What Test???

[Justbass11]

I have 2 7ft MH Falcon rods that I plan to use for cracking and spinnerbait, my question is what test line should I use??? I plan on using PowerPro line. Thanks for your input, its been a long time since I had 4 rods and reels for fishing.

[dave]

What is this CRACKING technique of which you speak?

 

30-50# Power Pro should get the job done.  Depends on where you intend to crack...LOL

[Justbass11]

LOL my mistake crank baits

[FloridaFishinFool]

 

 

30-50# Power Pro should get the job done. 

 

 

I'm curious... why so heavy a line? I live in central Florida with heavy cover all around and I rarely go above 20 and I don't lose fish. Only on my flippin' stick I have 50 pound braid, but for all cranking and spinners I use between 10 to 20, and most of the time between 10 to 15.

 

To the OP, what are the line recommendations on your rods? I checked one of my MH rods and it recommends line 8 to 14.

 

I have found using too heavy of a line greatly impedes casting distance and increases resistance to move through the water easily.

 

I would recommend going with as light a line as you can get away with without losing fish. There is a balance position in there somewhere and it just depends on your needs and conditions.

 

Another thing to consider is that some rod and reel manufacturers will void any warranties if too heavy a line is used.

[poisonokie]

30# is great for those techniques. It has the diameter of 8# test, so it will cast well, impart good action, and allow great diving depth. It will also give you more feel as to what's going on with your bait. Any lighter and it will tend to dig into your spool, especially with those spinnerbaits, causing backlash. Also you'll lose abrasion resistance, which i think is more important with moving baits. I actually use 40# for spinnerbaits, etc. If your rod is rated 8-14, then 30-50# will work great. I think that line rating has more to do with the guide train than anything.

[Mike L]

I'm curious... why so heavy a line? I live in central Florida with heavy cover all around and I rarely go above 20 and I don't lose fish. Only on my flippin' stick I have 50 pound braid, but for all cranking and spinners I use between 10 to 20, and most of the time between 10 to 15.

 

To the OP, what are the line recommendations on your rods? I checked one of my MH rods and it recommends line 8 to 14.

 

I have found using too heavy of a line greatly impedes casting distance and increases resistance to move through the water easily.

 

I would recommend going with as light a line as you can get away with without losing fish. There is a balance position in there somewhere and it just depends on your needs and conditions.

 

Another thing to consider is that some rod and reel manufacturers will void any warranties if too heavy a line is used.

Ditto

I don't personally use braid (Yo Zuri) for crank or spinnerbait's and I fish in the same type of waters. And for both it's 12# and I have no complaints.

If you intend to use braid for long casting lures I personally wouldn't go over 30#.

Mike

[Evan K]

Having a slightly heavier line (provided it's thin braid) is nice in that you can usually muscle out of most snags you will encounter as well- with 50 lb braid you'll likely bend or break off the hooks before the line fails.

I like 30 lb braid for the applications the OP describes.

[Ozark_Basser]

For shallow cranks and spinnerbaits, I like to use fluoro anywhere from 14# to 20#. Pretty much whatever is on the reel at that time. Those two baits are thrown on the same rod for me as well.

Deeper cranks just get a lower # test and a slower rod.

[BrianinMD]

The one problem you may run into with braid on those rods, especially with the crankbaits is losing fish. Most use a more moderate action rod and/or the stretch of mono to get some help fighting fish. Spinnerbaits all should be good with 30lb braid.

[Evan K]

The one problem you may run into with braid on those rods, especially with the crankbaits is losing fish. Most use a more moderate action rod and/or the stretch of mono to get some help fighting fish. Spinnerbaits all should be good with 30lb braid.

 

Agreed. I have co-polymer and a moderate action rod for cranks.

[WIGuide]

I personally don't use braid with either of those presentations, I choose fluoro and run 12lb test. If i were going with braid, I'd probably go with 30 lb test.

[Ozark_Basser]

I agree with the above statements about braid and losing fish. Especially the ones who tend to swat at your bait or lazily come up and just sort of put it in their mouths I.e. bigger fish.

[poisonokie]

See, I think you don't lose fish with braid provided you use the right rod. For standard 1/2 oz cranks it's medium glass composite all the way. For topwaters, squarebills, and traps it's medium heavy glass composite. For jerkbaits, spybaits and other BFS, spinnerbaits, Chatterbaits, and swim jigs it's moderate fast graphite. For jigs, worms, frogs, and flipping it's fast graphite. Have a little patience and don't use extra fast for anything. With this approach I  detect more bites and land more fish. My philosophy is that it's better to have give in your rod instead of your line.

[Ozark_Basser]

See, I think you don't lose fish with braid provided you use the right rod. For standard 1/2 oz cranks it's medium glass composite all the way. For topwaters, squarebills, and traps it's medium heavy glass composite. For jerkbaits, spybaits and other BFS, spinnerbaits, Chatterbaits, and swim jigs it's moderate fast graphite. For jigs, worms, frogs, and flipping it's fast graphite. Have a little patience and don't use extra fast for anything. With this approach I detect more bites and land more fish. My philosophy is that it's better to have give in your rod instead of your line.

I guess we're pretty much on the same page. I prefer everything be graphite but I also use fluoro.

I think the lesson to be learned here is somewhere something has to give. If you really like braid you can find a way to use it with treble hooks.

[soflabasser]

The pound test you should use depends on a lot of factors, such as the type of cover you are fishing,size of lure ,and water visibility. I use as light as 8 pound test mono in clear water with little to moderate cover to 30 pound test mono  when fishing  murky water in heavy cover. You can use 30 pound test power pro in light /moderate  cover and 50 pound test power pro in moderate/heavy cover.

[BassinLou]

I used braid for the applications  mentioned above by  the OP, however for my taste I went back to using yozuri in the 12-15lb variety. My hook ups increased compared to when I used braid exclusively. 

[bigfruits]

I use yo zuri hyrbrid 12# or 14# mostly for spinnerbaits and crankbaits. If i want the crankbait to go a little deeper i will use flouro, with the spinnerbait i just use a heavier one and stick with copoly.

I prefer a fast action for spinnerbaits, buzzbaits, swimjigs, chatterbaits, lipless and squarebill crankbaits.

[SNK]

If your set on going with the power pro, then like many said, 30# would be your best bet. I would recommend backing off on the drag when using crank baits, it may help just a little with keeping them hooked.

Otherwise, one rod with Mono (10lb is what I recommend, you may want to go a little heavier due to conditions and size of fish you may encounter in FL, this will help getting depth and help keep the fish buttoned up by giving some stretch on a MH Fast rod). For the other rod, as others have said, 30# braid for spinnerbaits would work well.