Braided line

[elnutsmalljaws]

I use Fireline on my reel for FNF season then 3-way to Flourocarbon down to my jig but that is it for me and Braid. Tried it this past spring at Ky Lake flipping the buckbrush with 30lb Power Pro and hated it. One day it raveled above the jig about 5 inches that I saw, another day it broke off during the fight on a 3lber, and the kicker was when I set the hook on a MONSTER that came out of the water just after the line went SNAP. Back to 30lb or larger Flourocarbon for my flipping after that and did not have a problem. To me it seemed, "Brittle" if that makes any sense, stong as an ox when I got hung up and straightened out a bunch of jigs and hooks and never broke but the snapping of the hookset seemed to do the damage. Good Luck

[apb]

With any line, on a topwater blast you need to wait until you feel the full weight of the fish before you set the hook.

Andrew

[VMAXX]

I will also add that when flipping,worm fishing etc... you need to really watch your line as braid does not have the sensitivity that mono has on slack line, cranking or carolina r. where you have tension on the line you'll feel a gnat fart tho. my .02

[Johnny K]

Again, I like braided. But I throw top water 90% of the time so spooking fish with non-mono line really doesn't worry me.

I love the feel, strength and resistance to twisting. 14 lb Power Pro w/ 4lb diameter.

PS:

Patiently Wading:

Was that you I ran into Saturday at the Elk? I was with my 10 year old.

PSS: Where are you Muskie fishing? (My first passion ahead of creek smallies)

[PatientlyWading24]

Johnny K

I was in the E on Sat, all day. BUT, my only encounter came before the sun was up and he was alone.

Presently i am only Muskie fishing in my dreams. It has been about 10 months since i have even been fishing for them, and over a year since i have had one hooked up. I don't have a boat and it makes muskie fishing hard if you don't have one of those.

One did follow my partners buzzer down the on the KY earlier this week, bass fishin he didn't even think to figure 8 and i watched that monster swim away. It made my hair all raise up.

But My favorite spot to find them toothy ones is in the river. i got spoiled there for a week last summer and it may not ever be the same again, but it was like nothing i have ever experienced and the time of my life.

[Johnny K]

I fish the KY quite a bite for muskies in the Spring. 4-5 years ago I used to do very well. One time I had 7 on and 4 in the boat out of one creek. But, that has come to a screeching halt in the last few years. I'm not really sure why.

I'm going to Ontario in 11 days for our annual Musky trip. It's like nothing else.

Anyway, I plan on hitting the creek this weekend. I hope to do better than last time. The ole' buzz bait didn't produce like it has been. I stocked up on some soft plastics an will try to slow it down this time as my Plan B.

I also added a trailer hook to the buzz bait to nab those short strikers. Any experince with doing that?

Good Luck

[PatientlyWading24]

I have never had a sniff on a buzz on the creek, ever, but i am probably alone on that. I walk the dog, and they like it pretty good sometimes. soft plastics is my go-to, and always has been.

[Johnny K]

Last year I got 30+ on a buzzer. Somewhere around 1/2 were 12" or above
4-5 were 17+. Best day I had in 20 years on the creek.

I think you catch the bigger more agressive fish, but if the're not agressive you don't do very well.

[Bobby Headrick]

Braid has it's place and flipping and frogging, is where it shines, and topwater, I also use it when shallow crankin", jyou just have to let them have the lure before you hit them. Also I saw where some of you had trouble with braid breakin setting the hook while flipping. One thing about braid that I have learned and the hard way is that you must use a palomar knot or similar, to keep this from breaking at he lure eye. I use braid and floro/floroclear, it depends on the situation. Tight lines on those muskey's, also Barren River, has some good muskie holes on it, they school up below the dam there in Jan and Feb, and we have seen some hawgs and had one bust a small POP-R 1/4 oz while we we floating down it a couple of years ago,ultralite and muskies dont match, yes he busted it and at the boat, looked like jaws coming up, would just loved to have fought her a little, 6 lb line snap, but she spit the plug back when she jumped again. She was huge well over 40in long, we were in a 10ft john and when she swam by she was almost have it length.

[PatientlyWading24]

Great story, mine is similar... my FIRST muskie experience was in a small creek off the river and the purple 4" lizard i was throwing made this muskie go. After NAILING it right off some brush and moving it about 3 feet ( not even considering it was a muskie at all, just not knowing) i reeled it in and pitched right over again to catch this "big bass" but missed the spot. SO i cranked that little lizard right back to me and just before i got it out of the water... she rose up like a log, just slowly moving that tail. it was like i could almost see her lickin her lips, and i was about to wet myself, having never experienced this before.
equipped with a 4'6" ul moderate with 4lb test, which at the time was my small creekin rod and the only one i had in the boat with me. After the stare down i made the first move, and BAM she bit like a ton of bricks, and went straight down with it, instinctivly i reared back on her.
well as im sure ALL of you all could guess that is the end of that story, as my line snapped instantly and off was my last favorite colored lizard in the mouth of the biggest fresh water game fish i had ever seen.

A couple days later we went back a little better equipped and had the best 3 days of muskie fishing i have ever had.