Line for Bait Caster reels

[Mike the Pike]

OK folks I finally got the hang of casting with my baitcaster reel this summer and loved fishing with it until one moment when I forgot to adjust

lure weight.

 

I now have a nasty birds nest that is permanent.

 

I think I made the wrong choice in line spooled it with 20lb Stren Super Braid.

 

I like fishing for Bass with this set up so what would you guys recommend.

 

Mike the pike

[irishfield]

30 lb Power Pro Mike.

[johnnyb]

I second the PowerPro! 30lb is exactly what I have used for my bass baitcasting adventures for the past few years...stuff hasn't given me any grief yet.

[forrest]

I have used the Stren 14lb braid, but, I recently transfered that to lighter gear an put 30lb power Pro with no problemo. Putting a backing on the line was essential.

[bassjnkie]

What are you using the casting reel for?

 

Crank baits I like 12lb mono or 10Lb braid

Spinner baits - buizzbaits 30-50lb braid

Jig n pigs 50-80lb braid depending where I am fishing

Senko, soft swimbaits, tubes 20-30lb braid

 

I like braid a lot for bass, but mono has to be used in some situations.

 

If you are using it for all around then don't go lower then 30lb.

 

Hope this helps

 

Daniel

[NBR]

I think so much depends on where you fish and the targeted fish. The lakes where I fish have very few weeds, I might have seen a lilly pad last year, so I don't use braid. For shallow or surface applications I use 10 to 14# limp mono-i.e. Berkley XL and for everthing else I use 10 or 12# fluorocarbon.

[aniceguy]

mike some good suggestions but each reel and the technique you are using it for requires a different line...If the purpose of it is an overall general purpose baitcasting reel, 15lb xl is imo the best over all mono line if your into a braid power pro is a great choice in the 20 lb and up range if its under that your seeking berkly crystal ... What reel do you have

[young_one]

mono backing, with 20lb PowerPro

check out the new lines coming out in 2009, won't hurt to try them!

http://www.tackletour.com/reviewpurefishinglinespre09.html

[steverowbotham]

Every situation calls for different lines ...

 

My crankbait reel has 14 lbs fluoro

My spinnerbait reel has 17 lbs fluoro

My frog reel has 65 lbs power pro

My flippin and pitchin reels has 50-65lbs power pro

My topwater reel has 12 lbs mono

[steverowbotham]

IMO 20lbs braid is too light for a baitcaster ... thats only like 6 lbs diameter ... that can cause some serious birdsnests.

 

I use 30 lbs braid on some spinning reels, I use nothing less than 40 lbs braid on baitcasters .... but overall I think a 14lbs fluoro is the best bet. I dont like braid as a "general" line, because some baits like spinnerbaits and crankbaits I believe require some stretch in the line.

[kemper]

30 lb PP

 

If finesse is needed fire up a flouro lead and youre golden

[Muskieman]

If yer gonna use braided lines ...you cannot go wrong

 

#1 In my book is Power Pro...30-50 lb test... moss green

 

another like i like and use it alot on my smaller B/C's is Suffix.....followed by Gorilla Braid.

 

 

 

When i run a Mono line.... I religiously use Trilene XT green...

 

 

RFS

[salmon]

This is what I have been using on my baitcasters:

Steez 30 lb Sufix braid

Calais 30 lb Sufix braid

Shimano Conquest 200DC 20lb Power Pro braid

CuradoE5 30 lb Sufix braid

Edited December 20, 2008 by jchau53

[maybo]

I use the PowerPro 30LB test red color for my TD Zillion 7.1.

works good

[BITEME]

12 lb mono Mikey Berkley tournement

[dnb_cbr]

Pick up one of these, it will be your best friend.

Baitcast Birdsnest Pic

[Weeds]

Go big or go home. I love 80lb braid, you'll never have a birdsnest you can't untangle and very few lures that you can't drag off the bottom. Pair it with your leader of choice in the appropriate length and you can fish for anything, panfish through musky. Just my 2 cents. Trust me, you'll love it.

[silveradosheriff]

Braid: 30-50lb PP

Mono: 14-17 lb Trilene XL

[BassAsin]

its gonna have to be trial and error i have a different opinion than some of these and others differ as well this a personal choice when all said and done your goin to end up with birdnests depending on what your tossing

[JPD]

Mike, there are a few general rules to fishing certain lures that will help you increase both your hook up and presentation.. Steve has the right idea here...

 

Any horizontal running lures like: Spinnerbaits, crankbaits, Rattle Traps etc... use Flurocarbon line.... 12 lb for Cranks and 14-17 lb for Spinnerbaits or Traps - Reason - Fluoro Sinks and is virtually invisible (one exception - Jerkbaits - best on braid if looking for very erratic aggressive action)

 

Any Vertical Lure (bottom Contact) like Tubes, Grubs, Flipping Jigs or Texas Rigged Plastics.... 50-65 lb Braid for Jigs and Plastics, I use 15-20 lb Braid with a Fluro Leader for Tubes and Grubs - Reason - Better feel and hook sets in cover

 

Topwaters like Spooks, Pop R's, Chuggers etc..(except Slop Frogs) - Monofilament - 12 - 14 depending on cover around - Reason - Mono floats... keeps your bait running better

 

Frogs in Slop - 65 lb Braid - Heavy rod

 

Hope this helps

 

JP

[jace]

Haha. 40 replies and 40 different recommendations. that's fishing for you.

 

I would say just keep using what you have if you liked it. That really bad tangle is from your thumb not being good enough. There are many triggers that tell the thumb it should come down to tame the spool and you'll eventually get to know more of the signs. That's not to say overruns will never happen, but they will never be that bad once you get the hang of it. In particular, the line sounds will get your thumb down long before the knot gets that bad. If you want to make i easier though, a heavier line will help, but only because you can rip out more tangles without snapping it, not that it will necessarily reduce the number of bad casts.

[OhioFisherman]

I used braided Dacron line years ago on baitcaster but for like the last 40 years Mono. Depending on reel size and purpose 10 to 20 pound test. Older Abu`s wouldn`t handle 10# it would get between the spool and side plate, 12# wouldn`t.

Shimano had a different spool design with closer tolerences, 10# worked fine on them. A lot of it is time using them it can get to be automatic.

[PatrickGG]

Curado 201: 50 pound PP

Curado 101: 30 Pound PP

Quantum Burner: 12 Pound Yo-Zuri Hybrid

Quantum Accurist Flipping Reel: 60 Pound PP

Edited December 21, 2008 by PatrickG

[ciceri]

i love fireline crystal, but i dont have a baitcaster, so i dont know how well it works with them

[BigSmallie]

I agree with JP, for casting mono or floro, for pitching and flipping heavy braid.