Texas Fishing Forum

What line do you use for large swimbaits?

Posted By: dawdallas

What line do you use for large swimbaits? - 04/16/20 02:28 AM

What line do you use for large swimbaits. I have not used them and purchased my first one recently and not sure what line to use.
Posted By: Chet

Re: What line do you use for large swimbaits? - 04/16/20 02:59 AM

Eight inch glide bait 25lb premium mono.
Posted By: Flippin-Out

Re: What line do you use for large swimbaits? - 04/16/20 03:07 AM

I most use 65# Maxcuatro, sometimes with a 25# or 30# copolymer leader up to 12' tied with a blood knot. Traditional 65# braid works as well, just is a little thicker and may catch the wind more or deter maintaining depth. I'm not against straight premium mono/copolymer either. My #1 advice is to fish slow, then fish it even slower. Advice #2: If you get a follow, you can try a different lure, but don't throw the same one over and over - you'll just educate the fish to shy away from the lure. Leave and come back later.
Posted By: CCTX

Re: What line do you use for large swimbaits? - 04/16/20 03:40 AM

50# Braid to 6ft 20# Pline CXX leader.
Can’t break 20# CXX
Posted By: Flippin-Out

Re: What line do you use for large swimbaits? - 04/16/20 04:00 AM

Originally Posted by CCTX
50# Braid to 6ft 20# Pline CXX leader.
Can’t break 20# CXX

That CXX is some tough stuff. It does extremely well fishing around Galveston as a main line for me also.
Posted By: LakeForkGroupie

Re: What line do you use for large swimbaits? - 04/16/20 01:25 PM

What are you calling a big bait? 4oz? 10oz? How big?
Posted By: Zach Starling

Re: What line do you use for large swimbaits? - 04/16/20 01:53 PM

20lb pline tactical. I'm throwing bullshooters and golden instigator and pizz glides. DO NOT USE STRAIGHT BRAID only time I would use straight braid is if throwing weedless baits in grass. Glides and bullshad along with other big hard baits will snap your line and you'll watch that 70$+ bait fly off into the lake.
Posted By: soje

Re: What line do you use for large swimbaits? - 04/16/20 02:16 PM

I don't really follow TacticalBassin, but they've been doing it for a long time. For the 8" glides, they're using 80 lb Suffix 832, with a 30 lb Maxima Ultrageen leader. For the 7" and below they're using 65 lb MaxCuatro braid, with a 20 lb Maxima Ultragreen leader. For a long time it seemed that people were shying awasy from braid for swimbaits. For me, the mono or flouro leader is essential when using braid. A Hudd will snap direct braid easy.
Posted By: CCTX

Re: What line do you use for large swimbaits? - 04/16/20 02:48 PM

Maxima Ultragreen is good, but I've been spoiled by CXX.
20 pound Ultragreen went on clearance at BassPro last year, so I bought a huge spool.
Third time out with it, it broke about a foot up from my line to lure knot. This was the first time in a long time that I had broken off 20# line.
It is good line, but doesn't have the abrasion resistance of CXX. I had noticed some wear on the line prior to breaking off, but I had developed some bad habits with CXX's amazing durability.

It does sink better than CXX, so you'll get more depth on your glide baits.
It also looks less visible in the water.
Posted By: dawdallas

Re: What line do you use for large swimbaits? - 04/16/20 03:18 PM

The 3:16 lures that are about 8".
Posted By: 1bassdaddy

Re: What line do you use for large swimbaits? - 04/16/20 04:14 PM

I've been throwing swimbaits with braid to leader for more than 20 years. The key is to find a connection knot that you tie well and have confidence in...for me it's been an improved Albright but there are multiple other excellent choices. My leader material/strength is dictated by the size/type of my bait and the depth I'm fishing. My latest favorite braid is Maxicuatro in 65 lb but again, there are other great choices. Depending on water clarity I have used straight braid and I have casted off two baits in two decades...both were pilot error. I can't imagine it being easy to do. If I was only going to use one leader material it would be shock leader from the salty world of fishing. The stretch component definitely makes a difference when large fish hammer the bait next to the boat.
Posted By: SAKS

