A few line questions

[Porkchop_Sandwiches]

I have a few questions and didn’t want to make separate threads. Thank you for any help 

 

1. my bladed jig/spinnerbait setup is a Daiwa airdx 7’0 mhf. I fish off the bank in town ponds. What line should I use?  This rod is almost a mh/mf due to how soft it is 
 

2. my other braid setups. Il have 2 setups with 30lb braid and 1 with 50lb braid. Would some cheap bps 10lb mono work for backing? 

3. for a budget fishermen who doesn’t fish in tournaments is it necessary to spend money on high dollar fluoro and braid? Would bps brand get me by? 

 

[MRQturbo]

Just use cheap backing on your reels... Then you can save on the amount of line you will have to re spool... 

[Porkchop_Sandwiches]

9 minutes ago, MRQturbo said:

Just use cheap backing on your reels... Then you can save on the amount of line you will have to re spool... 

that helps, thanks. I thought to do that with braid, can you use mono backing with fluoro also? 

[JHoss]

1) This is largely personal preference. I use a similar speed/power rod, but a glass hybrid, and have found 20lb fluoro to be my preferred line. 

 

2) Any cheap line will work as backing.I prefer mono to back braid and braid to back fluoro, but anything will work. I have mono, braid, and copolymer backing on various rods based on what I had laying around when I spooled up. 

 

3) Line is a personal preference like anything else. I've used everything from Vanish up to Invisx and have settled on a mid range line like YoZuri T7 or YoZuri Mainline as the best option for me. It gives me a balance between a decent line and not breaking the bank every time I have to respool. The biggest thing you can do to save money here is add backing and just have a 50 yard top shot of fluoro. My tournament partner the last two years only uses high dollar fluoros like Sunline or Seaguar Invisx/Abrasx while I use the cheaper stuff. The majority of the fish we've brought to the scales have come from the cheap line, so I really don't see a point in paying up for the premium stuff. 

[AlabamaSpothunter]

1.  15-16lb Fluorocarbon is what I use

 

2.  absolutely, perfectly fine

 

3.  in my experience, you get what you pay for with fishing line.   I don't cheap out with it.   It's such a critical component of hooking and landing fish.   To me Sunline FC Sniper strikes a great balance between performance and cost.    

[Junger]

1 hour ago, Porkchop_Sandwiches said:

I have a few questions and didn’t want to make separate threads. Thank you for any help 

 

1. my bladed jig/spinnerbait setup is a Daiwa airdx 7’0 mhf. I fish off the bank in town ponds. What line should I use?  This rod is almost a mh/mf due to how soft it is 
 

2. my other braid setups. Il have 2 setups with 30lb braid and 1 with 50lb braid. Would some cheap bps 10lb mono work for backing? 

3. for a budget fishermen who doesn’t fish in tournaments is it necessary to spend money on high dollar fluoro and braid? Would bps brand get me by? 

 

 

1. Assuming it's a casting set up, 30lb braid is probably sufficient. Thin braid can lead to dig in, and thick braid doesn't cast as far. If you're pond hopping you are probably fan casting as far as you can.

 

2. Yes, cheap mono backing absolutely works, and also mono helps grip the spool.

 

3. I first started with Amazon cheap braid, but generally you get what you pay for. Cheap braid will probably fade faster (if that matters to you), could be 4 strand which is louder through the guides (again, if that matters to you), and become more limp vs taught over time. For moving baits, probably not an issue, but for bottom techniques you probably don't want limper line. I'm sure everyone has their opinion on braid, but just buy the best line you can get in your budget.

[casts_by_fly]

Get a spool of 10# big game and a spool of 14/15# big game. Use the first for backing and the second in your spinnerbait rod. 

[Jar11591]

1. Braid or braid to fluoro leader 

2. Yes. 
3. Only you can answer this. How upset will you be if you lose the fish of a lifetime? If there is one piece of equipment in fishing that you shouldn’t cheap out on, it’s fluorocarbon line. In my opinion anyway. 

