Please recommend some line that can hold up to the elements

Page: 12 > Showing page 1 of 2
Author
skeelol
Novice Angler
  • Total Posts : 75
  • Reward points: 0
  • Joined: 2012/03/25 13:33:30
  • Location: Southside Burgh
  • Status: offline
2013/07/26 12:57:01 (permalink)

Please recommend some line that can hold up to the elements

I've been  using Trilene XT mono 8lb for awhile and I think it's time to move on. I need something stronger, I'm wondering if I should try out braid. I don't really want to go higher than 8lb test because I don't really have the reel for it and the thicker the line the less distance you get casting. I use 6'8" MF spinning setup, primarily after smallmouth or whatever may be lurking in the local rivers of Western PA.
 
I'm constantly losing lures/ baits because of frayed line. I try to re-string lure as much as possible due to frays, but it's not enough. I just cast my Zera Spook into the middle of the river because I whipped the line too hard and it snapped probably because of some fraying. Also a lot of times when I get a snag the line will break very easily while attempting to get it out.
 
Very open to suggestions here, thanks.

The charm of fishing is that it is the pursuit of what is elusive but attainable, a perpetual series of occasions for hope.
#1

30 Replies Related Threads

    Eman89so
    Pro Angler
    • Total Posts : 1806
    • Reward points: 0
    • Joined: 2009/01/29 09:51:06
    • Location: Irwin
    • Status: offline
    Re:Please recommend some line that can hold up to the elements 2013/07/26 13:05:07 (permalink)
    Hope you didn't buy your line from walmart..
     
    I personally use the Trilene 6lb low vis green for all of my walleye, bass, trout, steelhead, and never have a problem.. Obviously ill break a lure.. I wouldn't advise running braid on a small reel like that.  A buddy of mine did that and it ruined his reel. Why not just try 10# ? I like trilene personally, esp. for the price.. Just my opinion
    #2
    mr.crappie
    Pro Angler
    • Total Posts : 2549
    • Reward points: 0
    • Joined: 2002/09/05 21:51:29
    • Status: offline
    Re:Please recommend some line that can hold up to the elements 2013/07/26 14:04:59 (permalink)
    I would check the eyes of the rod for cracks,also check the line pickup roller to see if it is loose,it can let the line get behind it & shre it. Also I cut off a foot or so of line every time I try a new lure in case a fish's teeth or some rocks may have rubbedit. I personaly use Triline xl 8 # when throwing plugs & do not seem to have as many probs. as you state. Also keep your reel out of the sunlight while not fishing.  sam
    #3
    hot tuna
    Pro Angler
    • Total Posts : 6388
    • Reward points: 0
    • Status: offline
    Re:Please recommend some line that can hold up to the elements 2013/07/26 18:39:35 (permalink)
    based on what you typed here are my thoughts and suggestions..
    I fished bass tourneys for a few years , ugh and fished in waters heavily infested with the dreaded zebra mussels.. Now granted , you said top water lures such as the spook but if that is the case with jigs and snags you must use at least 10-14 lb..
    A Zara spook, spinnerbait, or deep water crank are heavy lures to begin with.. If you are trying to cast lures of that nature you need the proper line to support them.. Mono will stretch.. Every time you fire that lure out you are causing stretch to the point near the knot..
    Yes ,after repeated times there will come a point when the line will not take the stress and break.. I have had it happen while in the motion of loading the rod even before the lure moves forward..
    Basically it comes down to , too light of line for the application..
    Your rod seems fine, your reel seems to light if it can not support at least 10-14 lb test for such lures.. A lure of the above should have no problem casting up to 20lb test line..
     
