Time to replace braided mainline... parameters are: lightly coated, 15lb - 20lb, hi-vis, using Daiwa Pixy to throw Pointer 78's, 95's, 100's, Megabass 110 jr's, as well as some smaller walking top water baits.

 

Anyone have a similar set up and a favorite braid?  Thanks for any ideas.

 

oe

Nope. I tried braid for 110s years ago and it just didn't work the bait as it should and it never reached the right depth. Megabass designed it to be fished on 8-12lb fluorocarbon line so the bait, when jerked, could stop and then suspend (depending on the water temp). 

I'm with @FishTank, I use Fluorocarbon on my jerkbait rod. 6# on spinning gear and 10# or 12# on my baitcast rig.

If it's a dedicated jerkbait reel, then mono or fluoro is ideal, depending on whether you want it to stay up or go down. But if you want a versatile setup that can do it all, jerkbaits, topwaters, light jigs, chatterbaits... like when you're wade fishing with only one setup, braid could work, too. I think Matt Allen from Tacticalbassin uses braid + mono leader all the time. 

 

With your description of braided line, Seaguar Smackdown comes to my mind. They are lightly coated and soft, very smooth, abrasion resistant, and they have both hi-vis green and stealth gray colors. 20# would definitely work on small spools like Pixy's. I use them on many different reels for light lures, OG Alphas, CV-Z 105, Tatulas... 

20# yellow PowerPro V2 to 10-12 flouro leader

 

 

12# Sniper

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mike

I use 15# Tripolymer 

18 minutes ago, Mike L said:

12# Sniper

Mike

Isn't Sniper a fluorocarbon line?

4 minutes ago, OkobojiEagle said:

Isn't Sniper a fluorocarbon line?

Yep

I probably should have noted that

 

 

 

 

 

Mike

I use 12# InvisX for jerking - but if I wanted to go to braid for jerks - Smackdown, Lime Green, 15# is what I'd pick

16 minutes ago, MN Fisher said:

I use 12# InvisX for jerking - but if I wanted to go to braid for jerks - Smackdown, Lime Green, 15# is what I'd pick

 

My braid option (which I would probably never do) would be 20# Smackdown in stealth grey or green 

 

 

 

 

Mike

You want braid for jerkbaits?

 

And high viz?

 

I feel like I'm confused or I'm missing something.

 

Are you also using a leader???

23 hours ago, OkobojiEagle said:

Time to replace braided mainline... parameters are: lightly coated, 15lb - 20lb, hi-vis, using Daiwa Pixy to throw Pointer 78's, 95's, 100's, Megabass 110 jr's, as well as some smaller walking top water baits.

 

Anyone have a similar set up and a favorite braid?  Thanks for any ideas.

 

oe

 

I used 30lb PowerPro to a 12lb mono leader for my 110 sized jerkbaits when I started out.

 

I did okay

 

Be prepared to bend out a ton of hooks, though. I switched to straight 12lb mono not long after, and now throw them on 12lb fluoro.

Been using Daiwa Samurai 8 carrier braid to a 8-12lb leader with pretty good results. That stuff is smoooooooth. I like the instantaneous "snap" you get with a zero-stretch line plus the lack of memory means no coils that can pull your bait through the water when you pause it. All this talk about bending hooks with braid....loosen your drag. 

On 10/29/2025 at 12:02 PM, HawkeyeSmallie said:

 

 

Are you also using a leader???

yes

I throw YGK XBraid PE 1.5 to a 15-20' 10lb sniper leader.  The long leader is necessary for me to get the deep divers to stay down.  I'm braid to leader on all my rigs and can't say enough good things about the new japanese braids.  YGK and Varivas are my current favorites, and I've barely explored their lineups.

 

scott

IMO a supple #8-#12FC is probably the best overall for a dedicated JB combo.  That softer line helps to not over work the bait. 

The low viz of FC is a plus as well.  Sometimes I have 12 second pauses between moving the bait.  Thats a long time for the fish to study the bait and line. 

The vast amount of suspending JBs are slow float.  The higher density of FC helps to slow the float.

 

For light JBs some 3/8s and smaller, I prefer throwing them on a spinning rod with braid.  Unlike FC theres no stretch, so even with a long leader, every inch you move the tip, the bait will move an inch.  

You want that JB to stop and start on a dime and braid work really well for that.  I use a long #6-#10 FC leader material or #6/#8 invizX or soft mainline FC.  

JB bites can be tough to find in mid winter, you have to experiment to see what's they will take, which obviously takes time.  If you are using FC in cold water you have to make sure it doesn't have memory.  The coiling FC is not only far more visible, it will move that bait when you want it stock still.  Ensure you straighten or put fresh FC line on when fishing cold water.  Avoid budget FC in cold water as it want to harden and coil in cold water, even when new. 

 

Braid tends to foul on the hooks more and is less resistant to abrasion than fluorocarbon or even monofilament. That said, 30 pound braid, whatever is on sale. I always run a leader, probably five or six feet long, probably anywhere from eight to fifteen pound test.