Line for swimbaits?

[NateCatchesFish]

So i've posted about every other thing relating to a dedicated swimbait setup except for line. I plan on using the Orra Winch that has a line capacity of 12/190. (This is just a starter reel for this. I dont know how I will like throwing big swimbaits and dont want to spend a ton of money on a reel) I am curious as to what people think the best line for this is. I'm 16 in high school so I dont have a lot of money to buy swimbaits so i want a good strong line that wont cast off my swimbaits randomly and break easily. I also plan on using this setup for A-Rigs come winter time. I've heard people say 65lb Braid and others say 25lb Fluro and some even say copoly. I just wanna know what the best line would be to be strong and not break easily and also have enough capacity on the reel since I am not getting a 300 sized reel.

[Jelvas]

 You´re on a budget? Simple, Berkley Trilene Big Game! Cheap, strong and reliable, i absolutely do not recomend braid for big heavy baits unless you´re fishing from a boat and the baits are floaters, because sooner or later you will have a backlash and you will stand there watching your expensive swimbait fly to the infinite and beyond! Fluorocarbon is a valide option and will help your baits reach higher deepths but it´s expensive.

 Circling back to the Trilene Big Game i use 20lb on my 300 sized reels, 15lb on the smaller ones...

[NateCatchesFish]

1 minute ago, Jelvas said:

 You´re on a budget? Simple, Berkley Trilene Big Game! Cheap, strong and reliable, i absolutely do not recomend braid for big heavy baits unless you´re fishing from a boat and the baits are floaters, because sooner or later you will have a backlash and you will stand there watching your expensive swimbait fly to the infinite and beyond! Fluorocarbon is a valide option and will help your baits reach higher deepths but it´s expensive.

 Circling back to the Trilene Big Game i use 20lb on my 300 sized reels, 15lb on the smaller ones...

OK thanks! I actually use that now for cranking and for spinnerbaits and some of my reaction baits. Im a huge fan. It has some decent memory but I just spray it down with line conditioner and it works great. I think Ill go with that. I just dont wanna lose a $40 swimbait in 20 feet of water. The most I plan on spending is maybe a Jackal Ganteral but those are floaters so i should be okay with those. 

[bigturtle]

I use 70lb braid with 25 lb mono leader for baits between 2-5oz, 80lb braid with 30lb mono for baits between 5-8 oz

[NathanDLTH]

Braid and leader or straight floruo is what they recommend. I understand completely, I will be tossing a 20 glide bait from River2Sea and using 40lb braid with 20lb leader.

[NateCatchesFish]

1 minute ago, NathanDLTH said:

Braid and leader or straight floruo is what they recommend. I understand completely, I will be tossing a 20 glide bait from River2Sea and using 40lb braid with 20lb leader.

Majority of the water I fish is pretty stained and muddy and leader doesnt make that much of a difference so I will probably be throwing 50lb braid with no leader or maybe even 65. Like I said Im only in high school and even when im working I dont have a whole lot of money to spend on swimbaits. I will probably be buying some Ganatarels and Girons because on TackleWarehouse right now if you spend $75 you get a free Gantarel

[RoLo]

 

On a budget or not, for me it's 30-lb braid, which does everything I want  (NO LEADER of course).

With a big swimbait you're primary concern is setting the hook 'Beyond-The-Barb',

then you won't have to worry about hooks tearing out (can't fight a hippo on the points of hooks)

I use Sufix 832, but was just as happy when I used Berkley Trilene Braid (great braid but overlooked)

 

Roger

 

[sully420]

Why don't you strait FC instead of leaders? Just wondering if im missing something.

[J Francho]

Big swimbaits?  20# CXX.

[NateCatchesFish]

1 minute ago, RoLo said:

 

Budget or not, I wouldn't consider anything but 30-lb braid  (no leader of course).

Though I use Sufix 832, I was just as happy with Berkley Trilene Braid (a great but overlooked braid).

 

Roger

 

Honestly if Im going to put a lot of money into swimbaits then im willing to spend a whole lot on the line. I use 30lb Power Pro for Jigs and T Rigs and J Braid on my spinning so might just go with that. I just want quality line to make sure i dont have break offs.

