bay fishing braid question - Kayak Fishing Adventures on Big Water’s Edge

chefchatten · 01-26-2010, 03:40 PM

IMHO You def need a leader when bass fishing...braided line looks like rope to the fish. Mono or fluoro

I have always had a hard time casting braided line on a bait caster but love it on a spinning reel.

robmandel · 01-26-2010, 06:25 PM

I don't recommend spectra for bass fishing like that. I do alot of fishing in newport and there's really no need for spectra like kelp. also, alot of the fishing you need the stretch (swimmies, crank baits, spinners, etc) of mono and I think it casts better in casting reels. it does this for no other reason than most small baitcasters don't have a synched levelwind and the spectra will end up getting crossed up and over itself, and will end up in a na-a-a-a-asty birds nest.

I fish straight spectra with a short top shot on in the kelp with the jig baits, and other slow plastics like zoom flukes. but alot of the strikes come on the sink and you're in free spool and can give a few feet of line to run off before you set the hook. and there I need the spectra as I toss it literally right into the middle of the kelp and let it work down. also use it on topwater suff like slugs and weedless jig rigged swimbaits (pour my own jigs and use heavy weedguard) which I skip across the top.

not everyone will agree with my sentiment on spectra here. but if you do go with it, use a softer, slower action rod. (by the way, i used to, that's used to, use spectra on my offshore swimbait rod until I kept missing hooksets) i'd basically say as a rule spectra for two things: a) kelp w/short topshot and b) backing with 50yds topshot.

dsafety · 01-26-2010, 06:51 PM

I don't do a lot of bay fishing but I prefer lightweight spectra on my small spool reels because it does not have the memory that mono does. Maybe I have just been using the wrong brand of mono but whenever I have tried it on small reels, the line comes off all curled up in ringlets making casting very difficult. I agree that a leader is important but if you plan to cast, it cannot be too long.

Bob

taggermike · 01-27-2010, 02:41 PM

Thanks for the replys. I fished out of 24th Street in south SD Bay this morning with one outfit set with strait braid and the other with a fluoro leader as a head to head experiment. So much for that good idea. The fishing was very slow for me and I only picked up one small spotty on a drop shot set up in the rod holder. Rob M I went to braid in the bay because I have been using more soft palstic jerk baits, zooms and sluggos, lately and I've been missing bites while fishing slack line with mono. Mike

bender0240 · 01-27-2010, 04:52 PM

I'm all about 6 lb Fireline. It's about as thick as 2 lb mono so I believe it to get many more bites. I'd ALWAYS catch more than my dad who always stuck with mono. I personally wouldn't use 20lb in the bay, since bay fishing's charm is catching a lot of fish, I feel it would diminish the numbers.

Lil Dougie · 01-27-2010, 07:51 PM

If you like the fun of actually fighting a fish dont use 20 lbs test in the bay. 10-12 lbs test is all you should need.

greenscales · 01-28-2010, 12:00 AM

I haven't posted on the subject in a while, and it was always about larger tests of Spectra. I used to be the rep for the Southwest for one of the larger brands of quality Spectra. In freshwater and inshore saltwater Spectra in 30lb and below is intended to be fished more by diameter and not by strength. You are still fishing a 6-15lb. to 10-20lb. rods with freshwater reels. It is more about smaller diameter and lower stretch for sensitivity.

As for the comparison of Newport to San Diego, totally different fishing styles/depths. San Diego is deeper, has stronger currents, and more diverse species--making the case for Spectra. In my previous posts (years ago) about heavier test Spectra for Big Game, I discussed the issue of faster action rods possibly having issues with Spectra if not used correctly. For the lighter rods, don't worry about action, but set you drags appropriately - not to the line test but to the rods rating, no more than 1/3 of the rod's maxed out line test. If you go with too soft of a rod, then you defeat the purpose of the low stretch, thus loosing the increased sensitivity of the Spectra.

I often pay more attention to the breaking strength of the leader over the Spectra. Definitely use a leader, even just a few feet. If you use fluorocarbon, go with a good quality leader material, not from a 200yd. spool of fluoro line. Better abrasion resistance and can handle the shock better. If you go straight Spectra, then you will have a hard time busting off if you get you lure snagged, causing even greater problems. Likewise, don't buy cheap Spectra, the good stuff costs money to make but will last years. I don't mean to step on toes and just trying to provide some accurate information--hope this is helpful.

