I understand this is a no brainer question but can someone educate me please.

A lot of crappie fishermen use 6 or 8 lb test line, however what is the disadvantage of using heavier line such as 10, 12 or 15?
There are times you might be reeling up catfish or bass instead of crappie, wouldn't the heavier line be better in situation like this?

The smaller the line the less resistance in the water that means more action and feel. Yes heavier line will help you with big fish but the smaller line will help you catch more Crappie.
GoodLuck
CrappieMaster

For years i wouldn't use anyhting over 8lb test I considered myself a light action finesse angler. I learned alot. I use to only use 8lb for heavy cover bass fishing and for coast fishing. I very rarly lost a fish. Normally the instances where i lost fish were becouse of kinks in the line that i hadnt noticed. I always had my drag set appropriatly.

Now I realize that I am limiting my fish size. Sure I used to catch alot of big fish but now i have upgraded my lure size so much that the little Dinks dont happen anymore. This also requires a heavier line becouse with a heavy lure you can easily cause to much stretch on light line and swing your lure strait off. You can also loose lures easier to grass or tree branches or whatever may have the bite that day. Fence?

I have just recently let my line catch up to my lure selection. I normaly have a 12lb and a 8lb rig with me. When i go out now. It took one trip to choke to teach me that 8lb is just to light for heavy cover. I can cast 3/4oz in the wind with 8lb test but some of my buddys cant manage this.

The benefits of having a heavier line are less breakoffs and maybe less stretch for hook sets.

However heavier line has less feal and on small fish that can pick up a bait very lightly like crappie, feal is very necessary.

Heavier line stands more of a chance to scare off potential spoky fish.

Heavier line is generally thicker so you end up with less line on your reel.

I think the heavier the line is the less your fishing for sport. Bottom line thats just me.

IMO light line for crappie fishing is somewhat of a myth. Certainly lighter line will allow the jig to fall faster and possibly impart more action into the jig. And, with lighter tipped rods; using heavier line could possibly damage the rod. But I think that most guys use lighter line for the same reason that I see floatillas of boats all fishing in one spot for sandbass. Monkey see....monkey do.

Two of the best crappie fishermen that I know, Paul O'Bier and Jerry Hancock both use 10# Stren...and nothing else. I personally headged my bet a year ago, when I switched to 4/14 Stren braid. It's 4# diameter and 14# test, and the only difference that I've noticed is that I loose fewer jigs.

So with line or anything else having to do with crappie fishing; do yourself a favor and "get outta the box". In other words, do what works for you best...and not necessarily what everyone else is doing.

Wow! I think Guy is very correct! And I agree, probably most of the anglers that are crappie fishing that are useing light line are jig fishing and the light line helps in the preformance of the lure/jig (such as pier shooting or spawning creek fishing)and in the detection of a bite (watching high vis light line swim off).

Their is a place for light line when nothing else will do, I use #6 mr crappie high vis on my light spin rod because the light tackle handles better with it and I beleive I can handle most any fish under 10 lb with it. That said, I (much like Guy) use 2/10 power pro line on my crappie rod when fishing Timber and Brush Piles. The Dia of 2 lb test line allows my line to get down deep fast and the line telegraphs taps and bites better than large Dia line. It also has less resistance in the water and I can detect a bite when the line moves. I do use a 6lb mono leader just in case I get hung up and I need to break off, that 10 lb power pro can be pretty tough to break. But this is my comfort zone. I have caught alot of crappie on heavy line and bait cast reels minnow fishing in the past too.

The main thing is to get out there and fish and be open minded and find what works for you. LOL

I use 12lb Stren Clear Blue Fluorescent for fishing brush piles or vertical fishing for Crappie.

I can see the Fluorescent line (some don't so well) but it also is strong enough to straighten the wimpy hooks I use, but light enough so I still feel the bite very well. If I go any higher I don't like the feel, nor the drop/movement of the bait, plus it's too hard to break off when needed.

12 is what works best for me.

Now ultra light (spinning), I go much, much lighter braided.

cant say it any better than this...listen to the pros

i have a friend that i ahve known for over 12 years .all he uses is a zebco33 spooled with 10lb test . he wears ceappie out too /personally i like 6 or 8

12 lb? 10 lb? dang..... heaviest line i use for crappie fishing is 8. i have 3 jig sticks. one spooled up with 4lb (1/32 OZ) one with 6 lb (1/16) and the other one with 8 (1/8). 4 pound line is alot stronger than most people think. i have swung fish pushing 2 pounds in the boat with 4 pound gamma copolymer. just gotta re tie often which you should be doing as it is. no matter what line your using

I don't use 10# because I'm afraid a crappie will break me off.
I use it because it has less stretch. If you've ever seen me set the hook, I try to pull their head off. 10# sinks slower, forces you to slow down especially while trolling in deep water. It gives you a much better chance at getting a big fish out of cover. You start see sawing on a limb with light line and it will break.

I can see the clear blue Stren just as good as the yellow. Crappie aren't line shy IMO because they get caught once.
6# may give you a little better feel but I think the difference between 6-10# is negligible .

Good thoughts. I'm using #8 high vis and don't plan to go any lighter.

Buying a higher quality rod has been the best thing I've done to improve the action and feel so far.

Absolutely! I agree OldMerc, The catch ratio with my 9ft crappie rod compaired to my older standard fishing rods is way up. A quaility crappie pole is a must!

One of the biggest problems with mono is that it needs to be replaced often as the stretch in it gets pulled out.
Mono is great for crappies and gills and if a guy would retie often he's not loose near as many fish due to break offs.
Pro's will say to change mono as often as you can afford too.

I'll use 2-4 tests on my rigs and that's all I'd ever concider.
6 test is like cable. Your casting distance drops severely with 6 test.
In the spring when I'm run'n and gun'n covering mega water tryng to locate those schools 6 test would really hinder me ,not to mention they are so spooky and I'd have to get close to reach them.
1 bang of the boat and SEEYA!
I know you guys down south fish mega stumps.
I can see why you'd go to heavier line.
For big fish......there's a thing called a drag on your reel.

I use 10 pound and have went as high as 14 with no problems. no disadvantage with heavier line that I have found only advantages. Don't lose as many fish (especially when you hang the occasional catfish) or have to retie from breaking off as much. I've used 8 lb before while my Dad was using 14 right next to me and he caught more than I did so crappie (or at least the ones in Cypress) aren't line shy.

I like 8lb mono. It's strong, light, and I can bite it off easily but the fish cant.