Shallow cranking line...

[GreenPig]

14 Stren Original 

[DitchPanda]

I love asking these types of questions because you get such a broad scope of answers. Half the guys are using the most expensive stuff the other half are using the cheapest.

Guess I'm curious as to what the advantages are of using a good fluorocarbon instead of a durable mono like big game? I'm willing to spend the money if its worth it

 

[A-Jay]

20 minutes ago, DitchPanda said:

I love asking these types of questions because you get such a broad scope of answers. Half the guys are using the most expensive stuff the other half are using the cheapest.

Guess I'm curious as to what the advantages are of using a good fluorocarbon instead of a durable mono like big game? I'm willing to spend the money if its worth it

 

They all work.

Use what YOU have confidence in.

Perhaps That's the Advantage.

A-Jay

 

[Team9nine]

49 minutes ago, DitchPanda said:

I love asking these types of questions because you get such a broad scope of answers. Half the guys are using the most expensive stuff the other half are using the cheapest.

Guess I'm curious as to what the advantages are of using a good fluorocarbon instead of a durable mono like big game? I'm willing to spend the money if its worth it

 

 

Not certain there are any presentation advantages with either line type in this case since you pretty much just run the bait into and through **** as fast as you can ?

[garroyo130]

1 hour ago, DitchPanda said:

I love asking these types of questions because you get such a broad scope of answers. Half the guys are using the most expensive stuff the other half are using the cheapest.

Guess I'm curious as to what the advantages are of using a good fluorocarbon instead of a durable mono like big game? I'm willing to spend the money if its worth it

 

 

You don't realize the advantages of sensitivity with crankbait fishing until you do. 

 

In my experience, the sensitivity factor isnt so much for setting the hook on fish as much as for working through cover. With a more sensitive setup youll be able to feel weeds earlier and stop the bait, letting it rise above the weeds so you can complete a clean retrieve. Without that sensitivity, you'll be picking weeds off every cast. Same goes for rock piles or wood. You can either spend your time retrieving the lures or fishing them. 

 

Now I will admit, I am currently not using fluoro. My big change in sensitivity came from switching to a slower 5.4:1 reel. Once I burn through my remaining Yo Zuri Hybrid, I will be switching over to fluoro because sensitivity has indeed made a significant difference.

[Team9nine]

14 minutes ago, garroyo130 said:

 

You don't realize the advantages of sensitivity with crankbait fishing until you do. 

 

In my experience, the sensitivity factor isnt so much for setting the hook on fish as much as for working through cover. With a more sensitive setup youll be able to feel weeds earlier and stop the bait, letting it rise above the weeds so you can complete a clean retrieve. Without that sensitivity, you'll be picking weeds off every cast. Same goes for rock piles or wood. You can either spend your time retrieving the lures or fishing them. 

 

Now I will admit, I am currently not using fluoro. My big change in sensitivity came from switching to a slower 5.4:1 reel. Once I burn through my remaining Yo Zuri Hybrid, I will be switching over to fluoro because sensitivity has indeed made a significant difference.

 

I agree completely for most any type of cranking where “feel” or sensitivity is involved. This would also include Trapping. Fluoro is much better in those cases. If we’re just singling out squarebills though, where most recommend fast retrieves that bang and deflect off cover to trigger a reaction strike, it probably doesn't matter. That said, fluoro still gets the nod in my book because of its overall ‘feel’ advantage across a wide range of cranking applications.

[roadwarrior]

11 minutes ago, Team9nine said:

 

I agree completely for most any type of cranking where “feel” or sensitivity is involved. This would also include Trapping. Fluoro is much better in those cases. If we’re just singling out squarebills though, where most recommend fast retrieves that bang and deflect off cover to trigger a reaction strike, it probably doesn't matter. That said, fluoro still gets the nod in my book because of its overall ‘feel’ advantage across a wide range of cranking applications.

I guess I am the odd man out. I am a HUGE fluorocarbon fan, but I use monofilament with

treble hooks exclusively.

 

[Team9nine]

1 minute ago, roadwarrior said:

I guess I am the odd man out. I am a HUGE fluorocarbon fan, but I use monofilament with

treble hooks exclusively.

 

 

Someone is always odd man out - often me ? And to imagine, somehow, we both still seem to catch plenty of fish ?

[DitchPanda]

46 minutes ago, roadwarrior said:

I guess I am the odd man out. I am a HUGE fluorocarbon fan, but I use monofilament with

treble hooks exclusively.

 

Yes but I'm assuming you are using a premium mono? 

[king fisher]

Most of the time I use Maxima Ultra Green 12 pound( my default line for everything).  If I'm in an area where I'm loosing crankbaits from snags ( old gill nets) then I will use straight 40 pound braid, which can rip the nets apart. I keep going back and forth with floro for cranks, but am currently using mono for all but deep cranking.  Deep cranking I'm currently using braid to leader. ( subject to change by the time the next deep crank line thread comes up) Sometimes I wish mono was the only line available, then all I would have to choose and argue about is brand.  Life can be confusing at times.

