.012 mono for crankbaits

[jimmyjoe]

   I use Big Game on my heavier rigs, but I like to experiment with lighter lines and lighter lures on my M/MF rod, throwing cranks. The reel on it is a Shimano Casitas 150. The most problems are the 1/4 oz. cranks; balsa lures like Rapalas and Bagleys, or 13A Bombers, 6th Sense Crush minis, 200 Bandits and 1/4 oz. Wally Divers. I definitely don't want to go over .012 line for this, at least not for this upcoming year. Does anyone have an opinion as to 1) which .012 line casts the furthest, and 2) which .012 line has the best knot strength?  (Remember, I'm a shorecaster.)

    Thnx        jj

[Plottman1974]

I have been using McCoy's Mean Green lately and I am beyond impressed.  It is so smooth it can be used with a spinning reel yet it is very abrasion resistant and doesn't have too much stretch.  Knot strength seems to be outstanding.  

[iabass8]

Sunline Shooter Defier Nylon Mono

[WRB]

^^^this 11 lb is .0108 D ^^^

Tom

[jimmyjoe]

14 minutes ago, iabass8 said:

Sunline Shooter Defier Nylon Mono

   I've heard A LOT about that line. No retailer near me carries it, and no one I know uses it. How limp is it, and how well does it take the heat of midsummer? Does it exhibit longevity? (At that price, I would expect it would.)    jj

[iabass8]

It's very limp and ease of casting is second to none. 

[WRB]

10 lb Berkley Big Game is .012, inexpensive, abrasion resistant, good knot strength and good for your application. No mono or FC will last a long time, needs to be changed when it gets nicked up.

I used Berkley Big Game 10 & 12 lb for over 30 years for everything except finesse and big swimbaits.

Tom

[jimmyjoe]

20 minutes ago, WRB said:

10 lb Berkley Big Game is .012, inexpensive, abrasion resistant, good knot strength and good for your application. No mono or FC will last a long time, needs to be changed when it gets nicked up.

I used Berkley Big Game 10 & 12 lb for over 30 years for everything except finesse and big swimbaits.

Tom

   Yes, but it has hellacious memory for the first few casts, and those first few casts can be important. They might be the most productive casts of the day. It's also somewhat "wiry".  These qualities disappear with heavier lures, but for 1/4 oz. stuff, Big Game is .... well, irritating. Doesn't cast all that far with light lures, either. I think it's great for the bigger stuff, but it's just not a good light lure line for the way I throw. 

   And when I said "longevity", I guess I wasn't specific. I noticed some nylon lines really degrade in midsummer's direct sun and high heat. That's where the idea of longevity came in. As for nicks, I check my line often, and re-tie as needed. 

   Thnx anyway.     jj

[WRB]

24 minutes ago, jimmyjoe said:

   Yes, but it has hellacious memory for the first few casts, and those first few casts can be important. They might be the most productive casts of the day. It's also somewhat "wiry".  These qualities disappear with heavier lures, but for 1/4 oz. stuff, Big Game is .... well, irritating. Doesn't cast all that far with light lures, either. I think it's great for the bigger stuff, but it's just not a good light lure line for the way I throw. 

   And when I said "longevity", I guess I wasn't specific. I noticed some nylon lines really degrade in midsummer's direct sun and high heat. That's where the idea of longevity came in. As for nicks, I check my line often, and re-tie as needed. 

   Thnx anyway.     jj

Armillo has UV inhibitors and amber color to prevent sun light degradation.  Use a line conditioner to wet mono before you start your day. I use a product from Punisher Lures call Tangle Free, works on both mono and FC line.

Tom

PS, if you can't find Tangle Free, try greaseless LPS #1 silicone spray works but has a odor for a few minutes and doesn't appear to bother the bass. I am not a fan of KVD line conditioner and aviod Blakemore Reel Magic.

[jimmyjoe]

18 minutes ago, WRB said:

rmillo has UV inhibitors and amber color to prevent sun light degradation.

 

18 minutes ago, WRB said:

I use a product from Punisher Lures call Tangle Free

 

    Thank you very much.     jj

[islandbass]

Memory is ugly to look at but it is my experience that it does not affect performance including casting distance for me. 
 

If it is a show stopper for you then consider sufix mono. In my experience, it seems to acquire memory the slowest and I’ve just about every domestic mono line out there. Big game, trilene, ande, McCoy, stren, etc. 

 

there is sufix siege and the other whose name is escaping me but I think it is elite or something like that. It would be kind of like trilene  XT siege, to XL elite. A very loose comparison. 

 

[zell_pop1]

If you do not mind the cost go with the regular Sunline Defier for long casts. For less money the McCoys mentioned is pretty good.

[dodgeguy]

Sufix advantage mono.

[Hulkster]

i use Sufix Siege, with a palomar knot the stuff is tough to break and casts well. 

[Log Catcher]

I agree with @Hulkster about using Sufix Siege. The 10# is supposed to be .012. I use this on my spinning rods. I use 12# on my baitcasters and throw 1/4 ounce baits without any problems.

[WRB]

Tackle Warehouse lists the majority of line diameters by pound test for each brand and type, look for .012 diameters and compare lb test. Memory is a factor of strength and diameter plus surface hardness. The softer a mono/FC line is the less abrasion resistance it will have, their isn't a panacea where you get the best of both.

Suffix mono/copolymer lines are .012 dia for 10 lb test for example.

You buy it and try it, if it works for you it's good line.

Back in 90' the state of the art line was Sunline Shooter FC and DAM Techtan mono. I tried the Techtan and liked the small diameter 13 lb was .010 dia and cast exceptionally good. Fished the Tectan during day prior to a night tournament and it worked good. I always change to 15 lb  Big Game for night fishing and for some reason didn't for this tournament, line diameter isn't a factor at night. Long story shorten I used the Techtan and broke off several big bass on the hook set do to poor impact strength setting hooks in a shorter distance cast at night. 

The only to way know if a line is good for you is to fish it, all the factors come into play.

Tom

 

[Dwight Hottle]

I liked the Sunline Defier Armilo & used it for a few years but have switched over to Sufix Advance. The Advance is precision wound like the Defier & has similar characteristics but seems slightly limper & coils less. I also like it for better sensitivity with less stretch. Its knot strength & abrasion resistance is good. It's also available in 330 yard spools instead of just 165 yd spools.  

[jimmyjoe]

4 hours ago, WRB said:

I tried the Techtan and liked the small diameter 13 lb was .010 dia and cast exceptionally good. Fished the Tectan during day prior to a night tournament and it worked good. I always change to 15 lb  Big Game for night fishing and for some reason didn't for this tournament, line diameter isn't a factor at night. Long story shorten I used the Techtan and broke off several big bass on the hook set do to poor impact strength setting hooks in a shorter distance cast at night. 

   Thanks for the info on Tectan. I can scratch that one off.    jj

 

 

[Hulkster]

6 hours ago, Log Catcher said:

I agree with @Hulkster about using Sufix Siege. The 10# is supposed to be .012. I use this on my spinning rods. I use 12# on my baitcasters and throw 1/4 ounce baits without any problems.

i do the same. 10 on spinning 12 on baitcasting