7’6” MH-F Carbonlite 2.0 Baitcaster with 8.3:1 Carbonlite reel needs to be spooled. Going to be hitting the water mid-month, Lord-willing.

 

On Chickamauga, nowadays we get blessed with plenty of grass mats by mid-summer. Bottom overwhelmingly tends to be muddy, sometimes with higher percentage of sand, though isolated pockets of rocky bottom can be found, especially near bluffs (it is a TVA lake, after all…plenty of bluffs). Good bit of submerged structure scattered across the lake. You can even find cattail-like stuff to pitch in, but it’s isolated.

 

Ideally, I’d like to be able to run the same line year-round. Hoping to run jigs (football, swimming, and everything in between) and spinners on this rod, mainly. Rod is rated from 3/8oz - 1.5oz. Going to fish along shore, on 5-12ft deep ledges off main channel. And then as a last resort, even deeper ledges (no idea what weight I need here…3/4 football? Heavy Colorado spinner? 10” trick worm?)

 

Currently collecting 3/8oz and 1/2oz jigs, with a variety of trailers. And of course, spinners.

 

Thinking that I can throw just about anything I listed above the next couple months according to conditions, but will lean on swim jigs when the grass mats take over. If I’m still fishing up till duck season, might even break out a 1oz spoon and swivels, experiment with hair jigs, IDK.

 

p.s. should I care whether my jigs have a 4/0 hook or a 5/0? And does this affect line choice?

 

FWIW, I’m leaning toward 100% fluoro instead of a leader, for simplicity’s sake.

Forget the leader.

 

Use 20lb straight braid.

15-17lb fluoro

50 lb braid no leader.

50# Smackdown or 17# Tatsu. Skip the leader if at all possible.

40# 832. Forget the leader.

The more I use Tatsu, the less I think about other lines. 

I use 15# Big Game for all my jigs.

Had to look up the line capacity and price point to get an ideal what this combo is like. 

Not a fan of straight braid for where and how you fish.

120 yards of 12 lb mono or .013 diameter line is the reel capacity filled to the rim. 

I wouldn’t go above .015D and FC offers better bottom contact feedback the mono or Copolymer. The issue is price.

Tatsu or Shooter are good FC line but expensive line compared to a $110 reel. InvisX or Sniper are both good FC line at lower price point. 14 or 15 lb test should work year around for you.

Tom

On 4/7/2022 at 10:30 PM, CrashVector said:

Forget the leader.

 

Use 20lb straight braid.

20 lb braid would easily get shredded on any rocks/ledges . 

 

 

17 lb trilene xl . clear blue fluorescent .

On 4/7/2022 at 11:30 PM, CrashVector said:

Forget the leader.

 

Use 20lb straight braid.

Exactly what I do, never an issue bringing big fish out of wood.

17lb. Tough. Low stretch. Very affordable. Try it.

https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/catpage-SUFX.html?from=basres

 

You won't have a problem finding an advocate on here for any fluoro, mono, copolymer between 12 and 20#, or braid between 20 and 50.

  There's no right answer.....I can't even make up my own mind- in last few weeks, I've thrown jigs on 20 and 40# braid, with leaders and without, also on 12 and 17# fluoro.....all work good, none are perfect

If you're going to be fishing more weeds, 40-50lb Seaguar Smackdown, no leader. If you're going to be fishing more rock/mud/clay/wood, 17lb Tatsu.

10 minutes ago, Bluebasser86 said:

If you're going to be fishing more weeds, 40-50lb Seaguar Smackdown, no leader. If you're going to be fishing more rock/mud/clay/wood, 17lb Tatsu.

For those with more limited budgets

40#-50# Sufix 832

or

15#-17# Seaguar InvizX

1 hour ago, Choporoz said:

You won't have a problem finding an advocate on here for any fluoro, mono, copolymer between 12 and 20#, or braid between 20 and 50.

  There's no right answer.....I can't even make up my own mind- in last few weeks, I've thrown jigs on 20 and 40# braid, with leaders and without, also on 12 and 17# fluoro.....all work good, none are perfect

I ended up asking the guy who runs my local tackle shop and is familiar with our water, after I told him I wanted to run jigs and spinners, all year.

 

He recommended a 14lb fluoro. I mentioned that, if the quality of the line wouldn’t suffer, I’d like one that can show up good under a “purple light” night fishing. So he put on what I think is yellow SunLine Night FC line that should disappear underwater, while still being easy to read. Hopefully it holds up good. If not, I’m only out $6 and can try something better later.

Sunline Night FC comes in 12 or 15 lb @ $20 /150 yds.

$6 you a great deal!

Tom

Berkley Big Game 15# test $7.12 at my local Wally World for a 900 yd spool.

 

Take the money you'll save over Fluorocarbon & put gas in the boat/truck.