Pitching mono diameter

[casts_by_fly]

Hi All,

 

I'm running 50 lb braid on my heavy rod (1/2-2 oz rated) for pitching into grass and the occasional laydown (there are 6 within 30 miles of me).  I'm throwing texas rigs and jigs in the 3/8-1/2 range most of the time.  I had set this rod up to be a light punching rod since we get some heavier lily pads here but for the most part the fish haven't been in the heaviest of them so I don't really need the heavier braid.  As a result, I found that I left that rod home (or didn't use it much when I did take it) as often as I took it.  I think I might like it better with heavier mono.  I also fish it with A-rigs in the spring and it would be a good carolina or big texas rig dragger.  I prefer how mono casts to heavy braid for these. 

 

I know a lot of people throw 20-25 lb mono and fluoro for what I'm describing.  But what diameter are we talking?  If I look at supernatural (a preferred line for me), 25 lb is only 0.016" which is fairly thin.  I use suffix elite 17 lb on my less heavy bottom rod and its the same diameter.  I'm not sure that its quite enough for the bigger rod.  Then again, I know lots here use the japanese lines so talking about 25 lb japanese line is more or less the same.

 

So for those of you pitching with heavy mono, what's your line test/diameter of choice?

 

thanks

rick

 

[Darth-Baiter]

they still make Monofilament?

 

JUST KIDDING!!!  my friend uses 20lb big game for what you are describing and I have never seen him break off.  ever.  

[casts_by_fly]

1 hour ago, Darth-Baiter said:

they still make Monofilament?

 

JUST KIDDING!!!  my friend uses 20lb big game for what you are describing and I have never seen him break off.  ever.  

 

Yes they do still!  I'm full mono aside from my couple braid rods.  Suffix elite and sunline supernatural are my two.  Both are super limp with minimal memory.  I hate coiling line.

 

Elite is basically the same size as big game looking at the specs.  I don't think I ever realized that but they are.  

[KP Duty]

12lb Pline CXX (.0148 ") generally, but will go up to the .016" 15lb for thick brush.  

[Team9nine]

Either 15# or 20# Big Game, or 17# CXX back when I was a straight mono bass angler. All are floating around that 0.016”-0.018” range. 

[ne_dan]

15lb CXX, the diameter is right in-between 15lb and 20lb Big Game.  

[Bankbeater]

I use 15# Big Game on all of my BC reels except the punch rig.  If the info on the website is accurate the diameter is about .015".  I've tried the 20# Big Game, but I felt that the number of bites went down, so I switched back to 15#.

[casts_by_fly]

As a follow up, I threw some 17 Elite (0.016”) onto a spare reel and fished it today.  The cover is thinning but in general light grass and a little wood it all felt pretty good. The only downside was abrasion from the wood. After one fish down in a tree I had to cut back 4’ of line that was roughed up pretty good. If it was a bigger fish I might not have gotten him back. We don’t have much of that type of timber that I fish but I’d still like just a little heavier. I’m going to give some 0.018” a try and see how it handles.

 

The rod was a very different rod.  With 50 braid it’s a real whupping stick. With mono it’s a little more tame. Still plenty of rod to stick it to a fish on a beaver.

 

unfortunately the rod broke on my next to last fish. Just a 12” 1-pounder in a little grass. No idea why.  It must have been damaged there since I’ve fished it for two seasons now with no issues and catching bigger fish and snags than that. I’m probably done for the season so time to sort it out. 
 

 

[WRB]

Super Natural is too soft,  low abrasion resistance then most other Mono lines imo. I suggest looking at leader size spools. Ande  20#, 50 yds for $5

Tom

[casts_by_fly]

On 9/30/2023 at 6:26 PM, WRB said:

Super Natural is too soft,  low abrasion resistance then most other Mono lines imo. I suggest looking at leader size spools. Ande  20#, 50 yds for $5

Tom

I’ve used Ande pink in the past for other things, but I forgot how it handles. I think it was for fly rod heavy drifting which is a different area. How is ande for memory and abrasion?  I assume better abrasion given your post. 

[WRB]

Ande has very good abrasion resistance and knot strength.

If $$ isn’t an issue use 25# Sunline Armilo @ .016D.

