Monofilament line=Dinosaur tackle?

[staktup]

I use mono for bait fishing with conventional reels from the surf (15#, 17# or 20#) with 40-50# shock leaders. On my spinning reels, 95% braid. Fireline & whiplash are my favorites. Spectra is more fickle on my spinners, but I use PP on my fw reels. I hate line twist on spinners, so I pretty much stoppped using mono except for spooling up back up spools or to use mono on UL trout reels.

As for all lures including jigs, wood, metal, etc., it's plain awesome. Once I learned how to manage my line better (e.g. howling wind, pencil popping), wind knots disappeared, even with spectra.

[Stewie]

I use 50 or 65 lb PowerPro on my conventionals. I could use lighter stuff, but I like the thickness as I have to level the line with my thumb. I fish around a lot of rocks and current and haven't lost a lot of plugs except for obvious user error. I have tried a couple of times to go back to mono but the lack of any feel out there always brings me back to braid.
On the rare occasion when I chunk, I use 25 or 30 lb IronSilk on my squidders, just because it seems right to use it. IronSilk is very smooth on the thumb.

[FormerUser]

I personally can't stand braid.I've tried several brands and just don't like it.

I love Ande Backcountry and its the only line I use.

[steve]

After using braid (suffix- 50lb.) again for about 21/2 mos at the end of last season, I liked it alot but just have no confidence in it after some terrible experiences with dropped(big) fish a few years ago when I tried PP. After reading this thread , I will continue to have one rig spooled w/ Suffix 50 and hope I don't drop a monster in the rocks. I to , like Mike , fish a light drag even with mono.

[Flaptail]

Steve, with 50lb your just stressing your gear. The confidence factor that you get out of 50lb braid (which actually breaks more like 75lbs ) may cause you to put a touch more hurt on a bigger fish than you normally would with less drag pressure and lighter line. That translates into pulled hooks, at least in my experience. I use 50lb on my conventional tackle at the canal but for plugging the Elizabeths I use 30lb and on the beach 20 and 14 no matter how big the fish are (or aren't more so these days). 30lb braid will land a small whale if you had enough line and you can put a lot of strain on it.

The lighter lines make me use a lighter touch. Just because you can get a fifty pound line with a very small diameter and pack it on a reel, I have found that it isn't always a good thing.

Another of my hair brained theories!