Best Line For Fishing Plastics And Jigs

[kre11]

I am interested in what everybody thinks is the best line for fishing jigs and soft plastics on Table Rock. I have been using 12# BPS Flourocarbon, and getting plenty of bites. The problem is, I am also breaking off a lot of fish on the hook set. I am pretty conscious about retying if I have a scuff or fray in the line, and I assume the knot is not slipping loose because the line is usually still straight at the end when I get it back.

1. How big of flourocarbon can I go and still get bites?

2. Has anyone tried braid, or is the water too clear for it?

[Jeremy Rasnick]

15 LB Seagar Carbon Pro. This is my favorite Line. You can't break it.

[Quillback]

I have the 12 lb BPS floro spooled on a couple of my reels, I use it on my jig pitching set up. I don't have that many problems with break offs at the knot, I use a Palomar knot, I wet it down with saliva and slowly tighten it when I tie a jig on. What does happen every once in a while is that it will break off at or near the rod tip, happened today as a matter of fact on a fish that I had on for about 2 seconds. Happened to me a couple of weeks ago also, same thing, line parted on a hookup, but not at the knot. I hear good things about P-line so I might try that next, the BPS stuff is reasonably priced, but has some issues. But you should not be breaking off that many fish, I would say that I catch 95% of the fish without a line issue and on solid snags the line won't break easily. Either you have a bad spool of line or you're not tying a good knot.

[Stump bumper]

The problem with flourocarbon and me is that a crimp in the line will cause it to break and I can't keep from crimping the line.

I have switch to braid with a flourocarbon leader, 15lb P-pline, and have had a lot less headaches. The trick is to learn a simple little surgeans knot then I use a uni on the hook to flouro and Have neaver lost a fish. Just don't cross their eyes or you will beak a jaw on the fish. I have seen a lot of bass on TR with a borken bottom jaw and that is probally the cause.JMO

On other rods I use a copolmar like Pline flouroclear or CXX in either 8lb or 10. The CXX in 8 is as tough as the flouroclear in 12 but the cxx only comes in moss green, and with cranks and spinnerbaits is ok.

[Ham]

Seaguar Abras X 15 lb or the new Trilene 100% Fluro.

[eric1978]

6/20 Power Pro. Be careful about neck-breaking hook-sets...you CAN rip the hook out of a fish's mouth with it. Great for plastics, fine for jigs.

[Buzz]

I can't really speak about Table Rock, but on the creeks and streams that I fish I like P-line or Vanish. I tie a regular Trilene knot and seldom break off at the jig. I've found that 8 and 10 pound test covers all of the water that I fish,both clear and off colored. The only exception would be 4 lb. for the really small baits in super clear pressured streams. They also seem to handle the normal abrasions that you would expect on creeks. On big baits, like spinnerbaits, I don't worry about the fish seeing the line because I figure most bites are instinct driven anyways, 14 to 17 lb.test Berkley Trilene covers that.

[Champ188]

In my opinion, can't beat Trilene 100% Fluorocarbon. You can get by with 15-pound. Shouldn't have any breakoff issues but just remember, with practically no line stretch, you don't have to set the hook as hard as with mono.

[abkeenan]

I second the Trilene 100% Fluro. Have had no problems with it. I like the 12# because its a happy medium between 10 and 15. My 2 cents.

[Wayne SW/MO]

Braid with a fluorocarbon leader. The takes can be so subtle at times that braid can be a real advantage. The leader saves the braid, which can last for years, and offer some stealth. You can fit the leader size to water clarity. I like 6?20 or 8/30 TUFF XP braid, but Power pro will do. I don't like anything smaller for most fishing because the small diameter is hard on guides and hands.