Fluorocarbon and Jigs

[rtwvumtneer6]

I'm a novice bass angler with limited financial resources and equipment, but want to expand my skill set and production.  I shore fish with a 6'6" Medium Bionic Blade paired with a Shimano Spirex 2500.  A lot of my success has come from a weightless senko on a 3/0 Gamakatsu.  I have my reel spooled with 10# Iron Silk.  I love the line.  I hardly ever lose a fish that I hook up with, but as I explore new lures and techniques it seems like fluorocarbon is the way to go for the best hook-up ratio.

My question is... what are your recommendations on line, as well as jig weights, colors and trailer combinations for my rod/reel combo?

Thanks in advance!

Best,

RT

Edited January 13, 2016 by rtwvumtneer6
Clarification

[Bluebasser86]

What makes you think you're missing lots of bites? or do you mean your getting strikes and missing them?

[rtwvumtneer6]

For longer casts, the stretch in the mono during the hook set.  A lot of my bites come on the initial fall.

For the most part I used to throw short casts horizontal to the shore.  Mainly 5" weightless senkos.  I moved and my new area and waters have some deeper targets.  Hope that answers your question.

[MIbassangler30]

I would try 15-20 lb braid. Depending on preference, maybe a floro leader. 

Jigs: get some 3/8 ounce flipping or casting jigs in black and blue, and green pumpkin. Done. 

[DBL000006]

I would switch to Fluorocarbon Line. Try High Seas Coated Line in 10 LB Test. It's great Line. 

[adam lancia]

If you're on a budget, Seaguar Invizx is pretty spinning reel friendly.

If you're not on a budget, I have heard many, many anglers talk about how great Saeguar Tatsu is on a spinning reel. It's pricey though.

Whichever you get, I wouldn't go over 8#.

[deep]

Anything more than a quarter oz jig might be pushing it.

[smalljaw67]

The truth be told, with your budget I wouldn't switch to fluorocarbon line, stay with mono and save for a complete jig set up. A medium power spinning rod is going to be light finesse type jig, I wouldn't go more than 5/16oz with a trailer and with the rod and reel you have your casts aren't going to be long enough for the line stretch to make a lot of difference. If you want a low stretch mono, go with Spider Wire Ultimate Mono, it is very thin, the 10lb diameter is equivalent to the 8lb diameter of the Ironsilk you are currently using, and it has great abrasion resistance with the lowest stretch I ever experienced with any mono. The only problem is that on a spinning reel it has a little more memory, the same type you get with fluorocarbon by not quite as bad, so you would need something like KVD Line and Lure to help and all it takes is 2 spritzes and you are good for the day. The types of jigs that would work for you are a Strike king Bitsy Bug in 3/16oz and the Booyah pro Boo Bug in 3/16oz and 5/16oz. For trailers I like the Netbait Paca chunk in the "Tiny" size, it has enough action and bulk that it won't get lost on a 5/16oz jig yet still won't be overbearing on the 3/16oz. 

[roadwarrior]

Yo-Zuri Hybrid #6 has a breaking strength of 11.9 lbs and is inexpensive and very manageable on spinning tackle.

3/8 oz Siebert Outdoors Grid Iron is the jig I would recommend with a Rage Tail Craw trailer. Colors should include your favorite plus black/ blue, green pumpkin and PBJ.

 

[cottny27]

I agree that 3/8oz might be pushing it on a 6'6" M spinning rod.  1/4oz. on some 8# fluro fishing a light wire finesse jig.  You could go 10# with some supple fluro

[Paul Roberts]

First things first: A "medium" spinning rod is a fine "light" largemouth rod. I use them (with 6 to 10lb lines) in open water and early season before vegetation grows in. By late spring/early summer I'm using MH tackle both cast and spin bc in my waters vegetation becomes too dense. I consider a MH the standard power largemouth rod, esp so with jigs.

If your water is open and cover free year round then you may be fine with a med spinning rig. But you'll need to recognize the limitations of hook size (wire diameter) in terms of hooksets, and with lure weight in terms of keeping the fish pinned. This is especially so with jigs as fish throw jigs easier than most lures bc of the compact weight rigidly affixed to the hook.

If you are able to (or choose to) stay with the M rod, reducing line stretch by switching to braid may offer some help. I don't think the stretch properties are really much different between mono and FC. There are "controlled stretch" mono's, like Berkley Sensation, but it still stretches. Braid might be your best choice, and you can always add a leader of any mono or FC.

[WRB]

You are not  trying to set the jig weight or the Senko size, it's the hook that penetrates into the basses mouth. A 3/0 Gamakatsu hook, what style is the hook you are using? And how is the Senko rigged that you miss hook sets with? Can you define your hook setting technique?

Tom

 

[Raul]

5 hours ago, rtwvumtneer6 said:

 

it seems like fluorocarbon is the way to go for the best hook-up ratio.

 

Who told you that ?

[cottny27]

I started fishing weightless senkos this year with a 1/0 Gama Octopus or finesse hook.  Hookup rate doubled and you barely have to set it.  I fish pretty open strip pits though.  I always in the past did the tex-posed 3/0 or 4/0 Trokar, but the hookup rate was pretty low.  

[Steveo-1969]

Line companies have done a great job marketing fluorocarbon as "low stretch".  And I totally believed it until I actually fished with it.  Don't believe the hype, it stretches as much as mono and sometimes more.  Now this isn't necessarily a bad thing, but if you are concerned with line stretch and want to eliminate it then you should go to braided line.  Spool up with 15#-20# braid (with or without a mono or FC leader) and you will get great hook sets on a long cast.

[Bruce424]

I might be wrong.. but fluoro stretches almost as much as monos. The sensitivity you're feeling  isn't from lack of stretch  but because the line is denser and sinks it's more of a direct line of contact. Transmits vibration better.

[Chris at Tech]

I think you're a bit under-gunned for most jigs, except perhaps finesse jigs.  Even just a 1/4 oz flipping jig with a trailer will likely overpower a M spinning rod.

[Robert Riley]

You may consider using braid and a FC leader, saves you a bit of money. If your saving your wallet, look at Seagaur Red Label. 

As far as jigs go, I'd recommend 1/4 finesse jigs. I generally fish three colors, and have a few variations. Those colors are green pumpkin, black and blue and green and brown. 

[Tom18xs]

You would definitely feel light bites better with that setup.  The FG knot for FC leader to braid is by far the best knot I've seen.  Super strong and thin (not bulky).