4Lb Line, What Hooks And Soft Plastics For Bass?

[hoosierbass07]

  Lets say I want start using 4lb mono or fluorocarbon or copolymer line and only use soft plastic worms/lizards.  What kind of hooks would you use, what kind of weight, and what exact soft plastic

would you use if you were going to use 4lb or 5lb or even 2lb for bass?  I'm talking about big bass too, not baby small bass.  

 

 The five strip pits I fish at here in Indiana are frustrating me.  Looking back, I think I've had my best success on six pound line.  I've been using eight, ten pound, and twelve pound fluoro leader but have not had much success catching large bass.  I'm hoping focusing on six and four pound line will increase the number of large bass I catch (which stands at 1 this season).  

 

Thanks!

[Crestliner2008]

When I first started drop shotting back in 2001, I learned the technique from a Japanese friend from Japan. He advocated the use of 4# test fluoro when fishing deep, clear water. It certainly did catch a lot of quality smallmouth for me over the next half dozen or so years. The problem I experienced was that the fine teeth on the smallmouth abraded the line significantly. I lost quite a few quality fish because of that. Ended up changing out my leader about every second bass landed.

 

Following the RichZ formula, I shifted to 6# test fluoro instead and have since only very rarely lost a fish due to break offs. I also change my leader several times a day, usually after 3 or 4 fish are caught & released. That helps as well I suppose. I've caught some pretty big smallmouth using 6# test and have never noticed/experienced any reduction in catch ratios compared to the people I've fish with.

[A-Jay]

It's often challenging to successfully achieve a solid hook up using 4 lb line and anyTexas rigged plastic - regardless of the hook used.

 

The only presentations I feel confident recommending when using 4 lb line would have to involve a small open hook.

 

Nosed hooked plastics on a drop shot are a standard. 

 

Going up to 6 lb line will in my mind, open up your options a bit more.

 

A-Jay

[hoosierbass07]

 Is 4 pound fluoro stronger than 4 pound mono?  

[Matthew2000]

Is 4 pound fluoro stronger than 4 pound mono?  

Think about it. Why would 4lb test of one kind of line be stronger than 4lb test of a differnt kind of line?

[hoosierbass07]

Think about it. Why would 4lb test of one kind of line be stronger than 4lb test of a differnt kind of line?

 

 

  To be more clear - if you have 4 pound mono and you have fluorocarbon that is equal in line diameter to the 4 pound mono, is that fluorocarbon stronger or weaker?  To be even more clear - if I'm going to fish 4 pound line, do I want to use 4 pound mono or 4 pound fluorocarbon?      

[deep]

How confident are you in your fluoro knots?

[CRANKENSTIEN]

It seems to me that line diameter can be a better indication of a lines strength than the lb test. Excluding braid. I don't use under 10 lb much but I do use 4 lb cxx for spy baiting and it is suprisinly strong. I am going to use it for a Ned rig.

[hoosierbass07]

How confident are you in your fluoro knots?

 

 

  I'm getting more and more confident.  I'm wetting my lines more and slowly cinching them down.  

[Brayberry]

I use 8 lb test very frequently on bass, and never have problems.  I also have done a ton of fishing with 4 and 6 lb test for bass.  As long as you have a good rod/reel and a quality drag, you'll be fine.

[Bluebasser86]

I was using 4lb with a swimming grub at Beaver lake this past weekend with 20+ feet of visibility. Even with a fine and very sharp 1/0 open hook I had a couple bass that I landed without ever getting the hook past the barb. I wouldn't feel confident trying to T rig a plastic with 4lb test but if you do, look at the sharpest, fine wire hooks you can find and keep them small. The smaller the hook, the easier it's going to penetrate. 

[Will Wetline]

You might try Owner Twistlock Finesse hooks, available in sizes #2 - 1/0

 

https://www.ownerhooks.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=21&products_id=210&osCsid=4nk0j8ghi5q80tkodl7g4v3fj2

 

and VMC Spinshot hooks.

 

https://www.google.com/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&rlz=1C5CHFA_enUS503US517&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=vmc+spin+shot+hooks&tbm=shop

[Choporoz]

My problem with such light line is that I do not have the confidence in the knots.  After cinching, I invariably break 3 of every 10 just pulling them tight and 'testing' my knot -- even if I slobber the heck out of it.

[Preytorien]

If you're using such a finesse presentation, and soft plastics, it might be worth thinking about maybe an 8lb/10lb braid....something eqiv to a 2or 4lb copolymer or flouro. Something that light scares me. I'd rather have a little heavier than needed line than to lose a possible season-best or worse yet, personal best because I chose too light of a line.

[hoosierbass07]

 I'm very confident with six pound mono Sufix elite.  I took my biggest bass this year on it from a kayak.  I'm wondering if moving down below six will increase my chances of getting bites from the larger bass.  I have two books from the 70s or early 80s, Lunkers Love Nighcrawlers and Slider Fishing and both books are fans of light line.  Charlie Brewer said he used 4 pound mono the most and the rest of the time 6 pound and I think maybe even 2 pound sometimes.  

 

 I have five pound Maxima Ultragreen on one of my reels and I'll be honest - it does feel a little too light to me.  I can actually break it if I have gloves on and pull hard.  I've not tried that with my Sufix six pound mono but I'm pretty sure I would have a tough time and I doubt I could break my Sufix 8 pound mono elite.  I Texas rig most of the time and have done it pretty succesfully with eight and six pound mono.  But this five pound Maxima seems a little too light to Texas rig with.  

 

 Maybe instead of experimenting with lower line size I should try different six pound line?  I really fear P-Line Floroclear but I will admit I did catch a lot of bass when I was using 8 pound.  Maybe I'll try their six pound line.  

