New Main Line You Want To Try Next ?

[NoShoes]

Maybe go straight fluoro for once, would go tatsu. Usually go braid to leader, but am curious about ditching the leader. 

[Bandersnatch]

13 hours ago, roadwarrior said:

Seaguar Gold is a leader line that has a hard exterior, but is VERY manageable.

Plus the line is thinner and stronger than similar rated alternatives.

 

It's THE BOMB! 

 

  

 

I use this leader with Smackdown braid, otherwise Tatsu without a leader.

 

 

What have been your favorite sizes of gold label leader? 

[Michigander]

Smackdown is good, have it on most of my reels. Going to try the Slick V2 and see how that works for me. The Smackdown seems to stick to itself a bit and robs me of some precision when pitching.

[txchaser]

20 hours ago, ChrisD46 said:

Curious what the next new main line you want to try  is ?  ... For me - the newer Sufix Advance Mono or FC lines.

The advance mono has become a favorite of mine. Like ordered 2 1200 yard spools (diff sizes) on BF.  I saw some testing that suggested 1/3 of the stretch of most lines. It is really noticeable. Really important - 1) it is oversized, choose accordingly 2) the uni knot with an extra turn through the eye is 2x break strength of a SDJ or Double SDJ. I can't explain it, but it is very repeatable. 

 

I still like tatsu on the bottom though, and I'm trying it out for cranking to see if I'm missing detail. 

 

On the trying new lines - just decided to try some Vicious no-fade braid as I was having a hard time getting Fins Sling Braid (also no-fade) in the color I wanted. I like it just a little bit better as in my size the vicious is a little bit stiffer. Sling braid is almost too soft. 

 

I'm looking forward to not having a giant box of different lines, and getting it down to just a few. I feel like I'm close. 

 

 

[Mbirdsley]

I think it’s going to a good 100%  flouro carbon line for spinning rods.  Tried Segar red label for a while and I didn’t like it.  Thinking maybe Tatsu, sniper, INVX  or something about like that. 

[FishTank]

I tend to try at least one new line a year.  This year is Seaguar Gold Label leader and Daiwa J-Fluoro as main line. 

 

I tried Sufix Advance and it was not to my liking.  I tried 2 spools and no luck.   

[WRB]

Regarding mono have tried several brands. Berkley Big Game was my gold standard the past 30 years. Always trying different brands finding nothing outstanding until discovering 25 lb Sunline Defier Armilo @ .016D for Swimbaits about 6 years ago. When casting lures over $100 each you need to:trust the line. 5 years with Zero failures I was sold.

i also use 12 lb Big Game for+all my crankbaits and top water lures before giving 11 lb Armiilo @ .011D the past 3 years. Armillo is my choice for mono line. 

Giving Tatsu 12lb a new try in lieu of Shooter after 25 years this year, time will tell.

Tom 

 

   

[ChrisD46]

I certainly can understand staying with what works for you . Part of the fishing fun is exploring what may be new with lines as possibly it may be better than what you are currently using . That said , doubtful Tatsu or Smackdown will be topped anytime soon (lol !) ... In the mid - tier lines is where you will find more of the new products coming out . *Berkley just released  a Fluoro infused co-polymer line called : "Fluoroshield" ... Sounds like the same principle as P-Line's : "Fluoroclear" ?

[Spankey]

13 hours ago, Bankbeater said:

I've tried a lot of different line over the years and I keep coming back to Big Game.

I use braid on my frog/pitching/flipping setup only. PowerPro. 
 

But my cranking and spinnerbait BC setup are with Big Game. I’ve come to settle with that for years. 
 

I’m so anal about changing my line it truly is ridiculous. But sort of just the habit I’m in. Don’t take the spool all the way down just to my splice knot ?. My rods that I throw the most generally have fresh line on them at all times. Bulk line purchases. 

[Hulkster]

I really like the Sufix Siege mono i have been using the past few years in pound tests from 4 all the way up to 20. its great. As strong as Big Game but handles 10x better. you can use it on spinning gear no problem 

[Junk Fisherman]

2 hours ago, Hulkster said:

I really like the Sufix Siege mono i have been using the past few years in pound tests from 4 all the way up to 20. its great. As strong as Big Game but handles 10x better. you can use it on spinning gear no problem 

 

Does Big Game give people problems on baitcasters?  I don't know if there will ever be a time I don't have green spools of 10, 12, and 15 lb in my basement.  It's so cheap that I don't even keep track how long I've had it on or measure how much I am putting on.  If I am going on a trip, I replace it.  I don't use mono except for topwater and occasionally crankbaits and Big Game has never let me down. I am not doubting there are better lines but $7 for 1200 yards of 12 lb line- is there a better deal in fishing?

[Hulkster]

1 hour ago, Junk Fisherman said:

 

Does Big Game give people problems on baitcasters?  I don't know if there will ever be a time I don't have green spools of 10, 12, and 15 lb in my basement.  It's so cheap that I don't even keep track how long I've had it on or measure how much I am putting on.  If I am going on a trip, I replace it.  I don't use mono except for topwater and occasionally crankbaits and Big Game has never let me down. I am not doubting there are better lines but $7 for 1200 yards of 12 lb line- is there a better deal in fishing?

no I think Big Game is fine on Baitcasters, its just not that great on spinning gear. I use siege on both types of reels.

 

Siege is better but it is also more expensive. 1000 yard spools of siege i think are $30 or so not $7 like Big Game. 

[Junk Fisherman]

51 minutes ago, Hulkster said:

no I think Big Game is fine on Baitcasters, its just not that great on spinning gear. I use siege on both types of reels.

