Monofilaments

[EC1]

I was wondering, how many people on this board actually use monofilament lines?

if so, are there any specific brands that have worked well for you? and are there brands that i should stay away from?

 

And here is my first input on the line i've been using:

I've been using Stren Magnathin (10lb test) which has been terrible for me for the past year. Yes the line is thin, but after about two weeks of not using the line, it feels really crunchy and has trouble staying onto the spool of a spincast real. Easily causes a lot of tangles in the line. Not sure if im just not matching it with the right hardware though .

 

Have fun fishing everyone.

EC

[Garry2Rs]

Your problem is line twist.

If you have a boat, you can drag the line in the prop wash behind the boat and the friction against the water will remove the twist.

Personally, I would switch to a braided line like Power Pro. Braids are far less affected by line twist than mono.

If your using 10 pound mono now, try 20 or 30 pound Power Pro, because it is much thinner than mono.

You said spin-casting...This is a push button reel. When you push the button the spool shifts forward trapping the line against the front cover of the reel.

On the cast you release the button and the spool retreats, releasing the line to fly out. The line needs to be fairly thick to work properly.

If this wasn't what you meant, 10 pound Power Pro works fine on my open face spinning reels.

However it is only the diameter of 2 pound mono...for all-around fishing I might choose 20 pound Power Pro.

If you're worried about the line spooking the fish, you can always use a leader of your old line between the braid and the hook. Personally I only do this if I'm still fishing...IE using live bait and a bobber.

There are many brands of mono. There are blends that are called co-polymer's, there are Fluorocarbon's that brag they are invisible underwater.

They all have the same line twist problem when used with spinning tackle. It's not their fault!! It's a design flaw of the way that the line goes off and is retrieved back onto the reel.

[OhioFisherman]

I use a variety of reels, baitcaster, spinning reels, and some semi closed face reels, for the most part original stren on all of them. I do at times mix in some vanish or berkley line, but 90 percent of the time just plain old stren.

 

One thing that can add line twist is to reel when the fish is taking out line, another is in-line spinner baits, best to use a quality ball bearing swivel with them. Some brands of ball bearing swivels aren`t worth the money even if you get them for free.

 

Not enough experience with the braided lines to comment, have some on a couple baitcasters, just haven`t seen enough use or a fish.

[Casey123]

We justed switched to Braided last year, my wife is now asking me what took us so long.

 

So long to line twist....

 

So long to line strech....

 

Hello to more and better hook up....esp. the whitefish in 80 FT of water throught the hard stuff.

 

 

All I can say is that our house in mono free

 

 

As far as the price goes...Good mono 12.00/spool, good mono 22.00 to 28.00

 

Mono needs to be changed once every 6 months, I have seen some great tips here to get 2 years out of braided, so I think it will all come out in the wash.

Edited March 30, 2008 by 4Reel

[kickingfrog]

Mono still has a place in fishing, and is fine for alround causal fishing. As mentioned line twist needs to be managed. I also wonder if the line/reel is being stored properly? Sunlight and heat (think car in summer) can do a number on line in a hurry. Even well looked after quality mono has a limited lifespan as well.

[bbog]

I am experimenting with braid and so far have been very happy with it. When I use mono I look for a copolymer type as the blend usually provides greater strength at smaller diameters.

 

Don't have any one favourite line or brand and like to experiment.

[pikehunter]

I used 8 lb. Stren Fluorescent for years on my spinning reel without a problem, stayed limp and didn't twist all that much. I found that a ball bearing swivel greatly reduced line twist while trolling. I used the same line for cats on the Grand, eyes on the Grand and pike when up north. Never had a problem with breakage or loosing a big one. If it did start to twist up do as said, no weight, lure, hook or any hardware, let your line out behind the boat and drag the line behind. The line will untwist and be good as new.

 

Also, make sure there isn't too much line on your spool. This year I spooled up with Power Pro 15 lb, a birthday gift from my son.

[mistyriver1]

As Garry has suggested, power pro is excellent line. I've got it on all my baitcasters and one spinning rod.

 

I find most mono lines to be comparable but I've been using the Bass Pro brand lately as you can usually pick up larger quantities for a good price. Their brand of braid isn't bad either.

 

Another tip, when you're putting on new mono line, run it under warm water for a couple of minutes. This will help reduce memory.

 

Good luck.

[Burtess]

I use Power Pro on my baitcaster, but only mono on my spinning reels.

