I’m fishing down anywhere from 8-17 feet. The reason I want a smaller diameter line is that the first drop off o the lake where I fish is a ways out there. Cast of 70-80 feet gets me right on the edge of the drop off. To fish the deeper water, hundred foot cast are the norm. 4# test will get me there but to many break offs (predator fish and snag). Right now I use a large float for 2 reasons. One is visibilty due to the distance from shore. The second is for me to reach out that distance I need more weight. Right now I’m using 4#7 split shots with the slip floats that I’m using. I have modified my slip floats with longer than usual stems, mine are at least 7-9 inches long. I wrap small piece of bright tape near the top to help detect bites. This time of the year the bites are extra light and just a slight movement of the flag on the stem will tell me a fish is biting.i

At this time of the year with the ice just leaving the fish are still in the ice mood and hovering close to the bottom. One lake I fish the water has been drawn down 8 feet so the edge of the drop off to deeper water is out there.