Hey eveyone!! So right now I run straight braid on my spinning and casting rods. I am looking at wanting to use flurocarbon and have some questions. I picked up a spool of 20lb. Seaguar Red Label, would putting that on a casting rod be best? Does straight flurocarbon work best on casting with fluro leaders only on spinning? What weight line is most versatile for various setups? I kind of fish a little of everything with small, large, blue, perch, crappie etc. Thanks for reading. 

Spinning the line diameter affects what pound test Fluorocarbon or mono line you can effectively cast, my recommendation is .010 dia maximum.

Using FC as a leader is common with spinning reels.

Casting reels line diameter isn’t a major issue.

FC has very high memory wanting to spring off the spool so line conditioner KVD is popular.

Tom

I wouldn't recommend 20lb fluoro as a starting point or general purpose line. What exactly are you trying to cast? What rods/reels/lures etc?

a sage fishing store owner suggested to me that I start with 12lb flouro line as a jumping off point.   I kinda stayed in that neighborhood from that point on.  this is on my casting reels.  casts easy, far, accurate...strong for any bass I encounter.   I also use 14lb if it gets weedy, or the bait is heavier.  1/2 oz jigs and stuff.  

 

for spinning, I only use 20lb braid or PE equivalent.  yes to flouro leaders.  usually 10lb leaders.  

 

I am burning up my 20lb stuff I bought out of error for the ocean..it is coming in handy!!   it was much to heavy for my needs in my bait casters. 

I wouldn’t go beyond 14 lb on a casting reel, as stated above 12 is better for general purpose.

 

I wouldn’t put straight fluorocarbon on a spinning reel, that’s usually just an invitation to stress and anxiety. Better off with braid and a fluoro leader. I personally use 10 lb braid and an 8lb leader on my spinning rods.

I use 10, 12 and 15# on bait casters.  I’ve never had any thing bigger than 8# that would work on a spinning reel.

As others have stated, 14 lb FC is a nice middle of the road line on a BC reel. I too use KVD line conditioner as WRB suggested.

1 hour ago, Peacedivision said:

I wouldn't recommend 20lb fluoro as a starting point or general purpose line. What exactly are you trying to cast? What rods/reels/lures etc?

 

Want to set one of my MH casting rods up for ned, texas, drop etc..

1 minute ago, SnyperX said:

 

Want to set one of my MH casting rods up for ned, texas, drop etc..

 

Ned rigs normally are thrown on pretty light jig heads.

 

Just me, but I throw those on spinning.

 

20 minutes ago, SnyperX said:

 

Want to set one of my MH casting rods up for ned, texas, drop etc..

 

Unless you're fishing neds on a 1/4 oz head or heavier then that isn't happening on a standard MH casting rod.  Keep the ned for the spinning rod.

 

Good advice above on setups.  I fish braid to leader on a spinning rod (would never go straight fluoro) and I fish 6/8/10# sunline leader depending on the rod and presentation.  I have ~20# straight fluoro on my XXH swimbait rod and I wouldn't recommend that.  Even on the XXH it is a lot.  I have 18# sunline on my Heavy for texas rigs and other stuff and that is on the upper limit of what I'd recommend for a first timer.  In the japanese diameter world something 14-16# would be a good starting point for a general purpose setup.  If you're talking american diameters, 12-14.  

 

I have found Seaguar Red Label in 20# test somewhat difficult to cast with. Red Label in 15# test is easier to handle and should be more than adequate for Texas Rigs.

 

If I'm going to be using fluorocarbon, I much prefer Seaguar InvizX over the Red Label. I have found it much easier to handle.

2 hours ago, SnyperX said:

 

Want to set one of my MH casting rods up for ned, texas, drop etc..

 

I miss typed that. Yes, neds on spinning. I should have typed texas, carolina, drop type rigs for casting. 

One thing you learn very quickly in fishing, there are different grades of fluoro on the market.

 

Get the best you can afford.