    In saying that, Braid sucks.. Talk about fray.. It might not break but it will cause havoc to your guides, reel and forget about breaking off if you get snagged but will cut clean easily on a zebra....
    I like Triline XT , just the right line for the application..
    hope this helps..
    post edited by hot tuna - 2013/07/26 18:55:48

    "whats that smell like fish oh baby" .. J. Kaukonen
    #4
    FishinGuy
    Pro Angler
    • Total Posts : 2074
    • Reward points: 0
    • Joined: 2007/05/16 12:41:21
    • Location: westmoreland county
    • Status: offline
    Re:Please recommend some line that can hold up to the elements 2013/07/26 22:25:12 (permalink)
    I use braid almost exclusively. From 3 lb up to 65 on my catfish gear. Abrasion resistance is definitely not it's strong point. Like others said if you're constantly fraying line without it dragging through rocks or mussels, there may be some underlying issue. That being said, I've never had braid ruin any of my equipment. If I'm fishing clear water or snaggy or rocky bottom, always tie on a leader at least 18" up to 6-8' with a uni splice, improved Albright, or micro swivel. Get like 12 or 14 lb power pro and use mono leader of the same lb test.
    #5
    KingKool
    Avid Angler
    • Total Posts : 234
    • Reward points: 0
    • Joined: 2009/11/23 11:04:26
    • Status: offline
    Re:Please recommend some line that can hold up to the elements 2013/07/27 00:09:51 (permalink)
    I like P Line brand...........

    4 out of 3 people don't understand fractions.
    #6
    hot tuna
    Pro Angler
    • Total Posts : 6388
    • Reward points: 0
    • Status: offline
    Re:Please recommend some line that can hold up to the elements 2013/07/27 08:40:27 (permalink)
    On the subject of braid:
    I tried braid line sometime around the late 80's I believe . It was horrible stuff back then on a spinning rod & reel. The line was so limp it would forever wrap around the rod tip and make jigging / casting difficult . Gave up on the stuff.
    Fast forward to the present:
    Went back to braid line for ice fishing while jigging extremely deep water for lake trout.
    First big mistake was not tying a piece of mono on the reel first before spooling on the braid. What happened is , I would turn the reel but the line would just slip on the spool. Ever try pulling 100 yards of line off on the ice to re spool it ? Not easy. See braid has no stretch so it will not tighten properly around spool. Tying mono on first solves this.
    Now as I said there is no stretch to braid so while jigging in 100 feet of water gave you instant feel to your lure. Issues ensued however. Braid absorbs water and it will become a frozen mess on your reel for below 32 temps. It drives your sonar crazy as all those water droplets disperse as it's desending to the bottom. It frays like crazy and that would be from digging into the guides. Yes when situations that require constant sliding through guides, it starts to cut groves into them over time. It will do the same on your bail roller on the reel and also tends to fall into the side of the roller connection due to its small diameter ( I'd use 2 lb ). The possibility of breaking the rod increases due to the unforgiving nature of no stretch.
    Lastly, tying knots is a PIA , you need good sharp scissors to cut the tags off the knots.
    While it may work for some and they are happy with braid, it's just to much hassle for me and not worth the extra $ or issues.
    post edited by hot tuna - 2013/07/27 09:07:56

    "whats that smell like fish oh baby" .. J. Kaukonen
    #7
    Invicta
    Expert Angler
    • Total Posts : 484
    • Reward points: 0
    • Joined: 2004/02/08 00:11:58
    • Status: offline
    Re:Please recommend some line that can hold up to the elements 2013/07/28 14:51:22 (permalink)
    try braid.  use 10-20lb braid, it will be thinner than your current mono.  for best results use a short florocarbon leader.  the leader will resist the nicks/frays that are causing you headaches and it's less visible than most mono/braid.
    #8
    bcain
    Expert Angler
    • Total Posts : 378
    • Reward points: 0
    • Joined: 2012/05/09 21:56:08
    • Location: Smithton
    • Status: offline
    Re:Please recommend some line that can hold up to the elements 2013/07/29 00:47:36 (permalink)
    Eman, just wondering what you mean by not buying at Wal-Mart? I like to buy form the little guys myself when I can but have bought line at Wal-Mart on occasion. Just wondering if you think there is a quality difference in the same line at Wal-Mart from a Tackle shop.
    #9
    Eman89so
    Pro Angler
    • Total Posts : 1806
    • Reward points: 0
    • Joined: 2009/01/29 09:51:06
    • Location: Irwin
    • Status: offline
    Re:Please recommend some line that can hold up to the elements 2013/07/29 01:30:34 (permalink)
    I most certainly believe that walmart's line is older and sits longer.. Reason being
     