Re: What line do you use for large swimbaits? - 04/16/20 05:17 PM

Not that mono works any better than fluoro the last thing you want to see is your bait still flying after the spool stops spinning. Especially if your one of those guys that will buy the expensive baits. I think most use mono due to the uncertainty that the fluoro knot they are using will hold up. I threw 7" Smash-Tech weedless down in Mexico for 4 days on 17lb fluoro using a Jam Knot and never had any issues. Now those are not super heavy baits but they are not light either. I don't really throw the hard baits but my decision would probably be based on how expensive the bait is. I am confident in my knots but spending a lot on a bait and then reading about fluoro knot failure can get in your head. Lucky for me I will never know.
Posted By: Barn

Re: What line do you use for large swimbaits? - 04/16/20 05:38 PM

This a good video about swimbaits, set up and line.

Posted By: S Fatherree

Re: What line do you use for large swimbaits? - 04/19/20 05:27 PM

Originally Posted by dawdallas
What line do you use for large swimbaits. I have not used them and purchased my first one recently and not sure what line to use.



The best line size for big swimbaits is largely determined by the weight of the lure itself. With a 7-8" soft plastic hollow body swimbait you can get away with using fresh line as light as 17lb but for most large sized swimbaits I prefer to use at least 20-25lb fluorocarbon. A large swimbait will attract large bass so you want to have strong line not only for the sake of preventing the lure from breaking free during your cast but also to handle reeling in bass over 5-6lbs, sometimes quite quickly around heavy cover. Remember to read the line diameter on different brands of line as they can vary for example Berkley Trilene 100% Fluorocarbon line that says 20lb actually has the diameter closer to 25lb lines of other brands. I'll typically use 25lb fluorocarbon for heavy swimbaits like the Deps Slide Swimmer 250s or when casting an umbrella rig with swimbaits that have heavier heads made for a fast retrieve or for fishing offshore in deeper water. I hope this helps!
Posted By: ko bass attack 27

Re: What line do you use for large swimbaits? - 04/19/20 07:27 PM

20 lb. Big Game.
Posted By: corps2010

Re: What line do you use for large swimbaits? - 04/19/20 07:37 PM

80 # Maxcuatro with 40# FC-100 Leader Line. Throwing 8" paddletails & glidebaits on that setup. Works great for me.
Posted By: 361V

Re: What line do you use for large swimbaits? - 04/19/20 07:49 PM

Originally Posted by ko bass attack 27
20 lb. Big Game.
Me too. Regardless of how much I might spend on a swimbaits I’m using the cheapest line: 20lb Big Game. Works good and protects my “investment”. Fishing and investment together? Haha. Oxymoron!
Posted By: ezbassin

Re: What line do you use for large swimbaits? - 04/20/20 12:57 AM

The pound test line you choose for swimbaits depends on how much you spend on the swimbait......LOL

Some are over $500 each.
Posted By: ezbassin

Re: What line do you use for large swimbaits? - 04/20/20 01:01 AM

Originally Posted by 361V
Originally Posted by ko bass attack 27
20 lb. Big Game.
Me too. Regardless of how much I might spend on a swimbaits I’m using the cheapest line: 20lb Big Game. Works good and protects my “investment”. Fishing and investment together? Haha. Oxymoron!


Question...... how much did you pay for your most expensive swim bait?
Posted By: ko bass attack 27

Re: What line do you use for large swimbaits? - 04/20/20 02:22 AM

The most expensive one I have is about $80. I have only lost one and it was a BD that cost $25. I also have alot of 3:16 soft ones that I fish with. If you don't wanna lose 'em don't use 'em. Like my fishing buddy always says "use 'em til you lose 'em, go to the store and get some more"
Posted By: Thad Rains

Re: What line do you use for large swimbaits? - 04/20/20 03:45 AM

II use 20 or 25lb McCos Mean Green. Little memory, STRONG, real resistant to most things that cause line failure. But that just may be me. I know I can pull a fully loaded 21' boat around the lake with over 600 lbs of fisherman in it with ease. So, that makes it good in my book. Hope this helps. Tight lines, keep safe and good luck.

