what pound test does everyone use for bass fishing.  i been using 8lb p-line.  i love p-line so ill stick with that but i have seen on t.v. and tournaments that guys are useing 12lb+ is this true? and what is the draw back of using heavy line? what is the positive for useing light line?

Depending on the technique and the rod I will use anything from 4lb to 50lb.

I've lost bass with 65# before and wished I had used at least 80#. Big bass in timber and or heavy vegetation in no place for wimpy line.

Did you see the ESPN show about the Elite tournament on Falcon Lake?

I fish relatively open water:

Spinning tackle: Yo-Zuri Hybrid Ultra Soft #6 (.009" diameter, 11.9 lb test)

Baitcasting gear: #12 Ultra Soft (.013" diameter, 19.5 lb test)

I have never been broken off by a fish using either of these lines.

8-)

I use 8 pound for spinning and up to 15 for baitcasting.  It all depends on the lure, presentation and location.

Right now, here's what I like:

6lb Pline CXX for spinning

12lb Berkley Big Game for most baitcasting (good and cheap)

40lb Power Pro for heavy cover

8lb Trilene XL for my spinning rig and 12lb (testing Spiderwire Mono) on my baitcast rig.30+lb braid for froggin/jiggin

10-20lb Berkley big game

30-60 Braid

10 12 fouro

I am at the other extreme from most of these.  My lake is wall to wall salt cedar and mequite---thick tough stuff.  I use 15# Vicious Fluoro, 14# Gamma Copoly, 20# Vicious Fluoro and 50# & 65# Power Pro.  Depends on the bait/technique I am fishing.  Even with the heavy stuff I have lines broken and hooks straightened.

8lb test up to 20 for me. I use mono, fluro and braid. Different baits/techniques require different line types and pound tests.

trilene XT 10-12lb, depends on what the sstore has in stock!!

Cliff

Since I only have one reel and rod and use it for everything, I've stuck with Spiderwire XXX supermono 14lb. Its thin enough, and strong enough. Now, that being said, I have some Siege on order, but its also 14lb. Ive never broken 14lb and on snags ive always had to cut it.

Before I bass fished I noticed a lot of people never bother to set their drag up correctly based on the lb test they are using, on any kind of fish. You can catch a 20lb fish on 8lb test if your drag is set right and you play it long enough and it doesnt smash through rocks and snags.

I use 20-30 lb. mono and 10-20 lb. braid (Power Pro).

But 10 lbs. is usually all it takes when using Power Pro.

It depends on the technique, cover and water clarity but anywhere from 8lb-50lb. Most of my baitcasters usually have 12-17lb line. I have 50lb braid on my flipping/pitching rod and 8-10lb fluorocarbon on most of my spinning rods.

I use 15 on all of my baitcasters and 10 on my spinning reels.  I should probably start using braid in the lily pads.

I usually stick with 8-12 lb test stren original myself. I keep my drag set fairly light and rarely loose a lure, even on tough snags.

I use 12lb test on baitcasters

14 lb for baitcasters, sufix elite or sufix siege

8 lb trilene XL for my zebco's.

6 or 8lb XT on my spinning rigs

10,14 or 17lb XT on casting rigs

sometimes I pitch with 12/50 Power Pro but usually can get away with the 17lb XT.

I use 6-8lb trilene smoothe casting on my spinning and I have 2 BC with 14, 2 with 15, one with 12 and one with 50.

4 to 12, I fish very clear Northwest waters.  I'd be like a fish out of water if you handed me a 8' flippin stick with 80# braid on it- but thats what it takes if you are in a heavy cover area.