Should my line look like this?
I've been fishing baitcasters for a few years and do just fine but I normally use 20 to 30 lb braid with fluoro leaders for almost everything. That includes top water and jerkbaits. I feel confident in that setup and have no troubles but everything I read and watch says I'm supposed to be using 14 to 16 lb mono or fluoro for most of the stuff.
After being iced in for a few days, I decided to give it a shot. I'm out here today and it just seems like a total mess.
Any advice?
Posted by Warden_of_the_NEast
5 Comments
Short answer, no it shouldn’t look like that but it’s extremely normal.
It’s got some pretty bad memory. This is why most of us use braid and then just tie on a fluoro or mono leader.
Okay, so when did you spool this reel? Also, how old was the line on the spool before you put it on the reel?
It looks like it’s pretty old. Some line conditioner may help the current situation (at least make it tolerable), but it may not fix it entirely.
Also, with it being cold, the line isn’t going to go as limp as it will in the summer months.
Mono retains memory from your spool. Flouro can as well but typically stiffer. How long of a leader are running too? Some guys run shorter and some guys run longer leaders that way if it gets chaffed they can cut it and retie quickly vs doing another braid to leader knot(fg/double uni).
Yes, this is normal, floro and mono lines tend to have “memory”. Basically the line has taken on the shape of your spool resulting in the curling you’re seeing. This isn’t an issue and doesn’t affect the strength of your line.
With mono and floro lines you should mainly worry about fraying and nicks, which you can check for pretty easily by running the line through your fingers as you retrieve occasionally.
Also on a side note I’m my opinion there are situations where mono and floro are superior to braid, but there are no situations where braid to floro leader isn’t 99% as good or better than straight floro.
I’ve fished braid to fluoro for 10+ years I never have any issues I’ve caught tons of fish freshwater and salt. Straight fluoro is trash has too much memory will constantly do this then you end up with backlashes and kinks in your main line end up having to junk it all. Just stick to 30-40lb braid and tie on a leader of Fluoro depending on what you are fishing. Braid lasts forever in the reel and is insanely sensitive
If I’m fishing a lake or pond I tie on like 12-15 lb fluoro leader if I’m fishing big swimbaits in fresh or saltwater I tie 30-40lb fluoro leader