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What's a good ultralight line?

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I started out with 8lb Power Pro and it didn't cast very well and it was annoyingly too thin to deal with, switched to 5 pound P-Line and it manages well on the spool but it's so limp and limber it also makes tieing knots and threading bobbers annoying. 

 

Is that just something I'm going to have to learn to live with and git good at? Would switching to regular fluro or mono be a good idea? 

I tend to use 4 lb mono on my ultralights, they mostly see use for crappie, bluegill, and the occasional trout, but I have caught bass up to 3lbs, and a few decent walleye on it. 

  • Super User

My ultralight only gets 4#mono. With the drag set properly, you could even fight a 4-5# bass on it if you're willing to take your time and not try to 'horse' it in.

  • Global Moderator

Ultralight lines are going to be limp and thin or they're not going to work on UL gear with UL lures, it's just how it has to be. I'm not a fan of the really small braid, I prefer mono. DAM Techtan is excellent line if you can find it. I use the 3.5lb on my UL. 

Gliss 8lb or 4lb bass pro shops crappie mono is what I use for my ultralight fishing. 

  • Super User
4 hours ago, Bluebasser86 said:

Ultralight lines are going to be limp and thin or they're not going to work on UL gear with UL lures, it's just how it has to be. I'm not a fan of the really small braid, I prefer mono. DAM Techtan is excellent line if you can find it. I use the 3.5lb on my UL. 

Power Pro Braid comes in #8lb, #5lb. and even #3 lb. ratings which I have considered off and on to try - what is it about them that you dislike ? Thanks ...

  • Global Moderator
19 minutes ago, ChrisD46 said:

Power Pro Braid comes in #8lb, #5lb. and even #3 lb. ratings which I have considered off and on to try - what is it about them that you dislike ? Thanks ...

I tried the 5lb, it's extremely thin and seemed to wind knot very often and was impossible to untangle when that happened. 

  • Super User
6 hours ago, RealtreeByGod said:

5 pound P-Line and it manages well on the spool but it's so limp and limber it also makes tieing knots and threading bobbers annoying. 

What type of fishing are you doing?  Cast and retrieve or bobber?  What are you fishing for?  What is your rod and reel setup?  What baits are trying to fish?  Lots of consideration goes into line choice.  

  • Super User
1 hour ago, Jcj90 said:

4lb trilene xl. Been using it forever 

This is the line I used many years ago when spinning gear was all I had.  Biggest fish on it was a 10# carp.  The rod was fiberglass and something of a noodle.  Drag tightened down all the way and back turned when necessary.

I use 2# Sufix Nanobraid (not to be confused with Berkley Nanofil, another good line). Sufix makes this particular braid up to 14# and it has the same size, as I recall, as Sufix 832 in 10#.

 

I'm up to 3 lbs. white bass, about a pound more in a LMB, same 4 pounds or so for a catfish. Nothing yet has broken me off.

 

A great line, smallest diameter I have ever used at .001". That does make knot tying a bit more difficult but I love the casting distance, the strength. If you are a braid lover, even the 6 lbs. in this stuff is so thin and it might be easier for you to manage.

 

Brad

  • Author
On 12/17/2018 at 6:31 AM, TOXIC said:

What type of fishing are you doing?  Cast and retrieve or bobber?  What are you fishing for?  What is your rod and reel setup?  What baits are trying to fish?  Lots of consideration goes into line choice.  

7'0 Fenwick Eagle with a Quantum Throttle 20 reel 

 

It's been about 55% bobber fishing both real and plastic worms for panfish and 45% working small lures and the Ned Rig for panfish and shallow >2.5lb bass. Wanting to also start fishing for stockie rainbows too. 

  • Super User
On 12/16/2018 at 11:15 PM, RealtreeByGod said:

I started out with 8lb Power Pro and it didn't cast very well and it was annoyingly too thin to deal with, switched to 5 pound P-Line and it manages well on the spool but it's so limp and limber it also makes tieing knots and threading bobbers annoying. 

 

Is that just something I'm going to have to learn to live with and git good at? Would switching to regular fluro or mono be a good idea? 

So what you are actually saying is you dont want a good ultralight line.

  • Super User

I like 4lb mono for ultralight fishing. 

  • Super User

Maxima Ultra Green 4 lb is .007 D and extremely strong for it's lb test rating. 

My 14.2 lb line class world record California Yellowtail was caught on 4 lb Max UG line, has been topped:cry:, now 26.6 lbs!

I use 5 lb .008D Max UG for my finesse spinning for bass.

Tom

Trilene xl used to be my ultra light go to line. It's main drawback is it has a huge amount of stretch and is not very abrasion resistant.

Lately I have been playing around with kastking flourokote. It's a flourocarbon coated copoly. So far I am impressed. It casts very well , seems to have decent abrasion resistance, and stretches less than trilene.

It also is reasonably priced on Amazon.

Trilene XL in 4lb is very forgiving. 

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