BFS Line Recommendations

[Oklahoma Mike]

Ordered the Curado BFS reel to stick on the Steez rod I didn’t need but bought anyway thanks to the Latest Deal thread here lol. Shimano says it’ll hold 50 yds of 8 lb line. Leaning toward going braid but considering flouro as well. 
 

 YGK OHDRAGON looks very interesting. Anyone used this line yet? Any other line recommendations for this reel?

[ATA]

I use this lines, The Avani is the best yet.

[roadwarrior]

#6 Tatsu

 

[bulldog1935]

17 hours ago, Oklahoma Mike said:

 YGK OHDRAGON looks very interesting. Anyone used this line yet? Any other line recommendations for this reel?

I've fished that line in PE#0.6 on spinning (14-lb), and like it there immensely. 

 

on the right - I have Duel X-wire on several bait spools from surf down to BFS in PE#0.8, and so far, it's my favorite braid on baitcaster - especially in PE#1.2, 27-lb test. 

 

Jun Sonada does not recommend "soft coat" braids on baitcaster, and instead recommends Yamatoyo Hard Sheller X-braid - I just spooled this one in PE#1.2 (23-lb test). 

Haven't fished it, but it casts Great. 

 

I recommend setting up with mono or YoZuri hybrid. 

Until backlash is a distant memory, you may not want to cast tiny braid. 

If you go to braids this small, might want to keep a soft plastic toothpick in your pocket for picking minor backlash. 

[JustJames]

Depends on what type lure you are gonna be using the most with this setup. I don’t like braid for most anything weightless. I feel I lost contact with the lure more often especially in wind, waves, deep water. When the lure drop it feels like forever and that sometimes confusing with bite. The problem is weightless don’t have enough density to get the right tension. Of course you can feel obvious tab bite but subtle bite is hard. The highest test I can get away with at least 4” Senko is good 10lb braid (Sufix 832, I might have to invest in sinking braid). The braid is good in some condition though, the past month I only use 10 and 15lb braid no leader because I fish in weed, where braid doesn’t sink my lure down to the deep weed. It have power to cut thru weed better and have strength that I can pull the fish out from deep weed.

Another problem is abrasion resistance, 10lb braid doesn’t give you a lot at all, if you fish around rock or timber just a small snag you can kiss your lure good bye (leader is really a must for thin braid but the connection knot gonna be a little bit cumbersome).

I also use a lot of 6lb Copolymer (Izorline) which is diameter around 7-8lb good FC line. I’m still debating if FC line would get me a lot more benefit compare to Copolymer in that such small diameter, regarding abrasion resistance, sink rate and sensitivity.

 

[newapti5]

I feel like partially responsible for that rod purchase, but NOT the reel though lol. 

For shallow BFS spools, I usually put 8~10 lb fluoro on to cast 1/4oz jerkbaits. Seaguar Tatsu is a great but pricy choice, InvizX is good as well for the above purpose. 

[Oklahoma Mike]

6 minutes ago, Bass_Fishing_Socal said:

Depends on what type lure you are gonna be using the most with this setup. I don’t like braid for most anything weightless. I feel I lost contact with the lure more often especially in wind, waves, deep water. When the lure drop it feels like forever and that sometimes confusing with bite. The problem is weightless don’t have enough density to get the right tension. Of course you can feel obvious tab bite but subtle bite is hard. The highest test I can get away with at least 4” Senko is good 10lb braid (Sufix 832, I might have to invest in sinking braid). The braid is good in some condition though, the past month I only use 10 and 15lb braid because I fish in weed, where braid doesn’t sink my lure down to the deep weed. It have power to cut thru weed better and have strength that I can pull the fish out from deep weed.

Another problem is abrasion resistance, 10lb braid doesn’t give you a lot at all, if you fish around rock or timber just a small snag you can kiss your lure good bye (leader is really a must for thin braid but the connection knot gonna be a little bit cumbersome).

I also use a lot of 6lb Copolymer (Izorline) which is diameter around 7-8lb good FC line. I’m still debating if FC line would get me a lot more benefit compare to Copolymer in that such small diameter, regarding abrasion resistance, sink rate and sensitivity.

 

will probably not be throwing a lot of weightless plastics other than some wacky rigged senkos. Will mostly use for neko rigs, Ned rigs, drop shot, and some lighter jerkbaits and topwater (like the cicada bug). The braid I linked is a sinking braid. No issue adding a leader if needed for abrasion resistance. 

2 minutes ago, newapti5 said:

I feel like partially responsible for that rod purchase, but NOT the reel though lol. 

For shallow BFS spools, I usually put 8~10 lb fluoro on to cast 1/4oz jerkbaits. Seaguar Tatsu is a great but pricy choice, InvizX is good as well for the above purpose. 

yeah, but if I hadn’t bought the rod I wouldn’t have needed a new reel to put on it! Haha!
Tatsu is really the only flouro I’ll use these days, unless it’s strictly leader material. I’ll probably just go with 8# Tatsu… mostly my interest in going braid here is just to get a little more line on the reel. 

52 minutes ago, bulldog1935 said:

Jun Sonada does not recommend "soft coat" braids on baitcaster

Looking at the description I was assuming this line had a little more stiffness to it than other smaller braids being that it’s wound around flouro. Is that assumption not correct?

[bulldog1935]

It has a silicone elastomer coating, and it's definitely on Jun's "soft coat" list, but so is the Duel X-wire that I like so much. 

Sufix 832 would be there also, and it's a great on baitcaster. 

I think Jun's argument relates to line dig, but I'm landing healthy redfish on PE#1.2, even a few snook, and very happy with the line and reel performance. 

[fishwizzard]

I don't like small braid at all for lighter/BFS casting, but I do mostly fish weightless plastics or small bottom contact presentations with them.  I use either 7lb or 10lb Sniper fluoro most of the time.  The 7lb will not survive much in the way of a backlash, but I tend to only spool up 40-50y of it at a time, so it's not too painful to replace it often. 

[JustJames]

1 hour ago, Oklahoma Mike said:

will probably not be throwing a lot of weightless plastics other than some wacky rigged senkos. Will mostly use for neko rigs, Ned rigs, drop shot, and some lighter jerkbaits and topwater (like the cicada bug). The braid I linked is a sinking braid. No issue adding a leader if needed for abrasion resistance. 

 

Such a shame if you don’t throw weightless plastic ????. I love the feel when Bass bite after popping the lure, way better than waiting for them to take sitting lure. 

[Oklahoma Mike]

1 minute ago, Bass_Fishing_Socal said:

Such a shame if you don’t throw weightless plastic

Oh, I throw a ton of them. In fact they probably account for 75% of my presentations in the summertime. I just don’t plan on throwing them much on this particular rig.