[ChrisAW]

Funny, I just came in from a bit of shoreline fishing on the lake I now live on (Apartment building though, unfortunately.) using a setup similar to what you're trying to do, including an ultralite rod.

 

I currently use a 6'6" UL with a 10 size reel, 5# Power Pro/4# P-Line Fluoroclear leader.

 

 

 

 

I did originally buy it just for panfish, but the first fish I caught on it was a 3 pounder on a live worm, and it handled it great. I thought, why not just use it for everything while on shore? I stocked up on some small baits like 3" stick baits, small craws, little paddle tails and such. I basically only use a 1/16th or 1/8th jigs, shroom heads or ball heads. The jig pictured is a BPS Shroom Head jig, which is available in #1 and 1/0 hooks, I have the #1's. I do have some #1 (I believe) VMC EWG hooks that I doubt I would have any problems with as they are VERY thin, but I have had no need to weedless rig for now.

 

I say go for it, but 6# won't be a big deal either. If you think you'll be lacking power, try braid main line and just set your drag a little lighter. That hook in the picture had no issue getting buried in a couple keeper's mouths today when I got home from work, and I even forgot to tighten my drag from when I was targeting some 'Gills when the first bass hit today.

[Bk4]

Funny, I just came in from a bit of shoreline fishing on the lake I now live on (Apartment building though, unfortunately.) using a setup similar to what you're trying to do, including an ultralite rod.

 

I currently use a 6'6" UL with a 10 size reel, 5# Power Pro/4# P-Line Fluoroclear leader.

 

 

 

 

I did originally buy it just for panfish, but the first fish I caught on it was a 3 pounder on a live worm, and it handled it great. I thought, why not just use it for everything while on shore? I stocked up on some small baits like 3" stick baits, small craws, little paddle tails and such. I basically only use a 1/16th or 1/8th jigs, shroom heads or ball heads. The jig pictured is a BPS Shroom Head jig, which is available in #1 and 1/0 hooks, I have the #1's. I do have some #1 (I believe) VMC EWG hooks that I doubt I would have any problems with as they are VERY thin, but I have had no need to weedless rig for now.

 

I say go for it, but 6# won't be a big deal either. If you think you'll be lacking power, try braid main line and just set your drag a little lighter. That hook in the picture had no issue getting buried in a couple keeper's mouths today when I got home from work, and I even forgot to tighten my drag from when I was targeting some 'Gills when the first bass hit today.

What rod is that?

[OntarioFishingGuy]

Set your drag, you have it for a reason. All too often I see guys muscling fish in on 50lb braid not using the drag at all. The fish in my avatar was caught on 4lb leader. I have caught some nice smallies on 2lb as well. Use sharp hooks and wet your knots.

[Bk4]

Lets say I want start using 4lb mono or fluorocarbon or copolymer line and only use soft plastic worms/lizards.  What kind of hooks would you use, what kind of weight, and what exact soft plastic

would you use if you were going to use 4lb or 5lb or even 2lb for bass?  I'm talking about big bass too, not baby small bass.  

 

 The five strip pits I fish at here in Indiana are frustrating me.  Looking back, I think I've had my best success on six pound line.  I've been using eight, ten pound, and twelve pound fluoro leader but have not had much success catching large bass.  I'm hoping focusing on six and four pound line will increase the number of large bass I catch (which stands at 1 this season).  

 

Thanks!

When bass get finicky I've personally like throwing my finesse style bait on my ultralight rod on power pro 8lb test with a 4lb test p line 100% fluorocarbon leader or on the 5lb test FC sniper. Biggest I've caught was a 4lb 09oz spotty on a lake fork live baby shad on the dropshot on a size 4 vmc dropshot hook on a 1/8oz gremlin sinker. I personally like smaller bait(2inch-4inch) and hook(size 1- size 4)when fishing 4-5lb test line. But the down fall to this is like what everyone else say ... Line abrasion ...

[hatrix]

My problem with such light line is that I do not have the confidence in the knots.  After cinching, I invariably break 3 of every 10 just pulling them tight and 'testing' my knot -- even if I slobber the heck out of it.

 

What kind of knot are you tying and with what line? I have actually been using a lot or 4 and 6# line lately. Some people might not agree but I tie a sandiego jam knot with any size line. I havent caught any giants lately with such light line but had had numerous in the 3 close to 4# range fishing the ned rig or strikeking bitsy tubes with a super small flipping hook or tiny ewg. I will do 7 or 8 wraps with light line and its good to go. A few times this past week or so I have pulled to hard cinching the line down that it actually cuts into my finger cause its so thin.

[Choporoz]

I use improved clinch 90% of the time on non-braid line.  For braid-to-lure, I use palomar 100% of the time.  I acknowledge that there are better options for particular line/lure combinations, but I feel the need to stick with simplicity -- knots I can tie quickly (and mostly blindly) on the water. 

[papajoe222]

I use 4lb mono on my ultra light, split shotting 4in. drop shot worms and a small circle hook.  No need to worry about snapping the line when setting the hook, I just raise the rod tip and reel.  That small hook penetrates easily and a 12in. bass or crappie on that outfit is a blast to fight.

[OneShotOneKill]

What rod is that?

 

It's a browning airstream. I have the same one for trout fishing, not a bad little rod.

 

http://www.basspro.com/Browning-Air-Stream-Spinning-Rod/product/1409110755384/

[J Francho]

Light wire, sharp hooks, and small plastic baits will be fine in minimal cover. Set the drag appropriately.

[ChrisAW]

What rod is that?

 

 

It's a browning airstream. I have the same one for trout fishing, not a bad little rod.

 

http://www.basspro.com/Browning-Air-Stream-Spinning-Rod/product/1409110755384/

 

 

Yes, that.