Spectra - Kayak Fishing Adventures on Big Water’s Edge

bubblehide · 07-01-2015, 05:57 AM

Murray, if someone doesn't cover it, I'll post up this evening, I am short on time right now. But keep in mind, it's not all about the line, you will also want a parabolic rod; I'll go over that also if someone else doesn't.

Gotta run!

alfsteur · 07-01-2015, 06:23 AM

No mono backing for me, I lost a big YT a while back with that set up. I'm certainly no expert, but 65lb braid to 40lb fluoro worked well for me.

619-SWIM-DOG · 07-01-2015, 06:38 AM

50lb Braid to two arms lengths of 40lb Floro.................

bubblehide · 07-01-2015, 08:44 PM

Murray, most guys that fish sport boats want white or yellow spectra, so they can easily see and follow their line; a few fish blue so it blends in with the water better. But pretty much everyone uses floro topshots. Most kayak guys use green, as they want it to blend into the usually shallow waters they fish (compared to the open water sport boat fisherman); again with floro topshots.

Mono stretches, and back in the day, when everyone was fishing mono, or long mono topshots (100 yards or more) stiffer non-parabolic rods were all the rage, like the Calstar Grafighters. However, spectra does not stretch, and a short floro topshot really does not provide any stretch, so fisherman have turned to parbolic rods (Seeker happened to be on top of this while Calstar was still stuck on their Graphfighters, and subsequently gained in the market). So why is all this important, well you need some give when fighting a fish, for 2 reasons, one, it's just plan hard on you. 2, so you don't go pulling hooks; and to maintain tension when a fish thrashes it's head back and forth. So now, with short topshots, the rod is now doing what stretchy mono did. Don't get me wrong, you still want a rod with good back bone, but with a softer/slower action instead of a fast action as the Graphfighters are known for.

Hope that helps.

Gunner58 · 07-01-2015, 09:47 PM

I agree with what everyone has said above. I generally have all braid (power pro green) on all of my rods ranging from 20lbs to 50lbs and always have a floro leader about 6 to 10 feet. You feel every bump in the sand and the lightest bites. I will never go back to mono.

07-01-2015, 05:57 AM	#1
bubblehide Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 552	Murray, if someone doesn't cover it, I'll post up this evening, I am short on time right now. But keep in mind, it's not all about the line, you will also want a parabolic rod; I'll go over that also if someone else doesn't. Gotta run!

07-01-2015, 06:23 AM	#2
alfsteur Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: San Diego Posts: 129	No mono backing for me, I lost a big YT a while back with that set up. I'm certainly no expert, but 65lb braid to 40lb fluoro worked well for me.

07-01-2015, 06:38 AM	#3
619-SWIM-DOG Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: San Diego Posts: 619	50lb Braid to two arms lengths of 40lb Floro.................

07-01-2015, 08:44 PM	#4
bubblehide Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 552	Murray, most guys that fish sport boats want white or yellow spectra, so they can easily see and follow their line; a few fish blue so it blends in with the water better. But pretty much everyone uses floro topshots. Most kayak guys use green, as they want it to blend into the usually shallow waters they fish (compared to the open water sport boat fisherman); again with floro topshots. Mono stretches, and back in the day, when everyone was fishing mono, or long mono topshots (100 yards or more) stiffer non-parabolic rods were all the rage, like the Calstar Grafighters. However, spectra does not stretch, and a short floro topshot really does not provide any stretch, so fisherman have turned to parbolic rods (Seeker happened to be on top of this while Calstar was still stuck on their Graphfighters, and subsequently gained in the market). So why is all this important, well you need some give when fighting a fish, for 2 reasons, one, it's just plan hard on you. 2, so you don't go pulling hooks; and to maintain tension when a fish thrashes it's head back and forth. So now, with short topshots, the rod is now doing what stretchy mono did. Don't get me wrong, you still want a rod with good back bone, but with a softer/slower action instead of a fast action as the Graphfighters are known for. Hope that helps.

07-01-2015, 09:47 PM	#5
Gunner58 Member Join Date: May 2015 Posts: 81	I agree with what everyone has said above. I generally have all braid (power pro green) on all of my rods ranging from 20lbs to 50lbs and always have a floro leader about 6 to 10 feet. You feel every bump in the sand and the lightest bites. I will never go back to mono.