    About a year ago my buddy bought some 6# line from walmart because I told him its what you want to use I use it all the time.. well he gets it spools it on.. we go fishing his line keeps snapping.. He says this is the junkiest line I've ever used.. So I grab his line and it honestly just kept breaking with hardly any tension.. The line must of dry rotted from sitting so long and was so fragile it was just breaking. Never again I told myself. I will go to****or Gander and pay the extra dollar. Ed
    #10
    hot tuna
    Pro Angler
    • Total Posts : 6388
    • Reward points: 0
    • Status: offline
    Re:Please recommend some line that can hold up to the elements 2013/07/29 09:21:19 (permalink)
    Sounds like he got a bad spool. By just trying it once how can you compare ?
    I don't like the place myself but, I nor anyone I know has had any issues with the xt and it gets fished often.
    I will say this , bought a spool of stren from a shop because that's all they carried and it was brittle . My thoughts , bad spool or too old .
    It happens ..


    "whats that smell like fish oh baby" .. J. Kaukonen
    #11
    JEB
    Pro Angler
    • Total Posts : 2248
    • Reward points: 0
    • Joined: 2001/10/27 01:06:36
    • Location: Western, Pa
    • Status: offline
    Re:Please recommend some line that can hold up to the elements 2013/07/29 09:58:35 (permalink)
    I love Tectan line, very string mono and very thin dia for the lb ratings.
    I use it on all my steelehead set ups and on my stockie rods as well.
    Another good option is McCoy mean green, strong stuff as well.
    You can get both on here in the tackle shop in beleieve, I prefer the Tectan, very good line.
    #12
    Eman89so
    Pro Angler
    • Total Posts : 1806
    • Reward points: 0
    • Joined: 2009/01/29 09:51:06
    • Location: Irwin
    • Status: offline
    Re:Please recommend some line that can hold up to the elements 2013/07/29 11:01:15 (permalink)
    Tuna, I got a fairly weak spool as well but didn't feel like writing about it lol
     
    Its just my personal opinion, I will never buy line there again. To each his own. Ed
    #13
    hot tuna
    Pro Angler
    • Total Posts : 6388
    • Reward points: 0
    • Status: offline
    Re:Please recommend some line that can hold up to the elements 2013/07/29 11:09:38 (permalink)
    Now that I think about it, I have had some issues with various tippet material.
    So I guess the question is , how can you tell how old the line is ?
    Is there a date on it ?

    "whats that smell like fish oh baby" .. J. Kaukonen
    #14
    Eman89so
    Pro Angler
    • Total Posts : 1806
    • Reward points: 0
    • Joined: 2009/01/29 09:51:06
    • Location: Irwin
    • Status: offline
    Re:Please recommend some line that can hold up to the elements 2013/07/29 11:34:51 (permalink)
    I did look once and I never seen a date. Could of been hidden though..
    #15
    slabdaddy
    Pro Angler
    • Total Posts : 1780
    • Reward points: 0
    • Joined: 2011/12/27 11:30:05
    • Location: New Bethlehem, PA
    • Status: offline
    Re:Please recommend some line that can hold up to the elements 2013/07/29 11:43:33 (permalink)
    My opinion is to buy a larger reel, spool about 20ft of mono, use a double uni to tie on 20lb Fireline Fusion, spool with that, then another double uni to tie on 30ft of 14lb flouro.

