Baitcaster light line suggestions wanted

[Craig P]

Anyone have any opinions / success using light line with a Curado DC and what pound to use?

 

Fish in my area are line shy, my 14lb floro setup is getting out fished 4 to 1 by my 6lb floro spinning outfit using the same plastics.  I have several baitcaster setups and wouldn’t mind trying something different on one.

 

Thanks!

[dodgeguy]

i fish 8lb sufix advance mono. no reason you couldnt fish 8 lb flouro of your choice on a baitcaster.

[RoLo]

 

Add an 8-lb fluoro or copolymer leader to the main-line of your casting outfit.

I see no reason why that wouldn't do the trick.

 

Roger

[WRB]

9 hours ago, Craig P said:

Anyone have any opinions / success using light line with a Curado DC and what pound to use?

 

Fish in my area are line shy, my 14lb floro setup is getting out fished 4 to 1 by my 6lb floro spinning outfit using the same plastics.  I have several baitcaster setups and wouldn’t mind trying something different on one.

 

Thanks!

What hook? Size of soft plastic?

I use 10 lb mono and FC all the time using bait casting tackle and consider it normal not light line. If I go less then 8 lb, it's spinning tackle.

Tom

 

[.ghoti.]

It is possible your baits are fallong quicker and have a slightly different action when on the lighter line. Try increasing the weight you’re using when fishing the casting rig with #14 line. Speed up the fall rate and tweqk the action a bit.

[Tywithay]

I've found the Curado DC to be very average with baits 1/4oz or below, but I don't think that was its intended use. The right rod is probably equally as important as lighter line, if you want to get decent results. 

[Hammer 4]

I'm in the same camp as Tom is. 10# minimum on baitcaster, 8# and below, I go to a spinning rig. This has worked very well for the last..cough..years..

[dodgeguy]

I would never use under 50 lb braid on a baitcaster. To many dig in issues. Doesn't cast any further to talk about so why bother?

[Jig Man]

One of my Ned setups is a ml Gloomis Bronzeback with a Curado 70.  On it I have 6# fluorocarbon line.  Everything else is 12# fluorocarbon and heavier.

[dodgeguy]

I have never seen any braid that doesn't dig in on any baitcaster in my 30 years of fishing braid. Even 50 lb can dig in on a hard pulling fish. This includes all my buddies using all different braids on all different reels. If I was using braid that light I'd put it on a spinning rod. Dig in doesn't happen on a spinning rod due to the way the line is spoiled.

[dodgeguy]

24 minutes ago, BaitFinesse said:

My light braid setup are the ones most resistance to dig in precisely because they are light line setups and run very little drag pressure. It is the high drag pressures, hard hook sets and boat flips of power fishing that I experience the most braid dig ins.  

So other than sensitivity by using a light drag your not getting full potential out of the braid. IMHO you might as well put it on spinning tackle. On spinning tackle you could use more drag and it wouldn't dig at all. I guess if that works for you it's fine.

[WRB]

19 hours ago, dodgeguy said:

i fish 8lb sufix advance mono. no reason you couldnt fish 8 lb flouro of your choice on a baitcaster.

8 lb Advance is .011 dia.

10 lb Sniper is .010 dia, 8 lb is .009 dia

11 lb Armillo is .011 dia

Compare line by it's diameter not advertised lb test.

Tom

[dodgeguy]

Yeah ok so go to 6 lb. Advance breaks over test rating . having used the 8 lb I wouldn't be afraid to throw 6 lb advance on a baitcaster.

[fishwizzard]

54 minutes ago, dodgeguy said:

So other than sensitivity by using a light drag your not getting full potential out of the braid. IMHO you might as well put it on spinning tackle. On spinning tackle you could use more drag and it wouldn't dig at all. I guess if that works for you it's fine.

For light line stuff you’re generally not using braid mainly for it’s raw strength, you are using it for the increased casting distance and the ease of handling/durability over thin fluoro/mono. I use down to 6lb J-Braid on my UL trout casting combo. I would prefer to use 3-4lb mono but the casting distance difference is big enough to make thin braid the better choice. It’s also a lot easier to deal with when my hands are cold and wet in the winter, thin mono doesn’t survive minor backlashes very well. 

[ATA]

On 6/27/2020 at 8:02 AM, Craig P said:

Anyone have any opinions / success using light line with a Curado DC and what pound to use?

 

Fish in my area are line shy, my 14lb floro setup is getting out fished 4 to 1 by my 6lb floro spinning outfit using the same plastics.  I have several baitcaster setups and wouldn’t mind trying something different on one.

 

Thanks!

#10 shooter will change your performance, it did for me.

[new2BC4bass]

Craig, I use 8# mono or co-polymer on the vast majority of my ML and Medium casting rods.  I use it on various reels:  TD-Z 105H, TD Fuego, Alphas/Sol, Carbonlite, Morrum 1600C, Curado 51E, SV105HSL and Pixy and have never had a problem with any of the reels.  I see no reason why you can't go to a 6# mono/co-polymer/fluorocarbon.

 

EDIT:  Forgot I put 6# Excalibur on one of my Pixys.  Not used much yet, but no problem so far.

[jbrew73]

Why not spool up with the same 6# you use on the spinning setup? I use 8 lb nylon mono and flouro often without issue.  I have used 6 on a baitcaster as well and don’t remember any problems. 

[Craig P]

Thank you for all of the input. Just to quickly answer some questions, I’m throwing mostly rage plastics on light jigs most of the time.  I do also use leader but it seems counter-productive to use a leader if you don’t have to which is why I am asking the questions.  I do have a couple of rigs setup for 30lb and 50lb braid, they are what I consider grass and gnarly wood setups. I don’t see much grass on my reservoirs except for a couple so I figure I’d take my 14# floro setup and make it finesse as I really do enjoy using baitcasters over spinning rods. 

 

I think I’ll try FC sniper 8# as that test just feels right for what I fish and see how it works out.

 

Thanks again!

[Craig P]

Just a follow up for anyone else considering the same change. I ended up going with FC Sniper 8# and I am impressed after a couple of outings.  IMO, it’s a perfect line for my needs/setup and the sensitivity is a game changer for me. I’ve been getting bites on this line that with 14#, I’ve not had or at the very least, never felt.

 

This line / purpose however on a Curado DC reel leaves a little to be desired. Does it work, it does but the DC reel I think wants to be worked and responds in kind. Throwing 8# with a lighter touch is finicky, requiring either a quick thumb or a cast that ends up short and it’s hard to find that perfect back stroke if you will to make a jig land softly while not back lashing.  More time with it will help for sure but I think 8# is probably better suited for a Non-DC style reel.

 

Once again, thank you all for your suggestions, they have taught me something and have helped me catch fish.

[Hammer 4]

I have 7 lb sniper on one of my spinning reels, for sure a high quality line. 

[NOC 1]

On 6/28/2020 at 3:52 PM, BaitFinesse said:

I'm not setting 10# pounds of drag on 15# line and fine wire hooks no matter the reel.  Line dig in is not a concern on very shallow spools.  It is not even something I think about because I don't experience it with those reels.  There is just not enough line on the spool to get pushed out of the way and dug into even if I was able to apply that much pressure (I don't, it's UL finesse).  I'm also not going below 10# braid because it is sewing thread at that point and gets cut in half if you look at it wrong.  

 

With a spool as shallow as what is on the Black Max here it is very difficult to get even light braid to dig in.  The Pixy here is deep enough that it can but that is why I like 20# on it and I don't boat flip with it either.  The rod it is on is stated at 1/4 oz max.  If I moved it to a beefier rod and boat flipped I could probably get that 20# braid to dig is easily.

I routinely run 6# and 8# FC and Florocoated co-poly on my light casting gear like the PX68. I see no downside at all.

 

most of my gear I run 10# and 12# on Med rods, and 12 and 15# on MH. I do have a few rods set up with 20 # but they are specific set ups for specific uses. Punching into weeds, frogs, heavy swim baits etc.

 

We are talking bass not sturgeon or lake trout. Most of my reels only have about 9lbs of drag and I've never noticed any problems. I've taken in 15lb catfish on #8 line using without that 9 lbs of drag being locked down. My son this year brought in a 30+ lb Flathead on 10# line.

 

Try a lighter line if you think it will help...we're not hunting dragons here.