Hey guys, quick question:

What brand/LB test line do you use for fishing really gnarley stuff?

I have had major problems the past couple of years breaking fish off on the hookset. I know my hookset is too violent, but there is nothing I can do about it, it's an instinctive reaction.

I have had the best luck with P-Line CXX 25lb test, but even then I break off about every third hookset. I have tried everything from PowerPro braid (65lb test) to Big Game (50 lb test). The braid breaks everytime I set the hook, the big game is maybe 50%.

I've changed to a lighter action rod and backed my drag down to 4 pounds thinking that would save the line, it helped some, but not enough.

The main problem is when I flip into, over, or behind rocks or wood my line breaks on the hookset.

I got some 20lb Invisx last night, thinking it might be a little more abrasion resistant, and I'm gonna try that. Would have got a heavier line, but thats the biggest I could find.

What do yall suggest? Who makes a good abrasion resistant, shock resistant line?

A little info on my hookset:
A good hookset involves a 7 pounder coming into the boat with me in one fluid motion. It's pretty bad, but thats how I learned to set the hook 20 years ago, and its just automatic now.

Thanks
Chuck

relax

Oh, I forgot to mention, since I'm sure this will come up.

I use a palomar knot. It seems the knot holds up ok, its just the line thats the problem.

Any knot suggestions for the braid or the flouro?

Thanks again!

I am relaxed.

Its just an automatic thing.

I feel that thump, and them I hit em, I'm not even aware that I've had a hit until the fish is in the boat with me...

switch to mono or a more forgiving rod then.

65 power pro i pulled a good 8lb on forks pads.that fish straghtend the hook landed her but my line didnt break!

Ya need to cool down on the hookset and with braid and a bigger fish make sure when you set the hook you dont have slack or that sudden pop could break your line.

...huh... make sure your knots are good and wet but then still that shouldn't make THAT much difference... Power pro is as good a braid, or better than any other... deffinately relax, mabey change hands your flippn with, your weaker hand will be well... weaker... might help...

last resort... go to walmart buy the softest ugly stick you can find... it wont break (they are indistructible in my experience) and it will be MUCH softer lol

I quit using braid after I lost several fish over 5. But you might be right on this. This may be why I break mono too. I'm not sure if I drop my rod tip to set the hook. I do know that there is an awful lot of shock being put on the line. I'll try to set on a tighter line. Thanks for the suggestion.

powerpro sucks.

65# spiderwire is what i use. fresh and saltwater.

Thanks! But I think I'll stick with my Loomis! I did change from the 7'11" rod, which was a really stiff rod, to a 7'2" medium rod, which was still too stiff. Now I use a medium action spinnerbait rod, which has a very soft tip, but still has some power in the butt.

Thanks for the suggestions, I really think its gonna be a combination of things. Keep 'em comming!

I've been using mono and a lighter rod for the past year.

I've only tried the braid a few times and wasn't impressed at all for flipping purposes. I'll leave it on my frod rod, but thats all I use it for.

Thanks!

No offense man,but you can't generate 25 pounds of pressure at the end of your line on a hookset.

Had same problem. Went with triple fish line and it solved it for me. 20lb is good but have been able to go to 15 in light cover and not break the line. That perlon line has a nice stretch and it doesn't seem to weaken it to much after being stretched.

obviously he did somehow... or damaged the line to the point it didn't take that much pressure(also rather hard to do with 65 pound braid)... help him out don't tell him he isn't breaking fish...

One thing is you are not breaking your line on the fish. The line is damaged or you have a knot tying problem.

Verify that by tying your line up to a broomstick and a pole with about 20 feet of line in between. If you can break the lines you have mentioned without it being at the knots you are by far the strongest hook setter I've ever seen.

Most people cannot break 10 lb line.

No,he didn't generate 25 pounds of pressure at the end of his line on the hookset. I'm just keepin' things lively. He has a cracked rod guide or tip, he needs to use Flourocarbon line,tie a better knot,retie more often, etc. The one thang he doesn't have is too big of a hookset.

I wouldnt say you need to cool down at all on your hookset...thats a good thing to have a very powerful hookset, especially if your fishing the very heavy stuff your gonna need it to horse em out!

I would say try a different knot...65 lb braid shouldnt brake that easily on the hookset.

But keep rippin those lips, theres no reason to calm down on the hookset!

NOOOOOOOO! definatly not a more forgiving rod...you will never get that fish out haha

LOL! Thanks for keeping things lively!