    “If you're in trouble, or hurt or in need - go to the poor people. They're the only ones that'll help - the only ones.”
    John Steinbeck, The Grapes of Wrath
    #16
    Eman89so
    Pro Angler
    • Total Posts : 1806
    • Reward points: 0
    • Joined: 2009/01/29 09:51:06
    • Location: Irwin
    • Status: offline
    Re:Please recommend some line that can hold up to the elements 2013/07/29 11:49:27 (permalink)
    That's too much work for me. I don't use any leaders on fishing for the regular gamefish. Don't think its worth it. Only time I run leaders is in saltwater or catfishing
    #17
    hot tuna
    Pro Angler
    • Total Posts : 6388
    • Reward points: 0
    • Status: offline
    Re:Please recommend some line that can hold up to the elements 2013/07/29 12:13:52 (permalink)
    I use actual tippet material in all my fly fishing.. It's just a totally different process then regular spool line..
    There must be some kind of quality control date stamped somewhere ..
    In the product we manufacture we use a julian date system..
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julian_day

    "whats that smell like fish oh baby" .. J. Kaukonen
    #18
    Eman89so
    Pro Angler
    • Total Posts : 1806
    • Reward points: 0
    • Joined: 2009/01/29 09:51:06
    • Location: Irwin
    • Status: offline
    Re:Please recommend some line that can hold up to the elements 2013/07/29 12:19:36 (permalink)
    tippet i love the seagaur grand max fx..
    #19
    slabdaddy
    Pro Angler
    • Total Posts : 1780
    • Reward points: 0
    • Joined: 2011/12/27 11:30:05
    • Location: New Bethlehem, PA
    • Status: offline
    Re:Please recommend some line that can hold up to the elements 2013/07/29 12:26:31 (permalink)
    E, to be honest, I don't either. It's just the only set up that I could imagine that would address all of his problems. I have different rods for different applications. I jig with braid. I cast with mono. I trout/steelhead/salmon fish with flouro. Most reels come with a spare spool. I use them. Mono on one and braid on the other. Quick and easy to change. If you buy a Pflueger Arbor, you can tie braid directly to the spool without mono. I don't have one 'cause they are a little expensive, but one day I will. LOL.
     
    If he gets a reel with a larger arbor, he can spool 10-12# Trilene XT and shouldn't have many problems. Just retie after a big fish. Strip off 3ft of line before retying. I almost never have any problems like what he describes. I use a lot of jigs and fish the bottom more than the top. Even with all of the rock-bumping and bottom-dragging, I seldom have issues.
     
    Fireline is awesome, but over time it can eat through eyes. You just gotta keep an "eye" on them. hehehe

    “If you're in trouble, or hurt or in need - go to the poor people. They're the only ones that'll help - the only ones.”
    John Steinbeck, The Grapes of Wrath
    #20
    hot tuna
    Pro Angler
    • Total Posts : 6388
    • Reward points: 0
    • Status: offline
    Re:Please recommend some line that can hold up to the elements 2013/07/29 12:55:57 (permalink)
    seaguar is probably my least desired tippet made.. Generally I love frog hair.. FH mono for warmer temps such as salmon, FH fluro for colder steel..
    Granted I have had a few problems with each and I would attribute them to old shelf life..
    As for seaguar: It seems that was a big promotion push on the Great Lakes tribs the last few years.. The shops must have gotten a good "deal" from the company so that was what was available..
    The stuff stinks IMO, way too much stretch causing the material to coil like crazy .. Not just after fighting a fish but even after casting awhile.. It seemed to lose it's strength in cold water/weather too.. I was using 3X.9.2 lb seaguar for steel and it was "tweaking" when I would normally use 3X 8.8 FH fluro without issues..
    Never again will that product make it's way into my vest.. just IMO..
     
    As for the original thread topic:
    Slabdaddy is correct.. Proper line test, Retie and clip off after a few will help solve the problems..

    "whats that smell like fish oh baby" .. J. Kaukonen
    #21
    Cold
    Pro Angler
    • Total Posts : 7358
    • Reward points: 0
    • Status: offline
    Re:Please recommend some line that can hold up to the elements 2013/07/29 14:33:16 (permalink)
    seaguar is probably my least desired tippet made.. Generally I love frog hair.. FH mono for warmer temps such as salmon, FH fluro for colder steel..

     
    I think tippet is about as subjective a topic as favorite sports team, beer, or pickup truck manufacturer.
     
    I'm personally completely 180-degrees from you on this one, I'll skip a day of fishing before I'd use Frog Hair if it were my only option, meanwhile, I will (and have) used a 3 year old spool of Seaguar fluoro that's been sitting in sunlight every day of those three years, if it's all I have left.
     
