04-30-06, 10:05 PM | #1 |
BassFishin.Com Member
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Warrensburg, MO
Posts: 24
|
Line to lite or to heavy....
How do you know if you are useing to lite (my guess is that it breaks when you have a fish on) or when the line is to heavy?
|
04-30-06, 10:56 PM | #2 |
BassFishin.Com Premier Elite
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: San Antonio, TX
Posts: 10,141
|
The easiest way is to see what the reel is rated for-120 yards of 12 lb mono, etc. Stick with the reel rating and you will be fine.
__________________
It's happened to the best of them: John 21:3 |
05-01-06, 03:19 AM | #3 |
BassFishin.Com Super Veteran
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: WA State
Posts: 1,783
|
Check your rod. There will be a spot on it near the handle that will say something like 4-12 lb test. Whatever is the range of line weight, that is the range the rod can safely handle and protect.
Let's take my Lamiglas which is rated for 8-20 lb test. If I slap on some 6# test, I should not be surprised if the line breaks on the hookset with a large fish. My rod will most likely NOT protect so light a line. If I use 25# test, I run the risk of breaking my rod on a big fish or a hard snag because the line in this scenario will most likely not snap before the rod. I will admit I do use 30# braid with that set up but I have my reel's drag set lighter to hopefully compensate a bit. Other reason line breaks with a fish on are numerous, ranging from a bad knot to nicks, or abrasion, or line twist, or simply a bad batch of line. It can be a puzzle at times to decipher the true reason why a line breaks.
__________________
ARX "If people concentrated on the really important things in life, there'd be a shortage of fishing poles." Doug Larson (Shimano 2005 Reel Catalog) |
05-01-06, 10:08 AM | #4 |
BassFishin.Com Veteran Member
|
This is just me, but my rule of thumb goes like this:
Spinning - 6 or 8 pound test. Usually 8 pound Silver Thread or P-Line Baitcaster - 8 up to 15 pound test. Usually 12 pound P-Line All my rods are either Medium power to Medium/Heavy, and are about 6'6" in length. |
05-01-06, 11:12 AM | #5 |
BassFishin.Com Member
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Warrensburg, MO
Posts: 24
|
Good information, but I should have explained more, my question is more about lure action when do you know if its is to lite or heavy?
|
05-01-06, 01:47 PM | #6 |
BassFishin.Com Member
Join Date: Apr 2006
Posts: 17
|
lighter the line the better the action of the lure. Cover/water clearity should determine line size. I go as big as possible. With a spinnerbait Why use a light line for example.
|
05-01-06, 04:27 PM | #7 | |
BassFishin.Com Super Veteran
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Beamsville,ONTARIO,CANADA
Posts: 2,023
|
Quote:
__________________
Rob Downs St. Catharines BASSMASTERS |
|
05-02-06, 10:24 PM | #8 |
BassFishin.Com Super Veteran
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Avoca, NY
Posts: 3,508
|
Tie your girlfriend up in the morning before going to work and if she anit still tied up when you get home, The line anit heavy enough for th' big basses in your lakes.If shes packed and gone when you get home, look for a woman thats got more teeth than the jack O lanterns you carve during Halloween. I like a heavy line , I got 12 lb on spinning, and up to 80 lb braid on baitcasters, even in gin clear water, not water Zooker calls clear. P N J
|
05-02-06, 10:31 PM | #9 |
BassFishin.Com Super Veteran
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Palm Bay, Fl
Posts: 2,751
|
Kinda go w/ PNJ. I use 30# power pro on everything, some as high as 45-50#. May not be in gin clear water, but have fished some pretty clear water. Have noticed some lures act differently w/ my heavier braid, but for the most part it's not drastic. Ive also used open looped knots on some lures that need that extra play. I believe Rapala recommends this on some of their lures.
__________________
In the Lord all things are possible. |
05-02-06, 10:54 PM | #10 | |
BassFishin.Com Premier Elite
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: San Antonio, TX
Posts: 10,141
|
Quote:
__________________
It's happened to the best of them: John 21:3 |
|
05-03-06, 05:23 PM | #11 |
BassFishin.Com Veteran Member
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Richmond, KY
Posts: 691
|
its not a very simple answer because there are several factors that come into play.
How clear is the water? What kind of cover or structure are you fishing? What type(s) of lure(s) are you fishing? Do you know the general size of fish where you are? What type of action does the lure have? You obviously have to stay within the line specs of your rod and reel for it to be most advantageous, but you also have to factor in the other things. You wouldn't use 50lb braid on a finesse worm in gin clear water and you most certainly wouldn't use 6lb mono on a spinnerbait or a jig. So, you just have to look at all the conditions and decide from there..it'll lead you to the right answer...of which there isn't just one specific lb test you'll use. |
05-03-06, 05:44 PM | #12 |
BassFishin.Com Super Veteran
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Somewhere in South Carolina
Posts: 2,377
|
these guys pretty much have covered it all. my rule of thumb is to err on the heavy side when fishing heavy cover or stained water and err on the light side when fishing clear and open water.
|
05-03-06, 08:57 PM | #13 |
BassFishin.Com Super Veteran
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Bellevue, Ohio
Posts: 2,338
|
lmao, reb
"A dd22 on an ultralight", but hey im sure someones tried it... as for the original question... i use 10-14lb. on my baitcasters and 8-10 and sometimes 12 on my spinning rod and of course power pro... usualy a 20 to 30lb. power pro will enable you to horse those big lunkers out of some cover! Ryan
__________________
Never Give Up! |
Disclosure / Disclaimer
Before acting on the content posted, you should know that BassFishin.Com may benefit financially and otherwise from content, advertising, links or otherwise from anything you click on, read, or look at on our website. Click here to read our Disclosure Policy and Disclaimer. |
Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests) | |
|
|