Big Game 15# and 20#
Power Pro 50#

Tried Yozuri Hybrid 10# on a schoolie rod and had problems with coils flying off the spool and lost a couple fish due to breakoffs. May try it again on a backup rod.

John the green not being compatable with his gear. I know where he got that one. I once went to a certain tackle shop, near a big ship. I asked to be spooled with 15lb Big Game Green. The owner told me all he had was clear, he does'nt carry the green cause too many people complaim about it's performance on spinning reels. Now I have never had a problem with it. So it is a place of last resort for me.

Do you recall how you wrapped it?

In a nutshell, it is very good line and the same as the clear. My preference for green is based on the color and some wierd quasi-reasoning that I have - not that it is particularly different than the other Big Games...

But I do base my feelings with it on the fact that I've been using it for years.

Just about all lines are tougher in cold weather - seems to remove the suppleness and adds memory...

Also BUY THIS WEEKS New England Fisherman!!!!!!!!! Has a great article on Novice Surfcasters that you MUST READ!!!!!

If you have it - OK :) ... Read (not glance) all of the threads from the past few days that you've replied to - you will find many suggestions and even a couple offers. Start there.

When I said make a plan for this spring - will you do that?

Thanks...

Sounds good Notaro.

Notaro, if I could echo what John said about making a plan, I would also suggest creating a file system for yourself. I in no way consider myself an expert in any specific branch of saltwater fishing, and that's why when I see a new topic that interests me, that I might want to try, I grab a manilla folder and I start filling it with everything I can find on that topic. For example, a couple of years ago I was asked to go on a tuna charter. I had never done this before, but what little I knew about it excited me. It was an overnight trip, it wasn't cheap and I wasn't going to go and be embarrassed because I didn't have a clue, so I started researching everything I could find on the terminal tackle, rods, reels, line, techniques, species, what I needed to bring with me, the boat, the captain, etc. I went out and bought a lot of stuff including a new rod and reel. The day the trip came I was confident, but reserved (being the newbie). With a little advice from some seasoned veterans on the trip out I got some more advice on knots, how to disguise a circle hook in a butterfish, practice what to do if I hooked up, that I should put on my transderm scop patch before I felt seasick, etc. Well needless to say it's been three trips and still no tuna, but I keep trying and adding to that file when I find something, and before my next trip I'll pour over that file again and gather together what I need for that type fishing. I keep files for cod, stripers, flounder, weakfish, as well as spots I've been to, spots I've heard of, some miscellaneous stuff, etc., and I buy books that seem appropriate, too. This all has a sort of nerdy twist to it, but until I can do it by rote like some of the knowledgeable and esteemed peers here, that's how I have to do it. Exhaust the Internet, Notaro. Alot of it is right there at your fingertips, the rest you just have to experience and learn first hand, which you can do if you've prepared ahead of time.

Also Keep a log. I have a log saved rt here on my computer. Every time you hear the Herrin are running or the first schoolie was caught, A rig someone used, The weather for the day, Water temp that day, What Tide it was which way it was running, Ect,Ect,....... I to am no pro. But this helps alot. you can look back to pervios years and start putting a history toghter. You will then be able to figure out about what time of the year the fish will show. ( do you think that people pull a date out of a hat for when the fish show up) I no when the fish will be at some of my favorite spots and the best time of day and which tide to fish for them by just looking back at my log.
But this will take time to compile, and you have to log stuff in after every trip!! Don't wait 3 or 4 days then put the info in because you will forget small details that might just help you. If you do not you will have nothing to look back on. Its tuff to fish all day then sit at the computer and type it all in but I for one am glad that I did because I can now go out and catch fish Every Trip!! I rember a time when I would go out and come home with nothing more then a empty bait bucket. And how fustraded I was. I did not have the option of turning on a computer and getting all this info.\
People who catch fish all the time are people who have put in the leg work.
I hope this will help you out!!

Fishpart,
How has the 35# Spectron worked out for your ABU 6500?