    Frog Hair was highly recommended to me by a few guys, and I'm always willing to try something new, so I bought a few spools of it, in typical trout fishing sizes (4-6X).  As I ran out of my current tippet in that size, I'd switch to the FH, and without fail, every single spool was brittle, useless garbage.  I couldn't even tie a knot in it, as the tippet would break before I could cinch it tight (yes, I spit on the knots).  I threw them away and switched back to something else the next day.
     
    About a year after that, I was fishing in another area, and ran out of 5X.  Went to the nearest fly shop, and all they had was Frog Hair and some kind of bargain basement stuff.  Bought the Frog Hair against my better judgement and went back to the water.  This time the knots tightened, but the break strength was next to nothing.  Even the energy from my cast was breaking the line.
     
    Fast forward to that fall, and a similar thing happened with some of my Seaguar fluoro running out.  Went to a fly shop, and they were out of Seaguar in the size I wanted.  Ended up trying FH fluoro, and just like the others, it was pure junk.  Ended up using 5X Seaguar the rest of the day, and doing well with it.
     
    Now, I wouldn't give a spool of FH to my worst enemy.  It's pretty much the only brand I've encountered in fly fishing that I have absolutely nothing positive to say about it.
    #22
    Eman89so
    Pro Angler
    • Total Posts : 1806
    • Reward points: 0
    • Joined: 2009/01/29 09:51:06
    • Location: Irwin
    • Status: offline
    Re:Please recommend some line that can hold up to the elements 2013/07/29 14:56:35 (permalink)
    I dislike frog hair as well. All about opinions though
    #23
    Cold
    Pro Angler
    • Total Posts : 7358
    • Reward points: 0
    • Status: offline
    Re:Please recommend some line that can hold up to the elements 2013/07/29 15:25:07 (permalink)
    Eman89so

    I dislike frog hair as well. All about opinions though

     
    Absolutely.
     
    Thing is, I really, really wanted to like them, being a local company and all.  Usually, even with a slight bias like that, it's easy to like something you already want to like, and even be forgiving of a shortcoming that you'd hold against another alternative.  It really bummed me out that Frog Hair, from a variety of sources, in a variety of products was consistently so disappointing.
    #24
    DarDys
    Pro Angler
    • Total Posts : 4891
    • Reward points: 0
    • Joined: 2009/11/13 08:46:21
    • Location: Duncansville, PA
    • Status: offline
    Re:Please recommend some line that can hold up to the elements 2013/07/29 16:52:53 (permalink)
    I fished bass tournaments for a tad over 20 years and could count on one hand the number of bass I broke off -- 99% on Trilene.  My spinning rods were spooled with 8, baitcasting with 10, and flipping with 17.  I fished from late March until December in all types of conditions and fished as few as one weekend day or as many as five days per week.
     
    I suspect, as others have stated here that either there is 1) an issue with rod guides or reel roller, 2) you got a bad spool (it happens), or 3) you are trying to make the line last forever -- it does not.

