Best 10-12 lb line for Spinning reel primarily using 1/8-1/4 oz paddle tail & Curly tail jigs?

[ReggieT]

Hey Guys!

 

Been a second since I've posted here, dealing with travel, covid, and my aging Pops.

Just was gifted with a really nice medium size spinning reel 7 ball bearings, a 7ft rod, and a ton of Slim Shady 3inch Paddle Tail jigs...and small flukes.

I also inherited a mess of inline spinners, "Rooster Tails/Panther Martin...etc.

 

My go to for yrs on this type set-up has been 10-12lb Trilene XL and it has served me well, yet I am open to new ideas and I'd like to hear some feedback from you guys concerning other options or suggestions. Would braid or fluorocarbon be better? I fish mostly dam tailraces & shallow tainted waters.

 

Thanks in advance & Merry Christmas!

 

Reggie 

[AlabamaSpothunter]

Hi friend, fellow Shelby native

 

For what you are throwing, which is what I throw a lot of on 7ft M to MH rods with 2500-3000 sized reels, I've never felt the reason to go away from 8lb test, and I just find Fluorocarbon hits up a weight class vs. mono when talking about strength and abrasion resistance.   Not a braid guy so I can help there.  

 

Single hooked baits are better used on Fluoro vs Mono imho.   Mono shines for Cranks, but outside of that Fluoro gives you the best of both worlds when it comes to mono and braid.    I used to think Fluoro only shined for "low viz" applications, I don't fish clear waters at all, but use it for different reasons.   Some will talk about knot strength and shock which are real but overstated.  

[ReggieT]

Hey There Neighbor!

 

I appreciate that info for sure. I like you way of thinking on the lighter line as well.

What name brands do you recommend?

BTW...is there a particular paddle tail swimbait you prefer?

 

I'm currently reading about the Keitech craze & productivity!

[AlabamaSpothunter]

I think the Keitechs are great, but I think I prefer the fish tail/straight tail/rhythm tail swimbaits more.    They are also very fragile.

 

The 3 and 4" Damiki Armor Shads are just awesome and my favorite.  Largo Shads are great as well.   Really lots of quality offerings out there these day.  Rage Tail swimmers.   Jackall Rhythm and Wags are fantastic as well.       Lastly Lake Fork Live Magic Shad are great when used as a trailer on everything I've found.

 

Fluorocarbon line prices range bigly, but I prefer to spend the money on the higher end Seaguar Invizx because Flourocarbon plays a little less nice with spools, and I want the most manageable Flourocarbon I could find.     It's great stuff though, very tough and manageable.  No line twisting.  

 

15lb Flouro and above I use the P Line Ultimate line, and for the 12lb stuff I like the Seaguar cheaper red label line.     Really any of the ones made in Japan are going to be fine.    

[Jar11591]

I personally do not go over 8lb test for spinning reels, but if you are set on 10-12lb line, Trilene XL is about the limpest and most user-friendly line out there. I don’t like how braid behaves on spinning reels, but I’m in the minority, so another option for you is using 20lb braid, which has the diameter of 6lb XL. It may behave a little better on the spinning reel than the 10-12lb nylon. As far as fluorocarbon, in my opinion spooling a spinning reel with all fluorocarbon is a disaster waiting to happen in some cases. If you think you are missing out on a benefit of fluorocarbon, you can always tie a leader on. 

[padlin]

FWIW… After I tried braid on my spinning gear I never went back to mono, the casting was night and day. Tried fluoro on a light setup for a summer then back to braid. If you aren’t going to use it in the weeds I’d go 12 lb. I use power pro normally, but put some Sufix 832 on my ML late in the year to see if it’ll not fray as much. I add a mono or fluoro leader when there are toothy critters in the mix.

[Jig Man]

If it ain’t broke don’t fix it.

[GaryH]

If I’m using mono on my spinning setups it’s Trilene XL in 6 or 8 lb. but now I mainly use Suffix 832 in 20lb. 

[Woody B]

Stick with the Trilene.  I've tried several different lines on my wifes spinning reel but keep going back to the same Trilene XL I use on everything.   

 

Shelby native here but, but Shelby NC, not Shelby county Alabama.  LOL

[roadwarrior]

Yo-Zuri Hybrid #6 = 11.9 lb breaking strength.

[MN Fisher]

^ What RW said

 

Or if you want to stick with mono - Sufix Siege 8#.

 

If your reel is a 2000-2500 size, I wouldn't go above 8# test, mono gets too unwieldy because of the memory.

[Hulkster]

I use Sufix Siege in 10 pound test on my 3000 size stradic. 

its awesome. strong and casts well. 

[AlabamaSpothunter]

8 hours ago, Jar11591 said:

I personally do not go over 8lb test for spinning reels, but if you are set on 10-12lb line, Trilene XL is about the limpest and most user-friendly line out there. I don’t like how braid behaves on spinning reels, but I’m in the minority, so another option for you is using 20lb braid, which has the diameter of 6lb XL. It may behave a little better on the spinning reel than the 10-12lb nylon. As far as fluorocarbon, in my opinion spooling a spinning reel with all fluorocarbon is a disaster waiting to happen in some cases. If you think you are missing out on a benefit of fluorocarbon, you can always tie a leader on. 