 

Siege is better but it is also more expensive. 1000 yard spools of siege i think are $30 or so not $7 like Big Game. 

I've never tried Big Game on a spinning reel.  I don't think I've ever put 10 lb mono on a spinning reel- maybe when I was a kid.  

 

[MN Fisher]

2 minutes ago, Junk Fisherman said:

I don't think I've ever put 10 lb mono on a spinning reel- maybe when I was a kid.  

Depending on the size of the reel, it should handle it. I used 10# YZH (same diameter as 10# Big Game) on a Pflueger 35 (3000 size) and long as I was consistent with the KVD I didn't have any issues.

[BrianMDTX]

As I’ve never used Big Game before, I picked up a 1600 yd spool of clear 10 lb for my baitcasters. Also going to spool some 6 lb XL on one of my finesse reels. 

[Bankbeater]

I've used 10 lb on my spinning reels before.  It's OK as long as you spray it with line conditioner.  Warmer air temps limber it up too.

[Spankey]

17 hours ago, Junk Fisherman said:

I've never tried Big Game on a spinning reel.  I don't think I've ever put 10 lb mono on a spinning reel- maybe when I was a kid.  

 

Don’t, it’s not that great on spinning stuff. 
 

I like it on a couple of my BC setups. Setups that I use the hardest. But I’m always stripping back and keeping fresh line on them. I change my line redicilously too often but that’s another story. 
 

I'm sure there are better and I won’t even argue it. But for the price and as often as I change my line, again way too often, it works for me. 

[Spankey]

15 hours ago, BrianMDTX said:

As I’ve never used Big Game before, I picked up a 1600 yd spool of clear 10 lb for my baitcasters. Also going to spool some 6 lb XL on one of my finesse reels. 

That XL is basically all I ever used for years. And will continue to in 6# and 8#.
 

But I’ve been on a bit of a SunLine SuperMono kick for a couple of seasons. I really like it. Probably more than the XL. Sort of fence straddling it right now. But I’m not gonna push the stuff. I stumbled upon it and was willing to give it an honest effort. I’m satisfied but would like to buy it in 3000 yd spools. 660/330 yard spools don’t cut it with me. 

[Boomstick]

Well for me it's Daiwa J-Fluoro Samurai. I purchased a couple of spools already, but need to wait for the lakes to thaw before I can try it.

I'm also fairly curious about the Sunline lines. I know sniper is actually a very low stretch fluorocarbon (and Shooter is supposed to be even lower stretch) and I've heard all around good things. So I bought my oldest son a spool of sniper for a stocking stuffer so he can be our test dummy.

[BrianMDTX]

1 hour ago, Spankey said:

That XL is basically all I ever used for years. And will continue to in 6# and 8#.
 

But I’ve been on a bit of a SunLine SuperMono kick for a couple of seasons. I really like it. Probably more than the XL. Sort of fence straddling it right now. But I’m not gonna push the stuff. I stumbled upon it and was willing to give it an honest effort. I’m satisfied but would like to buy it in 3000 yd spools. 660/330 yard spools don’t cut it with me. 

I’ve used XL a lot but figured for my baitcasters I’d give BG a shot as much as I’ve read about it here. 

[Gary_Snyder]

Fluorocarbons I like and others I'm considering:

FYI, Spiderwire Ultimate 100% Fluorocarbon is as low stretch as Fluorocarbon gets (was - it's discontinued. but you still might be able to find some?). 

I like a Flurocarbon that I can see, so I was using Stren 100% florecent blue. That's discontinued now, so I switched to Vanish Transition red......which I don't like, it's not visible enough, so next, I'll try the gold color. If I can't see that well enough, I guess I'll try Sunline night Fluro.

Topwater lines I like:

Topwater:

I historically use Sinkos most of the time, and fluro for that, but I have been revisiting topwater fishing lately. I tried some Spiderwire EZ mono that I keep around for guest rods, it's just like Trilene XL. It's a nice easy handling line. But it sinks too fast like most monos, and stretches like a rubber band, lol

I was getting ready to pull the trigger on some new topwater mono yesterday........ The two at the top of my list that I wanted to try were The new P-line Topwater and Gamma Polyflex. 

I have used the Gamma Polyflex in the past and I like that it comes in all colors..... clear, green, yellow, and Florescent blue.... it's a great all-around bass line, a true low-stretch, extra-strong line with above average abrasion resistance, and easy handling. Other low stretch monos similar to Gamma would be Stren Magnathin, Stren Extra Strength (discontinued), CXX, and Stren Brute Strength. 

Note: Some of these lines I'm mentioning in this post have been discontinued but I still have some, and some can still be found on Egay.

But Gamma is top-notch.... for example, it does everything Magnathin does but has more abrasion resistance.....and less memory than CXX. I think Stren Brute Strength might beat the Gamma, but it's discontinued. But that's a big maybe, the Gamma is really really good, it would be a close matchup.

But I did not need to buy any new topwater line....I found a stash of 10lb. Berkley Ironsilk (discontinued) buried away in a dark closet in the bowels of my house, lol..... The line was made in 2007, lol! I took a few feet of line and wrapped it around my hands and yanked and the line broke like 6lb. test. This line has no resistance to Uv rays. So I unspooled the top layer of line from the spool, perhaps 15 to 20 feet of line to expose the line underneath, and did the break test again, and I could not break it. The virgin line below the top layer is as good as new!

So I used the Ironsilk yesterday with a Devil's Horse. The line is kind of like a middle ground between braid and mono..... it's slower sinking than other monos, and has low stretch and easy handling. Gone was the rubber-band like feel of the spiderwire EZ, and it floated better for a more connected feel to the lure, and less line-drag in the water. It's the best I've ever used for topwater fishing.