the Sunline Sniper is expensive, it comes very highly recommended from many other anglers (bass focused). It is not as rigid as other fluoro brands and has a small amount of stretch to it, so you can walk baits with it and tie things more easily. Tying leaders all the time is no fun, but if you tie on a super long leader, you can cut and re-tie a few times while still having a very long leader that doesn't require re-tying. I also used small VMC snaps for the entire trip, with a tiny bass getting away with a 1/4oz Red Eye Shad because a larger VMC snap opened up on me. I won't be using those again. I DID however catch both of my big lakers with a direct-tied jig (didn't feel like tying a snap). Still, I caught plenty of fish while using a snap. Re-tying is for schmucks. Just make sure to check the line every couple casts, and after every fish. If it feels frayed or weak, try to snap it with your hands. Better safe than sorry, if you're going for lunkers.
06/10/2019 08:28PM
I've been experimenting with the nano-fil lines lately. Started with the 6 lb and liked it real well for hybrid striper fishing this winter. The sensitivity and castability is untouchable. It also worked extremely well for casting and catching crappies on 1/32 and 1/16 oz jigs. I'm not sure if it is getting worn? or if I just managed to get bit off by pike consistently? I got broke off one too many times, and switched. It didn't seem to me like the 6lb held up that well. I had another reel rigged with 10 lb nano-fil, and it worked like a champ. Even managed to catch a pike with one of my lures that had been bitten off in it's mouth.
I agree with the others about the magnathin. It's a time tested and proven winner. Can't go wrong there.
Have you seen QueticoMike's recent pictures of smallies and pike? I'd go with what he says. :-)
I agree with the others about the magnathin. It's a time tested and proven winner. Can't go wrong there.
Have you seen QueticoMike's recent pictures of smallies and pike? I'd go with what he says. :-)
06/13/2019 10:16PM
WhiteWolf: "For you Trielene advocates - try Stren Magnathin - just once. If your into a subtle walleye/ finicky fish bite/ you'll never go back. "I use to use stren magnathin back in the day but once I used trilene I never went back :-)
" I want to know Gods thoughts , The rest are details " Albert Einstein. WWJD
06/14/2019 05:09PM
Basspro69: "i use to use magnathin all the time , but then got a bad batch , which i believe was old stock ? so now i stick mainly to trilene , because off it's popularity & quality it's always fresh line.WhiteWolf: "For you Trielene advocates - try Stren Magnathin - just once. If your into a subtle walleye/ finicky fish bite/ you'll never go back. "I use to use stren magnathin back in the day but once I used trilene I never went back :-)"
pound test vary's for me , depends on what i'm targeting ,
when tossing larger lures power pro braid.
keep your line wet, good things will happen
06/15/2019 07:26AM
missmolly: "Trilene XL 6-pound, but I think I'm going to 8-pound. 6-pound really starts to break after a couple weeks of hard fishing. "
That's why I went from 8 to 10#. 10# is like throwing rope compared to 6 and 8. Never have any fish break me off using 10 and I still seem to catch many fish.
I can be followed on Instagram @queticomike
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