Monofilament line=Dinosaur tackle?

[Back Beach]

Its been seven years since I last used mono for surf fishing. I'm strictly a braid fisherman and I see no possible application for mono in the surf beyond leader material.
I'm interested in hearing other's thoughts on this....as always, use some supporting evidence/experience to back your opinion

[The Dad Fisherman]

I hate braid when I'm using Chunk Bait......line sinks to fast, and I always feel that the fish feel it when they pick it up and run w/ the bait. Tried Braid and it seemed like everytime i got a pick up on my bait-runner they spit the bait to quick

Berkley Big Game 20lb test mono for chunking for me.....

[JohnnyD]

I'm strictly a braid guy as well. However, I do think that mono has its applications. The SWE has a fascinating, unscientific video on how much better mono holds up when a fish takes you down in the rocks when compared to braid.

[BigFish]

I use mono. Love it and have no problems with it. I would rather re-spool mono for $8 a pop 4-5 times a season per reel than pay $45 a spool every time for braid. It ain't broke so I ain't fixin' it.

[LeCounts1099]

I've been the "mono only" guy here & elsewhere before... so what the heck-- I'll be that guy again! (Hi, B.B. )


I use NOTHING for my surf- fishing ever, but mono.-- 20 or 25 lb. test absolute max., even for Eeling & chunking... (yes, I lose my share of corkers doing so! )


Lots of reasons for my choice: but I guess I want to hook up my "40- 50" on line 1/2 her weight... not on 50 or 80 lb. braid where I should never lose really! It CAN be done! ('cause it was done so many many times in Striper Surf history, even from craggy areas like South side of Block or M. Light or Nobska or Squibby... etc.


A HUGE factor w/ mono. over braid for me, IS whatever line I'm using I want to constantly cut back without fear, & fish only with "mint cond." line! The high price of braid & pain in the butt of respooling or even the difficulty of cutting back braid & re- knotting the leader (esp. in the dark while on a rock) keeps many a braid- guy fishing charred/ haggard line longer than they should... 'till "ping!" -- (at the very worst moment usually!)


So I guess I'm mainly here agreeing with Larry: the low- cost of mono. encourages always keeping your top- shot fresh, & that is a huge plus (esp. when throwing "custom" Wood that can cost $25- 80. or more! Yes I still throw BM large Dannys & Habs 3.5s rather than collect or sell them! )



BUT-- Larry: you must not fish M. too often? (Several times a Season only you need to replace the mono. top- shot?)

At the height of my Fall run there... I'm respooling a new 250- yard top- shot on my VS250 w/ 20 lb. mono. at least twice a week! -- sometimes even after only one session! (IF Blues are more pesky than normal... or good- size fish digging line into the bottom occurs, etc. )

[Sweetwater]

I typically use a 10' conventional off the beach when fishing bait (such as sand eels). I've tried both mono and braid and much prefer mono for that application. The stretch in the line is actually an advantage as the fish basically hooks itself dragging the lead after it has taken the bait. Also, I find it easier to cast, fewer backlashes, I don't need the extra line (yardage) for fighting a fish, and I've noticed no difference in casting distance. Plus, it's easier to break-off when a seal decides he needs the fish more than you do.

[MAKAI]

what sweetwater said . . . mono on the big conventional bait rods in the surf , braid on everything else.

[Raider Ronnie]

Originally Posted by BigFish

I use mono. Love it and have no problems with it. I would rather re-spool mono for $8 a pop 4-5 times a season per reel than pay $45 a spool every time for braid. It ain't broke so I ain't fixin' it.

Larry,
How often you re-spooling braid ?
Many go a few years without re-spooling !

[BigFish]

I do not use braid Ron. I just can't justify the cost given I have no issues using mono?

[joe the plumber]

Switched from mono [Ande Back Country] to braid [Suffix] last year.It has revolutionized the whole fishing experience for me.I only had one fish who put the braid through the rocks to the test for me,and I can understand the concerns.I hope to have more of this type of problem this season.
The thing I loved most about fishing braid was, I allways had terrible luck fishing in crosswinds and cold weather with mono.I had NO trouble with braid! Light plugs have presented challenges,I will now use a different rod for light stuff.

[Mike P]

Originally Posted by BigFish

I use mono. Love it and have no problems with it. I would rather re-spool mono for $8 a pop 4-5 times a season per reel than pay $45 a spool every time for braid. It ain't broke so I ain't fixin' it.

