Spinning Reels And Heavy Line

[hoosierbass07]

     This evening I bought a new spinning reel - a Shimano Saharah 4000 at Gander Mountain.  I'm trying build up a small collection of nice spinning reels that I can use for bass fishing and maybe bigger fish in the future.  I have two other Shimano spinning reels - a smaller Sahara that I love with eight lb mono on it, and a Symetre with ten lb mono it. I wanted the larger Sahara to cast a little larger line - around twelve lb mono.  

 

 I have read on forums that larger mono does not do well on spinning reels.  OK, I heard that.  But I love spinning reels.  Yeah, I do have a nice baitcaster but I really want to focus on spinning reels.  

 

 My questions are - for those of you who use heavy line on spinning reels - what's your favorite line and brand and size?  Mono, fluro, braid?  What brand?  

 

  What's the best brand in twelve lb line for spinning reels?  Would it be best to run braid with a leader?  

 

 Thanks!

[camman]

You will be fine with 12lb test on the 4000 size reel.  I 3000 sized Sahara and it spooled with 12 lb P-Line CXX with no issues.  I also have another reel that is spooled with 20lb braid that I run a leader on.

 

I would say once you get beyond 15lb test on a 4000 sized reel you may have issues with the stiffness of the line.

[Mike2841]

I use braid on my spinning gear for bass, mostly just to cut through all the weeds. In the past I've used 6 and 8 lb mono and never had breakage issues (the reels have a drag for a reason)

[SirSnookalot]

Don't be confused with heavy line and strong line like braid.  My own personal choice for a 4000 is to use 10lb (I don't even like 12#) mono or copoly as my heaviest, and not to overspool.  I prefer braid and on a reel that size I'd be using 15 or 20# as a max., now we are talking a strong line but not very heavy.  IMO braid manages better, much less line twist and no need to constantly troll your line out after each outing, which I do when I use mono, and conditioner isn't needed.  Additionally using braid on that size reel opens up other species, line capacity is not an issue.  20# braid will easily handle 50 pound fish in open water, in heavy vegetation there should be no problem with an 8 pound fish with a bunch of seaweed on it's back.  If a problem is encountered I'd be addressing my knots and not the line.  Braid is a big equalizer, sensitivity and strength to the point in making us believe we are superhuman fishermen, lol, bottom line use what you like the best.

[Marty]

The conventional wisdom is that big line and spinning don't go together well. I've used 12# on a size 2500 Daiwa with no problems. You using 12# on a 4000 reel should pose no problem and you can probably go bigger. The key thing is my estimation is to use a spinning-friendly line. I found both Trilene XL and Original Stren to meet that requirement and I'm sure there are others out there as well.

[hoosierbass07]

  Maybe I'm impatient or like to waste money or have become fishing crazy, but I bought some Berkley Trilene 100% fluorocarbon 12 lb line for my new reel.  I tried it today and did not like it.  I put the reel on one of my ugly sticks and was throwing a jig, a little on the heavy side.  I would cast/lob it and when the jig hit the water the line kept running off, but then it would keep running off and form twists.  I figured out how to fix the problem though.  After I made my casts and the lure hit the water I would take my left hand and stop the line and lower the bail.  This kept extra line from running off.  But overall I was unhappy with how the line wanted to twist up if I did not stop it.

 

 So after I got home I yanked it all of and put on some Trilene mono easy cast in 12 lb.  I tied a weight on and tried it out in the back yard and it wanted to run off too.  I finally had enough and decided to try something I've not tried since early spring - Braid.  I went to Walmart tonight and bought some 30 lb Power Pro braid.  I left 1/3 of the mono on my reel and tied the braid to it and reeled it up.  WOW!  I tried it out tonight in the back yard.  Almost zero memory and it DID NOT WANT TO JUMP OFF the reel!  

 

 This real, by the way, will be my jig reel/heavy comver reel.  Something I will probably not use much but want in my collection.  

 

 So is this a good set up or what - 30 lb Power Pro braid and I will tie 12 lb Seaguar Red Label Fluorocarbon on for a leader.  Good for bass and larger fish?  What's the best knot for Power Pro to Fluorocarbon leader?  

 

 I have to say that braid is super strong and smooth.  I will not be able to try it out until next week but I can't wait and I expect it will cast a lot better than that fluorocarbon or mono.  

[SirSnookalot]

 

 I went to Walmart tonight and bought some 30 lb Power Pro braid.  I left 1/3 of the mono on my reel and tied the braid to it and reeled it up.  WOW!  I tried it out tonight in the back yard.  Almost zero memory and it DID NOT WANT TO JUMP OFF the reel!  

 

It just takes some people longer to catch on.........................hahaha.

[Jolly Green]

I use an Alberto knot to join braid to fluoro. One thing I've noticed is that when tying it with brand new braid, it can be tricky to get it to cinch evenly if you have too many wraps going on. I get away with five up and five down on new line; line that's broken in some gets more.

[michang5]

I've been very happy with using Power Pro Super Slick 20lb. (hi-viz yellow) on my spinning reel. I also use some cheap fluoro backing so I don't have to spool up too much braid.

 

I had been religiously tying on a 12lb. Invizx fluro leader (about 5-7 feet) using the Crazy Alberto knot. Learn from the man himself: 

 

Trick that has made tying it a TON easier: Get a standard clothespin (with the metal spring in the middle). Make your loop with the fluoro and use the clothespin to hold the loop in place. Then tie on your braid as instructed in the video.