2 minutes ago, sully420 said:

Why don't you strait FC instead of leaders? Just wondering if im missing something.

I would be willing to do that. Like i said i just dont wanna risk breaking off on big fish or breaking off on a cast or if i get hung up. Since this is all new to me Im more or less looking for what the best would be with the least amount of breakoffs even if my performance and fish catching ability isnt as great.

3 minutes ago, J Francho said:

Big swimbaits?  20# CXX.

Someone else told me to use that and Ive used CXX for cranking. Ive heard its a good strong line and its also cheap. Thats definitley something I am considering. Like i said im more looking for a line that will be the best to learn with and not the best performance wise. If that makes any sense at all

[J Francho]

It's fine to learn on, and perfect for swimbaiting.  Many well seasoned 'baiters use it.

[sully420]

2 minutes ago, NateCatchesFish said:

Honestly if Im going to put a lot of money into swimbaits then im willing to spend a whole lot on the line. I use 30lb Power Pro for Jigs and T Rigs and J Braid on my spinning so might just go with that. I just want quality line to make sure i dont have break offs.

I would be willing to do that. Like i said i just dont wanna risk breaking off on big fish or breaking off on a cast or if i get hung up. Since this is all new to me Im more or less looking for what the best would be with the least amount of breakoffs even if my performance and fish catching ability isnt as great.

20lb fc is super tough and probably better off using one or the other than tying a leader the leader has the biggest chance of breaking amd catching on youre guides. You would have to use a fg knot and thats hard to tie and the size of the lines kinda defeats the purpose.

[NateCatchesFish]

4 minutes ago, J Francho said:

It's fine to learn on, and perfect for swimbaiting.  Many well seasoned 'baiters use it.

I might go with that. Its pretty inexpensive as well so its something i could change often to prevent breakoffs. I plan on using gantarels and huddlestons and gantarels are floating so im ok for the most part.

3 minutes ago, sully420 said:

20lb fc is super tough and probably better off using one or the other than tying a leader the leader has the biggest chance of breaking amd catching on youre guides. You would have to use a fg knot and thats hard to tie and the size of the lines kinda defeats the purpose.

I agree. The only time I use a leader if when im dropshotting and wacky rigging. and thats 20lb test braid tied to an 8lb FC leader using and FG knot. Ive never had that knot fail on me but i dont wanna be using a leader for $20-$40 baits because thats just another connection to worry about.

[sully420]

5 minutes ago, NateCatchesFish said:

I might go with that. Its pretty inexpensive as well so its something i could change often to prevent breakoffs. I plan on using gantarels and huddlestons and gantarels are floating so im ok for the most part.

I agree. The only time I use a leader if when im dropshotting and wacky rigging. and thats 20lb test braid tied to an 8lb FC leader using and FG knot. Ive never had that knot fail on me but i dont wanna be using a leader for $20-$40 baits because thats just another connection to worry about.

Do you have toothy fish in the lakes you fish? If you don't braid is fine if so use FC.

[NateCatchesFish]

2 minutes ago, sully420 said:

Do you have toothy fish in the lakes you fish? If you don't braid is fine if so use FC.

Theres Pike Bowfin(not sure if they have teeth honestly) and gar. Some lakes more than other. Most of our lakes catching pike is a once every few outings kind of thing. Other lakes you catch 1 bass for every 5 pike. But for the most part i dont think id get bit off too much in my lakes. 

[rippin-lips]

#20 CXX or #25 big game. 

Had no issues throwing 8" hudds on cxx. 

[ib_of_the_damned]

Yo-Zuri Hybrid 12lb has a breaking strength of about 19lb. I use that on my small swimbait stick or Izorline XXX in 15lb. I use Sunline Defier Armilo in 25lb or Izorline in 20lb for my big swimbait stick. You mentioned that you are on a budget, so I would highly recommend the Izorline XXX. It's $16.99 for 840 yds of 15lb and 670 yds of 20lb.