If you're paying $45 for a spool of braid, either your tackle shop guy is screwing you or you're buying the wrong brands

[JohnnyD]

Originally Posted by Mike P

If you're paying $45 for a spool of braid, either your tackle shop guy is screwing you or you're buying the wrong brands

Agreed...

I pay $27.95 for 300 yards of 50#PP and I'll get at least 2 seasons from it. Much cheaper than paying $8 four times per year. $30 over 2 seasons or $80-90 over 2 seasons... braid please and thank you.

[MAKAI]

Originally Posted by JohnnyD

Agreed...

I pay $27.95 for 300 yards of 50#PP and I'll get at least 2 seasons from it. Much cheaper than paying $8 four times per year. $30 over 2 seasons or $80-90 over 2 seasons... braid please and thank you.

J D , the 30 # power pro on my plugging stick going on 6 yrs, still o.k. nice and supple too

[Pete F.]

I only use Fireline and pay a little more than a hundred for 1100 yard spools. Mono feels like a rubber band to me now. But I don't fish bait and usually load a lot on to start with then when it gets low on the spool I take it off onto another spool, add some more mono backing(it's good for that) and put the fireline back on.

[CaptMike]

Interesting to see how different everyone is on this

[NIB]

Originally Posted by CaptMike

Interesting to see how different everyone is on this

On this one,I am also.You ask a bunch of fisherman their opinion on something and I guess they will give ya a variety of answers..
I try not to impose my veiw as a no comprimise alternative.I think this is important..I can only try to make clear my opinion on a subject.I see lots of folks list no options when it comes to what THEY use or do.I think there are so many variables in fishing that when someone makes such a post I just proves to me how little they know.Of course I have learned this through my own postings.When someone pulls up a old thread..I look at some of my postings and it can be embarrasing..

[gadabout]

I'm another mono-only guy. It stretches. Big deal. Lots of things that stretch are good. It tried Fireline a couple of times, both conventional and spinning. I didn't see anything to get excited about.

[numbskull]

Gadabout Gaddis! Loved that show.

[Tagger]

For braid I've used ..whiplash,spyder wire,,fireline,power pro,calcutta,berkley big game ,cortland master braid ..20# 30#50# 65# 80#... :Last year was berkley .. I'm happiest with Fireline ,, going back ..I also jigged last year conv. with 50# cortland master braid on a big old 980.. I didn't like the small diameter so finished the year with 80# cortland master braid jigging ,, I liked that .. I also use mono on conv... throwing big needles local; .. Larry listening ..Berkley Iron Silk .. I think this stuff got a bad rap ..It came out at the end of mono begining of braid and was very expensive so it never became popular ..Its a reinforced polymer line.. I swear, fishing rocks one fill up last all season and looks good the next .. I've got bulk spools .. 20#,,30#,,40#... Larry I'll fill you up if you want to try .. you'll be amazed how this stuff holds up ... A little stiffer than soft mono's ... loves conv.like ande pink ..

[BassDawg]

good thread gents, and alot of keen answers,,,,,,,,


i'm from the Nebe and steve school on this one,

plugging is 30# to 50# Fireline,
with a shock leader of Ande pink 60# to 80# Mono,
usually 10' to 12' of leader material, using the
heavier line for the Fall Run and spot specific.

when eeeeeeeeeling or chunking,
25# Ande BCountry to a shocker
of 50# to 80# either Ande pink or Ande IGFA green,
spot specific again~~~ rocks, COWS, lobster pots, etc.
and i cut back often and will change leaders and hooks
after any fish over 25#'s, regardless of the cost.

iffin i get into the booos i'll switch my shocker
to Ande Flouro 60# clear, but i doan tangle with too
many bluefish~~ by design.

the biggest mistake i made last year, that
DID in fact cost me a MONSTER Striper was NOT
changing my spool after landing 3 fish the night before.
1 over 30; and 2 in the 20#-30# class.

i will always re-spool from that night forward,
hence the necessity for my mega spool of Ande BCountry.
i always have multiple leaders, snelled hooks, and will have a back-up spool
for my PENN750ssm this year for my mono applications.

Monofilament line=Dinosaur tackle=DinoBIG Stripers

[tynan19]

Eben, thanks for that tip on the deadsticking eels with mono.

[Brian L]

Good thread, Brother.

I'm surprised to hear all the guys talking about abrasion problems and the like with Power Pro. I've never had a problem with it, particularly in the rocks. Like Mike, I tend to fish a pretty light drag with either line type and have landed a lot of big fish I may have lost otherwise because of it.

