Braided Line question

[PTOLEDO81]

Hey y’all!  Had a question for you.  I’m a novice to bass fishing and could use some insight.  I’m about to purchase a baitcasting combo and need to fill it with line but, I’m confused as to what I should spoil the reel with...  I was thinking 20#-25# braided line with a 10# fluorocarbon leader.  Is that good?  Am I on the right track?  HELP!

[Kenny Yi]

Try it!  Seems find to me.  So much of fishing is doing something and deciding whether it was good or bad. 

[islandbass]

Hat’s off to you for wanting to add a casting reel to your Arsenal. With that said, if you truly are a newbie to casting reels, I cannot emphasize using braid to learn with is a great way to waste money. 
 

However, if you insist on learning with braid, then do not use braid that thin. It will hinder your learning. Braid that thin greatly increases the likelihood of what we call line dig. Proceed as you originally intended if you want to find out what that is, lol. I still advise against it, but use at least 40# braid to minimize line dig. 
 

I would suggest using 10-14# mono for learning to use a baitcaster. 
 

Best of luck to you. ?

[Biglittle8]

I would say it depends on what rod and reel you're using. I like to use the lightest line I can get away with on a rod and reel set-up that will have multiple purposes. For a 7ft M/H casting rod I use 12lb Yo-Zuri hybrid. Not saying what you're doing is wrong, this set-up just works for me. Kenny Yi is right, trial and error will teach you what works for you and what doesn't.

[livemusic]

I find Suffix 832 incredibly easy to cast. It just lays so soft and limp. I am using some six years old! Works great on baitcasting and spinning reels.

 

As for mono, if you want to try that, Berkley Big Game is good. I have high vis green, can see it good.

 

Whatever you get, I like high vis as I fish soft plastics a lot and like to see my line.

[Biglittle8]

24 minutes ago, islandbass said:

if you truly are a newbie to casting reels, I cannot emphasize using braid to learn with is a great way to waste money.

Ah... I remember that lesson. 

[Deleted account]

7 hours ago, PTOLEDO81 said:

I’m confused as to what I should spoil the reel with...

The best way to spoil a BC is with fluorocarbon, [insert something about spare the rod here]...

[Deephaven]

17-20lb Big Game for learning.  Do not spend more on line until you are thumb competent.

 

[J Francho]

Inexpensive mono for sure.  14-17# should work well.  When you're ready for braid, start with 50#.

[islandbass]

5 hours ago, Biglittle8 said:

Ah... I remember that lesson. 

I learned the same lesson. First time with a casting reel and I spooled it with 30# power pro. First cast the practice weight smashes into the ground. Did I mention my thumb got off the spool too late? Then “thuwupp” instant mega birds nest. It was so bad I had to cut it off. 
 

Coming from a spinning background, I thought goodness gracious. That sucks. That braid never touched water and lasted only one cast. My fault. User error, lol. I didn’t get a chance to experience line dig yet. 
 

when I finally got the mechanics down, I put on 20# braid since they were out of 30#. This was when I discovered line dig, lol. 

[JustJames]

If this gonna be your first baitcaster and only one. I’d recommend 10lb yo-zuri hybrid line. The line is not too expensive and can be use as all around for most applications. The line is not too small that you can learn how to cast baitcaster and not too big that you would have to deal with line memory.

Also using too small of line you might have problem when catching fish, (hook-set and fight) but too big of line will effect lure movement and sensitivity.

[MN Fisher]

2 minutes ago, Bass_Fishing_Socal said:

If this gonna be your first baitcaster and only one. I’d recommend 10lb yo-zuri hybrid line. The line is not too expensive and can be use as all around for most applications. The line is not too small that you can learn how to cast baitcaster and not too big that you would have to deal with line memory.

Ditto the YZH 10# - but get a bottle of KVD L&L...really helps.

 

2 minutes ago, Bass_Fishing_Socal said:

Also using too small of line you might have problem when catching fish, (hook-set and fight) but too big of line will effect lure movement and sensitivity.

Nice thing about YZH - it breaks at higher than the printed line test - 10# is actually good to around 15#-16#...ya, they under-rate it.

[Biglittle8]

1 hour ago, islandbass said:

I learned the same lesson. First time with a casting reel and I spooled it with 30# power pro. First cast the practice weight smashes into the ground. Did I mention my thumb got off the spool too late? Then “thuwupp” instant mega birds nest. It was so bad I had to cut it off. 
 

Coming from a spinning background, I thought goodness gracious. That sucks. That braid never touched water and lasted only one cast. My fault. User error, lol. I didn’t get a chance to experience line dig yet. 
 

when I finally got the mechanics down, I put on 20# braid since they were out of 30#. This was when I discovered line dig, lol. 

That was me, almost verbatim. I just removed the last reel with braid from service, I'm living a braid free life for now.?

[AManWearingAHat]

Something to consider, a lot of BC set ups have very small guides. Both my baitcasters are St. Croix Mojos. They're excellent rods, but like I said, small guides. Even the thinnest leader to main line knots like the Alberto can and will hang up a bit in guides. For this reason I went straight fluoro on my baitcasting set ups and I love it. I save the braid to Fluoro leader for my spinning rods. 

The FG knot may work but I can't tie that to save my life and don't care to learn. I can do an Alberto with my eyes closed.

Another bit of advice, avoid the mistake I made and maybe don't buy high end lines for your first spooling on your new bait caster. You'll probably have to cut a few birds' nests out.

[Koz]

I find it interesting that so many recommend not starting off with braid. I tried mono and flouro when I started with a baitcaster and I found it much easier to learn with braid. That being said, it was 50 pound braid.

 

20 pound braid would be much harder to learn to cast with. In fact, if your bird's nest and that 20 pound braided line comes to a sudden stop your going to be watching your lure fly off to the horizon.

 

I recently tried the 12# Yozuri hybrid and it was OK, but after casting and reeling all day it didn't lay down consistently on the reel. My go to braid is 40#, although I will ise 50$ if I'm fishing around heavier vegetation.

[dodgeguy]

Start with 50lb Sufix 832. Less problems that way.taking backlashes out with braid is easier not harder as some say. Just reel in with thumb on line and then pull line out. Backlashes do not damage braid .