Line question and swimming grub question

[mrcold]

Hey all, I wanted to say thanks for all of the valuable info thus far. I've got 6 days until I get down there, and I feel like I won't be completely lost for once. But I've got a couple questions remaining.

I've basically switched over to using braid exclusively up here in Nebraska because water is always stained or murky. Obviously that isn't the case down in TR. How important do you feel using mono or floro is? My intent is to use braid on my cranks/sammys/spinnerbaits. Then I'll plan on 8 lb. floro for my drop shot and split shot setups, and possibly 10 lb. floro for an x-rap or rogue. Do these seem reasonable for that lake? Do you feel the floro sizes will be adequate or too heavy? I'm afraid to go down to 6 because I've developed a pretty vicious hookset with my braid and fishing in slop...I don't want to get overzealous and start breaking off since I'm inexperienced fishing lighter line.

As far as grub fishing goes, what types of water do you target? It seems in the past I read about fishing grubs in trees in the creeks where the channel swings close to the bank. Is that accurate? Do you fish main lake points with them? Again, I'm inexperienced with swimming grubs, but it sounds like it's an effective tool down there so I wanted to give it a chance this year.

Thanks in advance for any help!

Brian

[Bill Babler]

Mr.

Most of us are using 6 lb. Maxi, or 6 lb. flora to swim the grubs. If we are derby fishing the Flora is out the window, as we just don't trust the lite carbon.

Shots and shakey are being fished of 8lb. mono or 8 lb. flora. Dropshot on 8lb. mono, as we have tried every flora, and it is still horible about twisting. No need to fish 6 when 8 will get the same ammount of bites.

Most all topwater is on 12 to 20 depending on what you are flinging. No floracarbon on topwater as it sinks and will drive the action of your topwater down. Rogue time is over.

There are some nice jig and crankbait fish available up the James and perhaps long creek, and those guys are using 12 to 20 floracarbon, 15 being the most popular.

Heard yesterday that the bush bite has been really strong on the little Jewell PBJ up the James. With more rain in the forcast, I believe it will continue.

Even in the wind, the Spinner Bait bite has just not started so would probably stay with the soft plastics and the topwater junk. Good Luck

[mrcold]

Great info, thanks!

[mrcold]

Sorry to keep bugging you guys for info, but I have another question. Do you buy swimming jigheads specifically? Or what type do you use? I've got some gammy darter heads that I was going to try, but I'm not sure how effective they'd be for swimming grubs. Any advice?

[dtrs5kprs]

No expert claims, but I mostly use round heads 1/8-5/16oz. A good hook-Gamak, Owner, or Mustad needlepoint is more important than head style. Have tried darters, but they seem to dig into the cracks in the bigger rocks and stay there, where a round head seems to bounce off better.

Something I am still learning and forcing myself to do, but man will they flat eat it some days.

[techo]

I'm learning as I go, but here is what I have learned about jig heads. The round ones seem to stay on the line a bit longer. I have tried almost all of them now. Most of the other jig heads seem to get caught up on rocks and trees and unseen jig breaking off things under the water! I mostly use jig heads that are not even painted now. I do like the white heads better. I put a red eye on them though. My whole jig box is almost filled with plain dull unpainted heads. Next winter I think I might start making my own jigs. I do like the gamak hooks best.

[RSBreth]

I'm in the minority it seems, but I ditched mono for spinning reels about 10 years ago. For grub swimming, I use either 2/10 braid (like Spiderwire Stealth) or 4/10 Fireline, and use a flouro leader in either 8 or 10, so you get the long casts, sensitivity, and good long range hooksets of super line, but the low-vis and abrasion resistance of flouro. Use a blood knot or back to back uni-knots to attach the leader to the main line.

[Gavin]

I rarely run mono on spin rigs anymore..4/15 Powerpro is the braid I go with and I rarely use a leader. It sinks slower than mono, so I up the size of my jig head. Cheers.