I use both lines quite a bit, depending on the situation. Only thing I use braid for exclusively is bottom fishing. I find myself liking 25lb big game on the eel rods I cast with on the boat, but I like braid(50# PP) on ones I don't cast as much with. I run 30lb big game on my live bait (shad, scup, etc) rods and wouldn't change it. Braid on all my spinners except the one 7 footer I use on the boat for eels at night and when I have guests on the boat. I definitely can see why a lot of guys like mono at night, as it's a little easier to deal with if you have a problem.

I like to think I could adjust my fishing style to any type of line but there's definitely situations where I feel that one or the other gives me an edge.

[staktup]

I use mono for bait fishing with conventional reels from the surf (15#, 17# or 20#) with 40-50# shock leaders. On my spinning reels, 95% braid. Fireline & whiplash are my favorites. Spectra is more fickle on my spinners, but I use PP on my fw reels. I hate line twist on spinners, so I pretty much stoppped using mono except for spooling up back up spools or to use mono on UL trout reels.

As for all lures including jigs, wood, metal, etc., it's plain awesome. Once I learned how to manage my line better (e.g. howling wind, pencil popping), wind knots disappeared, even with spectra.

[Stewie]

I use 50 or 65 lb PowerPro on my conventionals. I could use lighter stuff, but I like the thickness as I have to level the line with my thumb. I fish around a lot of rocks and current and haven't lost a lot of plugs except for obvious user error. I have tried a couple of times to go back to mono but the lack of any feel out there always brings me back to braid.
On the rare occasion when I chunk, I use 25 or 30 lb IronSilk on my squidders, just because it seems right to use it. IronSilk is very smooth on the thumb.

[basswipe]

I personally can't stand braid.I've tried several brands and just don't like it.

I love Ande Backcountry and its the only line I use.

[steve]

After using braid (suffix- 50lb.) again for about 21/2 mos at the end of last season, I liked it alot but just have no confidence in it after some terrible experiences with dropped(big) fish a few years ago when I tried PP. After reading this thread , I will continue to have one rig spooled w/ Suffix 50 and hope I don't drop a monster in the rocks. I to , like Mike , fish a light drag even with mono.

[Flaptail]

Steve, with 50lb your just stressing your gear. The confidence factor that you get out of 50lb braid (which actually breaks more like 75lbs ) may cause you to put a touch more hurt on a bigger fish than you normally would with less drag pressure and lighter line. That translates into pulled hooks, at least in my experience. I use 50lb on my conventional tackle at the canal but for plugging the Elizabeths I use 30lb and on the beach 20 and 14 no matter how big the fish are (or aren't more so these days). 30lb braid will land a small whale if you had enough line and you can put a lot of strain on it.

The lighter lines make me use a lighter touch. Just because you can get a fifty pound line with a very small diameter and pack it on a reel, I have found that it isn't always a good thing.

Another of my hair brained theories!

[fcap60]

Another good thread.

Alot has been said on this subject, but each year we see improved MONOs and improved BRAIDS so opinions change.

for me, it really depends on a case-by-case basis.

Boats- I prefer braid.
Light tackle - I prefer braid
Sandy beaches- braid
Rocky areas (Block Island, Beavertail, Cutty,etc.)- MONO
convention reels (ABUS)- MONO on all
My VS 150- I tend to lean towards braid due to the size of the spool, but prefer 20lb backcounty...so I'm experimenting with both.

Big fish Generally-MONO !!! (I have more confidence in my knots and abbrassion resistance)

[Clogston29]

50 lb suffix is the line for me. Not for strength, because I think 20 or 30 would be plenty (although I do trust knots more with 50 - but that's probably in my head), but because I just find 50 easier to work with. Fewer knots and easier to work with when I do get a knot or tangled up with someone else. A little tip, if you fish with the same person alot in relatively tight quarters and both use braid, use different colors. Eventually you'll end up tangled and it'll be much easier to work out.

[Justfishin']

I use Fireline on my 650ss spinner for the longer casts with light plugs; I'm trying PowerPro for a while on a 525 Mag, seems to cast well, I use Berkely Bigame & Ande mono on my 970 & 980 mags and my 704 & 706 spinners. It's funny, but the older reels seem to handle the mono much better, probably because they're designed for it. I like the Fireline for the strike feel when plugging at night, and I always use mono for eeling. I allways use a 40 lb. mono shock leader thats twice the length of the rod, that way I'm usually safe in the rocks and I know the strength of my line when my fish is in close.