 

I use Ande in different tests on all my spinning setups and don't generally have problems with line test. For example I freshly spool up my larger spinning combo each fall and this lasts throughout salmon season casting spoons etc. off the piers, and I don't have problems with line twist. Most of the reels I use are the higher end Daiwa with the Twistbuster feature, maybe it really works

 

Burt

[marcers75]

I use a combination of both PowerPro and Flourocarbon. My main setups are 20lb PowrPro on all my reels and when needed will use a flourocarbon leader , except for 1 of my bait casters will be lined with 15lb flourocarbon, still seeing which flourocarbon I like best, the XPS brand is pretty good but will try the new berkley 100% flourocarbon.

 

PowerPro is really sensitive, i can feel the action of my lures a lot better. Word to the wise, make sure your drag is set correctly, braid has no stretch and if you have a hard hook set you can either rip the hook out of the fish's mouth or snap your rod.

[kemper]

I only use mono on two of my reels. I use 10 lb on my smallmouth/walleye rod that I throw tubes, jigs and small crankbaits with and I use 8 lb main and 5 lb lead on my steelhead/salmon float rod.

 

Powerpro on everything else!

[bassfighter]

I have caught more bass on mono than on braided line, due to the fact that the water I am fishing on is becoming clearer everytime. I used few different brand name such as Rapala or stren 6-8 lb.

 

Braided line does not stretch and offers more sensitivity, Mono is close to florocarbon clarity. I carry different rod with Braided and mono line, and my mono line still outperforms braid in catching fish, but mono also has the potential of breaking and losing more artificial lures to toothy fish such as walleye , pike, or musky.

 

For winter fishing, only mono line in 8lb

 

See chart below posted on photobucket http://i223.photobucket.com/albums/dd294/b...inestrength.jpg

[camillj]

I prefer mon to braid (except on my Musky set-up) ... personal preference ... I like a little stretch ... and find it to be a little more limp (both qualities I need when fishing light line on BIG fish in clear water ... never really had trouble with hooksets because I use sharp hooks.

 

BTW the easiest way to avoid twist (except when trolling a spinner - like MEPPS - when almost nothing works) is to adjust your drag properly ... I have seen more guys turning their crank with a too-loose drag and ending up wondeirng why their line is always twisted ... thats the single most common mistake I see out there.

 

 

Anyhow .. mono definitely has its place ... mostly for finesse IMHO

[brickNblock]

Hope this helps...........

Dave Mercer's FactOFishing has what he thinks should be used........

he's not too far off in my eyes...

Cant remember at the moment....but for

Up to a certain line diameter...is for spinning reels...and anything larger is for braided lines.

I only used this as a guide and anything else from experience or sound advice from bud's I fished with.

Presently...

3 large baitcasters with #80 P.P........w/#100 seaguar leader

2 large baitcasters with #100 P.P......w/#130 seaguar leader....(Thanks Lew/Raf/MuskyBill/J.P)

LineCounters:

Riggers- #17 mono/Trilene XT or XL

PlanerBds- #10 mono/Trilene XT or XL

flatlining- #17 mono/Trilene XT or XL

Jigging #8 mono.Trilene XT

Others have given you sound advice as for getting rid of line twist when in a boat and it works.

Also the mention of running under warmish/hot water works well when first spooling.

My choice would be braided for everything but there are certain presantations that MONO is a must have.

$0.02

Hope it helps..

bNb

[EC1]

wow thanks for all the replies and advice. I might be trying out powerpro if it is working out so great for that many members on this board. i actually soak my line in cool water right after spooling for about 3 hours each time. I always thought that cold water would make the line "shrink" and be tighter and stick to the spool. Will be experimenting with the warm water this year.

[Guest lundboy]

wow thanks for all the replies and advice. I might be trying out powerpro if it is working out so great for that many members on this board. i actually soak my line in cool water right after spooling for about 3 hours each time. I always thought that cold water would make the line "shrink" and be tighter and stick to the spool. Will be experimenting with the warm water this year.

 

I've had that problem with magnathin as well. It seems really wirery after a couple of uses.

 

braid is great but they also range from wirey to pretty good. Power Pro is my favourite.

 

Braid isn't for every application however. If you want to try another mono, get some Trilene XL. It's been great for me. It's inexpensive too. Being around unchanged for 20+ years says something about Trilene XL.

[fishindevil]

As im a multi-species fisherman,i use it all braid,mono,wire,leadcore,steel line,fireline !!!! because for different fish,you need different lines & strengths,but i still love my momo,with almost all of ot being from the trilene family as they have so many kinds the have one kind for at least everyone....so they get my business,except for the other ones i like,vanish transition of course trilene XT,XL sensation,big game,for salmon & trout and the new %100 trilene flourocarbon,i have a few reels already spooled up and ready to go.....and when you have been using the same kinds of line for your whole life its for sure what you feel confident in as well,i think thats a big part of it for me anyway !!!!!!!