Until the past year, I have never put much thought into the specifics of equipment required for technique specific fishing. My current go to rod/ reel combos are a Shimano 2500FX series rod/ reel combo and a BPS Pro Qualifier combo. My spinning rod is spooled with 10lb mono, and my baitcast reel is spooled with 17lb mono. I know my PQ rod is a fast action whereas my spinning rod is a moderate action.

Now, I primarily fish Texas or wacky rigged plastics since they work great in the ponds I frequent. Heavy cover is not a big concern, but there are some areas with downed trees/ limbs/ etc.

Question 1) Would I be better off switching to fluoro or braid for my baitcast setup if I stick to plastics?

Question 2) Will fluro provide a significant advantage over mono for crank baits and lighter plastics on my spinner setup? If so, what test should I be looking at?

Thanks!

1) if heavy is not a huge concern then i wouldn't think braid is "needed". but with that being said it cuts through vegetation nicely and very rarely breaks off. fluro is probably a better choice if you are only fishing plastics because of sensitivity. if you are throwing topwater as well as plastics on your PQ then i would have braid.

2) yes fluro would provide an advantage for cranks and lighter plastics, the main advantage is it sinks, this means that your cranks can dive deeper and the action of your plastics is not hindered by a bouyant line. the second advantage is sensitivity which is critical for lighter plastics when you are just trying to feel for a bite. the third advantage would be that it doesn't have as much stretch as mono. with the spinning rod being a moderate you don't need the stretch of mono and you would likely benefit from the reduced stretch of fluro.

Monofilament for treble hooks, specifically Sunline Defier Armilo

Braid, copolymer, fluorocarbon or braid with a leader for single hooks.