Struggling with line choices…

[DN3]

Struggling with line choices….trying to prepare for spring and a 2+ week fishing vacation at the end of may….at minimum I will be bringing two baitcasting combos and one spinning combo…

 

Casting combo 1:

Shimano Metanium MGL B/Dobyns Champion Extreme HP 704 H/F (split grip)

 

Casting combo 2:

Shimano Bantam MGL/a custom built 7ft MH/F rod

 

Spinning combo: 

Shimano Sustain FJ 4000/Dobyns Champion XP 7ft MH/F (I know I don’t necessarily need the 4000 size) 

 

I was thinking of doing 15-20LB fluorocarbon on the first casting combo, 12-20lb mono on the 2nd casting combo, and then I’m trying to decide between braid or fluoro on the spinning combo….shooting for versatility as I won’t have a ton of room for fishing gear…thoughts? Suggestions? Excuse my ignorance lol…just trying to put more effort into preparation and learning this season! 

[roadwarrior]

#12 Tatsu or InvizX on the baitcasters

70-80 yards #6 Tatsu or InvizX on top of #8 any brand mono backing

[DN3]

3 minutes ago, roadwarrior said:

#12 Tatsu or InvizX on the baitcasters

70-80 yards #6 Tatsu or InvizX on top of #8 any brand mono backing

Debating on not doing braid at all at the moment….definitely doing tatsu if I do fluoro though….I’m probably overthinking it…for what it’s worth the lake we’re going to has a lot of weed beds and Lilly pads (lots of Lilly pads in between the docks …kind of why I wanted the heavier fluoro/mono

[Jig Man]

Pick something and try it.  I’ve found the latest greatest line several times.  Now I just use what I like.

[DN3]

1 minute ago, Jig Man said:

Pick something and try it.  I’ve found the latest greatest line several times.  Now I just use what I like.

Kind of the conclusion I’m coming to, wondering if 20lb Tatsu would work ok with a Metanium MGL b as the Metanium doesn’t have a ton of line capacity 

[GreenPig]

I'm trying to wrap my head around 2+ week fishing vacation but not much room for gear. ? You can wash your clothing at night so you'll have more room for fishing gear. 

15 - 17 lb FC on the #1 BC

14 lb mono on #2 BC

10 lb braid to whatever leader on the Spinning

[DN3]

2 minutes ago, GreenPig said:

I'm trying to wrap my head around 2+ week fishing vacation but not much room for gear. ? You can wash your clothing at night so you'll have more room for fishing gear. 

15 - 17 lb FC on the #1 BC

14 lb mono on #2 BC

10 lb braid to whatever leader on the Spinning

It’s a 12hr drive or so from Wisconsin to Lake Chautauqua in New York, and I’ve got a wife and two toddlers lol…trust me I’m going to try and squeeze a couple more rods in!!! It’s not so much the amount of rods, but being able to safely pack/protect them from damage

[throttleplate]

18 hours ago, DN3 said:

It’s a 12hr drive or so from Wisconsin to Lake Chautauqua in New York, and I’ve got a wife and two toddlers lol…trust me I’m going to try and squeeze a couple more rods in!!! It’s not so much the amount of rods, but being able to safely pack/protect them from damage

when you get there tell the wife you thought you packed the stroller.

[DN3]

11 minutes ago, throttleplate said:

when you get there tell the wife you thought you packed the stroller.

Already hinting “that we don’t really need it this year as the kids are older and don’t care for it” 

[new2BC4bass]

20 hours ago, DN3 said:

Debating on not doing braid at all at the moment….definitely doing tatsu if I do fluoro though….I’m probably overthinking it…for what it’s worth the lake we’re going to has a lot of weed beds and Lilly pads (lots of Lilly pads in between the docks …kind of why I wanted the heavier fluoro/mono

Before Covid19 my wife and I visited her sister in Florida each year.  The B-I-L loves bass fishing.  I used 40# braid on a MHF (had no Heavy rod) for what you describe.  The last year we went down I shipped an OG Tatula 7'4" HF ahead for frogs.  If I can ever retire and move there, I will have 3 more HF rods for fishing the nasty stuff.  Maybe I'd try a 20# mono/co-polymer, but pretty sure I'd stick with braid for the most part.

 

Your gear is above my pay scale but from what I see on TW the Bantam and the Metanium MGL 150 both hold about 110 yards of 12#.  Don't know what that translates into yards for 20#, but if something like 80 yards that is more than enough for bass fishing if you can live with the decrease in IPT.  Don't know about you, but a 30-35 yard cast is a long one with with the lure I normal am throwing into lilies and weeds.  (An unweighted 10" ribbontail worm.)  Never had a bass take anywhere near 30 yards of line.

 

BTW, I like 2000/2500 series on spinning rods, but read an article by a famous pro that only uses 4000 size reels because they handle line much better than the smaller size reels.  So don't feel you are making a bad choice with a 4000 reel.  However, I personally would be using a lot of cheap backing.  Not that I'm cheap or anything. 

 

Wish you the best on your trip.

[clemsondds]

Just depends on clarity of lake and how you like to fish.  If it were me and I could only take three, I would go with braid to leader for all three. You can always add 5-15 ft of fluoro/mono to the end of braid. Hope you have a great trip!