What is the right line for Halibut?

[75johndeere]

Can't stand electric reels they would drive me crazy we had someone bring one on the boat once it made it down and back up once then got thrown on the bed never to be allowed on the boat again. Those butts where a great day that scale has a 15 pound bucket that zeros it out too so that one was like 98 pounds and the one by my mom was like 115 the lings in the first pic most are over 30 pounds the little one in the big ones mouth was like 20

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[YoterHunter]

i use 80 lb tuff line with 60 lb backing , dosent drag in the current like braded dose.

[coriantonk]

Thanks for the info.  Once I get my new rod and reel set up, I will put some good braid on it.  I really am looking forward to giving this a try.

[jeepster]

i use 85lbs powerpro.... here in washington, you dont need much more than that.

some things to consider.... when loading a reel with anything larger than 85lbs braid, you start sacrificing line capacity... lighter line means more line, heaver line, means needing to buy a bigger reel...

also, i never like to fill up a reel with something i cant break... consider this: if you are 200 feet down using 120lbs line, and you hang up, and cant break it off, well... then you have to cut your line, and are out 200 feet of line... with braid being .12$ a foot or so, thats 25$ in line give or take

i dont know about the rest of you guys, but, i doubt i will ever go back to using mono

ive also used dacron, but you sacrifice line capacity with it, as ive found its extremely hard to beat the diamater of powerpro...

my halibut setup is an Avet LX with 490 yards of 85 power pro, on a shimano trevalla rod rated at 80-200lbs braid

the thing about line, is most of the reels that average joe can afford have drag systems around 10-15lbs, high end reels might get up to 25lbs. my avet goes to 20 some, but thats also a top shelf reel, i think a penn senator 6/0 goes up to 15lbs, and thats a heavy duty star drag (also holds 950+yards of 100lbs braid). you gotta figure a 30lbs fish (dead weight lets say), pulling 10 lbs on a run, with 15lbs of drag is only putting 35lbs on your line. so, with 85lbs breaking strength line, it would still take around a 65lbs pound fish fighting like a raped ape to bust that line, with your drag all the way cranked down.... if that makes ANY sence at all...... im writing this at 2am so i doubt it will.....

id pay alot more attention to your drag system than line... and when you found a drag system you like, then id pack as much line onto that reel as realistically possible

id go for lighter line, as much line as you can get on your reel, and make sure it has a damned good drag system.... line capacity and a good drag will get you ALOT farther than just brute strength and a line that only jaws could break 

[cohoho]

Why would you cut the line that is snagged???  That is a waste of line, tie it up on the a cleat and have the boat pop it off...  Might break the hook, might break at the knot, sure better than losing 200+ foot of line...      Do not recall ever breaking off a big AK Halibut.  Hook might pop out if there is any slack due to weight of lead, but haven't seen any Halibut break off the line if you know how to fight a fish, never want to utilize the maximum of your drag as that will prematurely smoke the reel and cause you to replace drag early.  If it is a big fish let em have it, he'll tire...

[RB]

Why would you cut the line that is snagged???  That is a waste of line, tie it up on the a cleat and have the boat pop it off...  Might break the hook, might break at the knot, sure better than losing 200+ foot of line...      Do not recall ever breaking off a big AK Halibut.  Hook might pop out if there is any slack due to weight of lead, but haven't seen any Halibut break off the line if you know how to fight a fish, never want to utilize the maximum of your drag as that will prematurely smoke the reel and cause you to replace drag early.  If it is a big fish let em have it, he'll tire...

Gotta be quick and use lots of slack to get it around the cleat and make darn sure not to get it around your fingers cause you will lose them with the heavy braided lines. As someone already said you can literally anchor a large boat with the stuff

[sirmissalot]

The few times I have hung up I just tie the line off to a boat cleat, it will either bust loose or break at the knot from my experience.

I use 80lb not becuase I might catch a 100lber, but because I just have a little more abrasion resistance with heavier line. The fact is my reel really only has 30lbs of drag max so even 60lb line would be plenty... I don't think most people realize how much 30lbs of drag really is.

[JimmyHoffa]

For hang-ups I typically use a mono leader below a swivel connecting it to the braid.  The mono seems to break before the braid.  I haven't used the cleat method, just reel way down with the rod pointed down, then wrap the braid around the reel a few times and lift.  That usually does it.  There are different styles of weights you can use that help prevent hang ups--like using ones that look like sticks.  I know the egg weights usually reel best..but seem to snag more easily.