Hunting Washington Forum

Other Activities => Fishing => Topic started by: JackOfAllTrades on December 28, 2009, 06:39:47 PM

Title: Dangling by a grannie knot...
Post by: JackOfAllTrades on December 28, 2009, 06:39:47 PM: OK, I'm gonna ask that one question that, well I suppose I could put in a poll... This is something like asking Ford, Chevy or Dodge? Rifle or Bow? Fly, spin or bait cast?

OK so,,, I got a new rod and reel for my son. He wanted something heavier than his trout rod, but lighter than his medium rig. Got him a Graphite Okuma 8'6" with an Okuma Avenger 30 for Steelhead and Silvers. I realize it's a bit light but that's what he wanted. And, I'd like him to play a fish more than how sometimes he horses them in with bigger tackle so I think it's a good fit. I use an old Abu fiber glass with Mitchel300 that's caught a bunch of fish over the years. He likes it, and what he's got now is much better in my eyes. I put some braided 10 line on it last year and other than the occasional loop knot, I like the casting distance and feel I get from that line. I just don't know if that line would be good for him.

So, from you more experienced fishers, what line would be right for his new rig? Mono/Pline/Braid?

-Steve
Title: Re: Dangling by a grannie knot...
Post by: Huntbear on December 28, 2009, 06:45:03 PM: maybe look into some flourocarbon line, it is real good stuff, and rates a couple of lbs. heavier than specified, so if he makes a mistake, he may not loose the fish.
Title: Re: Dangling by a grannie knot...
Post by: tomy salami on December 28, 2009, 07:01:43 PM: What color of water does he regularly fish? Favorite techniques?

Braid = brutal strength, great knots, no stretch, neck breaking hooksets, floats, lasts seasons, thin diameter, high visibility.

Mono = varies from mfg to mfg. Forgiving, cheap, decent knots.........so many variables between mfg's.

Flourocarbon = worst knots, unpredictable, brittle, memory, but, can be great leader material for spooky fish.

Float rods: braid.
Drift rods: toss between braid and mono.....depending on situation.
Spinners, casting plugs: braid......with mono shock leaders.

Zero place in my arsenal for flourocarbon, fish aint that spooky from what I have seen.

If I had one line forever? 20# high vis powerpro.
Title: Re: Dangling by a grannie knot...
Post by: JackOfAllTrades on December 28, 2009, 07:19:01 PM: Rivers we hit the most are Nooksack, Samish and Skagit. Time of year and where we hit the Skagit it is usually pretty clear. Nooksack and Samish are never clear. (OK, seldom) His reel has two spools so I think some green or brown mono will end up on one. I'm leaning toward some 10# braid for him. Maybe 12#. He's not the best at knots so the fourocarbon line might be out of the question.

PowerPro braid is what I put on my primary rod. I'm sure it would perform better on a better reel.

-Steve
Title: Re: Dangling by a grannie knot...
Post by: tomy salami on December 28, 2009, 07:29:22 PM: Hard to foul a knot with braid.......

Every time I try flouro, I hate it more.

Hard to miss with ultragreen.........the pitfall is the memory, especially on a spinning reel.

Trilene Big Game aint too bad for mono, if you get a good batch.........you will know if you do not.

Then again, Ande is cheap, limp, and is a good standard issue. Not the greatest at anything.

Braid will serve him well in many applications.
Title: Re: Dangling by a grannie knot...
Post by: JackOfAllTrades on December 28, 2009, 07:33:55 PM: I always thought that braid belonged on bait casters. Thought I was bending the rules by putting it on my spin casters. Sounds like that was/is the right choice all along?

I'm sure every line has its best use for different water conditions but I think mono leaders with braided line is what I'm hearing from you guys and reading elsewhere? Fouro lines just aren't designed well enough yet?

-Steve
Title: Re: Dangling by a grannie knot...
Post by: tomy salami on December 28, 2009, 07:43:46 PM: Flouro, in my book, is a leader material only..........but I would rather downsize the mono 2-4#, when fish get paranoid. I would never use it as a mainline.

I have fished some spooky fish, and never have I seen flouro make a marked difference to clear,light, mono.
However, Tuna guys love that crap.......

Braid on a spinning reel do good deeds.......casts, works good with bobbers, gives a beginning drift fisherman a good "feel of the bite", and you have to try to screw up the knots.

The only pitfalls of braid are the tangles, fishing in crowds, and the fish can see it in clear water.
Title: Re: Dangling by a grannie knot...
Post by: rasbo on December 28, 2009, 07:45:43 PM: ultra green on all my river lake and stream rods,love the stuff.and its great on a casting rod
Title: Re: Dangling by a grannie knot...
Post by: JackOfAllTrades on December 28, 2009, 07:51:08 PM: "ultra green" What brand? Mono? Braid?

