Do you really need super heavy line?

[Iowa Matt]

It seems to have become the rage lately for everyone to use crazy heavy line (50lb+)............am I the only guy that uses 8-20lb line for all my fishing?  I fish about 90% of the time with 10lb powerpro.  I don't even own a rod (for bass anyway) with line heavier than 20lb and its been years since I broke off a fish.  People always talk about "breaking fish off on the hookset", but they seem to forget that you don't have to try and rip a fishes lips off with braid like you do with mono to get the hooks in.  It seems to me like the strike of the fish is often enough to get the hooks in on baits like spinnerbaits and cranks.  On plastics a simple pop is all it takes with braid............there is no need to rear back try and bust your rod on every hook set.  

I know I'm no pro (obviously), but do we really all need to use 65lb test to catch 2lb bass?  I cast the heavy line often enough on my musky tackle, but its a lot more fun to fish with the lighter stuff.  I can't fathom how people break off so much with the heavy line.........it just isn't needed to set the hook that hard unless you are trying to look like the guys on BASSmasters..........which I suppose is the point for a lot of people........its more dramatic and exciting.

Am I alone?  Crazy?

matt

p.s. maybe this is the reason that I see so many "I broke my new XYZ brand rod" threads on the various fishing sites.  I have never broken a rod while fishing ever............

[bigtimfish]

I do fine using 20 mono for my swimbaits and jig needs. And that is the heaviest that I use. everything else is 10,12 or 14.

[Big Mike in Fl]

I usually use 20lb or 30lb braid, a couple of my heavier setups have 40 lb (my flippin rod and my jig/heavy t-rig rod) this is as much about the cover I'm fishing as it is about the fish I'm catching, if I'm in heavy hyacinth/reeds/bullrush/pads I want a bit of heavier line to cut through the weeds on a hookset.

[rubba bubba]

It's a style preference by the fishermen.  Fishing is all about confidence and many are confident with the tackle you describe so they use it.  I also fish almost exclusively in the 8-14 lbs range - regardless of line type (braids, mono, and fluoro).  

However there are situations where that is definitely underpowered.

Like lefty vs. righty reel handles, go with what you like.

[roadwarrior]

Spinning tackle:

Yo-Zuri Hybrid or Hybrid Ultra Soft #6 (.010" diameter, 11.9 lb breaking strength).

Baitcasting:  #12 Hybrid or Ultra Soft (.013" diameter, 19.5 lb breaking strength).

8-)

[Maxximus Redneckus]

Its about where ur fishing wood/rocks/weeds/pilings. I have a reel with PP on it for frogging thats the biggest line i use everything else is 15 lbs and under ...K.I.S.S.

[Wayne P.]

Lots of fisherpersons use superlines for it's lack of memory and small diameter for more spool capacity, and not particularly for it's strength-including me. The best performing superlines are of a diameter that has good shock strength and large enough to lessen the digging in on the spool when under tension. The exceptional strength is just a bonus.

[Maxximus Redneckus]

Lots of fisherpersons use superlines for it's lack of memory and small diameter for more spool capacity, and not particularly for it's strength-including me. The best performing superlines are of a diameter that has good shock strength and large enough to lessen the digging in on the spool when under tension. The exceptional strength is just a bonus.

I use mine for strength. You really dont need 200 yrds of 65 braid fishing wood and weeds 15 foot away. Its all about gettin them out of cover .i have no diggin in problem either. I use 6 pound mono in open water dont matter if im fishing for 20 lb bluefish or 10 pound bass

[TheMightyQuinn]

I started using 20-30 pound braided line because I was sick of losing lures in trees, snagging on rocks, etc.

[Simp]

Spinning tackle:

Yo-Zuri Hybrid or Hybrid Ultra Soft #6 (.010" diameter, 11.9 lb breaking strength).

Baitcasting: #12 Hybrid or Ultra Soft (.013" diameter, 19.5 lb breaking strength).

8-)

RW what I don't understand is you have some great GLoomis rods but you use a line IMHO is high in stretch. I gave the 12lb test a try and found it had to much stretch for my jig applications. Do you use a different line for your baitcasting rod that you use to jig with?

[roadwarrior]

Well, I have 15 rigs, 11 baitcasters and 4 spinning combinations.

I experiment with new or different lines all the time on a rig or two.

Currently I have PP 50/12 on my jig rig (BCR854/ Curado 200 E7);

YZ #15 for Mattlures Baby Bass (ES70MHF/ Calais); #12 P-Line

CX Premium for one of my designated jerkbait rigs (PR844C/ Core);

and #4 YZ on two rigs set up for a trout trip (PR844S/ Stella 2500FD

and AVS66MLF/ Stella 1000FA).

Otherwise, I'm "as recommended" : #6 for spinning and #12 for

baitcasting. I honestly don't find any noticeable stretch using #12

on my jig rods, but I'm not (too) hard headed. With such a strong

endorsement for braid from Fish Chris and a few others, I decided

to give braid another try. It's only been a few weeks, but so far I

hate it just as much as I rememder hating it years ago! We'll see,

I'm gong to stick with braid on this set-up at least until next spring

and give it a fair trial.

8-)

[RoLo]

You are using the word "heavy" to describe breaking strength, but "heavy" normally refers to line diameter.

One of the biggest advantages of braided polyethylene line is its "thin" diameter (30 lb = 8 lb diameter).

