Jerkbait And Crankbaits

[abkeenan]

What brand, type and # line are you guys/gals throwing jerkbaits and crankbaits with?

[Stoneroller]

10# fluorocarbon. pick your poison. I like berkely vanish, it's the least expensive and i've never had issues with it.

This year i'm going to try the new Suffix 832 braid. it's supposed to be the best of both braids and fluorocarbon. you definatly don't want mono line for crankbaits as mono floats. you don't really want braid for jerkbaits cause the bait can get tangled in the slack line while you are jerking it. (rarely happens to me but when it does it's a freekin mess) braid with a fluoro leader would be good. the fluoro is stiff enough to keep the jerkbait from getting wadded up with the slack line.

[rps]

Many guides and fishermen I know and respect fish fluorocarbon. They believe the extra clarity of the line is worth the extra cost and the poor knot strength.

I respectfully disagree. I have used YoZuri Hybrid (not the newer softer H2O formula) for five or six years. The fluoro exterior and the copolymer interior means it does not sun age like mono, it ties like mono, it stretches only a little,and neither sinks nor floats. On top of all these qualities, it is cheap!

BTW, last year I tried a spool of Sunline's Super Natural mono. It was good stuff, but like a lot of Japanese lines, the break point is actually near the advertised strength. That explains why their 10# is only .10 inch diameter.

I generally wart and topwater with 10#. I jerk bait with 8#.

I have referred to the Tackle Tour tests on fluorocarbon before. Google it and read. Makes you quite a bit less sure about spending so much for fluorocarbon.

Just my opinion, and remember I did point out people I respect disagree with me.

[BrianS]

I guess I'm old school since all I use is 8 lb P-Line mono in green color.

[Guest csfishinfool]

I've fished both floro and mono with my jerkbaits. I always fish eight pound test. And I actually prefer mono for the same reason everyone else dislikes it. It floats but eight pound test isn't going to give a noticable diffrence in depth. The problem I have had with the floro line is it sinks. So say you make a long cast and are trying to get your jerkbait to sit above a brush pile. The line sinks into the brush in result bringing your bait right to the pile. I've had this happen with big rocks as well. You will be twitching your bait in five or six foot of water. The bait may be setting above the obstruction but your line is in the rocks. This is horrible for eight pound line. You don't want it to make contact with anything. But, and this is a big but. Say your on Table Rock and you see fish in the thirty foot zone. You will want your bait to run as deep as possible and florocarbon will help you get the maximum depth, along with a long rod. Your mono line isn't going to be as resistent to abrasion. Your mono line is going to give you some extra stretch. In some cases resulting in less action to the bait. But in winter less is sometimes more. I always try to drag my hooks into a fish when fishing a jerkbait. They do most of the work hooking themself. It seams to me that i loose more fish on floro than i did with mono. My guess is that fish that are not hooked good are coming off do to the lack of stretch. With less stretch I seem to pull the hooks out of a poorly hooked fish. Instead of carefully playing them to the boat with mono. Like everyone says its all preference. This is mine, some top touring pros throw them on braid. And a ton of people use florocarbon. Everything has its benifits, there is no right way or wrong. It comes down to confidence for me, the last thing you want is to be out there second guessing yourself.

[Guest csfishinfool]

I guess I'm old school since all I use is 8 lb P-Line mono in green color.

Same here 8 lb P-line, no green for me though... I could never see that stuff

[steveearle]

I throw 8lb. Maxima mono on casting reels and 6lb. Trilene 100% fluoro on spinning reels (Jerkbaits).

I crank with 10lb. Stren original or 12 lb. Trilene 100% Fluoro.

[Quillback]

I like 8# Seaguar Invisix for jerkbaits. Above water is is very visible which allows me to easily see line movement when a fish takes it on the pause. I like a line that sinks, has low stretch, low visiblity under water, but easy to see above water for jerkbait fishing.

[abkeenan]

I use 12# Berkley 100% fluoro now for jigs which I really like (although its the only fluoro Ive ever tried but have had no issues so I like it thus far). I think I am going to go up to 14# though this year. I was using 10# fluoro for cranks/jerkbaits but I think I am going to switch to 10# Yo-Zuri Hybrid. I like P-Lines fluoroclear but I want to give Yo-Zuri a shot after hearing good things about it and the reviews on BPS are good also. Fluoro is just so darn expensive and for reaction type strikes where you don't really need the sensitivity or feel of fluoro (cranks, spinnerbaits, jerkbaits, etc.) I dont see spending the extra $ on fluoro. Not worth it for that type of fishing IMO. I use 8# P-Line fluoroclear on my spinning outfit and like it so far. It might have more memory than mono but DANG is that stuff strong. I have had problems breaking off lures (on purpose) that I couldnt get unsnagged with this stuff its that strong. It makes the loudest noise when the line finally breaks it sounds like a bull whip cracking. Topwater I use 17# Trilene XL. Anywho, thats my 2 cents and thanks for the replies and suggestions fellas.

-Brett

[Stoneroller]

vanish is $10 for 250yds, although mono is typically $6 or so for the same amount. Braid around $20, although i've seen plenty of fluorocarbons in the $20 or more range, I really dont see the point in paying that much. so look for line on sale. I'm really intrigued by the new Suffix 832 line and can't wait to try it. basically a braid that sinks like fluoro and knots like braid, but it's spendy.

i wouldn't use mono for crankbaits or jerkbaits, mainly because of the stretch, which along with a moderate action rod would be too much stretch/give. but if you are using an all graphite rod with a fast or xf tip, mono would be a great choice, especially for crankbaits. (i only use spinning gear btw)