EWG vs Straight Shank hook for light line

[Hudson McLean]

I was wondering if 12 pound fluorocarbon is heavy enough to drive a straight shank flipping hook hook home. I would just be using a 1/4 ounce pegged tungsten and a rage craw around sparse grass on a 7'1" medium heavy baitcaster.

[WRB]

12 lb FC isn't light line and will easily set hooks using the right hook setting techniques.

Tom

[lo n slo]

2 hours ago, Hudson McLean said:

I was wondering if 12 pound fluorocarbon is heavy enough to drive a straight shank flipping hook hook home. I would just be using a 1/4 ounce pegged tungsten and a rage craw around sparse grass on a 7'1" medium heavy baitcaster.

fwiw, i was busting off 12 lb fluoro, at the knot, on the hook set, with a 7’ MH rod. i had to do something. i went up to 15 lb line and switched from a Palomar knot to the one Shaw Grigsby uses. so far, so good. just my two cents.

[TnRiver46]

I've never used either, I like round bend offset hooks 

[WRB]

FC line has poor knot impact strength and the reason so many different knots are suggested trying to resolve that fact. The key is tying perfect knots that reduce stress the main line like the simple San Diego jam knot.

If you use the old cross their eyes snap hook set your line may fail do to high impact forces. 

If you want to improve knot strength use mono/copolymer line.

Tom

[Hudson McLean]

7 hours ago, WRB said:

12 lb FC isn't light line and will easily set hooks using the right hook setting techniques.

Tom

The reason I call that light line is because I live in Florida and it's not uncommon to catch Bass 7+ pounds. It's just lighter than what I'm used to using but wanted to get that little bit better casting distance. Thanks for the input!

[WRB]

1 minute ago, Hudson McLean said:

The reason I call that light line is because I live in Florida and it's not uncommon to catch Bass 7+ pounds. It's just lighter than what I'm used to using but wanted to get that little bit better casting distance. Thanks for the input!

Check my top 5 bass all on 10 to 12 lb line using jigs.

Tom

[Hudson McLean]

4 hours ago, WRB said:

FC line has poor knot impact strength and the reason so many different knots are suggested trying to resolve that fact. The key is tying perfect knots that reduce stress the main line like the simple San Diego jam knot.

If you use the old cross their eyes snap hook set your line may fail do to high impact forces. 

If you want to improve knot strength use mono/copolymer line.

Tom

My only worry with using a mono line would be that the stretch wouldn't allow me to get as good of a hook set. Also the line diameter is thicker which would take away the whole point me getting the lighter line for casting distance. I just looked up that San Diego jam knot and it looks like a fun one to tie. I'll have to give it a try this weekend. Thanks for the help!

1 minute ago, WRB said:

Check my top 5 bass all on 10 to 12 lb line using jigs.

Tom

Wow that's crazy. I guess I've always just assumed that you need heavier line for bigger fish. How tight do you set your drag?

[WRB]

Just now, Hudson McLean said:

My only worry with using a mono line would be that the stretch wouldn't allow me to get as good of a hook set. Also the line diameter is thicker which would take away the whole point me getting the lighter line for casting distance. I just looked up that San Diego jam knot and it looks like a fun one to tie. I'll have to give it a try this weekend. Thanks for the help!

My average casting distance is around 120'or 40 yards. Getting a good hook set is more about technique and I use my reel set with firm rod sweep while continuing to reel...works great.

Tom

[Harold Scoggins]

31 minutes ago, Hudson McLean said:

How tight do you set your drag?

Not sure where or when I picked up this rule, but I've always set my drag to 1/3 of the breaking strength of the line I'm using. If I'm using 15 lb test line I'll set my drag so that line can be pulled off the reel with 5 lbs of pressure. I use a scale to achieve this. If I need more pressure while reeling in a fish, I try increasing the angle of the rod. (usually works) 

[Catt]

 Owner Cover Shot Worm Hook?

[WRB]

44 minutes ago, Harold Scoggins said:

Not sure where or when I picked up this rule, but I've always set my drag to 1/3 of the breaking strength of the line I'm using. If I'm using 15 lb test line I'll set my drag so that line can be pulled off the reel with 5 lbs of pressure. I use a scale to achieve this. If I need more pressure while reeling in a fish, I try increasing the angle of the rod. (usually works) 

1/3rd line strength is standard practice with off shore tuna and Marlin anglers and I have used the 1/3 drag setting since the early 70's to prevent breaking off big bass near the boat. We pay a lot of money for state of the art reel drags....use them.

12 lb line set the drag at 4 lbs using a scale,  about the maximum load a 4 power or MH rod can lift. You have a thumb to apply additional pressure if needed. Most big fish are lost becuase of failure to properly set drags.

Tom

[roadwarrior]

On 2/10/2020 at 7:56 PM, WRB said:

1/3rd line strength is standard practice with off shore tuna and Marlin anglers and I have used the 1/3 drag setting since the early 70's to prevent breaking off big bass near the boat. We pay a lot of money for state of the art reel drags....use them.

12 lb line set the drag at 4 lbs using a scale,  about the maximum load a 4 power or MH rod can lift. You have a thumb to apply additional pressure if needed. Most big fish are lost because of failure to properly set drags.

Tom

[NittyGrittyBoy]

Straight shank. I gave up EWG