# Good general-purpose line for a baitcaster?



## RedPhoenix (Jun 13, 2006)

Unfortunately, due to the change in ownership of this web site and the lack of response by the owners to my requests to remove my email address from all administrative-level notifications and functionality, I have decided to remove my posts on AKFF. Thank you for the great times, the fantastic learning experiences and the many many fish. If you are desperate for the old content of this particular post, it is available below base64 encoded and bzip2 compressed.

Red.

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## Peril (Sep 5, 2005)

If you are used to using 4lb mono, there is no reason to go heavier in going to a superline. If anything, you can afford to go lighter. The Platypus 2lb braid can cope with the fish you mention. I always use a fluoro leader. Some of the water I fish is very clear. Used to go through a lot but nowdays a single length of leader will last several trips.


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## sam60 (Aug 30, 2005)

good question red....... I use 4 or 6lb fireline for most of my fishing and have landed some nice salmon with it. I go through stages of using a leader and not using a leader and when i have used a leader chasing salmon off the rocks the line broke after i landed the salmon but was due to the line being abraded on the rocks when trying to get the fish out of the water, mind you using a 1-3 kilo rod with 6lb fireline and a 45+cm salmon trying to head for tassie adds up to fun. I think i need to practice my mainline to leader knots on these wet winter days.


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## Scott (Aug 29, 2005)

Red, mate I agree with Dave. If you are comfortable fishing 2kg get some 2 kg braid or fused line and fish it with some 3-4kg flurocarbon leader. My favourite flurocarbon is Siglon Sinking and I swear that oysters and mussels crap themselves when they see it coming as it has exceptional abrasion resistance.

If you are going to use the same rod and it is a 2 kg rod, you will not be able to exert anymore pressure than you could through 2 kg braid/fused. My wind-on leader knot using 4lb fireline and 6-8lb siglon leader breaks at over 6&1/2lbs consistently and I cannot exert anymore pressure through my little Loomis so there is no point in going to 8lb fireline like most of the breamers do down here in my opinion. An old saying that was drummed into my head by the first skipper when I started game fishing was that a chain is only as strong as the weakest link.

If you are going a braid, try to get a spectra based one rather than a dyneema as it is far superior. My favourite is PowerPro Braid but to the best of my knowledge isnÃ¢â‚¬â„¢t being imported any longer. It is the only thing I generally order from the US. Fireline is the best on small threadlines.

Catch ya Scott


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## Gunston (May 10, 2006)

Red
I have only recently switched to braid with a flourocarbon leader and I am very happy with it, don't think I could go back to mono. Just one thing, if you are like most aging fishermen whose eyesight is not the best, I've found floro yellow Fireline is the best. You can see it when tying knots. I don't know how if it effects the strike rate


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## Peril (Sep 5, 2005)

Red, just reread your post. If your primary intention is to fish softplastics then there is an overwhelming concensus that a threadline is the way to go. Casting unweighted or very lightly weighted tiny bits of rubber is difficult with a baitcaster. Even with a threadline you have to be vigilant to ensure that you don't end up with loose line and then wind loops and knots.

For the threadline 4lb fireline will serve you well. A 125yd spool is all you need, with mono backing to fill the spool (and firmly attach the line to the spool). I don't go any heavier than 6lb fluoro leader now, and use 4lb when casting sps.

The baitcaster will serve you well when trolling or when casting heavier lures, such as spinnerbaits and lipless crankbaits. Use a true braid on the baitcaster, as it will be softer and have less spring than fireline. You can also use it for casting more heavily weighted sps, eg when chasing flatties in current.


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## RedPhoenix (Jun 13, 2006)

Unfortunately, due to the change in ownership of this web site and the lack of response by the owners to my requests to remove my email address from all administrative-level notifications and functionality, I have decided to remove my posts on AKFF. Thank you for the great times, the fantastic learning experiences and the many many fish. If you are desperate for the old content of this particular post, it is available below base64 encoded and bzip2 compressed.

Red.

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## Guest (Jul 14, 2006)

Heya Red 

Just one word of advice mate, stay clear of Fireline on your baitcaster.

I've witnessed first hand the trouble it can cause after my mate spooled his Shimano Chronarch MG with 30lb Fireline while chasing Barra, the overruns were hideous.

Go for something supple, like Finns, Platypus Super Braid, Bionic, Stren etc.


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