Braid + Leader combo suggestions for this setup...

[MakeUltraLightGreatAgain]

What up peeps. Just grabbed a new combo (Shimano Scropion DC + St. Croix 6'6 Med/Mod) to throw up to 1/2oz spinners and cranks and such. Yes, I know it's a short rod, but that's what I'm used to after 20yrs and I'm short so let's not go there lol. 

 

The rating for the rod says up to 14lb test but I see a lot of guys running 20+lb test with at 14lb or whatever fluro leader on similar set-ups. What's within and what's not within the limitations here? The reel can certainly handle 14lb test and up to 20lb.

 

Also, anyone here running co-poly line? On all my set ups I run braid + a short fluro leader to save on line expenses, wondering if I should just wrap the whole thing with co-poly for cranks, top water, spinners...

[A-Jay]

Congrats on the new set up.  Just picked up that reel myself, nice.  A couple os thoughts.  The reel doesn't hold a ton of big line, so long bombing cast with 20 lb copoly, mono or fluorocarbon may come close to spooling it.  20 lb braid can be a little temperamental on casting gear as it has a fairly thin diameter.  Doable but with the way braids are now, 30 or 40 migjt handle better.  14 or 15 lb copoly is a solid all around choice and eliminates the leader & knot deal.  

A-Jay 

[LionHeart]

Firstly, dude ignore line suggestions on a rod.... meaningless.

 

Line ratings on a reel are just for reference to give you a rough idea of line capacity.  Like AJay said, going up to a larger diameter nylon line will cost you line capacity.  

 

Braid is smaller diameter per the same lb test.  For example, 50 lb braid is generally the same diameter as 12 mono, so if a reel will hold 120 yards of 12 lb mono, it will hold about the sameish amount of 50 lb braid.  

 

For a baitcaster, I tend to use between 30 and 50 lb test in braided line.

 

I am one of those nuts that thinks bass are line shy, which is one of a few reasons that I like to use a leader.  I like 12-20 lb mono depending on what I'm doing, and am a fan boy of the FG knot.  If properly tied, it is the strongest and thinnest braid to leader knot in the galaxy.

[Brad Reid]

A-Jay and Lionheart have it dialed in pretty well. A-Jay's comment about 20 lbs. braid seems spot on, maybe just a bit on the thin side. Lionheart suggesting 30 to 50 sounds great as would be A-Jay's 30 to 40 regarding handling.

 

I'd only add that whatever size equivalency you'd use to match up against the same size braid, so let's say comparing 40 lbs. braid to 10 lbs. "anything else" assuming the same diameters? The braid will cast better, behave better on the reel, at least this has been my experience.

 

You can always tie on a leader if necessary.

 

Brad

[MakeUltraLightGreatAgain]

Yea, well I tie a 10-12' fluoro leader with the FG knot on every setup I have and my bait casters are lined with 15lb braid and 10lb leader because I'm also in the area of thinking the line scares away the fish (if I'm wrong then so be it). If I use 12lb braid then I go with an 8lb leader. The issue I may have here is that the Scorpion DC I just cop'd is 100 series reel so i want to get the most line on it as possible, per their recommendations so I don't mind bumping up to a 20lb braid as long as I'm getting max line capacity on this small ass spool.

 

• Nylon thread wound amount (lb - m): 12 - 120, 14 - 100, 16 - 85, 20 - 70