I just got a new finesse rod, it is a 6'6'' Medium Light Triumph paired with a President. I'm wondering what type of line to spool it with. I plan on using it for drop-shot, ned rig, shakey-head, some weightless plastics, and anything that is too light for my bait casters to handle well. I'm thinking maybe 30lb yellow power pro with an 8lb test fluorocarbon leader? What do you all think? Is braid to fluoro the best for this situation? If so which brands do you suggest? Thanks!

11 minutes ago, Ads7633 said:

I just got a new finesse rod, it is a 6'6'' Medium Light Triumph paired with a President. I'm wondering what type of line to spool it with. I plan on using it for drop-shot, ned rig, shakey-head, some weightless plastics, and anything that is too light for my bait casters to handle well. I'm thinking maybe 30lb yellow power pro with an 8lb test fluorocarbon leader? What do you all think? Is braid to fluoro the best for this situation? If so which brands do you suggest? Thanks!

nah, go lighter. Like 10-15#.

30lb is way to high, if you are set on braid 10-15 would be better. Or straight 8lb flouro.

Braid to flouro is good, but I use braid to copolymer. Copolymer is much more affordable and doesn't stretch too much. On my spinning rod, I use 10lb power pro super slick with a 10lb leader of copolymer, about 5 feet long. I can still feel the fish thump my senko with slack in my line.

I've got two ML.  On my crappy one I've got 6# copolymer that works really well for split shot rigs, weightless plastics, and panfish.  On my nice one I have 20# braid with a 6# copolymer leader that I got late in the season but caught a lot of fish on the drop shot and split shot rigs.  Very effective for my clear water smallies.

I'd put 10 lb braid, and adjust your leaders to suit the technique you're using

So copolymer for my leader? 

Just now, ABW said:

I'd put 10 lb braid, and adjust your leaders to suit the technique you're using

So which leaders for which technique? 

Isn't 10lb braid the diameter of 2lb monofilaments? Should I not try to match the braid diameter to the leader diameter? or does it matter? (hence why I was thinking 30lb braid initially bc it is the same diameter as 8lb Fluoro)

Just now, Ads7633 said:

So which leaders for which technique? 

Really depends on a number of variables.  Clear water and finesse tactics require light line.  4-8#.  More murky water you can get away with a heavier leader.  I have 6'6" M spinning rod that I have a 12# leader on right now for light jerkbaits and light cranks.  When I think tubes are the answer I'll trade the 12# for 6#.  Experiment for yourself, your experience might tell you otherwise. 

14 minutes ago, Ads7633 said:

Isn't 10lb braid the diameter of 2lb monofilaments? Should I not try to match the braid diameter to the leader diameter? or does it matter? (hence why I was thinking 30lb braid initially bc it is the same diameter as 8lb Fluoro)

You do not have to match diameters. 8 lb fluorocarbon will be good for all around. I use 6 lb mono, but you can make it work with 8 lb fluoro.

I do 20# PowerPro with an 8# Invizx leader.

Berkley Trilene XT 6 lb test, Yozuri Hybrid 6lbs test; that´s what tickles my Bosco and Veloce ML rods.

1 minute ago, Robert Riley said:

I do 20# PowerPro with an 8# Invizx leader.

Do you ever have any problems with that set-up?

Nah, but if I get caught and I have to pull the line, it almost always breaks at the joining knot. But I'm pretty sure that is to be expected. 

10# or 15# braid (IMHO) and a leader of
whatever material you want.

It's what I do on all my spinning reels.

There's not much you can't pull in with a
setup like that, to be honest. 

I also think you should got lighter on braid. I have a St Croix ML using 10# Power Pro yellow braid with a 7# FC Sunline leader of about 6". I join the two with an Albright knot. This combo works great for me.

1 hour ago, BrianinMD said:

30lb is way to high, if you are set on braid 10-15 would be better. Or straight 8lb flouro.

Is there an advantage to lighter braid? Like greater sensitivity or improved handling?

2 hours ago, Ads7633 said:

I just got a new finesse rod, it is a 6'6'' Medium Light Triumph paired with a President. I'm wondering what type of line to spool it with. I plan on using it for drop-shot, ned rig, shakey-head, some weightless plastics, and anything that is too light for my bait casters to handle well. I'm thinking maybe 30lb yellow power pro with an 8lb test fluorocarbon leader? What do you all think? Is braid to fluoro the best for this situation? If so which brands do you suggest? Thanks!

Braid to fluoro is what I've always used with great success. But I agree, go lighter. 20 pounds is the same diameter as 6 pound mono and works great. 15 would be good too I assume. I've had issues, and heard the same from others, that lighter braid like 10 or less is so thin that it digs into the spool. That can cause twists and knots and just a nightmare if you're lure gets tangled up and gets knotted.

I love PP but plan on trying suffix 832 out of curiosity. I've used sunline super sniper 8 pound fluoro for leaders and like it a lot. It's pricey but I lucked out and found a sale.

This beauty was caught on 20 pounds power pro with an 8 pound sunline fc leader.

19 minutes ago, Ads7633 said:

Is there an advantage to lighter braid? Like greater sensitivity or improved handling?

It's all gonna be the same sensitivity but lighter (15_20) is always better. It handles easier, casts further, is less visible in the water if desired. Too light is hard to control especially in wind. It can loop and knots a lot. 

Okay. I've settled on PowerPro 20lb for the mainline. My next question is; Is a fluorocarbon or co polymer leader better? Would it be total overkill to use a nice fluoro as a leader?

20# 832 Sufix, then 6#-14# Seaguar Abrazx, depending on conditions.

Another vote for lighter...much lighter. Depending on what I'm fishing for, all my ML outfits run 3#-10# braid with 4#-8# leaders, fluoro or copoly. If you are gearing more toward bass exclusively, then go with 8#-10# braid and 6#-8# leaders. If you want to fish with straight copoly/fluoro, then I'd recommend not going above 8#. 20# is going to be overkill for dropshots and Ned rigs...

16 minutes ago, Ads7633 said:

Okay. I've settled on PowerPro 20lb for the mainline. My next question is; Is a fluorocarbon or co polymer leader better? Would it be total overkill to use a nice fluoro as a leader?

I can't comment on copolymer, haven't tried it. Although I've asked around about it and heard of people using it as a mainline and still using a fluoro leader with it. Food for thought. 

I've always liked a fluoro leader, personally. If you can find a sale price on a higher quality fluoro go for it. I read TONS of reviews before deciding and settled on sunline super sniper. It's really abrasion resistant and strong for me and I fish very rocky snaggy rivers. 

Just remember if a more expensive leader material scares you off a bit, you'll be using 3-6 feet at a time....my 150 yd spool has lasted 2 years so far. There's plenty more on it. So if it's leader line specifically, a better line will pay off easily in the long run. 

 

The more opinions you get the more confusion can
set in. Many of us have gone the lighter braid route
because we have confidence in it despite how thin
it may seem, 10# braid has a high breaking strength.

If you feel more comfortable with 20#, go for it. For 
me, that's what I put on my casting reels. 

We all have different experiences, plain and simple.

As for copolymer line like Yo-Zuri Hybrid, etc., they
are great lines, good for abrasion resistance, and 
so on.

Some are coated or bonded with fluorocarbon.

Using fluoro as a leader is fine if you want to use it.
Has its own advantages and disadvantages.

I've taken advice from this forum and made purchases
based on it that I later regretted. My experience differed
from the other folks. You may drop some $$ on pure FC
and love it, or hate it. Part of the game as you develop
how YOU like to fish.