My 13 yr old son and I bought our first boast back in Dec'16. Due to winter pattern, we've been fishing slow (mostly shaky heads and wacky rigs). I've noticed his floro 15 lb Seagear Red Label line has consistently caught bigger fish (2-3 lb range) vs my 20 lb power pro braided line (dinks up to 1.5 lbs). So now i'm convinced it's time to change to floro but:

(a) will I give up better hook ups with the floro stretch?
(b) i'm not a fan of floro due to the "curly q's" I get in the spool. Is there a better recommended line to prevent the line memory?
(c) I like the fact that I can make pretty accurate and LONG casts w/the braid since it's rather light, so....
(d) what rod, reel (I want to stick to baitcaster since I'm terrible w/spin cast), and floro line recommendations would you have to fish this lighter type of style (wacky and shaky heads)and retain casting distance/accuracy, no line twist, and good hook up ratios.

Thanks in advance for any info.

Just do a fluoro leader. Personally, I don't use braid for anything except when fishing a topwater frog. I just never fished it when I was younger and never built up confidence in it. If you like all the characteristics of braid but fear its costing you fish, a fluoro leader might be a happy medium.

I like Seaguar InvisX. I run it on a 13 Fishing Concept A and Daiwa Tatula medium action rod. I am just now getting into fluoro as well but so far, it has much less memory than mono but will curl up on you if you leave your poles laying in the sun with no line conditioner like any other line. As far as lb test goes, that's up to you. I run anything from 12lb fluoro to 25lb mono depending on how I am fishing.

I throw skakey heads a lot, and always throw them with a baitcaster and floro. If I'm around docks, or pitching to cover where I need to be accurate, I use a 6 1/2 MH Falcon Bucoo. If I'm fishing a point, or open water where I need to make longer casts I use the same rod in a 7ft. I use a Lew's Speed Spool reel. For line I use 15-17lb Seaguar InvizX. I use 15lb 90% of the time, unless it's really heavy cover or rocks, sunken bridges, etc where abrasion might occur.

InvizX is a smooth floro, but as I use it longer memory starts to occur like with any line. KVD line conditioner helps to smooth it out and make it feel like new again. It's really good stuff.

Floro doesn't have a lot of stretch. I rarely lose fish with this setup fishing a shakey head.

Good luck!

You can try a copolymer line like P-Line or McCoys.

I always spray my floro. line w/ KVD conditioner the night before I even put it on the reel, then I spray the line as it is put on the reel. Then I stretch my floro. right after I spool it on. Put reel on the rod, tie line to a fence post, back off stretching and then when re-winding re-spray with conditioner. If I leave the line line for any period of time and not use it I repeat the stretch and spray. I know this sounds like a bit of work but from personal experience I know this will help keep the line memory and the loops low.

Kvd line conditioner, and a higher quality floro will not have as much memory

Instead of flouro, I use McCoys Mean Green copollymer line. It is VERY STRONG, VERY LOW MEMORY and VERY ABRASION RESISTANT. GREAT all around line for everything b ut C-rigs. It has a good amount of stretch in it and I feel it is TOO stretchy for C-rigs. Hope this helps. Tight lines, keep safe and good luck.

Thad Rains

OH, it is thinner diameter line for like lb test mono and flouro. AND, I would use a Dobyns Fury rod for the rod, the 733C Fury rod for the rod. Here is a link:

http://dobynsrods.com/rod/fr-733c-2/

tr

Try the Red Label for a period of time and see how you get along with it. The coiling you might get may not actually hinder your fishing much in reality. I think in 15# test it is tougher than the INVISX when it comes to pulling fish out of cover and it won't cost you much to try it. If you want a line where the coils will mess with your game use 15# test Big Game. I used to have to stretch that stuff a lot. I only have that on one reel anymore.

15# test Invizx, P Line premium or McCoys mean green.
Megabass flat side special or Dobyns 703 extreme
Tatula SV TW..this reel is designed to resist backlashing and still give you a long cast and it actually does. Awesome reel. They are brand new on the market.

Was thinking the same. And a Shimano reel

This^ I use reel magic but hooking to the fence and restretching the line works wonders.

(a) will I give up better hook ups with the floro stretch?

Fluoro stretches more than braid, and it takes a lot of force to get it to stretch, so it is considered to be low stretch (it does stretch though). If you are missing fish because you are not letting them take the bait (for moving baits) and reacting too quickly, then fluoro would help that, but not as much as mono or the right rod would help.

(b) i'm not a fan of floro due to the "curly q's" I get in the spool. Is there a better recommended line to prevent the line memory?

I use Seaguar InvizX, don't have that problem and I buy it in 1,000 yard spools and have it on no less than 16 reels. If you are getting to the end of the spool, respool and the problem should go away. Another option is to use your braid as a backer and only put on a long cast + a little on top of that backer. The curly q's shouldn't be an issue with good line and a full spool. I don't use any line conditioner.

(c) I like the fact that I can make pretty accurate and LONG casts w/the braid since it's rather light, so....

There is an advantage there with braid because of the diameter vs. mono/fluro. I personally don't care for braid on baitcasters unless it is for a specific use (frogs/flipping), but many folks do. For wacky/shaky, I prefer fluoro or even better a spinning rod with bright colored braid to help line watch and a fluoro leader.

(d) what rod, reel (I want to stick to baitcaster since I'm terrible w/spin cast), and floro line recommendations would you have to fish this lighter type of style (wacky and shaky heads)and retain casting distance/accuracy, no line twist, and good hook up ratios.


You didn't give a price range but both of these are on sale...

Loomis

Curado

I have several of these too, a little cheaper and no complaints, but I prefer the Curado listed above

Abu SX


For line I have tried a ton and have settled on Seaguar InvizX. That's all I've used for the past 3 seasons for fluoro. Others are fine but it's my favorite.

Line

Learn the blood knot and steal your son's flouro 10-15 yards at a time. I have never had any issues with Seaguar InvisX regarding to memory, and flouro is very low stretch so hook penetration is a non problem.

Look on Youtube for Tactical Bassin, they have some info about switching to braid with a leader that should really help you out.

Your current rod and reels should be fine if you just tie on a leader. If you go all flouro I'd step up 1 power in your rod to get the same feeling as braid.

Look up Favorite rods....They sold more rods than ANYONE at the Classic...Busiest booth at the Classic Expo...Price Range for everyone...Watch them they are taking names and kicking butt

I have tried all mono, all fluoro, and all braid on baitcasters. Now I have switched to braid (40#) with a fluoro leader (15-20#), joined with a double uni-knot, with the tag ends trimmed short. I use this braid-fluoro combo on all three of my baitcasters.

FWIW since the subject is rod/reel, only one of my three rod/reel baitcaster combos is worth more than say $60 as I usually get whatever is on sale at Academy; the expensive combo ($250 Garcia) was a gift, and it is definitely nicer. The rod/reel is very lightweight, about 1/2 the weight of the less expensive ones, and the reel action is very, very smooth. So now I get why people spend the money for the nicer ones, but personally I am too cheap for that.

I really prefer the way that braid casts, its strength (when fishing cover so I can pull out hung lures), and how well it transmits vibrations from the lure end. I use the fluoro of course to make the line less visible at the lure end, and use 2-6 feet depending. I'll start with a longer piece so I can lose some if I switch lures. The double uni-knot clicks through the eyes a bit during casting but I have not had too much trouble with that. If the leader is short enough, you really do not have to bring the knot into the eyelets to cast anyway.