[NateCatchesFish]

3 minutes ago, rippin-lips said:

#20 CXX or #25 big game. 

Had no issues throwing 8" hudds on cxx. 

Im leaning towards CXX at the moment. Like i said before its fairly inexpensive so its something i would change pretty often just to prevent any break offs.

1 minute ago, ib_of_the_damned said:

Yo-Zuri Hybrid 12lb has a breaking strength of about 19lb. I use that on my small swimbait stick or Izorline XXX in 15lb. I use Sunline Defier Armilo in 25lb or Izorline in 20lb for my big swimbait stick. You mentioned that you are on a budget, so I would highly recommend the Izorline XXX. It's $16.99 for 840 yds of 15lb and 670 yds of 20lb.

I used 15 hybraid before and it has way too much memory for me. Right now i think im leaning towards 25lb Izorline XXX or P Line CXX

[ib_of_the_damned]

2 minutes ago, NateCatchesFish said:

Im leaning towards CXX at the moment. Like i said before its fairly inexpensive so its something i would change pretty often just to prevent any break offs.

I used 15 hybraid before and it has way too much memory for me. Right now i think im leaning towards 25lb Izorline XXX or P Line CXX

If you are worried about memory, go for the Izorline. I used CXX and took it off my reels because it had too much memory for me. Izorline is more limp and lays well on the spool.

[NateCatchesFish]

3 minutes ago, ib_of_the_damned said:

If you are worried about memory, go for the Izorline. I used CXX and took it off my reels because it had too much memory for me. Izorline is more limp and lays well on the spool.

Ill keep that in mind. I was reading reviews and people really seemed to like Izorline. I just want something that iis very strong and very abrasion resistant so it wont break easily.

[uncustered]

29 minutes ago, NateCatchesFish said:

Theres Pike Bowfin(not sure if they have teeth honestly) and gar. Some lakes more than other. Most of our lakes catching pike is a once every few outings kind of thing. Other lakes you catch 1 bass for every 5 pike. But for the most part i dont think id get bit off too much in my lakes. 

 

Lake prince has 25-30lb bowfin. i've seen them.....

 

Them bowfin got teeth that'd make a Piranha jealous. 

 

I would start with heavy mono, BBG is fine ( I use Sufix tri+). When using Flouracarbon as a running line I've had several fail when "shocked" (like a back lash or over-hard hook set will cause)..

 

When using mono, If you figure 10lb of line strength / ounce of lure you'll rarely break one off.

[NateCatchesFish]

9 minutes ago, uncustered said:

 

Lake prince has 25-30lb bowfin. i've seen them.....

 

Them bowfin got teeth that'd make a Piranha jealous. 

 

I would start with heavy mono, BBG is fine ( I use Sufix tri+). When using Flouracarbon as a running line I've had several fail when "shocked" (like a back lash or over-hard hook set will cause)..

 

When using mono, If you figure 10lb of line strength / ounce of lure you'll rarely break one off.

I take it youre from around here? And yea ive never caught a bowfin but people always tell me that lake is full of them. Espically in the very back. Right now im leaning towards Copoly. Ive broke fluro on hooksets with a Jig and i set the hook really hard so im sure throwing things like huds i might break off pretty easy. As of right now Im thinking probably 25lb Izorline XXX

 

[Scarborough817]

1 hour ago, J Francho said:

Big swimbaits?  20# CXX.

agreed, i recently put this on and it's absolutely killer 

[Angry John]

Three most popular non braid lines are 1.big game 2.cxx 3.YHB.  I dont think you can go wrong with any of these.  I use the last option but if you spend any time on other boards looking at this question these three come up and are recommended all the time.  No reason to battle out which one may be best just pick one and go for it.  Heck you could afford to try all three because they are all cheap.  I would never use flouro for swimbaits in my area but there are waters that it may help with bites.  If you later decide to go with a lot of baits with jig hooks then braid might be the best answer for you.  In that case you need every bit of power to the hook point you can get.

[NHBull]

I don't throw anything larger than 2 ounces and am very happy with 30 lb braid and 25-20 lb FC.

PP is cheap and good enough for this.