Disregarding the need to overpower a fish and horse it out cover quickly, or line visibility to fish..... what is or are, the best line weights, type and brands for minimal backlash for pitching and skipping baits....jigs, tubes, worms, etc. ?  I tried braid last year and while I did get fewer backlashes, the ones I got were very frustrating to impossible to get undone without cutting the line.  I would consider myself to be a decent caster, pitcher and skipper and just wondering if there is anything better than what I am currently using which is Big Game line ranging between 14 - 20 lb test depending on where I am fishing.

 

I just bought a Daiwa Zillion SV TWS and just looking to pair it with whatever would be the best line for avoiding backlashes while skipping and pitching.  I have paired this with a G Loomis IMX 7'pitching rod MH.  I actually like the Big Game but just wondering it I could improve much with something different.

 

Thanks for any input!

i prefer the limp braid over the hard braid that stays the way you bend it, you know what im talking about?

Try 15lb seaguar senshi. Very strong lower stretch, thin diameter line

12 lb Big Game cast better then 15, 17 or 20, less memory. 

Big Game is inexpensive, good abrasion resistance and strong line.

13 lb Sunline Defier Shooter or Armilo Nylon is ideal but more expensive and cast very good.

10 lb Big Game is the same diameter as 13 lb Armilo .012, 12 lb Big Game is .014 D, for reference.

Tom

PS, thin and thick are measurements for flat objects, round line is diameter.

try the 12 lb Big Game. i bet you’ll like it.

In my (limited) experience... dialing in the reel's spool tension and brake settings will go a longer way towards less backlashing than the line type. I'm using regular old Trilene XL mono and it will backlash if I don't set spool tension or brakes or thumb properly, and will cast far and smooth if it's all dialed in. I have zero experience with braid or fluoro so take it with a grain of ya know....

 

 

 

2 hours ago, Gilly Gals said:

i prefer the limp braid over the hard braid that stays the way you bend it, you know what im talking about?

Unfortunately I do not.  I have only ever used braid in my spinning reels.  Where I fish mostly there just isn’t a huge need for braid.

 

And to WRB, good point about diameter.

 

And I have had good results with Big Game of all diameters/break tests.  I also have used Seige and done well with that.  Big Game has always been my “go to”.  I just didn’t know if there was anything materially better.

Seth Feider has a really great video on dock fishing. He uses 20 lbs. fluorocarbon, doesn't like braid.

 

But, one of the main points he makes is to not spool up your reel with a lot of line. It looks like the reel he uses is about 25 to 50% spooled. He says this really cuts down on backlashes. Makes sense, and if you are going to make long casts, a rod and reel dedicated to pitching and skipping, you don't need it anyway.

 

Brad

 

 

I keep it simple: 8lb mono on my spinning reels, 17lb mono XL for top waters, spinnerbaits and chatter baits, 15lb Invizx for everything else except for frog rod with 50lb Sufix 832.  I guess it works since I don't lose fish.

16 hours ago, mheichelbech said:

Unfortunately I do not.  I have only ever used braid in my spinning reels.  Where I fish mostly there just isn’t a huge need for braid.

 

And to WRB, good point about diameter.

 

And I have had good results with Big Game of all diameters/break tests.  I also have used Seige and done well with that.  Big Game has always been my “go to”.  I just didn’t know if there was anything materially better.

It just has less memory, it's more like fluorocarbon than braid kind of. Someone with more experience or wisdom than I could explain it better.

In retrospect, I forgot to add that I believe lure weight and reel adjustment has a greater impact on successful pitching then line size.  Just me.

I find the fatter the diameter, the less likely it is to backlash, but the less overall casting distance you will have. I wouldn't focus too much on the line test in terms of castability however. 

 

If you are going to stick with mono, I would recommend Sufix Siege. Big Game is not a bad line, but I find that Siege has noticeably less memory and is just as strong, however more expensive.

I just spooled 2 reels with 12lb McCoy xtra clear and that stuff casts great. Fished all day in a 15 mph wind yesterday and not one single backlash. Seems pretty tough so far also.

Memory and "slinkiness" generally gets worse as you go up in diameter.   I've often wished Youzuri made hybrid in a size between #12 and #15. The diameter jump is too broad. Id like just a bit more abrasion resistance and strength than 12lb, which is fairly well behaved....but their 15 has more memory than a pack of elephants.

 

At any rate drop down the diameter a bit and KVD Line and Lure the night before can help tremendously

17 lb xl is .015 in diameter . Thats my preferred line plus it  comes in blue fluorescent which I prefer for pitching .

Line won't matter if you have an uneducated thumb.

any quality mono in 12 or 14lb will be the easiest to handle. 

Having said that i love 18lb sniper floro for pitching, flipping and skipping. As finesse said, I too prefer line with a bit more memory when pitching and skipping. It is easier to throw slack into your cast, which allows the jig to sink straight down when pitching, and allows the jig to skip better.

12lb mono is the way to go. I like Berkley Trilene Big Game, Trilene XT or Trilene XL in that order.