fire-line is no good? - Striper Talk Striped Bass Fishing, Surfcasting, Boating

chingweiliao · 07-30-2002, 04:36 PM

Hi S-B friends:

I went fishing last Friday at dawn time and acught a 37" S-B at river mouth around 8:20 PM. I will share all the pictures of my catches with you later whenever I reinstall my OS back to win2000 (Win Xp is really suck)! Nevertheless, if you happend to visit surland at PI, you will see my picture there!

I have replace my fire-line (50lb) to mono (40 lb), and my new setup:

a. 40 lb mono
b. fish-finder (slide better on it than on the fire line) with 4 oz bank sinker
c. Dazhii 5/0 circle hook
d. 36" 80 lb leader (mono)

and these new setups make me catch more fishes than what I had used before. I think the main reason is the no-stretch of fire-line makes S-B suspecious and drop my bait without swallowing it. For this, many theories of S-B fishing won't work properly--i.e. letgo the line or setup baitrunner; whereas by using mono the stretch of it buffer (alert) my response and comfort the S-B. It have time to swallow a bait and I have time to set the hook at the right moment.

Another thing regarding Dazhii circle hook is worthy to mentioned here. I actually, set my hook with strong pull and nail the small, large S-B and blue easily. I though I should raise my rod tip and set the hook slowly with circle hook, but it is not true by using Dazhii circle hook. Anyone know why, please comment a few words.

Ching-Wei Liao

Slipknot · 07-30-2002, 05:01 PM

you are correct about the non stretching of fireline. But 50 lb test is quite overkill for beach fishing. And if you are bait fishing you are much better off with mono

good that you switched. 40 lb mono is also pretty heavy depending on where you are fishing if there are any rocks and so forth. As you gain experience you may go down to 25 lb mono.

I use 14 lb fireline for plugging the beaches and it seems to work well for me I can feel the hits better.

TheSpecialist · 07-30-2002, 05:42 PM

CWL you may want to switch to 17lb mono, with a 40lb leader. With the 17lb test you will dramatically increase your casting distance. 40 lb mono is alot of mono for shore fishing. I only use 30lb in the Cape Cod Canal, and that has very strong current, and lots of rocks. Congrats on your fish by the way, can't wait to see the pictures.

fishweewee · 07-30-2002, 06:10 PM

Whoa whoa Mr. CWL...

I agree with Slipknot, that 50 lb. stuff is waaaay to heavy!

You'll get more distance if you reduce down to 25 lb. test mono, and then use a 40-50 lb. monofilament shock leader (a length and a half of the rod plus three turns around the reel spool).

Just my $0.02.

MightyMouse · 07-30-2002, 07:39 PM

I fish PI every once in a while. That's a GOOOOOD fish the way things have been going up there. Lots of rats, but I haven't heard of many decent fish. Were you right on the point, at the mouth?

keith · 07-31-2002, 04:39 AM

Here in the UK we use 15lb mono with a 50lb shock leader this helps us cast a long way but allso helps reduce the drag factor in the water all so the lead goes straight down with no big bow in the line.We use bait clips and impact shields which stream line the bait and will protect a very soft bait for casting this may not be any help to you but any one wanting to cast a soft bait a long way well in excess of 100 yards it may be of help

JohnR · 07-31-2002, 07:09 AM

If I were a chunker, I'd be interested in these bait clips too....

CW - Big Game Green 20#, all you will ever need

(almost). Buy a 1 pound bulk spool and reline frequently. You'll have top quality line that you can change frequently and still cost less than braids and superlines.

The Iceman 6 · 07-31-2002, 09:38 AM

CW, maybe try 30 lb Fire - I believe it's equivalent to 14 lb mono in diamater? Give or take a few diamaters! At least for me, can cast further and feel the fish better with Fire. Have no prob with it on Penn 5500 and Liveliner and have taken big fish on both - mainly fishing eels' though. Slip, I spooled my 4400 with 14lb Fire and it works like a charm when jigging. Anway, I know several people who swear by what John told you: 20LB Big Game - "Green Means Go" baby...

