What Pound Line

[TroutRinger]

6-8lb p-line cx is about all I use. maybe some Vanish in 6lb which is actually somewhere between the 6 and 8 of p-line in strength. 6lb P-line is strong enough to bend the hook back on most light hooks which is all I need.

[Wayne SW/MO]

Braid is strong, but short on shock strength. That is why the light braids seem weaker then the same breaking strength in mono's. When you hit the wall on braid there is no wiggle room, they break, but mono stretches some giving you a little leeway.

A leader does two things for me, saves my braid which can last for years and gives me a little bit of shock absorption.

[exiledguide]

I've been using 6lb hi vis Trilene XL for a long time on a Bionic Blade 5' 6" light action spinning rod. I've tried Fly fishing Bait casting but for me spinning has worked best. I only wade fish any more in streams but way in the past when I floated I never used Bait caster very much used flyrod for my second rod. I do carry a few hardbaits in my vest and a couple of 1/8 or 3/16 oz spiner and buzzbaits but i throw soft plastics about 90% of the time. I guess over the last 5 years I've caught most of my smallmouth on a Texas rigged Zoom finnesse worm although here of late I've been cathing a lot of fish on a Gulp Alive 3" Chartruse Shad Minnow in the James River. I broke my rod last so I'm looking at either a St Croix 5'6" or Falcon5'9" light action rod. Does anyone have any opinion on either of these rods?

[Ham]

I use the braid for better hook sets from a distance. I use the leader to cut down on braid being used when changing lures and re-ties. I also use the leader for a built in weak link if I have to break off due to a deep snag or a errant cast that is not retrievable.

I'm fishing my braid on a M/L rod and over the decades I have learned how to set my drag to avoid break offs. So far, I'm liking the combo. I'm getting good hook sets and I'm not breaking off very often. I'm not sure that I have broken off on a fish since the switch. Maybe I have, but certainly not enough to have been problem.

[rps]

I've been using 6lb hi vis Trilene XL for a long time on a Bionic Blade 5' 6" light action spinning rod. I've tried Fly fishing Bait casting but for me spinning has worked best. I only wade fish any more in streams but way in the past when I floated I never used Bait caster very much used flyrod for my second rod. I do carry a few hardbaits in my vest and a couple of 1/8 or 3/16 oz spiner and buzzbaits but i throw soft plastics about 90% of the time. I guess over the last 5 years I've caught most of my smallmouth on a Texas rigged Zoom finnesse worm although here of late I've been cathing a lot of fish on a Gulp Alive 3" Chartruse Shad Minnow in the James River. I broke my rod last so I'm looking at either a St Croix 5'6" or Falcon5'9" light action rod. Does anyone have any opinion on either of these rods?

I have fished Falcons for many years. First discovered them at the Tulsa Boat Show right after they went in business in Broken Arrow.

IMO at the top end, they are what you call enthusiast quality without the ridiculous price that goes with that term. In their lower price ranges they deliver better bang for the buck than St. Croix or Loomis.

[Ham]

I've been using 6lb hi vis Trilene XL for a long time on a Bionic Blade 5' 6" light action spinning rod. I've tried Fly fishing Bait casting but for me spinning has worked best. I only wade fish any more in streams but way in the past when I floated I never used Bait caster very much used flyrod for my second rod. I do carry a few hardbaits in my vest and a couple of 1/8 or 3/16 oz spiner and buzzbaits but i throw soft plastics about 90% of the time. I guess over the last 5 years I've caught most of my smallmouth on a Texas rigged Zoom finnesse worm although here of late I've been cathing a lot of fish on a Gulp Alive 3" Chartruse Shad Minnow in the James River. I broke my rod last so I'm looking at either a St Croix 5'6" or Falcon5'9" light action rod. Does anyone have any opinion on either of these rods?

I actually have a 5'6" St Croix light action spinning rod I would like to sell. Of course, shipping would be half as much as the rod. PM me if you're interested in a St Croix Premier for $50 bucks and live close enough to Mt Home to make the exchange practical.

[flyrodman]

Wow, thank you for all of the replies guys! I have used braid with a Fluorocarbon leader on by baitcaster but switched to strait fluorocarbon or strait mono because knots were almost impossible to undo on braid, the backlashes were a whole different story .

[Arofishing]

I've been using 6# on my fly rod and before that was using 8# on my open reel.

[Gavin]

I prefer to use 6lb yellow suffix braid with a 6-7' 8-10lb leader on all my spinning rigs...its the thinnest stuff that I've ever found but not so great for abrasion resistance...therefor the leader. It seems to be much stronger than 6lb test under load....and it casts allot further than thicker lines. 8lb mono on my casting reels..usually Maxima Ultragreen or McCoy's Mean Green. Cheers.

[fishinSWMO]

I use 6 or 8 lb mono on spinning, or 10 to 15 lb braid.

12 or 14 mono on baitcaster.