I prefer braid to monofilament for its Ultra Low-Stretch, which raises the sensitivity of your rod,

and sets the hook with a flick of the wrist. In addition, braid offers Near-Zero Memory, which is a

Godsend to spinning tackle (all I use). I normally use 30 lb braid (8lb diameter) to eliminate "line-burrowing"

and to enhance "abrasion-resistance". While the high breaking strength isn't necessary, it's a free bonus.

Roger

[bass wrangler569]

I'm perfectly comfortable using 8. or even 6lb line in clear, open water, but when I'm flipping or frogging in grass I want something that I can haul them in with. You need that extra strength when you're bringing in 5lbs of bass and 25lbs of grass.

[Lucky Craft Man]

You are using the word "heavy" to describe breaking strength, but "heavy" normally refers to line diameter.

One of the biggest advantages of braided polyethylene line is its "thin" diameter (30 lb = 8 lb diameter).

I prefer braid to monofilament for its Ultra Low-Stretch, which raises the sensitivity of your rod,

and sets the hook with a flick of the wrist. In addition, braid offers Near-Zero Memory, which is a

Godsend to spinning tackle (all I use). I normally use 30 lb braid (8lb diameter) to eliminate "line-burrowing"

and to enhance "abrasion-resistance". While the high breaking strength isn't necessary, it's a free bonus.

Roger

I agree with this 100%. It's not the strength, but the diameter. 10 lb. Braid has an equivalent diameter of 2 lb. mono. That is way too thin for me. I usually use 30lb or 50lb braid just to get a thicker diameter.

[KYntucky Warmouth]

Heavy...no...strong and abrasion resistant.....yes....

[Iowa Matt]

I wish they would quite advertising that 10lb braid has the diameter of 2lb mono............because it just isn't so.  I wonder if this scares some folks away thinking it will be too small.  I will go out to the garage in a minute with my micrometer and find out some real numbers.

Matt

[John B]

Lots of guys that i go fishing with seem to ask why I typically hook  more fish than they do.  I really think it boils down sometimes to line size.  I almost always fish with 8# Trilene Extra Tough test...nothin fancy or big, just standard 8# mono.  I too have never broken a line on a fish, only on a snagged lure under a rock in the river, and no matter what line you have that's gonna break if you yank hard enough.

Even steelheading I use 12# line, and that is for fish in the 5-8# category typically in a crappy river environment.  

[burleytog]

I started using 20-30 pound braided line because I was sick of losing lures in trees, snagging on rocks, etc.

Braid ain't gonna do  you any good in rock.

[Iowa Matt]

Just checked 2lb Stren off one of my ice fishing rods and it ran .004".  The 10lb powerpro I bought last week went between .0075" and .008".........still small, but nearly double 2lb mono.

Matt

[Lucky Craft Man]

Even steelheading I use 12# line, and that is for fish in the 5-8# category typically in a crappy river environment.

12# line, now that's going heavy...I usually go 8# line and even down to 6# line.

[DINK WHISPERER]

It all depends on the fish and conditions you are fishing. Bigger fish or heavier cover, stronger line and vice verse!

[old bassman]

Heavy line in my opinion is used when fishing LMB in heavy cover and it  is the only time it's needed. Flipping in mats and thick salad and haulin up an 8 pounder with 6 lbs. of salad is the only need. I do not fish with anything heavier than 12lb test and that is even too heavy. Good 10 lb. is ideal. I fished the surf in N.J. and N.Y and Mass. for many years and never fished with any line heavier that 15lb. test. That was for correct lure presentation. 15lb mono will catch a 30lb fish  and larger if you set the drag correctly and have patience IMO. Let me clarify that in the surf there are not many rocks and stumps to contend with.

[kingfisher85]

im using 8lb line.. and its that "angler" brand as well, i believe its the cheapest garbage line there is..

just the other day i brought in 6-8 lm bass that im guessing were in the 4-5.5 lb range..

on my spinning setup ive brought in a few bass and trout around 1-3 lbs as well.. havnt lost one yet.. im not dragging them through heavy cover though and ive got my drag set fairly light though too.

the bigger or harder fighting ones can run with the line a little bit but i find that alot more fun and exciting, im not the kinda guy who just reels straight the fishing straight in. ive seen a few guys who just reel it in as fast as they can and that just isnt nearly as much fun.. at least in my opinion anyways.

[Maxximus Redneckus]

All i can say is today is the day braid is gone from my arsenal, i have used braid for a few yrs now on 1 rod. Well today i got me a nice ol birdnest ,usally i can get um out well this one was the killer .I made 10 cast perfect then spent 45 mins trying to undo this one.I got it undone and bam 4 cast later same thing .Maybe my dexterity is gettin bad who knows all i know is when i get a BN with mono i can be done with it and keep fishing.Maybe using pistol grip baitcasters for 30 yrs takes a toll .So im gonna eat my own words and K.I.S.S. Big game for 8lb to 15lb and 2 lb to 6lb stren original.With these picks i can fish frshwater and saltwater anyday anytime anyplace .things are much easier when they are simpler

[Hammer 4]

Like RW, I use 12lb yozuri us on my bc'rs..1 is a swimbait/jig rig..I don't find that the line stretches that much, but then I've never used braid either. Also have 6 and 8 lb yozuri on my spinning rigs. I find that this line is pretty strong, and has good abbrassion resistance..cept for sharp rocks..lol