 

All that said, I've recently switched to using straight braid. Just tie directly to the hook/lure and color the bottom 2-5 feet with a green Sharpie. I get the medium tip markers and split the tip (down toward the handle) with a thin knife or xacto. Pull the line through that split and you'll have both sides of the braid colored. Can use brown or black or whatever color.

 

I have not found any difference with fish caught. They're still just as finicky as before on the small neighborhood ponds I fish. I still average about a fish an hour. And I caught a 3 pounder last week, which tied my PB (using a leader).

 

Good luck!

 

 

  Maybe I'm impatient or like to waste money or have become fishing crazy, but I bought some Berkley Trilene 100% fluorocarbon 12 lb line for my new reel.  I tried it today and did not like it.  I put the reel on one of my ugly sticks and was throwing a jig, a little on the heavy side.  I would cast/lob it and when the jig hit the water the line kept running off, but then it would keep running off and form twists.  I figured out how to fix the problem though.  After I made my casts and the lure hit the water I would take my left hand and stop the line and lower the bail.  This kept extra line from running off.  But overall I was unhappy with how the line wanted to twist up if I did not stop it.

 

 So after I got home I yanked it all of and put on some Trilene mono easy cast in 12 lb.  I tied a weight on and tried it out in the back yard and it wanted to run off too.  I finally had enough and decided to try something I've not tried since early spring - Braid.  I went to Walmart tonight and bought some 30 lb Power Pro braid.  I left 1/3 of the mono on my reel and tied the braid to it and reeled it up.  WOW!  I tried it out tonight in the back yard.  Almost zero memory and it DID NOT WANT TO JUMP OFF the reel!  

 

 This real, by the way, will be my jig reel/heavy comver reel.  Something I will probably not use much but want in my collection.  

 

 So is this a good set up or what - 30 lb Power Pro braid and I will tie 12 lb Seaguar Red Label Fluorocarbon on for a leader.  Good for bass and larger fish?  What's the best knot for Power Pro to Fluorocarbon leader?  

 

 I have to say that braid is super strong and smooth.  I will not be able to try it out until next week but I can't wait and I expect it will cast a lot better than that fluorocarbon or mono.  

[Capt.Bob]

I use braid on everything with mono or fluoro leaders, 4' to 12', and all my spinning reels are Shimano's. I have a standard I go by like this,,,,,30# 832 on 4000 size,,,,,20# 832 on 2500 and 3000 size,,,,and 6# to 10# 832 on 1000 size. I let my leader determine my actual breaking strength and never use a heavier leader than the Braid I am running. with 6# @ 2# mono diameter, to 30# @ 8# mono diameter is very light line with very heavy breaking strength. with 6# and 10# I will go as high as 6# or 10# test leader, but on my 20# test on 2500 and 3000 size reels never go with a heavier leader than 15# test and on the 4000 size reels 20# test is the highest I go,,,,, the reason is I don't like to rig heavier than the rods rating I am using them on and I want my leader to be my monitored weak link.

 

I use 10 to 12 wraps of mono tied directly to the spool and attach the braid to that with an improved blood knot and use the same weight mono as the heaviest leader I use on that size reel, I only loose braid when I want to trim, and always turn the braid around on the spool when it starts getting to limp, usually 1 to 2 years, then I have new unused line for another 1 to 2 years, seldom do I get more than 3 years out of a spool of braid on heavily used outfits.

[Texas Hawg Hunter]

  Maybe I'm impatient or like to waste money or have become fishing crazy, but I bought some Berkley Trilene 100% fluorocarbon 12 lb line for my new reel.  I tried it today and did not like it.  I put the reel on one of my ugly sticks and was throwing a jig, a little on the heavy side.  I would cast/lob it and when the jig hit the water the line kept running off, but then it would keep running off and form twists.  I figured out how to fix the problem though.  After I made my casts and the lure hit the water I would take my left hand and stop the line and lower the bail.  This kept extra line from running off.  But overall I was unhappy with how the line wanted to twist up if I did not stop it.

 

 So after I got home I yanked it all of and put on some Trilene mono easy cast in 12 lb.  I tied a weight on and tried it out in the back yard and it wanted to run off too.  I finally had enough and decided to try something I've not tried since early spring - Braid.  I went to Walmart tonight and bought some 30 lb Power Pro braid.  I left 1/3 of the mono on my reel and tied the braid to it and reeled it up.  WOW!  I tried it out tonight in the back yard.  Almost zero memory and it DID NOT WANT TO JUMP OFF the reel!  

 

 This real, by the way, will be my jig reel/heavy comver reel.  Something I will probably not use much but want in my collection.  

 

 So is this a good set up or what - 30 lb Power Pro braid and I will tie 12 lb Seaguar Red Label Fluorocarbon on for a leader.  Good for bass and larger fish?  What's the best knot for Power Pro to Fluorocarbon leader?  

 

 I have to say that braid is super strong and smooth.  I will not be able to try it out until next week but I can't wait and I expect it will cast a lot better than that fluorocarbon or mono.  

yeah I love braid...recently switched to it for the first time and will never look back

[Sam]

Depends on the maximum line test your spinning reel has stamped on it plus the maximum line test your spinning rod can handled as per its specs.

 

Then you can use that maximum line test or go a few pounds heavier.

 

You can use flouro or mono.

 

Just learn the correct way to remove the twisted line like the pros do.

[jbw252]

I use braid on almost all of my spinning reels. I normally use Sufix 832, and just recently started using Power Pro, too.