Tom

[casts_by_fly]

@WRB I've considered armilo but the price is certainly steep.  I tend to change out my line 2-3 times a season which I obviously wouldn't with Armilo.

 

How is the memory in both armilo and Ande?  I seem to remember Ande as not too bad.  I remembered what I used to use it for- centerpin fishing for steelhead.  I ran 12# and coated it in fly floatant.  The pink was great for visibility and it was a good floater when coated.  Very good choice for that application at the time.

[WRB]

The reason I suggested Ande is it’s a premium line available in 50 yard leader spools. Stiffness shouldn’t be an issue with a leader, it’s not going into the reel spool. ande doesn’t offer 25#, 20# or 30# are the choices. Sunline Armilo doesn’t offer 30#.  

I thought you were looking for leader mono. If you plan on straight mono then Armilo 25# is a good choice.

Tom

[casts_by_fly]

1 hour ago, WRB said:

The reason I suggested Ande is it’s a premium line available in 50 yard leader spools. Stiffness shouldn’t be an issue with a leader, it’s not going into the reel spool. ande doesn’t offer 25#, 20# or 30# are the choices. Sunline Armilo doesn’t offer 30#.  

I thought you were looking for leader mono. If you plan on straight mono then Armilo 25# is a good choice.

Tom

 

Yes, straight mono.  I fished this rod with braid until this last trip and its a thumper with it.  I much prefer how mono casts and handles if I'm using it for other things, and for shorter line pitching the stretch of mono isn't important (and maybe beneficial).  I might just have to bite the bullet and get a spool of Armilo.

[Boomstick]

I've had great luck with 14# and 17# Sufix Siege. Big Game is also an option, but Siege handles better.

[you]

On 9/30/2023 at 5:17 PM, casts_by_fly said:

The only downside was abrasion from the wood

 

Have you tried maxima ultragreen in similar diameters? I've found that its abrasion resistance is better than most other nylon lines (even XT and Siege) in thin diameters. I imagine it would perform well for heavier applications, too.

[casts_by_fly]

@Boomstick that could be interesting.  I really like Elite and if this is similar though more abrasion resistant then that could solve the problem.  Also not expensive to try. 

Just now, you said:

 

Have you tried maxima ultragreen in similar diameters? I've found that its abrasion resistance is better than most other nylon lines (even XT and Siege) in thin diameters. I imagine it would perform well for heavier applications, too.

 

I have ultragreen and have fished it in smaller diamters for trout and bass.  I have used the bigger diameters for fly leaders.  I also have chameleon downstairs that I was thinking of trying as a leader material in front of the 17 lb elite.  Both are very hard lines and abrasion resistant for sure.  Both are a little stiff too, so not sure how 20 lb ultragreen would feel on a full spool baitcaster.  

[you]

Gotcha. I've mostly used maxima for leaders where suppleness doesn't matter too much

[WRB]

Maxima UG and Chameleon are high memory copoly lines and coil in the larger diameters, especially in colder temps.

Tom

[casts_by_fly]

yeah, that was my thinking on Maxima.  For fly leaders that's exactly what you WANT- stiffness to turn over flies at range.  Once you straightened and stretch it off the spool in the morning it was straight all day.  Of course it never went onto a spool at that point.  If I stuck with braid and added a leader, it would probably be maxima since I have a bunch of it downstairs to work through (as in every size from 50 lb down to 4 lb that they make).

[Catt]

Berkley Big Game 

15# .015

20# .018

25# .019

 

This dumb Cajun perfers the additional thickness, more material to abrade.

 

If ya gotta KVD Line & Lure

[casts_by_fly]

@Catt 20 lb big game was another consideration. BG is the same diameter as Elite (which I use and like) but Elite only goes up to 17.  So 20# BG would be the next step up size wise.  And its like $6 for a spool.

[Catt]

3 hours ago, casts_by_fly said:

And its like $6 for a spool.

 

Another reason I like BG is I fish a lot of timber & brush so I respool often.

[WRB]

Can't see Any reason not to use the 20# Max the OP already has. Big Game is good and inexpensive but a superior line then Maxima UG or Chameleon.

Tom

 

[J Francho]

This is really about fishing in thick grass and wood, not really just pitching. My short answer, I would not choose mono for this. That said forced to, it would be at least 20#. But I'll stick to my 50# braid because it works so well for me.