-Steve
Title: Re: Dangling by a grannie knot...
Post by: Huntbear on December 28, 2009, 07:54:29 PM: tony,

ask a lg. mouth bass fisherman about flouro. Talk about a fish that sees a lot of pressure and is spooky. I loved flouro when I was bass fishing all the time.
Title: Re: Dangling by a grannie knot...
Post by: rasbo on December 28, 2009, 08:03:58 PM: Quote from: JackOfAllTrades on December 28, 2009, 07:51:08 PM
"ultra green" What brand? Mono? Braid?

-Steve
maxima mono
Title: Re: Dangling by a grannie knot...
Post by: tomy salami on December 28, 2009, 08:08:07 PM: I do not fish for bass.........I do not fish for tuna............

Bass probably see 100x more gear than any salmon or steelhead. Tuna gots eyes the size of racquetballs

I got no use for flouro..........maybe it has gotten better over the last two years. The two lines I tested out, could not tie a consistent knot, snapped off on fish, was stiff and brittle............but the fish could not see it.

Give me 6# mono, any brand, over 10# flouro..........70% of the water I fish gots color anyway, so I could run piano wire, if I wanted to.

Salmon/steelhead just do not warrant the flouro..........presentation and bait selection will trump line visibility every day.
Title: Re: Dangling by a grannie knot...
Post by: jackelope on December 28, 2009, 08:20:16 PM: i have always known flouro as a good leader material. i'd never blow the money on flouro as a main line, and i've never had problems with flouro tying knots. i have also never gotten into all the new braids. if it were me i'd run 12# main line maxima ultra green or the brown with 2-6' 8# flouro leaders for any steelhead or coho salmon we have here. if the fish were getting a lot of pressure or the water was gin clear i'd go to a 6# leader for steelhead as long as i could handle the drag well on my reel.

flouro does not last on a spool. if it is a year old, throw it out and start over.

i probably agree re: flouro probably not being needed but i got caught up in the craze. it works well on a fly rod setup for me too. mono caught lots of fish before flouro came out...
:twocents:
Title: Re: Dangling by a grannie knot...
Post by: tomy salami on December 28, 2009, 08:32:34 PM: If a gent can get away with it...............chameleon. The dark brown stuff. Meanest knot offered in mono. Touch thick in the diameter, but so what, if it is on a levelwind.

Gramps was never wrong. Chameleon main and ultragreen leaders. Makes me want to break out some 18" leaders, a Ray Bobber, or a birdy drifter with a 2/0 hook, drive some 1/4" solid core and my Abu 2500C.
Title: Re: Dangling by a grannie knot...
Post by: Antlershed on December 28, 2009, 09:48:15 PM: Fluoro is good leader material if you get the good stuff (Seaguar or P-Line CFX). I tried one of the fluoro coated monos on a spinning reel. Fished it one day, took it off and threw it in the garbage. Worst line ever. For maximum breaking strength you can't beat P-Line or Izorline, IMO. For a spinning reel, either the P-Line Evolution or the CX. Do not put CXX on a spinning reel as it is designed for baitcasters. The CX has a little better strength, but the Evolution will cast a little better. I don't like braid for drift fishing because it will explode when it rubs on a rock. I love braid for float fishing though.
Title: Re: Dangling by a grannie knot...
Post by: JackOfAllTrades on December 28, 2009, 11:51:44 PM: Thank you everyone.. Some differences in opinion here, but you've all been informative.

-Steve
Title: Re: Dangling by a grannie knot...
Post by: PST on December 29, 2009, 10:49:22 PM: I use ultra green by maxima on my bait cast rod. I primarily use this rod for drift fishing. I wouldn't use a light braid line because, to me, it would be hard to work with. If it's early morning and trying to tie a knot or in cold conditions just not the easiest to work with. On the other hand I use a 30lb braid on my float fishing pole. The diameter is big enough that it's easy to work with. I only use this on my main line, where it's not going to get hung up, unless I cast into a tree!

I tried flurocarbon on my main line, a couple different brands, and it's terrible. I do like to use it on my leader lines though.

Good luck with your decision! Lots of great opinions on here!
Title: Re: Dangling by a grannie knot...
Post by: JackOfAllTrades on January 01, 2010, 06:46:14 PM: I ended up putting Ultra Green 10# on the reel. The boy had some friends stay the night so I ended up fishing solo today.. With his new rig. Long wet day, but right about fishy supper time... This nice bright friend gave a good test to the light rod. It performed well. Bad cell phone photo, (raining, but the water was much more clear than the pic indicates) but that's all I could manage without dropping the phone in the drink while he was flopping and trying to spit the hook. He left the water once by his own accord.