fish line strength?

[EdS]

OK I'm after some advice as the line on my reel is over 20 years old now.

I want osme line for sea fishing - from the rocks. A bit of bait fishing and soem spinning - i've been advised variously form 12lb to 30lb is what I need.

So waht is the general opion for suitable line?

 

[spamel]

20 lbs is quite a strength on it, it's been a long time since my beach casting days but I used to use around 12 to 15 with a strong leader line for casting. If you're spinning then you should be OK to use a lighter line as you shouldn't get snagged and can use the drag clutch to set the tension on the line so it won't (hopefully!) snap on you!

 

[EdS]

I must learn to spell some.

 

[TeeDee]

SOME. S - O - M - E. some.




could'nt resist...

 

[nodd]

For spinning I tend to use 8lb which will handle a good size fish for beach fishing I would use 15lb with a about 50lb shock leader hope this helps.

 

[Front Room Woodlander]

I'm with Nodd on this one.

(However the only true fisherman is a fly fisherman)

 

[Bushwhacker]

You're talking about fishing from the rocks, so I'd say go for 20 - 25lb. You may have to 'handball' the fish up rather than land it like you would on a beach and also there will be more resistance to abrasion from the rocks.

Spinning for mackerel 8 - 10lb is fine.

 

[Intertidal]

Eds
What type of reel is it, fixed spool or multiplier?
For spinning I use fixed spool with interchangeable spools of 6, 8 and 12 lb mono, depending on type of ground, likelihood of catching down on weed etc.
For beachcasting I use a multiplier (Abu 6500) loaded with 15lb mainline and 60 lb shockleader. I also have a big fixed spool reel (Ryobi 8000) rigged the same for my second beach rod.
If rock fishing the shock leader is 'dual role' as it allows you to hand haul fish up the rocks as Bushwhacker describes.

 

[daveO]

15lbs is a good allround strength, don't go any heavier for spinning and add a shock leader to cast heavier leads. 50-80lbs depending on what weight you are casting and with what.

Work out the length of shock leader depending on the venue, off a pier you need enough length to be able to grab it to haul a heavy fish up for example. Or off the rocks you might want a couple of turns on the reel when you're trying to haul a fish in.

You can cast a light spinner further with a lighter line though. I've got 4 spools for my spinning reels, 15lb, 8lbs, 4lbs and 20lbs braid for boat fishing. All bases covered

 

[EdS]

fixed spool reel.

I'm thinking of using the 12lb mon line I've got with a 10m or so of 60lb shock leader.

That should keep the cost fown

 

[daveO]

For the shock leader you need enough to go up and down the rod with a few turns on the reel as a minimum.

12lbs will be fine if the ground isn't too rough out where you fish

 

[Opal]

It also depends on where yer fishing, how near to the water yer are, I've fished many rock areas, in fact it's one of my favourite types of fishing, I use a couple of spinning rods, a 1oz to 3oz and a lighter one of 30g, 8lb line on one and a 15lb braid on the other if its not sharp rocks I'm on as braid can be cut no bother on rock.

I also use a small 1/2oz lead under my rod tip if there is a drop beneath me to catch some decent Wrasse.

Casting out with bait on, with a beachcaster, I'd use a 5oz lead, 15lb reel line and a shock leader of 50lb, no need to go overboard on the shock leader like I see some, yer not in a competition are yer?

if it's snaggy area, use a lead lift.
Good luck.

 

[daveO]

It's something like 10lb/oz of lead for shock leader strength I think.

 

[johnnytheboy]

Check out diawa sensor mono, bulk spool for about £7, cheap and chearful, and it is robust stuff.

 

[butephoto]

12lb for spinning is fine but for bait I would just go 30lb straight through and not bother with a shockleader. 15lb mainline for that is just going to snap every time you hit a snag and you're not going to be competition casting so 30lb for a 5oz lead will do. I wouldn't bait fish from rocks or in snaggy weed areas with less than 30lb because more often than not if you pull on that the hook will bend before the line snaps. If the lead's stuck then too bad. I usually float from the rocks anyway with ragworm for the pollack and wrasse

 

[gsfgaz]

20lb to be safe from the dreaded kelp...... then if u do get snagged u'll be able to get it back.....

 

[DavidJT]

Always braid for spinning IMHO. About 12lb usually. Landed some fairly decent sea trout on that, with my mini 3'6" spinning rod + a Toby, great fun!
Usually fish from quite smooth glaciated rocks though, so previous post about shap rocks cutting braid may well be true. The lack of memory and therefore less tangles is the main reason to go with braid when spinning, especially at night.