I respool my reels every fishing day, wax all my rods including eyelets once a month, and retie after every 14" and over fish. I bought some InvisX flourcarbon line to try, but I'm doubtful that will help.

And as for generating 25lbs of pressure on a hookset, I really don't want to do that! I have my drag set at 4 pounds steady pull.

I think it is the shock or speed of the hookset that breaks the line, not the power.

Usually, my line is behind somthing when I set the hook, like a pole on a dock or a rock or brush. I think that is what damages my line and causes it to break.

Maybe it is my knot, but I tie a palomar. Thats a good knot, right?

Thanks for the defense Catslayer!

Thank you, this is what I was getting at. What line will take the initial shock of the hookset. I'll give triple fish a try. Do the make it in a 30 pound test?

If you have a good abrasion resistent line then it shouldn't break just because its behind something. I really think its a good chance your pop hook setting the fish. Doing this even on a 14inch fish can break 17pound test easily.

I think you're right Dale. I probably need sombody to video me breaking off fish to tell excatly what I am doing wrong, but I feel like you are probably correct.

For reference he means dropping the rod tip slightly and setting the hook on a slack line. Right Dale?

Yes.

All in fun. It's not the hookset. You answered your own question if the drag is set at 4 pounds. Try P line flourocarbon. Not the Halo. Try to determine where on the line the break occurs. Then you can figure it out from there.

Chuck,
I am going to sound like a salesman, but here goes my opinion. Try out a Moby Series (Custom Angle Rod). These rods are built with a parobolic bend. I know without a doubt the 7' or 7'6 heavy action will suit you perfectly, problem solved.
Let me know if you are ever out this way and I will let you borrow one for the day.

Yes Clint, you sound like a Sales man! I've tried every rod in the loomis line up, and you are right, they do have more tip action than a parabolic action. I did try a 7'6" Kistler Helium for about a month, it had a parabolic action as well. After having tried it, my break-off problem was a little better, but I jumped a bunch of fish off.

I will try your rod next time I am up your way though. Thanks!

I don't think the drag gives as quick as it needs to. As in, it is set at 4lbs steady pull, but might take 10 pounds to start releasing. What I mean is that the drag doesn't react fast enough. My reels are all Curado E7's for reference.

The break usually occurs within 2 feet of the hook, and sometimes at the reel. The break is caused by a combination of shock and abrasion. And when it breaks at the reel, it is from just plain shock.

I've tried all the P-line, and CXX was the best of all of it. Halo was the worst. Flourcarbon P-line is O.K., but not as good (For me) as CXX. CXX seems to take that shock better than most lines. I tried all the offerings from 15lb to 30lb, and 20 seemed to hold up better on the CXX.

I would throw 200lb test if I could get the line through the eye of my jig!

Thanks for all the great feedback!

+19990493847637263726398729837917239872139
I HATE powerpro! Spiderwire is better, but I really like Suffix. I have 20lb on my regular rods and 65 on my heavy cover/flipping rods. I only use 20lb suffix in saltwater and dont break off like yall are saying?

I 2nd that I think that it is the "popping" if there is slack in the line that breaks it.

Never heard of someone that could break 50 or 65# braid on a consistent basis. I'd have to say the same for 20-25# Fluoro.

My opinion....knots. No doubt.

No one in the world is just running around breaking straight line with no problems.

I tie a double-uni with fluoro and either a palomar with an overhand OR a snell knot (only with straight shanks, though) with braid.

It's either your knots or you are using razor-blades instead of ceramic guides.

- Your braid knot might be slipping (Tie overhand knot or burn the tag end)

- Big game is garbage - Buy some real line.

If you are running stock drag washers still, you might need to upgrade to some carbontex drag washers. This will allow the drag to properly "break" under the right strength.

I tie a palomar, and cinch up the tag end real tight on a wet pull. I wax my rod eyes on a monthly basis, so I know my rods are in good shape. I did seem to have more problems with the titanium guides though...

Do I need to tie a different knot?

Thank you!

I agree. I have seen tests with hook sets that show that you do not generate a whole lot of pressure on the initial hook set. On top of that the line will have some stretch in it, you said that you went to a softer action rod and reduced the drag on your reel. With all that in play, you should not be able to generate enough force to break the line.
There must be some other problem. Are you sure your knot is holding up? You have to tie the Palomar knot CORRECTLY for it to be a 100% knot. Here is how.
http://heartlandtackleservice.com/palomar.stm

The double loops around the eyelet of you hook MUST be side by side and not crossed. The knot WILL break if the loops are crossed.