Ice

likwid · 07-31-2002, 11:00 AM

being superstitious and all
i run 24lb spiderline with a 40lb shockleader of clear mono (fish seeing the line blah blah)

seems to work out well *shrug*

gotta love that 12lb diameter though.... gotta keep trying to hit those ditch monkeys on the other side

Dav · 07-31-2002, 11:59 AM

I have been using Gamatzu circle hooks and don't use a hard set . I think it may depend on what you are using for bait. If you are chunking I would go to a 7. With herring or mackeral 5 is smaller than width of the bait so alot depend on how put the bait on as to whether the point would stick in the bait or in the fish. I had good luck using 5's with eels. You may be be setting the hook to clear the bait out of the way of the point. When I feel the bite I open the bale and thumb the reel .

chingweiliao · 07-31-2002, 02:23 PM

Hi S-B freinds:

I thank you all.
You are very experenced and helful!

Ching-Wei Liao

Mr. Sandman · 07-31-2002, 03:38 PM

I still use mono (yo-zuri) is good like John says. Not great but very good quality. I find on cold nights it tend to get wind knots. The fire line or various braids I have still not convinced yet. Lots of other guys already are. It has some major advantages. But they frey but they are strong and there is no stretch. You can feel pickups better.

I met guys spin-casting 50 lb because the dia is so small it is like casting 17# test but you hav 50 and you can whale a 4 oz plug into a gale. You will need a finger protecter or glove if you give value you finger tip at all.

Usually by the end of novemember my finger is a bloddy scab and I don't feel much of anything. (Great Thanksgiving dinner table conversation) Once you were it down to the bone it stops hurting.

likwid · 07-31-2002, 05:58 PM

stop snapping those casts and you won't get the mark

as far as braids go, i haven't had any problems with chunking/swimmers/jigging

but poppers tend to throw atleast a few loops into your line if you're not careful with keeping tension on (i bring a pole with mono on it for popping and just to have a spare pole)

although my main (9 foot one peice custom (built myself), fin nor ahab 20a with 24lb spiderwire fusion) is an absolutely wonderful rod that i could never part with...

have yet to have the line fray in 6mo's of use now...

maybe i'll try it out on the boat rods... it'd be nice to not worry about burning to the bottom of a spool on REALLY big fish...

anyone know what the max test the braids come in is?

MightyMouse · 07-31-2002, 10:29 PM

Down to the bone? Guffaw. No need to complain until that baby comes off! Then you have the two pluses of cheap chum, AND a good fishing story

ragfly · 08-01-2002, 06:22 AM

Last year I used 30lb fireline for chunkin and had great success. This year I switched to Power Pro and I like it better even though the fireline served me well. I still have the fireline setup on my backup (loaner) combo.

Here are my findings: PP v. Fire

30lb PP has diameter of 8lb mono, Fire is 12lb diameter. (cast better)
Power Pro is softer and spools better. (less looping over the top of the spool).
cost about the same.

keith · 08-01-2002, 07:55 AM

what is fire line is it a mono or is it a braid i have never heard of it

The Iceman 6 · 08-01-2002, 08:21 AM

Keith, fire line is "braid"

Moose Nuckle · 08-01-2002, 09:36 AM

Hey Guyz,
I switched to a braided line about two weeks ago on my 6500 Shimano baitrunner mounted on a 12 foot Ugly stick. The only problem I have with the line is, it's hard to cast when you have a large sea clam on the hook and a 2 or a 3 oz. weight. The line keeps slipping out of my hands. I never had this problem with Mono. I think it's time to switch back to Mono !!

" You can lead a horse to water but you can't make it a duck."

"FreddyBoomBartz"

JohnR · 08-01-2002, 10:38 AM

Fred - you'll want to be carefull, using a braid on a spinner tossing 4ounces + bait is a good recipe for having a finger cut in half - the braid is very quick to cut.

BTW - I can't find that picure anywhere, I don't know what the heck I did with it, can you resend it?

Thanks.... I want to embarres your pal a little

ragfly · 08-01-2002, 11:35 AM

Fred, after a few times fishing with the fireline the line breaks in. It looses alot of it's stiffness and is not as slippery.

likwid · 08-01-2002, 12:43 PM

Power Pro braid scares the hell outa me

their 20lb is 6lb diameter, which is wonderful and all for casting (you can REALLY gun some long shots with that stuff)

but go grab that with a big fish w/o gloves and it may take half your hand off...

I haven't actually used it yet, would like to actually feel the stuff before I'd considering buying it...

Anyone with any experience with this stuff?

Moose Nuckle · 08-01-2002, 03:34 PM

Hey John,
I'm going o CVS to make a copy of the picture to see if I can blow i up a little. When I finish I will send you an e-mail. I can meat up with you and give it to you if you want.

" You can lead a horse to water but you can't make it a duck."

"FreddyBoomBartz"

JohnR · 08-01-2002, 03:35 PM

Cool