Smallmouth line size

[Blue Raider Bob]

On 4/6/2023 at 5:03 PM, PaulVE64 said:

I am all spinning, all braid.

Just sayin

That's me as well. Straight Suffix 832 braid 15 lb test on med. lite spinning tackle. Retie every couple hours if bite is slow. Retie often if bite is good. No leader to fail me at the worst possible time. I'll never know if the straight braid costs me bites because the bass can see it but I really doubt it.

Caught 64 two Sundays ago and 52 last Sunday, so i couldn't have missed many. The braid helps me to straighten out hang ups without breaking off.

[PaulVE64]

I didnt mean I'm only braid.

I use braid on all my setups and a mono leader.

[Dinger0306]

I used to have the same feeling towards spinning gear, but I finally got around to getting decent spinning setups and I thoroughly enjoy it. I fish way too much finesse to get by with normal casting gear 95% of the time. I went from a guy that would fish a 7’ baitcaster in creeks that I could jump across to relying on ML spinning rods almost entirely and it’s only helped IMO. 

 

In muddy water conditions I’ll pull out the BCer and use spinnerbaits and jigs with 12lb Big Game

[Brian S]

I use a 6'8" Medium extra fast mojo bass casting rod with 30 lb braid to a 14 lb mono leader for topwater and jerkbaits.

 

If you use ned/ dropshot rigs your going to need a spinning rod, I use a 7'6" medium light extra fast mojo bass spinning rod with 15 lb braid to an 8 lb fluorocarbon leader.

[JMac603]

All spinning with one casting. Spinning #10 braid to various mono leaders (#10-#4). Tube rod is #8 big game. Casting is #12 big game for cranking and spinner baits. 

[Fallser]

I mostly fly fish, but I use my spinning gear a few times a year.  All my spinning reels have two spools.  The two I use mostly for smallmouth have 10# fluorocarbon on one spool and the other spool has 10# braid on one reel and 15# braid on the other.  I just fish straight braid, no leader.   When I'm fly fishing I use a 6 to 8 foot piece of either 20# or 25# fluorocarbon for my tippet.  Partially to help turn over the flies and the lakes I fish have tooth critters in them.  I've never noticed that smallies are leader shy.

[TOXIC]

Just got back from Lake St Clair.  6lb mono on Ned rig, 8lb mono on Dropshot.  Never broke one off.  Pics are a representation of the size fish we caught all week.  Probably 30 to 40 per day.  Good sized largemouth in there as well.

[Reel]

Good knots are more important than line size.

[JMac603]

On 5/28/2023 at 2:30 PM, TOXIC said:

Just got back from Lake St Clair.  6lb mono on Ned rig, 8lb mono on Dropshot.  Never broke one off.  Pics are a representation of the size fish we caught all week.  Probably 30 to 40 per day.  Good sized largemouth in there as well.

I've never fished a ned mono only for fear of excessive gut hooks from light strikes and less sensitivity. The more I go back to fishing straight mono, I feel like I've been lied to about the sensitivity thing. Am I crazy? I'm going out this weekend and throwing a ned on straight mono now...

[TOXIC]

1 minute ago, JMac603 said:

I've never fished a ned mono only for fear of excessive gut hooks from light strikes and less sensitivity. The more I go back to fishing straight mono, I feel like I've been lied to about the sensitivity thing. Am I crazy? I'm going out this weekend and throwing a ned on straight mono now...

I have never felt that mono has a low sensitivity level.  It may increase as you step up in test but I am a finesse guy first and foremost  so 6-8lb test is my go to.  I will spool some 10-12lb on baitcasters for moving baits and vertical jigging.  I don’t have a gut hooking problem at all with mono for Neds.

[The Baron]

I've been very happy with Suffix Advance 10# and 12# on my baitcasters for crankbaits, jerkbaits and topwater.  I can see how fluoro might be better for cranking over rocks and around wood, but I've had no issues with Advance.  I also use Big Game 12# for topwater and it's good too.  For jigs I used 30# braid to a 10# fluoro leader.

[PaulVE64]

I've been trying 10# fluoro leaders lately. I normally throw 12# mono but my river is very low and clear right now.

Ive lost more lures/fish in the last two weeks than normal. All due to rubbing on rock edges.

Going back to mono.

 

[JN94]

I too only fish baitcasters and go 30lb braid so I don't get any line dig. Would for sure go lighter if line dig wasn't a thing. Always run a fluoro/mono leader

[dytmook]

8lb Fluro or co poly on spinning rods. I'll use mono too. Doesn't seem to matter much to me. 12lb fluro on my baitcaster. Nothing fancy. 

 

[Texas Flood]

#12 Fluoro and for topwater I use #30 braid.

[MGF]

I use 17 (ish) pound mono on my jig skipping rod and braid to fluoro for almost everything else.

 

The braid has to be nice and round.

[Dwight Hottle]

I use 10lb braid Suffix 832 or 131 on spinning tackle with mono leaders from 10-20lb depending on how much bottom contact I'm making. When using casting gear I use 10lb or 20 braid with the same mono leaders. I catch plenty of fish with the mono leaders so screw the flouro which I do not trust nor do I buy into it's benefits except it's sinking ability.