Line Selection

[rrw4258]

After watching some of Kevin's videos and looking at the line guide, I have narrowed down all of my line choices for this year except for one, that is the Worm/Jig rod. I am having trouble deciding between braid or P-Line Floroclear. I have 30lb. braid on a 7' MH Fenwick Eagle GT casting rod right now, but i fish alot of clear water lakes and ponds, and i am a big believer in line visibility. The combo would be used for weightless stickbaits, traditional worm fishing (t-rig, c-rig), football jigs, and flipping jigs around light and scattered cover with semi clear to clear waters. The combo would also be use for frog fishing in which case I would need the braid, which i would only use primarily from the late spring on. So would you go with braid or a floro? What pound tests would be best suited for this fishing. Thanks

Ryan

[Kevin]

Hi Ryan... I would probably recommend staying away from P-Line's Floroclear for your mentioned applications. Floroclear is a great line, I use it often, but it's composition is more similar to monofilament than it is fluorocarbon. I believe it is 80% nylon with a 20% fluorocarbon coating. While it does have less stretch than 100% mono, it still has noticeably more stretch than a 100% fluorocarbon line.

For fishing senko-type baits, t-rigged worms, football jigs, flipping jigs, etc... it's important to have the low-stretch fluorocarbon provides to get a good hookset and attain better sensitivity. Not to mention, fluorocarbon is much more abrasion-resistant than monofilament or blended lines like floroclear.

If you were going to be throwing a lot of topwaters on this rod, then fluorocarbon could pose a problem because it sinks. You did mention you might fish frogs with it, but they can be pretty bouyant and you may not have too much difficulty with fluorocarbon for that.

From what you wrote, I would recommend 12 lb test Fluorocarbon. I really like BPS' XPS Fluorocarbon, although there are other good brands out there too. 12 lb. test is a really good "all-around" size that will let you fish the more finesse soft-plastics, but have the power and strength you need to throw jigs in cover. The only thing that is out of whack is froggin with 12 lb test. I'm not saying it can't be done, but you know why that isn't optimal because of the nature of the cover you generally fish. But hey, we all make compromises for the sake of speed, cost and fun!

Braid is great for dense cover and should be your go to choice in the thick stuff, but more and more I'm liking fluorocarbon for less dense cover and clear water. You just get more bites.

Hope this helps you out Ryan!

[aikenyounggun]

yeah for clear lakes that you are fishin light cover go with p-line ..... but for heavy cover, froggin, or muddy lakes throw braid..... i love throwin a jig on braid in m lakes..... but they aint clear

[bamabassman]

listen to kevin pal. he knows his chit,ok?

[MIbasser]

12lb XPS Flouro is great. Used it last year for t-rig mostly and some lighter jigs. You could go up to a 14 or 17 lb and that will help out with the thick stuff.

My .02