01-27-2010, 07:51 PM	#6
Lil Dougie Junior Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Pacific Beach Posts: 15	If you like the fun of actually fighting a fish dont use 20 lbs test in the bay. 10-12 lbs test is all you should need. __________________

01-28-2010, 12:00 AM	#7
greenscales greenscales Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Monrovia Posts: 116	A Little Spectra Education I haven't posted on the subject in a while, and it was always about larger tests of Spectra. I used to be the rep for the Southwest for one of the larger brands of quality Spectra. In freshwater and inshore saltwater Spectra in 30lb and below is intended to be fished more by diameter and not by strength. You are still fishing a 6-15lb. to 10-20lb. rods with freshwater reels. It is more about smaller diameter and lower stretch for sensitivity. As for the comparison of Newport to San Diego, totally different fishing styles/depths. San Diego is deeper, has stronger currents, and more diverse species--making the case for Spectra. In my previous posts (years ago) about heavier test Spectra for Big Game, I discussed the issue of faster action rods possibly having issues with Spectra if not used correctly. For the lighter rods, don't worry about action, but set you drags appropriately - not to the line test but to the rods rating, no more than 1/3 of the rod's maxed out line test. If you go with too soft of a rod, then you defeat the purpose of the low stretch, thus loosing the increased sensitivity of the Spectra. I often pay more attention to the breaking strength of the leader over the Spectra. Definitely use a leader, even just a few feet. If you use fluorocarbon, go with a good quality leader material, not from a 200yd. spool of fluoro line. Better abrasion resistance and can handle the shock better. If you go straight Spectra, then you will have a hard time busting off if you get you lure snagged, causing even greater problems. Likewise, don't buy cheap Spectra, the good stuff costs money to make but will last years. I don't mean to step on toes and just trying to provide some accurate information--hope this is helpful.

01-26-2010, 03:40 PM	#1
chefchatten Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: 92107 Posts: 36	IMHO You def need a leader when bass fishing...braided line looks like rope to the fish. Mono or fluoro I have always had a hard time casting braided line on a bait caster but love it on a spinning reel.

01-26-2010, 06:25 PM	#2
robmandel Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 186	I don't recommend spectra for bass fishing like that. I do alot of fishing in newport and there's really no need for spectra like kelp. also, alot of the fishing you need the stretch (swimmies, crank baits, spinners, etc) of mono and I think it casts better in casting reels. it does this for no other reason than most small baitcasters don't have a synched levelwind and the spectra will end up getting crossed up and over itself, and will end up in a na-a-a-a-asty birds nest. I fish straight spectra with a short top shot on in the kelp with the jig baits, and other slow plastics like zoom flukes. but alot of the strikes come on the sink and you're in free spool and can give a few feet of line to run off before you set the hook. and there I need the spectra as I toss it literally right into the middle of the kelp and let it work down. also use it on topwater suff like slugs and weedless jig rigged swimbaits (pour my own jigs and use heavy weedguard) which I skip across the top. not everyone will agree with my sentiment on spectra here. but if you do go with it, use a softer, slower action rod. (by the way, i used to, that's used to, use spectra on my offshore swimbait rod until I kept missing hooksets) i'd basically say as a rule spectra for two things: a) kelp w/short topshot and b) backing with 50yds topshot.

01-26-2010, 06:51 PM	#3
dsafety Olivenhain Bob Join Date: May 2008 Location: Olivenhain, CA Posts: 1,122	I don't do a lot of bay fishing but I prefer lightweight spectra on my small spool reels because it does not have the memory that mono does. Maybe I have just been using the wrong brand of mono but whenever I have tried it on small reels, the line comes off all curled up in ringlets making casting very difficult. I agree that a leader is important but if you plan to cast, it cannot be too long. Bob

01-27-2010, 02:41 PM	#4
taggermike Senior Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Chula Vista Posts: 1,589	Thanks for the replys. I fished out of 24th Street in south SD Bay this morning with one outfit set with strait braid and the other with a fluoro leader as a head to head experiment. So much for that good idea. The fishing was very slow for me and I only picked up one small spotty on a drop shot set up in the rod holder. Rob M I went to braid in the bay because I have been using more soft palstic jerk baits, zooms and sluggos, lately and I've been missing bites while fishing slack line with mono. Mike

01-27-2010, 04:52 PM	#5
bender0240 Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 118	I'm all about 6 lb Fireline. It's about as thick as 2 lb mono so I believe it to get many more bites. I'd ALWAYS catch more than my dad who always stuck with mono. I personally wouldn't use 20lb in the bay, since bay fishing's charm is catching a lot of fish, I feel it would diminish the numbers.