I truly thought that was the case until I spooled a new Certate with that 8# Invizx.     It's so manageable.    

[MN Fisher]

9 minutes ago, AlabamaSpothunter said:

I truly thought that was the case until I spooled a new Certate with that 8# Invizx.     It's so manageable.    

Ya - last season I had 8# InvizX on a President XT-30...really manageable with KVD L&L added to the mix.

 

[AlabamaSpothunter]

4 minutes ago, MN Fisher said:

Ya - last season I had 8# InvizX on a President XT-30...really manageable with KVD L&L added to the mix.

 

Pricey, but I'll do like you recommended in the future and backfill with some cheap mono.

 

I'm used to 100/110yd sized baitcasters which is all good as it gives me two good refills per spool.   The Certate 3000 held a ton of line even being the JDM model.    3/4ths of the Spool, so now I have a nice bit of leader left of it.  Won't make that mistake again at $20+ per spool ?

[MN Fisher]

4 minutes ago, AlabamaSpothunter said:

Pricey, but I'll do like you recommended in the future and backfill with some cheap mono.

I backfill my spinning reels with this

https://www.fleetfarm.com/detail/zebco-cajun-smooth-cast-low-vis-quarter-pound-spool/0000000294339

1850yds of .010" 6# test for $6.49+tax (free shipping)

 

Then only put 60-70 yds of mainline on...that's 3 fills from a 200yd spool of InvizX

6 minutes ago, AlabamaSpothunter said:

Won't make that mistake again at $20+ per spool ?

$20.99+ tax for 8# InvizX - again, free shipping

https://www.fleetfarm.com/detail/seaguar-invvizx-fishing-line/0000000258377?Ntt=invizx&_requestid=2974312

[Jar11591]

1 hour ago, AlabamaSpothunter said:

I truly thought that was the case until I spooled a new Certate with that 8# Invizx.     It's so manageable.    

Invizx is on my shopping list for the 2023 season. I’ll have to give some 8lb a try. 

[WRB]

Recommend not going over .010 dia mono or Copoly line for spinning reels 2000 to 3000 size spools.

Line memory is mostly a factor of diameter.

Berkley Trilene XL mono

8lb = 010D** max dia.

10lb =011D

12lb = .013D 

Sunline Super Natural Mono 

8lb = .009D* recommended.

10lb = .010D** max dia.

12lb = .011D

Yo-Zuri Hybrid 

6lb = .010D**max dia

Suffix Seige and Avance 8lb = .011dia.

 

Tom

[AlabamaSpothunter]

23 minutes ago, WRB said:

QI Recommend not going over .010 dia mono or Copoly line for spinning reels 2000 to 3000 size spools.

Line memory is mostly a factor of diameter.

Berkley Trilene XL mono

8lb = 010D** max dia.

10lb =011D

12lb = .013D 

Sunline Super Natural Mono 

8lb = .009D* recommended.

10lb = .010D** max dia.

12lb = .011D

Yo-Zuri Hybrid 

6lb = .010D**max dia

Suffix Seige and Avance 8lb = .011dia.

 

Tom

That Sunline Super Natural is my new favorite mono.....fantastic price, made in Japan product, and perhaps the most manageable line I've ever used.   Great stuff, perhaps the Trilene XL of modern day.   

[Drew03cmc]

15lb braid to 10lb fluoro leader.

[ReggieT]

On 12/25/2022 at 4:24 PM, AlabamaSpothunter said:

That Sunline Super Natural is my new favorite mono.....fantastic price, made in Japan product, and perhaps the most manageable line I've ever used.   Great stuff, perhaps the Trilene XL of modern day.   

Hmm..."Sunline Super Natural Mono "...??

[Dangerfield]

I've swapped two spools on my 6' 10" MLXF dropshot rod, shallow spool has straight 6# Invisx and line flies off the spool. While the default spool with 12# Sufix Nanobraid to an 8# Sufix Seige Leaders for heavier gauge baits or popper duties.

For the price and line strength - Sufix Seige is highly underrated line.

[ChrisD46]

On 12/25/2022 at 4:58 PM, WRB said:

Recommend not going over .010 dia mono or Copoly line for spinning reels 2000 to 3000 size spools.

Line memory is mostly a factor of diameter.

Berkley Trilene XL mono

8lb = 010D** max dia.

10lb =011D

12lb = .013D 

Sunline Super Natural Mono 

8lb = .009D* recommended.

10lb = .010D** max dia.

12lb = .011D

Yo-Zuri Hybrid 

6lb = .010D**max dia

Suffix Seige and Avance 8lb = .011dia.

 

Tom

*Your search is over once you read what Tom suggests - you simply do NOT want to go over 0.10" diameter max line size in FC , Mono or Co-Poly lines for your typical fresh water spinning reel or else you are asking for problems !

[flyfisher]

On 12/25/2022 at 8:06 AM, roadwarrior said:

Yo-Zuri Hybrid #6 = 11.9 lb breaking strength.

Yo-Zuri Hybrid is what I run on my spinning rods that don't have braid.  Fantastic line

[Deleted account]

The only line I use on spinning reels (other than braid) is XL in 4-12 lb test. With 10 and 12, you want a larger diameter spool, and a lure that has enough weight and casts well. I find if I'm using 10 or 12 though, I can usually do it just as well or better with a BC. YMMVBIW...