Is 20 lb braid too much for bass?

[Coolangler101263]

I have 20 lb braid on my reel is that too much for bass?

[Jig Man]

No.  When I use braid I use 30 and 50#.

[new2BC4bass]

Some use 60-65 for bass fishing with frogs.

[jimmyjoe]

   I take it you're talking about a spinning reel? In that case, no, 20 lb. test is fine. On a casting reel, 20 lb. test is too small a diameter, and risks digging in, giving you a backlash.

   That's one of the reasons that people use 40 to 65 lb. braid on casting reels. That, and the way it feeds (relaxes) off the spool at a given RPM.

   The other reason that people use higher-test braid is braid's weak point: knots. A sudden impulse (shock) on braid will cause the knot to dig tighter and fail to a greater extent than some fishermen are accustomed to seeing.     jj

[Scott F]

For me, 20lb braid is the heaviest I use for bass on a bait caster and 10lb braid is what I use on spinning reels. Lighter braid doesn’t dig in on my reels unless I do something wrong like not get out a backlash all the way, set my drag too tight or use the reel to try and free a snagged lure.

[roadwarrior]

I am using #20 Seaguar Smackdown on spinning tackle and #6 Seaguar Gold Label leader line.

For baitcasting, #30 Smackdown and #30 Gold Label.

 

https://seaguar.com/saltwater/new-lines/gold-label-25

[Randy Price]

On my spinning reels I use 15lb Nanofil or Suffix 832 on my baitcaster I use 45lb Power Pro.

[MickD]

I only use 20 braid on spin when it is Hitena Pureline.  Otherwise, with other braids, I use 15 max.  It's all about casting distance with me.  I admit to not having tried all the braids, but Hitena 21 is so small in dia that it casts very well.

 

[Dens228]

I use 20 lb, 30 lb, and 65 lb depending on the application. 

 

[FishTank]

On a spinning reel, 20lb works great,  40lb and up on a baitcaster.

[r83srock]

6 minutes ago, FishTank said:

On a spinning reel, 20lb works great,  40lb and up on a baitcaster.

This for me too.

[jimmyjoe]

3 hours ago, MickD said:

I only use 20 braid on spin when it is Hitena Pureline.

 

   In a world of B.S. and under-rating, Hitena is the most honest company I've seen yet. What I like is their lists of tensile strength vs. knot strength for braids.  Good stuff!        jj

[FordsnFishin]

I hook a tree it's coming to the boat.

 

If im using braid it's either 50lb or 65lb.

[MickD]

If those advocating 20 pound braid on a spinner try 10 or 15, they will find their casting distance go up significantly.  If strength is more important than distance, then 20 is the choice.  I fish mostly open water so strength above 15 isn't important.

 

My Hitena 21 is on a Stradic 400 that I use for bones and barracuda where strength is more important. The Hitena 21 Pureline casts better than any other braid I've tried, like most 10-15 braids.

[soflabasser]

20 pound or less braid is more than enough for small bass in open water but might not be enough for 8 pound and bigger bass in heavy cover. Not the wisest idea to fish light tackle if your goal is to catch a big bass or other large fish in a place with heavy aquatic vegetation.

[NoShoes]

Setting the drag appropriately and you can catch them on 6 lb. WRB has caught tons of giants on 10 and 12 lb big game. 

 

I generally use 20 lb braid to 15 lb fluoro. I’m in the south where you might be pulling in more than bass though. 

[J Francho]

I like 20# on a spinning reel and use it plenty for bass.

[soflabasser]

Fishing in heavy aquatic vegetation is very different from fishing open water.

[The Bassman]

20# braid is different things to different manufacturers. For me I don't use anything over .20 mm on my 2500/3000 reels and less than .15 on my 1000's.

[OkobojiEagle]

This is America, we over-engineer everything... argggg...

[ATA]

On 10/19/2020 at 5:08 AM, Coolangler101263 said:

I have 20 lb braid on my reel is that too much for bass?

No it is not on bait casting, I use 20 on my M power and 16lb leader. for my only spinning combo I use 15lb X8 braid.

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

In what regard? Except for heavy cover flipping and punching braid is about sensitivity and line management. Lots of bass are caught on 6 or 5# test mono and fluoro with 12-15 being average and 20-25 for those that don’t like braid for slop fishing. A good rule of thumb for braid is to pick a diameter that matches that of the mono lb test you’d use. 

[Dens228]

6 hours ago, Delaware Valley Tackle said:

In what regard? Except for heavy cover flipping and punching braid is about sensitivity and line management. Lots of bass are caught on 6 or 5# test mono and fluoro with 12-15 being average and 20-25 for those that don’t like braid for slop fishing. A good rule of thumb for braid is to pick a diameter that matches that of the mono lb test you’d use. 

Exactly what I do.   

[soflabasser]

19 hours ago, OkobojiEagle said:

This is America, we over-engineer everything

I rather have a over Engineered reel than have a under Engineered reel. Cheap gear might be ok for small fish but it is not ok when you hook into a large powerful fish that can peel lots of drag from your reel.

[OkobojiEagle]

I believe you are the first in this thread to equate light line as cheap line.