Fishing line help

Need some advice about fishing line.

Last year while I was crappie fishing with minnow, number of times I caught catfish, bass and small striper. I was using 6 lbs fluorocarbon line, 4' ultra light rod. It is kinda uphill battle to fight with big fishes with 4' ultra light rod and 6' lbs line

This year I want to use 7' medium action rod with 12 lbs fluorocarbon line.

My question, if I use 12 lbs fluorocarbon line, will that effect my crappie catching ratio? My understanding is, since fluorocarbon line is almost invisible under water, crappie will not see any different in between 6 lbs and 12 lbs fluorocarbon line.


Thanks in advance.

First, most lines sold in the US "over test". In other words, they're stronger than the label says they are. So, your 6# line is probably closer to 8# or 9# line.

As for the medium rod and 12# fluoro, I think it's overkill for crappie. Yes, fluoro is less visible, but the thicker line affects how your bait acts in the water.

You might try a light rod, but I wouldn't go over 6# line. (I use nothing but 4#, myself.)

Just because you intend to use a longer & heavier action rod is no reason to use line that is two times the pound test of the line you were using on the shorter rod.

Learn to play the fish, learn to flip the anti-reverse switch off and back-wind your reel handle to keep pressure on a hard pulling fish while not letting slack in the line, or set your reel's drag to slip at less than the breaking point of the pound test of the line you're using.

Personally speaking, I prefer the "back winding" method, since I have successfully caught & landed several species of fish that were much heavier than the pound test of the line I was using ... such as a 6lb Largemouth, a 8lb Hybrid Striper, & a 12lb Tiger Muskie on 4lb test (Stren Gold).

I used to use many different brands of 4lb test mono line, but in the last couple of years I've been using 6lb test Vicious copolymer line ... and my casting distances, hookset strength, number of bites, etc. has not changed. The biggest difference that I've noticed has been fewer numbers of times I've broken the line while trying to pull a snagged lure free.

If your vertical fishing in stained water with live bait I don't think it will matter much...on a few occasions maybe. I always keep a 7-1/2 ft rod with a 2500 series reel and 10 lb test. If I am fishing an area say like in the Mississippi around a line of riprap and wood....I may use it because who knows what may grab your line.

Now...for casting and retrieving small jigs it will matter. The thicker line changes how "lively" the jig will appear to the fish . Casting with a cork to fish I do not think it will matter as much but will somedays. But to cast a small jig a long way on a nice to handle 1500 series reel and light action rod really calls for 6lb line or lighter.

To me...you are many times fishing with an actual test of 20 to 40 percent less than the line rating....because the knot sometimes derates the line ( finding the optimum knot for the brand and weight line you're using can yield near 100 percent strength) but mostly because you usually have a little knick in it somewhere. And the line just above the knot gets abraded from fishes teeth and contact with rocks and wood,etc. That's why for me 4lb can be just a little too light. I am lazy and won't re-tie and check the last two feet of line as often as I should. Plus the line gets weaker as it gets older and with exposure to heat and sun.

I usually always have four rods or so with me. Two with standard 6lb mono on light action each with a different jig type and color ( one may have a bobber on it). One 1500 series reel and 6ft light but fast action rod with 6# size(20# rated ) power pro braid and an 8lb mono leader with yet another style jig ( you may want to try that it is awesome...cast far and strong but still decent action catch a lot of fish on it,) the 10lb rated "heavier spinning" usually with a 1/4 oz jig or lure or so to cast far and work deeper . And one long pole for vertical or reaching into brush or whatever.

I find an area holding fish I may use every one of them until I see what works best that day and right then for that spot. I let the fish tell me what they want. I don't want to not catch fish for lack of ways to present it to them or different lures or jigs to show them.

only some or little of what I just said applies to spider rigging or trolling etc.

All my crappie gear is light or ultralight, spooled with 6 pound Suffix High Visibility yellow mono. Never saw a need to go heavier. Ive been thinking of dropping to 4 pound but I do pull in the occassional bass or cat with these rigs, not that 4 pound and properly playing the fish doesnt work. All i do is float fish, cast jigs, and dapple along the shore/brush though.

Personally to me, for whatever its worth or not, anything medium light or heavier is bass gear. :)

I use 10lb mono all the time with no issues. I use a lot of braid now too so you get the strength without the diameter.

You may want to consider 2 rods. You can not go bear hunting with a bb gun. Fishing for 1 lb pan fish and 10 lb stripers is not a one rod deal. Yes you can up the lb. of line and so on but that is trying to get a happy medium. I would no go heaver then 8 lb for pan fish and that will only be harder to cast a light jig and be like rope compared to 4 lb. Mono does degrade but florocrobon does not. However floro.is much harder to tie a good knot and you need to be 100% sure of a proper knot. I know many good fishermen and almost none agree on what is the best line. Perhaps it is the best for them.

I use 6 and 8 lb line thats hi vis so I can see whats going on,I like the vicious line the best.

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Originally Posted by GA ANGLER

Need some advice about fishing line.

Last year while I was crappie fishing with minnow, number of times I caught catfish, bass and small striper. I was using 6 lbs fluorocarbon line, 4' ultra light rod. It is kinda uphill battle to fight with big fishes with 4' ultra light rod and 6' lbs line

This year I want to use 7' medium action rod with 12 lbs fluorocarbon line.

My question, if I use 12 lbs fluorocarbon line, will that effect my crappie catching ratio? My understanding is, since fluorocarbon line is almost invisible under water, crappie will not see any different in between 6 lbs and 12 lbs fluorocarbon line.


Thanks in advance.

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the fall rate will far out weigh the line being seen . jmo .I have been using Stren original clear blue high vis for 50 years . It still works .

I use PowerPro braid, 15 lb at .04 diameter, no longer losing jigs and cannot tell any difference in catching. Still on my 1st reel of it, have it on 5 crappie rods.

Pepper