    The poster formally known as Duncsdad

    Everything I say can be fully substantiated by my own opinion.
    #25
    Steel Junkie
    Expert Angler
    • Total Posts : 297
    • Reward points: 0
    • Joined: 2009/08/28 15:13:03
    • Status: offline
    Re:Please recommend some line that can hold up to the elements 2013/07/30 14:43:19 (permalink)
    Trilene for me also. Also the new senshi stuff in the orange and black box is good stuff
    #26
    Mags00
    Expert Angler
    • Total Posts : 593
    • Reward points: 0
    • Joined: 2010/04/03 11:06:28
    • Location: Greensburg, Pa
    • Status: offline
    Re:Please recommend some line that can hold up to the elements 2013/07/30 22:06:16 (permalink)
    If you're using older gear braid should be avoided...  Since cutting into the guides and tearing up the roller bearing use to be an issue...  But now a days the inserts in most guides are braid ready as are 99% of reels only when you get high up in the JDM market is when reels are and should only be used with Mono/Nylon/Fluorocarbon.  And as stated anywhere there is debris or mussels or jagged and even smooth rocks your line's gonna fray, and if you're fishing the Allegheny there's plenty of rocks and there are freshwater mussels that will wreak havoc on your line.  I have 2 spools for my main reel, one is spooled with Cabela's X50 Fluorocarbon 8# test and I've hauled in everything from trout to musky and even a small flathead catfish in with that line, I absolutely love it, generally like all other Fluorocarbons the abrasion resistance isn't top notch to say mono and it's a bit better than braid but this stuff has a mix of strength/abrasion resistance and a lower memory than mono...  I also have a spool of 30# Power Pro with anywhere from 8# X50 to 12# InvisX Fluoro leaders that are about the rod length or 6'6-10' connected with an Alberto knot.  I used Triline XT for the longest time and never had the issues you spoke of so maybe it could be a bad batch?  I've used 6 for steelhead and 8/10 for my river set ups.  Also, my buddy I fish with used nothing but 4# for the longest time and fished the same waters and snaggy area's I did and caught everything from trout to big drum and channel cats out of the river.  If anything I'd say maybe try 10# I use that on my rod I use mostly for lures and have little to no issues other then a few loops here and there from throwing 3/16 lures on a MH with 10# line. 
     
    Also the breaking off thing may come from snapping the lure out also, my girlfriend has done it a few times with spinners and 1 or 2 cranks (I guess trying to aim for the other bank of the river...)  But the stress and stretch on the knot could be a factor there...
    #27
    spawnbag
    New Angler
    • Total Posts : 13
    • Reward points: 0
    • Joined: 2001/09/24 19:08:19
    • Status: offline
    Re:Please recommend some line that can hold up to the elements 2014/01/23 17:45:19 (permalink)
    For drift fishing (bottom bouncing) I use Maxima Ultragreen, and I use flourocarbon for leader.  I am currently using Maxima flourocarbon, but mostly used Seguar previously.   I'm in MI, and I fish quite a bit heavier tackle than most on here.   I prefer 10/8 for my lines.   Maxima Ultragreen is very abrasion resistant, in all line sizes.   Most people I know who bottom bounce in MI use it.   I will never, ever use Berkeley Vanish for flourocarbon, again.   It cost me 3 fish one day, when I only hooked 3 fish.  
    #28
    BIGHEAD_1
    Avid Angler
    • Total Posts : 234
    • Reward points: 0
    • Joined: 2013/09/05 05:12:51
    • Status: offline
    Re:Please recommend some line that can hold up to the elements 2014/01/25 04:13:19 (permalink)
    SKEELOL  Most of what is said on this can be helpful and not helpful. Unless you your fishing rod and reel are from the 70's to 80's or very cheap, then I wouldn't worry about braid cutting grooves in the eyes. Most rods have ceramic eyes which the braid can not penetrate. On the reels braid CAN NOT CUT into metal. If you are a mono/flouro  guy then just use a little bit heavier line. If you use 8lb line using 12-14lb you will not lose that much line footage on the reel, I would go with the P-line that KK mentioned. Line is much like anything else you get what you pay for. I only use braid with leader for fishing for game fish, Unless it is a top water presentation  and cheap  line for bait fishing. If going with braid NEVER EVER put on reel without a few feet of mono or sport tape or you WILL have the problem that BT had!!!!! If you do a lot of river fishing the heaver the line the better you just never know just what the heck your going to catch LOL
    #29
    workcanwait....
    Expert Angler
    • Total Posts : 729
    • Reward points: 0
    • Joined: 2013/03/01 18:56:24
    • Status: offline
    Re:Please recommend some line that can hold up to the elements 2014/01/28 10:25:26 (permalink)
    Frog Hair....totally agree with you guys its junk tried a bunch of sizes for fly fishing leaders very weak stuff.
    Seaguar is all I use for leaders now steelhead and trout fishing.
    As for mainline I have tried them all it seems but fish Trilene the most.
    I started spraying reel magic on my reel and spools last year for steelhead it seems to help with cold weather memory problems but might just be me......
    #30
    Page: 12 > Showing page 1 of 2
    Jump to: