I May Regret This

[Herbert Lorenzo]

I'm bass fishing  and decided it's time to go finesse . I look at how thin # 6 lb or #8 lb line looks after having thrown that # 50lb braid . At that point I always think that I am about to really regret doing this . What if the bass of a lifetime strikes ?  Will that drag function properly or will I kiss that lure and fish goodbye? .. Just thoughts , anybody else get that feeling or worse yet , actually have that happen ?

[Fin S]

I feel confident using 8# mono in most open-water situations, but I only feel safe using 6# in winter or with a medium rod. My brain tells me 6# will hold, but my gut is less sure.

[the reel ess]

21 minutes ago, Herbert Lorenzo said:

I'm bass fishing  and decided it's time to go finesse . I look at how thin # 6 lb or #8 lb line looks after having thrown that # 50lb braid . At that point I always think that I am about to really regret doing this . What if the bass of a lifetime strikes ?  Will that drag function properly or will I kiss that lure and fish goodbye? .. Just thoughts , anybody else get that feeling or worse yet , actually have that happen ?

I wouldn't go under 8#, just my $.02. And that would just be my leader on heavier braid.

[Finessegenics]

Before I got into dedicated bass fishing, all my multispecies fishing was done on 8lb mono. Bass, walleye, panfish, catfish, whatever. I landed lots of big fish with no worries and I still do. The setup that’s in my hands the most often is a ML rod with 10# braid to 8# or 6# leader. Sure, we don’t have 10lb+ bass here but I’d still be confident. 
 

All it takes is a well tied knot and a reliable drag system. Too many people try to horse fish in or don’t have confidence in their gear. If the fish wants to run, let it run. Play it out by feel with your drag system. And the best part Is, you don’t need expensive gear, there are lots of budget spinning reels with extremely smooth drag systems. 

[roadwarrior]

ALL of my 5+ lb smallmouth and a large portion of "trophy" largemouth have been 

caught on #4 Yo-Zuri Hybrid or Tatsu #6.  As importantly, I get A LOT more bites

using lighter line.

 

https://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-videos/lake-guntersville-2012.html

 

 

[garroyo130]

Youll be fine, just make sure to use lighter wire hooks and keep them extra sharp.

 

Cover will snap your line, fish shouldnt unless youre getting into heavier cover.

[bwjay]

I landed a 6lb pike on 3lb mono while ice fishing by using drag effectively. If you finesse them you can get fish in. The thing is I wasn't fishing around cover so there was basically no concern about my line getting micro nicks or anything of the sort (besides line rubbing on the underside of the hole). I wouldn't go below 6lb while bass fishing and even then, I have no desire to do so. 8lb is my absolute minimum for finesse and I think 10lb is just fine. Granted, I use fluoro so it's less visible than mono or copoly. Just use your drag, err on the side of caution and let them run a bit, play them out. If they're around dock pilings or other cover that could break you off, then I'd definitely want 10lb line so I can tighten the drag and turn their heads without worrying about breaking off.

[Hulkster]

i have bent the hook on a #3 Mepps Black Fury unsnagging it using 6 pound Sufix Siege Mono tied with a palomar knot. 

 

with a proper knot, you will shouldn't break off using 6, 8 10 etc. you might pull the hook out though. 

 

 

 

[NHBull]

A properly set drag should make you rest easy.  I get many more bites on 6# than I do with 12#

[NYWayfarer]

I trust 8# line in open water situations. I got my PB Bass on 8# Sufix Siege line on a size 300 spinning reel on a medium rod. The reel had 13lbs of drag. With it I was able to stop the fish from getting into cover and land him. I might have sweated a bit had it been 6# line.

 

I try and fish the lightest line I can get away with. I agree with the other posters that feel lighter line gets more bites.

 

 

[Captain Phil]

The lighter the line, the more bites you will get.  I use 8 pound Maxima mono on my spinning outfits.  It's strong than it looks.  

[camman]

It really depends on how and where you fish.  If you are fishing around wood/docks/structure, good luck on getting a fish of a lifetime out of there on 6lb test.  Now if you are fishing more open water, certainly downsizing isn't an issue.  I think you really need to match the type of line and lb rating to the conditions you are fishing.  

 

When I fished in Southern California I constantly used 6-8lb test for a variety of baits due to the heavy pressure and more of open structure.  I've landed some big fish with a good drag and being patient.  Once I moved to Northern California and began fishing heavier cover, I upped my line and now regularly fish 12-20lb test and usually braid.

[FishTank]

I have caught fish well over the line rating.  My personal best large mouth (10lb 2oz) was caught on 6lb test line and I caught a 40lb+ blue catfish on 10lb test.  

 

I always set the drag properly and when I know it's big, I play the fish to get it in. 

[Bass Rutten]

Lots of big bass are landed on light line and spinning gear as long as it’s appropriate to the cover you’re fishing. The bigger problem with spinning gear is that yelling out “SON!” like Roland Martin just ain’t the same.

[DitchPanda]

I've caught several big bass..for me that's 5lbs and up ...in 6lb over the years. My PB weighed around 8 3/4lbs and I caught it on a grub crappie fishing with 6lb mono.

[Boomstick]

I run 12lb braid to 6lb leader on a ML/XF rod (St Croix Avid X) for drop shots and neg rigs and so far I haven't hooked any fish and had my line break on me but I haven't hooked anything above 4lbs on that setup yet either but I've caught a few in the 3lb range without issues. I have only had problems with line breaking with getting stuck in rocks, but I avoid throwing it around weeds - I will usually bring a jig or T-Rig with me for those weedier areas because I know if I hook a fish alongside thick weeds and it swims into the weeds, I'm not getting it out.

 

If the drag is set right, you should be able to land a pretty large bass. It's actually a lot of fun reeling them in - a 3 pound smallie on light line and light gear feels like fighting a 5+ pounder - my first through every time I get a decent fish is "OMG it's a giant!" then I see it...

[Greeneye8181]

Tie a solid knot and have your drag right. You will be fine. I fish with 8lb FC all the time and have caught LB over 5lbs with it on several occasions. No issues. 

 

Now, you cant horse a big fish in like braid but you will get more opportunities to catch them IMO. Just be wary of heavy cover if a fish goes for it. I hooked a solid 5lb LB about a month ago on 8LB FC and he went for a log that was at the shore I was fishing from. I knew I couldn't yank him out of there but I was firm in my resistance and was aware that might happen when the fish got close to me on the bank.

 

Edit: Also, buy quality line

[Hammer 4]

I've caught 7+ lb bass on 6 lb seaguar invisx..No problem landing them. Using your drag, older shimano sahara reel worked just fine.

[Big Hands]

My PB bass at 12 lb, 13 oz was caught on 10 lb Ande monofilament.

 

My first 10+ bass was caught on 6 lb Ande monofilament, and I landed a 22 lb channel cat on 8 lb Ande monofilament, both on spinning gear.

 

I can't recall losing any big fish on 6 lb line, but have busted off a few good ones on 4 lb, so I won't go that low anymore.

 

With that said, the places I fish close to home don't have much structure to get hung up on, and deep, open water is generally always pretty close by. That's not what I envision when I think of Florida bass fishing, which I picture as being the polar opposite of the lakes I usually fish.

 

I did pull out an 8.5 lb bass from Lake Fork (Texas) in an area filled with timber on 8 lb mono on a spinning rig. That was just plain lucky that I didn't get wrapped up. We were jigging spoons for crappie and whatever else would bite, and if that fish would have broke me off, I would have to agree that 8 lb test in those conditions was like bringing a knife to a gunfight.

 

If I can get a hook buried in a fish, it's not the fish's strength that worries me. But if there is lots of structure present, that is what would give me pause when considering light line.

[islandbass]

23 hours ago, Herbert Lorenzo said:

I'm bass fishing  and decided it's time to go finesse . I look at how thin # 6 lb or #8 lb line looks after having thrown that # 50lb braid . At that point I always think that I am about to really regret doing this . What if the bass of a lifetime strikes ?  Will that drag function properly or will I kiss that lure and fish goodbye? .. Just thoughts , anybody else get that feeling or worse yet , actually have that happen ?

If the line is in optimal condition and your reel has a good drag that is set there is only only thing that might be an issue. 
 

with the first two in place and open water or relatively light cover, you win. 

if heavy cover, you could lose, but heavy cover doesn’t match your tools so it shouldn’t be use without knowing the risks. 
 

you probably think 6# line is “weak”. It isn’t. People in my neck of the woods battle salmon with as little as 4# rest in current and they win. You just need to get over that mental block. I am glad I did. 
 

there is one other “bad” thing. As one who  finally got over that idea that light line is weak line, I have gravitated slightly toward finesse and lighter tackle. It’s so fun, but remember the right tool for the job. 
 

a few weeks ago my son got lucky battling a bass out of Lilly pads on 6# test while on a dock. 

[Bankc]

Growing up, all we ever used was 6 or 8# mono.  Braid and fluoro wasn't really a thing (I mean there was silk, but nobody used it).  You could go up to 10#, but that's where the line started getting thick enough for the fish to see and start being weary of.  Plus, it messed with your lure's action.  So 8# was usually the tops.  Besides, that's what the drag was for.  I think the softer, fiberglass rods helped too.  But losing fish wasn't really an issue.  I mean, it happened.  But it rarely happened because your line snapped.  And usually if it did, you did something wrong.  

 

These days, everyone's used to super stiff and responsive rods, heavy duty line, and power fishing techniques.  The only reason reels still have drag is to protect the ultra-fragile rods we use.  Otherwise, how is a 10# bass gonna break a 30# line, let alone 65#?  Sometimes these days I'll see someone land a bass and just ski it back to the boat.  No fight.  No play.  Just yank it in as quick as a crankbait that got fouled up on it's own line during the cast.

 

I'm not saying the old way is better.  In fact, I prefer the new ways.  I'm just saying that it worked back then and it still works now.  Sure, you have to set your drag a bit looser, let the fish run a bit more, and work them a bit better to keep them from getting themselves tangled up in stuff, and let the rod do more work for you.  But that's all easy enough.  And, if you're anything like me, and you're fishing a finesse rig these days, you're probably doing it because you have to and not because you want to.  That means that any fish you lose because your line is too thin or whatever, you probably wouldn't have even gotten a sniff from on your power rig.  So it's not so much "losing a fish" as it is "almost getting another bonus fish".  

[BrianMDTX]

19 minutes ago, Bankc said:

I'm not saying the old way is better.  In fact, I prefer the new ways.  I'm just saying that it worked back then and it still works now. 

I have to agree for the most part, as I have caught more (and bigger) bass this year than in all years prior (basically stopped fishing seriously in the late 80s, and truthfully never as serious as this year) and caught several bass for the first time ever on certain baits. 
 

But like you said, I recall everyone using 6 or 8 lb mono, with maybe 10 lb on a baitcaster, and silk or Dacron braid was used by handliners for carp. Graphite came out when I was young but most used fiberglass rods. And you definitely had to play a good fish vs cranking it in like a Jetski. 

[Lmsmbassaddict]

I wouldn't go under 8lb fluorocarbon. And honestly I still look at a 3000 size spinning reel backed with tape or mono however you go about doing it to 30lb braid to a 8lb Fluorocarbon leader as finesse fishing territory. 

 

Also, what made you decide that going only finesse was a good idea? It's just like any other technique there is a time and a place for finesse fishing. I consider 8 to be on the lighter side of finesse along with 4 and 6. Up in the northern States it's been like that for a long time. But I can't tell you how many times I hear people say I lost one. I have yet to snap 12lb abrasx or invisx. Invisx is amazing for finesse spinning applications. 

 

Before theoretically throwing in the towel on any technique sit down and list what are important to you. You'll be surprised how many times I've done that and it's saved my butt. I prefer casting gear over spinning especially now. I used to really like spinning gear because back then the gear just was not where we are today. You can finesse fish just fine now that we have great Fluorocarbon, lighter shallower spools, and better brakes systems. And I'm only in my early 30s. I've been fishing since I could walk so even at my 30s I have been blessed with a ton of fishing growing up on a lake and river system. 

 

My advice is get a 3000 size spinning reel, a nice fast action rod, 30lb braid to 8 to 15lb Fluorocarbon of your choice. That will toss everything you need while still maintaining finesse elements. I would try to stay away from micro guides less you want to run just Fluorocarbon. 

 

-Bass Addict 

[NOC 1]

9 hours ago, Lmsmbassaddict said:

I wouldn't go under 8lb fluorocarbon. And honestly I still look at a 3000 size spinning reel backed with tape or mono however you go about doing it to 30lb braid to a 8lb Fluorocarbon leader as finesse fishing territory. 

 

Also, what made you decide that going only finesse was a good idea? It's just like any other technique there is a time and a place for finesse fishing. I consider 8 to be on the lighter side of finesse along with 4 and 6. Up in the northern States it's been like that for a long time. But I can't tell you how many times I hear people say I lost one. I have yet to snap 12lb abrasx or invisx. Invisx is amazing for finesse spinning applications. 

 

Before theoretically throwing in the towel on any technique sit down and list what are important to you. You'll be surprised how many times I've done that and it's saved my butt. I prefer casting gear over spinning especially now. I used to really like spinning gear because back then the gear just was not where we are today. You can finesse fish just fine now that we have great Fluorocarbon, lighter shallower spools, and better brakes systems. And I'm only in my early 30s. I've been fishing since I could walk so even at my 30s I have been blessed with a ton of fishing growing up on a lake and river system. 

 

My advice is get a 3000 size spinning reel, a nice fast action rod, 30lb braid to 8 to 15lb Fluorocarbon of your choice. That will toss everything you need while still maintaining finesse elements. I would try to stay away from micro guides less you want to run just Fluorocarbon. 

 

-Bass Addict 

Holy cow...I use 12lb and 15lb on my MH set-ups and 8 or 10lb on my medium rods. My finesse rigs are loaded with 4, 6, and 8.

 

What lure weight would you consider "finesse"? I know people have differing ideas of what that means. I can't imagine using 15lb line to throw 1/8 oz baits.

[Lmsmbassaddict]

29 minutes ago, NOC 1 said:

Holy cow...I use 12lb and 15lb on my MH set-ups and 8 or 10lb on my medium rods. My finesse rigs are loaded with 4, 6, and 8.

 

What lure weight would you consider "finesse"? I know people have differing ideas of what that means. I can't imagine using 15lb line to throw 1/8 oz baits.

It's just how I categorize techniques/gear. 

 

Ultra light>light>medium light>medium>medium heavy>heavy>extra heavy. 

 

Finesse fishing for me is a technique involving ultra light-medium heavy 4# to 15# line. Now adays I feel like if your finesse fishing you have to be using Fluorocarbon or even braid to FC. I also think 15# is on the heavy side, but with Fluorocarbon I feel like it's still within the realm.

 

Now that we have such great baitcasters you can now efficiently finesse fish with both casting and spinning gear. 

 

Have a wonderful day and God bless

 

- lmsmbassaddict