[AlabamaSpothunter]

43 minutes ago, Jar11591 said:

1. Braid or braid to fluoro leader 

2. Yes. 
3. Only you can answer this. How upset will you be if you lose the fish of a lifetime? If there is one piece of equipment in fishing that you shouldn’t cheap out on, it’s fluorocarbon line. In my opinion anyway. 

Agreed, you can get away with cheaper mono and braid seemingly, but you really can't get away with cheaper FC.   Literally every time I've tried cheap FC, I've regretted it.    

 

[JediAmoeba]

When I was a younger 2 rod bank fisherman I fished straight 40 lb braid all the time. You get a lot more use out of the braid and at 40 lb it's thin enough to not really affect action on lures and thick enough, if you DO backlash, can easily be picked out. 

 

Don't use cheap fluoro - you will lose lures and that sucks. Moving baits like chatters you don't need a leader or copoly/fluoro and I am convinced it doesn't decrease your bites.

[LCG]

I also have the aird x 7' MH-F rods. They are more moderate fast for sure, which is good for my style of fishing. I find yo zuri hybrid works well for moving baits.

 

I have another one with 50lb braid, but didn't like they way it casted, going down to 30lb this year. 

 

Cheap mono is great for backing. This year I am trying some 4 carrier 30lb braid off of Amazon. Line choice really does alter the way the rods fish, you'll have to experiment to find what works for you. I tried big game mono and liked the way it fished as well. 

 

Mono: Big game

Copolymer: Yo Zuri 

Braid: power pro, 832, or cheap Amazon braid has all worked for me. 

[Porkchop_Sandwiches]

1 hour ago, LCG said:

I also have the aird x 7' MH-F rods. They are more moderate fast for sure, which is good for my style of fishing. I find yo zuri hybrid works well for moving baits.

 

I have another one with 50lb braid, but didn't like they way it casted, going down to 30lb this year. 

 

Cheap mono is great for backing. This year I am trying some 4 carrier 30lb braid off of Amazon. Line choice really does alter the way the rods fish, you'll have to experiment to find what works for you. I tried big game mono and liked the way it fished as well. 

 

Mono: Big game

Copolymer: Yo Zuri 

Braid: power pro, 832, or cheap Amazon braid has all worked for me. 

do you remember what the brand name is for that amazon braid? for braid my go to is power pro which hasnt failed me yet

[LCG]

2 hours ago, Porkchop_Sandwiches said:

do you remember what the brand name is for that amazon braid? for braid my go to is power pro which hasnt failed me yet

The one I went with is called YUMEOWL in both 15 and 30lb grey colour. I'm in Canada so not sure if you can get it on the Amazon USA site. I used to use kastking braid and it was fine. I do find that this braid is much thinner than usual, so interested to see how it performs when the snow melts here. 

[BrianMDTX]

I so agree that the Aird-X MHF is more of a MHMF. I also have a MF, and I don’t find a lot of difference between the two. 
 

Both have Black Max reels on them. One is spooled with 10 lb. Big Game (MF) and the other with 12 lb. Yo Zuri Hybrid (MHF). 
 

I use other rigs more, but still use them every once in a while. 

[F14A-B]

On 3/4/2025 at 12:54 PM, AlabamaSpothunter said:

1.  15-16lb Fluorocarbon is what I use

 

2.  absolutely, perfectly fine

 

3.  in my experience, you get what you pay for with fishing line.   I don't cheap out with it.   It's such a critical component of hooking and landing fish.   To me Sunline FC Sniper strikes a great balance between performance and cost.    

Totally agree, but I guess I’ll go a bit further.

I don’t cheap out on rods or reels

I don’t cheap out on hooks, weights and most hard/softbaits. But that’s just me. I love the sport. Even though I have slowed my roll somewhat, I’m still gonna pony up the bucks to do it my way..