All Around Purpose Line For Baitcaster?? (Fish From Kayak)

[BassinNCstyle]

I fish from small kayak so I can't take a lot of rods. What all purpose line would you recommend for spinnerbaits, topwater and plastics?

[flyfisher]

You can take plenty of rods if you rig it right

That being said some 30 or 40lb braid will fit the bill for pretty much everything.

[smalljaw67]

Fishing from a Kayak is fun, an all purpose line would be a quality copolymer mono, it isn't sexy or the in thing but you can use it for anything and unlike braid were you will find yourself tying leaders, which isn't fun in a yak, or pulling yourself into bushes as you have a hard time breaking off when tying braid direct. I hate fluorocarbon and I only use braid to flip and pitch heavy cover and I do mean heavy cover, and fishing frogs, other than that I use Silver Thread AN40 in 12# for most everything except jigs and soft plastics in weeds or around moderate cover and for those I either use Berkley big game in 15# or Cajun clear lightning in 17#, the Cajun is the clearest and lowest stretch copolymer I ever used but it is almost like fluorocarbon, it is very stiff so you only use it on casting reels, the only difference between that and flourcarbon is the clear lightning handles a bit better but only on casting reels.

[flyfisher]

What kind of kayak and how long have you been using it?  The only reason i ask is if you are pretty good at using the yak then you shouldn't have any problem tying knots or leaders (i tie direct with braid so no leaders for me) or even flyfishing.   There is a learning curve but once you feel comfortable in your boat there really isn't much i can't do in my kayak from a fishing perspective that i could do in a larger boat.

[JunkYard814]

I'd go with 12lb or 17lb mono

[BassinNCstyle]

What kind of kayak and how long have you been using it?  The only reason i ask is if you are pretty good at using the yak then you shouldn't have any problem tying knots or leaders (i tie direct with braid so no leaders for me) or even flyfishing.   There is a learning curve but once you feel comfortable in your boat there really isn't much i can't do in my kayak from a fishing perspective that i could do in a larger boat.

It's a Malibu Mini X, it's only 9ft long but serves me well here in tight swamp areas and ponds, been using it for like 6 years. I max out at three rods. I have been just using baitcaster for buzz/spinner baits but avoided plastics because smaller weight casting is something I have avoided but would like to start using caster for them. Most of the waters I fish are far from clear so don't think using braid direct would be a problem. 

[Capt.Bob]

I use braid for everything, it don't matter what I fish from, the only thing I change is the leader for the type of fishing I am doing and the water I am using it in. flyfisher hit it but I only use 20 to 30 lbs test on baitcasting reels and 6 to 15lbs on spinning. My leaders can be 6' to 16' and fluorocarbon or mono just depends on what where and how, usually on the river I tie a 10 to 12' leader in the morning and it will last all day. Gives me the best of all worlds!!

[HeavyDluxe]

I'm still a mono (Trilene XL) guy... 8lb on my M spinning outfit, 12lb on my MH spinning.     I've yet to find an application I fish consistently (not a lot of punching here in the northeast) that I can't handle with good quality monofilament. 

 

This year, I started seriously fishing jigs for the first time.  I've been 'pitching' them on my 12lb mono.  I've wrenched some fishes out of what I think rates as heavy cover without an issue.

 

My father, fishing salt water with me when I was a kid, used to say, "If you can't pull it up to the boat on 14lb Stren, I don't want it in the boat with me."  Between the flexibility of the line and the challenge to (still) using it in the face of ridicule, I guess I'll probably stick with it.

 

 

(edit:  I should add that, at some point, I'm going to try to experiment with braid again... Probably PowerPro in a 'highlight' color with mono or fluoro leaders.  I want to be fair and, if I'm missing the holy grail, I want to know.  But, I am doing that more to see what it gains me as I don't really think I'm losing much.)

[fishking247]

14lb mono

[0119]

HeavyDluxe, braid aint the Holy Grail for sure!   I agree with your Dad.  For bass I don't use anything higher than 12lb. mono., usually 10lb.  In the yak I don't use anything bigger than 14lb. Big Game for Tarpon, Snook and Reds and rarely that heavy.

The yak serves you in fighting a fish adding drag as you enjoy the sleigh ride.  You more than any other boater have access to the heavy cover in your waters and I cant imagine why for bass you'd use a braid like 30 or 40lb. that in reality is nearly 60lb.  Its just a bass

[Capt.Bob]

HeavyDluxe, braid aint the Holy Grail for sure!   I agree with your Dad.  For bass I don't use anything higher than 12lb. mono., usually 10lb.  In the yak I don't use anything bigger than 14lb. Big Game for Tarpon, Snook and Reds and rarely that heavy.

The yak serves you in fighting a fish adding drag as you enjoy the sleigh ride.  You more than any other boater have access to the heavy cover in your waters and I cant imagine why for bass you'd use a braid like 30 or 40lb. that in reality is nearly 60lb.  Its just a bass

They do make light braid, 6lbs test @ 1lbs mono diameter will cast farther on a spinning reel than you ever imagined with 6lbs mono!! If you use a baitcaster you need at least 20lbs test to get 6bls test mono diameter!! lighter than 6lbs test diameter is a pain on a baitcaster if you have ever landed anything over 10lbs on one, they dig into the line wrap after wrap when fighting bigger fish. I use 30lbs on any reel I might use for fish over 10 just for convienience, now I have the casting ability of mono or fluoro and no chance it will rot in the sun water whatever, plus it cast much farther than 8lbs test mono, better feel, no stretch, and will be at least 3 years probably 4 or 5 before I have to reline a reel,,,,best of both worlds,,,,, now you know!!

[Kevin22]

14# mono is the all around line IMO. You can use it for anything. 

[Virtuoso]

If I needed one line for everything I would use mono. Way back when this is all I had and I was able to get by fine. Thankfully, multiple rods allow me to use multiple lines. You Kayak anglers are like magicians on those things. 

[roadwarrior]

Spinning gear:  #6 Yo-Zuri Hybrid

 

Baitcasting : #12 Hybrid