Question For You Freshwater Bass Guys

[reason162]

Wondering why you guys use such heavy braid on your baitcasters. 40, 50, even 65lb braid...that's what we use for bluefin. I'm guessing it's for line management? or perhaps cutting weeds when fishing heavy cover? 

 

Also, why do people recommend a high 7:1 ratio for jig fishing? The only thing I can think of is picking up the slack quickly from a 11, 12'o'clock position to set the hook. 

 

Any input appreciated!

[OntarioFishingGuy]

Sometimes I wonder why guys use such heavy lines as well. 65 seems a bit heavy. I used to use 40 for the thickest cover, but I am going down to 30 this year. I could probably use lighter, but I find that the thinner braids dig in a bit. As for the reel, I can't help you there. I use whatever reel I have on hand for jigs, and don't notice much of a difference.

[Matthew2000]

Because those lines have the same diameter that you may be used to or have for you're leader. And the gear ratio is to pick up slack and horse those fish away from docks, rocks, stumps, and weeds.

[Ozark_Basser]

Bass fishing is done around a lot of heavy cover.

[Jeff H]

I use 50lb or 65lb for flippin' and froggin' heavy cover because I can. If I ever get arrested for that I'll reconsider.    

[Scott F]

I don't use anything heavier than 20 pound test braid on my baitcasters. I don't fish heavy cover. I also don't have problems with line digging in because I don't lock down my drag and I don't pull snags out by pulling from the reel. I also don't use leaders.

[Poolshark]

The heavy braid is usually reserved for flipping vegetation and punching heavily weighted lures through mats. The heavier line will prevent your line from being too badly frayed or damaged by the elements and give you the power to horse a good fish out of the mats or grass without risking your line breaking. Lighter mono or flouro just isn't the right line to use in those types of fishing. When I was first starting out I lost a few because I ran into cover with 12 to 14 pound mono and didn't have the power to pull them away and out. This I hate because I catch and release and hate releasing a bass back into the wild with a large lure and screwed in weight still in his mouth. I use heavier line as well for fishing snook around bridge pilings.

[Poolshark]

But in addition to that... I try to use the lightest line I can get away with and in most situations it is 10 to 15 pound test line.

[new2BC4bass]

Seems to me you already got it figured out.

[A-Jay]

Pulling big bass from heavy cover requires stout tackle.

 

Giving the fish Any Slack will result in lost fish & lost tackle.

 

There is No Drag slip at all, just heavy strain on all parties involved.

 

A-Jay

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hLxr_wUrwrQ

[BaitMonkey1984]

Agreed with the posts above. The line has small diameter and needs to be tough due to where its fishing. The reel needs to be able to pull that fish out of the cover instantly, before it gets wrapped up. Also, if you are pitching and flipping, you want to get that bait back into your hand for the next cast as soon as possible. The faster you can make your next cast, the more time you spend actively fishing your jig. This makes a huge difference over the course of hours. 

[CRANKENSTIEN]

I have trouble casting smaller diameter braid on baitcasters except for pitching. I do like it on spinning gear.

[RoLo]

In my opinion, the most intuitive way to compare fishing lines is to compare ‘line diameters’

rather than ‘test strengths”. When I fished for bluefin tuna in the New York Bight, I used 80-lb tackle. 

The line diameter of 80-lb Big Game nylon is 0.035” (over 1/32”).

The line diameter of 30-lb Smackdown Braid is 0.009”, one-fourth the diameter of 80-lb nylon.

 

Roger

[SirSnookalot]

My take.

Yes there is a difference in an open water catch compared to pulling a fish out of heavy cover.  It isn't the line that pulls them out it's the rod.  Using spinning gear my max line is 15# braid for bass, no dig in and the line is plenty strong.  Learning how to land inshore fish in saltwater has made me a much better lander of bass, I use techniques that I don't see bass fishermen employ.  One thing I do if needed is to have my hand on the rod shaft and pull the fish out of cover with the rod.

IMO many bass fishermen try and emulate professionals they see on tv.  Dragging a fish in on top of the water in a matter of seconds, if I chose to do that I'd be using heavy lines too.  I'm not as hell bent on landing a fish as I am in having fun with it.

[DTack]

Wondering why you guys use such heavy braid on your baitcasters. 40, 50, even 65lb braid...that's what we use for bluefin. I'm guessing it's for line management? or perhaps cutting weeds when fishing heavy cover? 

 

Also, why do people recommend a high 7:1 ratio for jig fishing? The only thing I can think of is picking up the slack quickly from a 11, 12'o'clock position to set the hook. 

 

Any input appreciated!

Direct answers:  Why such heavy braid?  Because I've broken thinner braid on hooksets (not saying the line was not damaged in some way when I did that but after having it happen multiple times I did go up in size.)  I use 70lb now and have not had any break offs.  If I have a 7-9 lb bass eat a frog in a mat, and that mat has tules behind it, I just can't take the risk of letting that fish take me down into the mat or turn around towards the tules.  I just can't do it.  Around docks, you can lead them out successfully.  I've watched my dad do it countless times, and I've watched him lose A TON of frog fish.

For a high speed reel for jig fishing and many other techniques, I like to be able to keep up with a fish that is coming at me.  I've lost pressure on fish before and had them come off.  It's just my way of doing things, not a right or wrong in my opinion.  

[reason162]

This has been very informative, thank you all. 

 

I think perhaps another aspect of line choice is depth and current, which you guys are not really dealing with. I use 10 or 15lb braid in order to get a 3/4, 1oz jig down 65+ ft in current, in situations where a heavier jig just won't get bit. That's not important for flipping bass in heavy cover. 

 

Thinner braid definitely tends to spool-dig more, but since I'm generally not casting light baits (or very far, or very accurately), it's less of an issue. You guys are trying to pitch into a cup-sized pocket. 

[RB 77]

Wondering why you guys use such heavy braid on your baitcasters. 40, 50, even 65lb braid...that's what we use for bluefin. I'm guessing it's for line management? or perhaps cutting weeds when fishing heavy cover? 

 

Also, why do people recommend a high 7:1 ratio for jig fishing? The only thing I can think of is picking up the slack quickly from a 11, 12'o'clock position to set the hook. 

 

Any input appreciated!

 

You answered your own questions perfectly, however there was also quite a bit of informative info from some of the other guys in this thread. Good job guys!

[fisherrw]

i use braid for fishing in heavy cover, so if i get my fish stuck i can just drag him right out. although i generally only use like 30 pound braid.

[FrogTastic]

I prefer 65 pound braid as a good all around frog line, because you can use it in completely open water, or in super heavy cover. And I've gotten pretty explosive hits on frogs that weaker braid might not stand up to. I think it's mostly personal preference though

[Phelptwan]

I fish what normal fishermen would call swamps...so the 50lb+ braid's really become handy.