Does main line matter?

[dnmn8r]

Does the gauge of your main line matter if you use a long enough leader?

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[NaClH2OK9]

It depends on how your fishing.

I mostly bottom bash in 50 - 70 M. thicker line means a lot more weight to keep bottom.

... Steve

[hellcorner]

I suppose it depends on the type of fishing you do.

I use up to 8 lb main line when using soft plastics, 20-30lb main line when reef fishing, and a minimum of 30lb when trolling deep diving lures, mainly due to the bigger loads on the line.

The other thing to consider, is that if you are using a lighter leader than the main line, then your drag settings need to be adjusted to the lighter breaking strain.

Other people will have other theories and proven methods that work for them, but that's the beauty of fishing, there's always something different that can work one day, and not the next.

[rockfisherman]

It's relevant to how much line you want to fit on a spool... Jarvis walker mono is thicker than Tortue and platypus lo stretch. Also how far you want to cast, thinner line will travel further with the same weight.

People don't (that I know of) don't commonly run, say a 6lb leader on a 20lb mainline.... At the least I run equal or greater thickness. Braid mainline might be a different story as it is way thinner than the same rating mono

Harry

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[Sydneyfisher12]

For lighter rods i usually use a rule of only leader 10lb plus what ever the main line is e.g 6lb braid max 16lb leader but for big gear such as 50lb, 80lb and so on it doesn't really matter for me I just rarely go lighter than my main line but might run 6lb on 8lb braid it all about what your comfortable with and maybe try something different

[dnmn8r]

Thanks for the replies guys.

I just ask because I want to spool up my reel with some heavier braid to go out to the fads with a mate, but I still want to use that same reel and line, with a lighter leader in the estuaries.

If the only effects are how much line you can fit and casting distance, then it doesn't sound like it should effect strike rates?

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[quochuy]

It won't affect strike rate as long as you use adequate leader. But it might affect casting of light tackle or short range casting as heavy lines are stiffer.

I would buy a spare spool for that reel, one spool of heavy line and one for light line.

Huy

[filthmonger]

Lighter line= Further casting

[W4z]

I used to wonder the same thing but now I've seen the difference a heavy or light mainline can make if you want to cast light weight jigheads or sinkers. You can halve or worse your casting distance with a heavier than necessary mainline. It would be nice to have one reel that does it all but it's not always practical. Best solution is second spool like quochuy suggested

[dnmn8r]

Alright, so I'll probably invest into a second reel in the near future. For now, this rod will just have to serve as my bait rod. I usually drift, so casting distance shouldn't be an issue.

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[Twinfisher 4.9]

If you are on this site then you are probably serious about fishing, so here is the good news and the bad news. You will buy a second heavier outfit and then you buy a jigging rod and reel and then...... until you end up like me with over 40 outfits. Still you could have frittered your money away on other things but invest in good gear and it will last you a lifetime and provide you with pleasure for a lifetime. Welcome to the addiction!

Steve

[NaClH2OK9]

Well said and so true twin fisher

... Steve

[dnmn8r]

Oh I know, I just really want to avoid doing that since I should be saving up for other important things

I almost cry every time I walk out of a fishing store and look at the bottom line on the receipt.

[Jew Stalker]

Oh I know, I just really want to avoid doing that since I should be saving up for other important things

I almost cry every time I walk out of a fishing store and look at the bottom line on the receipt.

Probably best not take up fishing as a hobby then. It happens to us all and only gets worse as you go along hehe.

[Sydneyfisher12]

Oh I know, I just really want to avoid doing that since I should be saving up for other important things

I almost cry every time I walk out of a fishing store and look at the bottom line on the receipt.

why would you cry id be screaming with joy because i just got all my new gear

[SgtBundy]

The way I look at it, my other passion is flying, and a few years ago I started on my pilot license.

I used to compare costs of discretionary spending in terms of how many hours flying it would cost me.

Trust me not many aspects of fishing cost $300 an hour to start with. So you could always take up flying and say how frugal you are going fishing

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[UnderFisher]

No it doesn't. I run 30 pound braid on mine so if I'm targeting kings or big tailor off the rocks I'll add a stronger leader, if I'm fishing for blackfish I'll add a light 10 pound leader, doesn't make any difference. Plus the braid is so darn expensive! The perfect solution would be to have 6 different rods and reels and line setup for every type of fishing you want to do, but this is an expensive way to do it

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[dnmn8r]

No it doesn't. I run 30 pound braid on mine so if I'm targeting kings or big tailor off the rocks I'll add a stronger leader, if I'm fishing for blackfish I'll add a light 10 pound leader, doesn't make any difference. Plus the braid is so darn expensive! The perfect solution would be to have 6 different rods and reels and line setup for every type of fishing you want to do, but this is an expensive way to do it

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Well for the time being I don't have enough money for a nice second reel(and I don't want to settle for something that I'm not happy with) , so I might just respool with heavier braid.

The rod is 4-8kg with a 3500 reel with 10kg max drag. Would 20lb braid be too much?

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[Witha]

The thing that determines whether 20lb is too much is the thickness. One thing I've learnt from poring over pages of info is that pound rating is secondary to thickness, I've got two sets of 10lb braid and one is as thick or more than my 30lb from another company. So if you get a really thin 20lb (as in approaching pe 1) then I think you could get by with 20lb for many estuary situations. Maybe not finesse breaming but definitely many applications. As a cash strapped uni student I know the budget tightness on new setups, a secondary spool is probably the way to go good luck with the choices

Witha

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[dnmn8r]

The thing that determines whether 20lb is too much is the thickness. One thing I've learnt from poring over pages of info is that pound rating is secondary to thickness, I've got two sets of 10lb braid and one is as thick or more than my 30lb from another company. So if you get a really thin 20lb (as in approaching pe 1) then I think you could get by with 20lb for many estuary situations. Maybe not finesse breaming but definitely many applications. As a cash strapped uni student I know the budget tightness on new setups, a secondary spool is probably the way to go good luck with the choices

Witha

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A second spool is probably where I'll end up going eventually, but the next big item I need to buy is a towbar so that I can actually take my boat out .

I didn't realize that the thickness could vary that much at the same rating.

I wouldn't dare using this for bream, but I would like to try it for Kingies and salmon eventually.

So which of your braids is the thinner?

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[Nolongeramember]

Another way to put it is that thickness is a better indicator of strength rather than pound rating. So you don't necessarily have to go for the thinnest 10lb you can find for example as it will likely be the weakest.