Thad Rains
Posted By: 1bassdaddy

Re: What line do you use for large swimbaits? - 04/20/20 03:57 PM

Anyone throwing a $500 swimbait is overcompensating for their lack of ability to catch fish with reasonably priced swimbaits.
Posted By: Rocky Robison

Re: What line do you use for large swimbaits? - 04/20/20 04:08 PM

17, 20 & 25lb trik fish.
Posted By: Big Swimbait

Re: What line do you use for large swimbaits? - 04/20/20 11:26 PM

65# Smackdown braid to a leader of 22# Sunline Shooter Defier Armilo. It's a nylon line that has less stretch than mono but a little more than Fluro. I have been using the Lefty Kreh knot for years on my leaders. You can tie it in 15 seconds and I've never had a knot failure.
Posted By: ezbassin

Re: What line do you use for large swimbaits? - 04/20/20 11:32 PM

Originally Posted by 1bassdaddy
Anyone throwing a $500 swimbait is overcompensating for their lack of ability to catch fish with reasonably priced swimbaits.


So you are saying that you have thrown a $500 swim bait and the reasonably priced ones work just as well? Or have you actually never thrown a $500 swim bait and you are just guessing?

You made a pretty bold statement, just wanted to make sure that you actually compared them.
Posted By: 361V

Re: What line do you use for large swimbaits? - 04/21/20 01:43 AM

Originally Posted by ezbassin
Originally Posted by 361V
Originally Posted by ko bass attack 27
20 lb. Big Game.
Me too. Regardless of how much I might spend on a swimbaits I’m using the cheapest line: 20lb Big Game. Works good and protects my “investment”. Fishing and investment together? Haha. Oxymoron!


Question...... how much did you pay for your most expensive swim bait?
Expensive is a very relative term for sure. I’m poor. I consider a $70 Bull Shad expensive. Heck I feel sick if I loose a $25 Hudd. And yes I want to protect them. If I was inclined to throw a $500 Roman Made Swimbait I’d still throw it on heavy mono. Crazy what they CAN cost! [Linked Image]
Posted By: rodiebob

Re: What line do you use for large swimbaits? - 04/24/20 10:58 PM

I dont use baits that dont fit in my box..20 - 25 pound Floro..lol
Posted By: ford1213

Re: What line do you use for large swimbaits? - 04/30/22 07:19 AM

Originally Posted by 1bassdaddy
Anyone throwing a $500 swimbait is overcompensating for their lack of ability to catch fish with reasonably priced swimbaits.


Bahahahahahahahaaaaaaaa! Good one!
Posted By: Ken A.

Re: What line do you use for large swimbaits? - 04/30/22 12:45 PM

Originally Posted by S Fatherree
Originally Posted by dawdallas
What line do you use for large swimbaits. I have not used them and purchased my first one recently and not sure what line to use.



The best line size for big swimbaits is largely determined by the weight of the lure itself. With a 7-8" soft plastic hollow body swimbait you can get away with using fresh line as light as 17lb but for most large sized swimbaits I prefer to use at least 20-25lb fluorocarbon. A large swimbait will attract large bass so you want to have strong line not only for the sake of preventing the lure from breaking free during your cast but also to handle reeling in bass over 5-6lbs, sometimes quite quickly around heavy cover. Remember to read the line diameter on different brands of line as they can vary for example Berkley Trilene 100% Fluorocarbon line that says 20lb actually has the diameter closer to 25lb lines of other brands. I'll typically use 25lb fluorocarbon for heavy swimbaits like the Deps Slide Swimmer 250s or when casting an umbrella rig with swimbaits that have heavier heads made for a fast retrieve or for fishing offshore in deeper water. I hope this helps!


thumb
Posted By: Ken A.

Re: What line do you use for large swimbaits? - 04/30/22 12:57 PM

Originally Posted by dawdallas
The 3:16 lures that are about 8".


I spoke to Mickey Ellis owner of 3:16 lures. His 8" Workhorse hard bait is 3.5 oz and he recommends 20# Flo.

I throw it on 25# Gamma Flo. It is expensive but brutally strong & has very low memory for the size it is. I have the same line on my big bait reel since Dec and have been very impressed with it. I caught a 10.17 and a 12.80 on this line in the past 2 months and they both had their teeth all over the line. No issues.

I throw the 8" HInkle shad on same line and it weighs 6.5 oz. My go-to bait is the 8" Mag Draft rigged weedless with a 10/0 weighted Beast and I use the same line for it as well.
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