If you are breaking 25 pound CXX there is a problem because that stuff is tuff as nails. You could use 25 pound test to anchor your boat with.LOL

Well your previous post said that you were breaking the line 2ft above the bait or at the reel so that wouldn't be a knot problem. It sounds like your line has a bad spot in it or you did not tell us that you are fishing around docks with rusty metal poles with barnacles on them. LOL

Loosen the drag until you can feel it slip when you set the hook. You might need to go to a line with more stretch in it, maybe that might help. You have a problem I have never heard of before having that many break offs.

+1 on the triple fish line. I use 10# mostly and very rarely have a break. This past weekend, I was fishing a tournament with my bass club. Hooked a nice fish around a dock. He wrapped me around two of the legs of the dock. I just worked him and moved the boat closer to the dock and he finally came out. I thought for sure I was going to lose it because he kept sawing the line around the post. It turned out to be a 4.1# fish and put my partner in second place in the tournament. Triple fish, in my humble opinion is the best line out there bar none.

You are fishing for Bass, correct? Not some toothy critter...

I agree 100% that is your problem. Get the slack out of the line, I know because I had that bad habit myself.

I have the exact same problem and I fill your frustration I know I set the hook way to hard because I constantly bend the handles on my reel. everyone i've talked to tells me how great floro line is but I have broken every brand mentioned here as for as braid 65# power pro dose not stand a chance don't change your hook set that will really mess you up I have gone back to 20# big game for most of my fishing. I use a Terry Oldham custom made scrape rod that you can pick up a 5gal bucket of water with for flipping on Choke and Falcon. I changed to 65# suffix braid on it and have not broken a fish off since.

If your breaking 65lb braid get something heavier. Try spiderwire in 100lb test. I use it on one rod and its about the size of 20lb mono. If your breaking that then something is wrong.

check your line guide on your REEL to see if it is cracked or burred and weakening the line

I have to ask because this was happening to my partner. Are you using a glass bead? tungstun weights and glass beads don't mix well.

You know what, when I fish a worm or creature I sure do! Tunsten weight and a glass bead!

However, I still break off just as much when I fish a jig.

Thanks! I wax my reels once a month too, so they get looked at real good. They're fine. ???

I first realized I had a problem when I broke two ribs setting the hook on a 5 pounder. I had to fish crankbaits for several months because I was too sore to set a hook flipping.

Chuck, rarely would I advocate the use of marijuana unless you had glaucoma or something but it sounds like you might need it or valium or something to slow down your reactions!

ROFLMAO! You've hit the nail on the head! Its that reaction like I just got shot at or somthing! I actually just got some really major dental work done this week, so I got some pretty major pain pills. I'll give them a shot!

Unfortunatly, my eyes are good and my employer does periodic drug tests, so the smoke is out!

Great stuff!

Tough love time.......... At this point Chuck you've pointed out the problem pretty well...... Your hookset. It doesn't seem to matter what you do line, rod, drag, etc.... you are still breaking line because of your hookset. And if you are still breaking 65 lb braid with your drag set at 4lbs.....that's a wakeup call brotha.

Well, maybe it's time to change your hookset. I still think you are getting slack and that's what's causing it, and fixing that will help, but overall you are setting the hook to hard if you can break ribs. I suspect you lose fish also when they jump because I can imagine you are ripping a hole the size of a volkswagen in their lip.

I think if you start with reeling in your slack before you set the hook it will also make you more aware of the whole process of hooksetting and get over your reaction to act like you are setting the hook on a 200lb Mako Shark, lol

Joe

I think you are absolutly correct. My hookset is way to hard, I know it is, and have known it since I broke my ribs in '03. The problem is that its just plain automatic. I don't conciously think to myself "There's a thump, set the hook Chuck." I just set the hook without knowing I've even had a fish hit at all. And I'm often surprised when a fish comes in the boat, because I never "Felt" the bite. Most of the time I'm in awe of the way my brain is wired to my arm/wrist/shoulder and fires those instantly without my knowledge of anything ever happening on the end of my line.

I had big problems in the past jumping off fish. I switched from Owner hooks to Mustad, and that improved landing percentage quite a bit. But usually, the fish don't have time to jump, and if they do, I just go ahead and pull them in the boat. The holes in their mouths really aren't very big, surprisingly.

I have decided that I am going to try to NOT set the hook at all the next time I go fishin. I'm going to try just let the fish mouth the bait, and see how "light" of a hookset I can get away with. Heck, I don't even set the hook when I'm fishing crankbaits, and I learned that would catch more fish when my ribs were broken. I just don't want to have to break my ribs to learn a new hookset.