[J Francho]

15# Invisx all day, every day!

[roadwarrior]

3 minutes ago, DitchPanda said:

Yes but I'm assuming you are using a premium mono? 

#11 Sunline Shooter Defier Armilo

https://sunlineamerica.com/products/shooter-defier-armilo/?sku=60073870

[J Francho]

Premium mono sounds like an oxymoron to me.  It's like filling your tank up with premium leaded gasoline.

[roadwarrior]

6 minutes ago, J Francho said:

15# Invisx all day, every day!

I will give it a try!

[Team9nine]

8 minutes ago, J Francho said:

Premium mono sounds like an oxymoron to me.  It's like filling your tank up with premium leaded gasoline.

 

Beat me to the punch ? So now we have regular mono and premium mono, and there is certainly ”cheaper” fluoro and premium/expensive fluoro. So are cheap fluoro and premium mono equals?

[Hook2Jaw]

Berkley Trilene 100# Fluorocarbon.  12# for both ⅜ squares and ⅝ lipless.  That's my line choice for winding, grinding, and deflecting off hard cover.  It seems to allow me to get fish out and casts well.

 

I also use it for deep cranking.

 

I'm still trying to figure out a line for ripping lipless through hydrilla and eelgrass.

[DitchPanda]

28 minutes ago, Team9nine said:

 

Beat me to the punch ? So now we have regular mono and premium mono, and there is certainly ”cheaper” fluoro and premium/expensive fluoro. So are cheap fluoro and premium mono equals?

Well if I understand correctly a "premium" mono has less stretch and better abrasion resistance...basically making it very similar to fluoro. That's it I'm getting some 15lb big game and calling it a day. To many options...making my head spin.

[Hewhospeaksmuchbull]

Straight braid on both rods that I crank with(705cb, 703c), I'm a rebel I guess.

[GReb]

I have two dedicated squarebill rods. My  1st string rod keeps 15lb Invisx on it. My secondary rod has 15lb McCoys Mean Green. 
 

From what I can tell the Invisx dives 6-12” deeper than the MG with most standard 1.5. That’s entirely a guesstimate based on my feel. The MG seems to hold up better around a lot of wood though. Regardless I like having the options. Plus I throw a lot of top water walking baits on the rod with MG so that’s a major reason why

[Team9nine]

5 minutes ago, DitchPanda said:

Well if I understand correctly a "premium" mono has less stretch and better abrasion resistance...basically making it very similar to fluoro. That's it I'm getting some 15lb big game and calling it a day. To many options...making my head spin.

 

Unfortunately, nobody, including manufacturers, give us the specs we need to be able to determine just what specific characteristics a given line has. If I had the $$, I'd set up a small lab to do nothing but test this stuff out and report on it 

 

As for Big Game, good choice (for mono). It's all I ever used for nearly everything for close to 20 years, until I made the switch to all fluoro. Good stuff for squarebills (and a lot of other applications).

[tander]

I use to use FC for all my cranking, I used fiberglass rods then. I am going to try mono now that I changed to graphite rods. I will use 20# test Sunline Natural for shallow and 12# for deeper cranks.

[DitchPanda]

43 minutes ago, Team9nine said:

 

Unfortunately, nobody, including manufacturers, give us the specs we need to be able to determine just what specific characteristics a given line has. If I had the $$, I'd set up a small lab to do nothing but test this stuff out and report on it 

 

As for Big Game, good choice (for mono). It's all I ever used for nearly everything for close to 20 years, until I made the switch to all fluoro. Good stuff for squarebills (and a lot of other applications).

Over the years I've tried several different mono and copoly lines for cranking with mixed levels of success...this year I used 10lb big game for small cranks and was pleasantly surprised. That's why I'm confident in using the 15lb for lipless and square bills.

[Gary_Snyder]

It's true that if you are not burning up a lot of line due to abrasion / retying, fluorocarbon will outlast mono several times over and actually be cheaper in the long run (Because it does not absorb water and cycle from wet-to-dry)! Also, the fluoro sinks faster and can help get baits deeper - if you need that.

 

But - if you want an easier handling line (not that big a deal with crankbaits), a mono with just the right amount of stretch - enough for the fish to suck in the bait, but not too stretchy for the fisherman - some to try would be Gamma Polyflex, Stren Magnathin, P-line CXX. I think Gamma is the best overall. 

[roadwarrior]

I fish #11 Sunline Shooter Defier Armilo for topwater and crankbaits.  Tatsu 

mainline for jigs, weightless soft plastics and live bait.  Smackdown/ Seaguar

Gold Lable leader with weighted soft plastics, swimbaits,  spinnerbaits and

blade baits.

 

 

 

[waymont]

On 12/2/2020 at 6:22 PM, Team9nine said:

I get at least 3 years out of a spooled fluoro reel...sometimes 4.

I never use straight fluoro. Do you find it wears out from casting, and catching fish?