plowboy / problems with braided line

Tried Fireline as my main Carolina rig line as you suggested in an old thread, and had a terrible time with it. Yes, there was better sensitivity ... but:

1. Kept getting my sinker hung in rocks. Mono = break off at sinker and retie leader. Fireline = troll back to spot and try to get it to come loose.
2. Worst of all, I broke off three times setting the hook (only three bites) the first 30 minutes I used it. I was using 14 lb. Vanish for my leader. I tied only Trilene knots, no palomars. All the break-offs were at the hook of the leader. The first time I set the hook like I normally do with mono, which I figured may have been too hard. The next two times I barely set the hook at all.

I ended up converting one of my other rods into a C-rig rod, then switched back to a spinner bait after dark.

Any idea what I was doing wrong?

That's why I like mono. The stretch. I use braided line for jigging for sauger and walleye, but the jig is tied directly to the bait. Before I taught myself why not to do it, I tried trolling with it. That was fun.

Did you remember to moisten your knot beforwe you brought it tight?It is recommended using the flouro lines.I usually break at the leader to the line,and I use either spider wire or powerpro.

EZ13,

I too use braid, only I use spider wire. I use plain mono on the leader. You don't need the flour. as you usually are deep, plus the mono leader has stretch. I use 17 lb. mono for my leader.

As for the hanging up on rocks.... a couple of tips:

when fishing rocks, kind of hop your bait along the bottom more than drag it, or as you start to feel it hang, hop it then.

Use lindy no snag weight.

Finally, I use the smallest size for the most weight, this usually means using tungsten weights. They cost more, but hang up less.

I guess that last one wasn't finally, cuase I just thought of another, in rocks, switch to a smaller weight. for instance, I usually use a 1 oz weight, but if I am fishing strictly rocky areas, I will go to a 1/2 oz, or even a 1/4 oz if it is shallow.

Good luck,

Danny

>EZ13,
>
>I too use braid, only I
>use spider wire. I use
>plain mono on the leader.
>You don't need the flour.
>as you usually are deep,
>plus the mono leader has
>stretch. I use 17 lb.
>mono for my leader.
>
>As for the hanging up on
>rocks.... a couple of tips:
>
>
>when fishing rocks, kind of hop
>your bait along the bottom
>more than drag it, or
>as you start to feel
>it hang, hop it then.
>
>
>Use lindy no snag weight.
>
>Finally, I use the smallest size
>for the most weight, this
>usually means using tungsten weights.
>They cost more, but hang
>up less.
>
>I guess that last one wasn't
>finally, cuase I just thought
>of another, in rocks, switch
>to a smaller weight. for
>instance, I usually use a
>1 oz weight, but if
>I am fishing strictly rocky
>areas, I will go to
>a 1/2 oz, or even
>a 1/4 oz if it
>is shallow.
>
>Good luck,
>
>Danny


I think Danny gave you pretty good advice. I know of several people that won't use flurocarbon because of knot strenth and several that swear by it. Use mono just to be on the safe side. Getting hung has more to do with the sinker shape and weight and the type of structure you are fishing than the braided line. I use the Carolina ring mostly on flats, channel edges, points etc where there are limited rocks usually. No problem at Kentucky Lake or Barkley where the bottom is usually mud but an a lake like Cumberland or Dale you many do as Danny says and do more of a lift and drop than a drag. A lighter sinker, or the Lindy weight will help. The Lindy weights are expensive but you shouldn't loose very many with braided or Fireline. You have to be very careful tying the flourocarbon. Make sure its wet, I would opt for mono in this case. I don't think breaking off fish will be a problem. If you get hung of course the leader will usually break in the weakest spot (knot). Sorry your having trouble but a little trial and error should straiten things out. I have a friend that uses 8# flourocarbon with the float-n-fly and has landed some giant stripers without the knot breaking so I know it can be tied strong ( and he uses a polymer knot). Good luck.

Just rechecked and I was wrong about what I was using for the leader line. It was 12 lb. Trilene mono. I wanted to make sure it would break if it got hung up. (I used to use Vanish some in the past with mono for the main line, that's what got me confused).

If I give the Fireline one more try, I'll use 17- or 20-lb Excel for the leader line. I really hate to go that big, though, because that stuff is hard as heck to break off when you get hung. That's what I've been using for my main line.

Do you think there was too big a difference between the 12 lb Trilene and 30 lb Fireline and that's what caused the leader to break?

Not sure I'm following you exactly. I wouln't go much bigger with the leader. 12 lb mono should hold any bass in the lake. I will try to be as clear as I can, I'm not the best at explaining things. I want my leader to break. Yes I want it to break when its hung. That is the whole idea for me. By using a main line that is heavier than the leader when you get hung the leader will break and this keeps you from having to retie the main line, sinker and swivel. All you have to do when it breaks is put another leader, hook and bait on and your ready to go. Its much easier than having the main line break and having to retie everything. BUT I DON'T WANT IT TO BREAK WHEN FIGHTING A FISH. 12-14 lb mono leader will land the biggest bass in the lake (unless your in very heavy cover)if the knots are tied correctly and they are no frays or nicks in the leader. It doen't matter if you use braid or mono for the main line but it should be several lbs heavier. The braided line is just more sensitive. I have caught lots of 5 lb smallmouth on 6-8 lb mono and they fight more than some larger bass I have caught in Florida. As long as you have good line, good knots and check for nicks and frays it should not break while fighting most fish in Kentucky. Good luck. This is all just my opinion and I'm no pro. Maybe someone else could help here.

Went back and read your original post again. All I can figure is you've got some bad line. Not sure I could set the hook hard enough to break 12 lb line in good condition. I use Berkley 14 lb mono alot and you can't hardly break it when you get hung. I just don't know. Dave Stewart is a good at the Carolina rig. Maybe you should ask him for a good line choice in Carolina rigging. Sorry I've caused you so much trouble, it's always worked for me.

Great article this month in Bass Master magazine on Carolina rigs!!!!!!!!!!!!

if you are using trilene xl in the rocks it isnt very abrasion resistant,try 12lb big game or bps excel i use both and dont have a break off problem.remember as far as weight braid is thinner and sinks better than mono unless you are in current you can drop down sinker size,braid will make it as if you are using a bigger sinker and it will hang easier because of the lack of lift from the line.no pro either just my experience.

use a mojo weight and get away from vanish line and tie a blood knot or use floro carbon p line just a thought.