Anybody know of a 12 step program for Heavy Hooksetters?

I share your sympathy because it's a blessing and a curse at the same time. It's kinda like my stunning good looks. I mean sure it's nice to look this good, but sometimes you get tired of the ladies looking at ya like a chunk of meat.......

My father-in-law had the same problem with breaking 65 LB braided line (not at the knot). He has a huge hookset and seems to drop his rod tip slightly and let slack in the line. I have seen him launch 2 LB fish all the way over the boat, so I know exactly what you're talking about. He finally gave up and switched back to the line he had been using for years. 30 LB Clear Blue Stren. Good luck with whatever you decide to try!

If you are breaking off every third hookset, you definitely have problems. I don't think it is the power of your hookset either. What changed in the past couple years that made you break off more fish? What line did you use before? I used to be a huge CXX fan. Now, I only use the 10 and 12. I have actually had break off problems with the CXX in 20 and 25. Plus, at that size it is too kinky. Try 20 to 30 pound Maxima and don't keep it in your garage.

Its just been getting progressivly worse really. The first line I remember flipping with was 20lb flouresent stren (bright green), then green big game 20-30lb, then clear big game 30lb, then 20-25lb CXX P-Line. I have been with P-line since '03.

I got tendonitis really bad about 2000, and started doing wrist workouts with a weighted rod and reel. (8lbs of weight). Maybe I just built up freak muscles, although I'm not big at all. (6'0" 145lb)

I do have a fishing "Shop" that is air conditioned and clean where I store all my gear, and if you haven't got the idea yet, I'm very paranoid about keeping all my gear in top shape. I even change my line out on all my rods before every fishing day, even if the line has not seen the water. You know how that p-line likes to coil, thats mainly why I change it, to keep it kind of straight.


Thanks a bunch for all the help guys, it really means a lot to me that yall are willing to help a guy out!

**UPDATE**

I think I have my hookset under control now guys! It took a while, but I have re-trained myself, and got rid of that line breaking "Snap Set".

Went out to the lake several weeks ago, and told myself that I wasn't going to set the hook at all, knowing that I would have to quit setting the hook automaticlly to get rid of my slack-line hookset. First bite I had guess what...yep, set the hook and broke the line, without even knowing I had had a bite. The 4lb fish that jumped trying to throw my jig made me try harder.

As the day went on, I really started to see the problem with my hookset. Everytime I had a bite, I would catch myself droping my rod tip about a foot or a foot and a half "Winding up" to set the hook. This is where my slack came from, and ultimatly, what was causing my line to break. The first day, I just concentrated on not automatically setting the hook, but being mentally aware that I had got a bite.

The second day I began to correct my hookset. I was consious that I had a fish bite and needed to set the hook. I ended up doing pretty much the same thing as before, except for one thing. I droped my rod tip like before, but, being consious of what I was doing, turned the reel until I felt the fish, then hit em.

Everytime I have gone fishing since then, my main concern was correcting my hookset. With a lot of practice, this new techique has became automatic for me. It has slowed down my hookset a little bit, but its still just a fraction of a second. But the best part of it is I HAVE NOT BROKE MY LINE in over a month, which is a huge deal for me! My hookset is still a monster, with anything under 5 pounds coming in the boat on a short line hookset. This has got me VERY excited about the 2010 season, knowing that I will more than likely put 30% more fish in the boat.


Thanks to everybody that helped me figure out and work through my hooksetting problems. You guys are the best!




Tight lines, and wet worms!

Chuck Elliott

Glad to hear that you figured it out and have adjusted your hook set to work without breaking the line. That is quite a hook set if you were breaking 20 pound P-Line CXX.

I've never been able to break 50 lb. Spiderwire Stealth.

80# Suffix Braid. Palamar not with a half Hitch on top, Dabb a little Super Glue on the knot to make sure its not going to slip! You Will not break this. Go out side take your line and tie it to your truck hitch ball just like I said....Snatch all you want to. I GUARANTEE, you willnot break the line...you will be looking for a rod tube to send that loomis back in about 5 seconds after you snatch it the first time.

Is your name Billy and you live in the last house on the left? Do your friends call you B.A. for short? Or Mr. B.A.? You could could be a Pro Gar Fisherman if you wanted whith that kind of a hook set. POWER TO YOU

Funny...

Yeah,I'm Billy and I live on the last house on the left.........,So??