I use flouro for all presentations except for 2 1/2 with 12# being the lightest and most versatile on casting gear as others have said.
I don’t use spinning for anything
 

If you use a quality product from 12# to 20# on your bait caster, any and all manner of undesirable outcomes that are reportedly possible can be controlled without affecting anything 

KVD L&L will help if needed
 

 

 

 

 

Mike

 

 

 

 

 

 

Couple of basics that have already been covered. Cheaper Fluorocarbon line vary greatly in performance. I have settled on Seaguar Invisx, Daiwa Samurai and Seaguar Tatsu as my best options..  They are expensive lines especially if you by the smaller spools.  Load your reel about a 1/3 of the way with monofiliment then top off with Fluoro.  You'll only use about 60-75 yards that way. So that 200 yard spool you should be able to get three respools out of it. Don't overfill your reel!  It makes is much more prone to birds nesting. 14-16# line is a good all around. 12# if your going to throw crankbaits.  If and or when you birdsnest.  Gently pick out the loops with your fingers, no serious tugging. Fluoro hates to be kinked link that. It will result in deep spool line breaks where it was kinked. 

     Fluorocarbon is a "stiff" line it isn't limber or totally limp like braid. That is why it likes to fly off the reel.  Fluorocarbon is very good IMHO for bite detection, it sinks and that stiffness transmits bites back to your rod even when your line isn't tight. 

  Get you some Invisx and try it out.  

Good luck,

FM

The OP already has 20 lb Red Label Seagaur FC line! Why suggest something else ? Agree 12 to 15 lb FC for general bait casting is good but the 20 Red Label is ok for a bait caster.
Tom

14 minutes ago, WRB-2.0 said:

The OP already has 20 lb Red Label Seagaur FC line! Why suggest something else ? Agree 12 to 15 lb FC for general bait casting is good but the 20 Red Label is ok for a bait caster.
Tom

Because Red Label is the cheapest Fluorocarbon that Seaguar makes it's very stiff and doesn't perform well at all IMHO, WRB.  Why I suggested something else was because he was asking for advice on fluorocarbon.

     I've tried a bunch of different brands fluorocarbon lines over the last ten years and found the three I listed above to be the best performing fluorocarbon lines for me.  I'll add this caveat "without using KVD line & lube".

Sincerely and warmest regards,

Fishingmickey

1 hour ago, WRB-2.0 said:

The OP already has 20 lb Red Label Seagaur FC line! Why suggest something else ? Agree 12 to 15 lb FC for general bait casting is good but the 20 Red Label is ok for a bait caster.
Tom

Because after the first big birds nest that kinks it all up he will need to replace it.

 

That was my learning experience.

 

I have only been using FC since Sunline introduced Shooter in 300 meter spools in the early 90’s. Seaguar 1st came out with leader spools we used in salt water a little earlier. 
Toray Blackwater Hi Test Bass was the FC to use back in the 90’s but became $35 for 85 yards.

Sunline came out with Sniper for a lower price FC then Shooter around 2000* when Seaguar offered 200 yard filler spools of new grades for bass fishing with Tatsu being their top of the line, InvisX being equal to Sniper, Red Label their lower price line.

Today Shooter and Tatsu 12lb,  Sniper 7 lb are my go to FC line always with TangleFree line treatment.

Tom

* let the knot wars begin!

I'm pretty sure you could spool your weed whacker with 20 lb Red Label.

I like braid to leader for a spinning rod and straight fluoro on a casting rod.

 

14-15lb fluoro for me on the casting rods and I usually like ygk g-soul, spro gouken or maybe sufix advance or mccoy. The ygk stuff is a bit hard to come by these days but it's probably my favorite. 

 

You could get away with 20lb fluoro on a casting rod but I usually reserve that for my bigger swimbait / a-rig rod and just throw 14-15lb for everything else.

 

For spinning I like sufix 832 20lb into a 12lb sunline fc leader with an improved alberto knot. I've tried a bunch and pretty much don't deviate from this setup these days. 

 

Good luck.

Use the 20-lb fluoro for backing, and finish spooling with 20-lb Sufix 832