I have 2 shamino bait runners 6500 i use power pro
65 lbs and the other i use 50 lbs


50lbs 0.014 DIAMATER LIKE HAVING 12LBS
65 LBS 0.016 DIAMATER LIKE HAVING I6 MONO EQUIVALENTE

14 & 20lb iron silk (new this year)
15, 20 & 25 big game
20lb power pro
30 & 50lb Stealth (new this year)

Gee, you think Berkley would put me on their pro staff...............

Cortland Spectron is the best fishing line for conventional levelwind reels. Not good on a non levelwind since it will saw your thumb off and of no use at all on a spinner.

I use 35 lb on a 6500 size abu and 50 lb on a 7000 or 7500 abu. I started using it about 97 when I started fishing the canal a lot. Not to brag but I think you'll find that 90 percent of the people in this area who use spectron on surfcasting rods are doing so based on my recommendations 5 years ago (not to brag :) ) . Whiplash is thinner and so casts a little better but spectron is way tougher. My big complaint about Whiplash is that it gets damaged by an overrun. With spectron , if it doesn't break oin the overrun , its fine but with whiplash , even if it doesn't break , it leaves a weak spot where the kink was.

50 lb Spectron is about all a typical man can handle. Its so strong and tough that I can barely break off a jig when i get hung up on the bottom. If you went to 80 LB spectron , I think you'd have to cut the line to break off when snagged. To break off , I pull my sweatshirt sleeve down to protect my hand and pull with the rod straight and break off. never try to break spectron with a bent rod. the spectron is just too tough and you'll break the rod.

I have a complete system built around the spectron. I use an Albright to attach a leader. Another good option is opposing uni-knots which is what i used the season i had the broken finger cause its hard to snug up an Albright properly (very importatnt to snug it up correctly) with a broken index finger. I like 50 or 60 lb Ande for use with the 50 LB spectron and a 30 LB Ande leader with the 35 lb spectron.

I use a uni-knot at the jig. This is my weak link and that's where I want it to break when snagged. I could use a polamar at the jig but then it won't break and my next weak link is the albright at the leader. its a pain to keep tying on new leaders so I use the uni-knot to provide a weak spot to break off. I never want to break the spectron since its expensive. When i say I put in the uni-knot for a weak link , don't think its very weak. Its just the weakest link. It's still such a strong system that I can barely break off when using the 50 LB Spectron and 60 LB Ande leader.

As far as the 35 lb set up goes , which I use on a 6500 Abu at the beach , i would say it casts great. I once did a field report on the breakaway 11'9" rod and had a measured cast of 163 yards using the 35 lb Spectron on an abu 6500 reel (I forget if it was a BG6500Cl or 6500CS mag).

I do find that you got to have a good length of leader. You need a little shock absorber out there or you'll break off or rip out of the fishes lips. As long as you have a leader though , everthing works great.

Anyway , that's what line i use now.

I do use 10 lb Berkley Big Game mono on my only spinner in the spring for schoolies.

Just got my 5500's spooled with 20lb. Momoi Diamond at Fishermans Outfitters per his advice. I will see how it works. Anyone have any experience with this line? Used Ande and big game 17 last year with good results. I dont fish the canal and usually fish from the boat or the sand.

Yozuri hybrid 20# and 30#, might have some 25# in there too. I like it, the smoke colored one is good to my eyes. Trying Power Pro 30# braid WHEN I FINALLY DO GET TO GO CAST A FEW!!!......

Where's that thread about backing for braid?????

Answers in this one helped me.

http://www.striped-bass.com/vbulleti...&threadid=6033

I back with 20# big game but haven't been taken into the backing (yet).

Used only cajun line 20# past two seasons on spinning reels...no problem ...using it this year

I use magibraid 30# and p-line flouroclear 15 and 25#.

Andy pink -mono

powerpro - braid

cortland green spot dacron

WOW, I started this thread 5 years ago..I use PowerPro only now...