Line selection for Bait Finesse System fishing? 2025

fishwizzard reply :

I have got the BFS bug pretty hard but I am struggling with finding a line that works for me. Right now my combo is a Phenix C682 with a PX68. So far I have used 6lb YZ Hybrid, 10lb Super 8 Slick, and 14lb YGK G-Soul X-8 Braid. None of them are really wowing me, specific gripes below:

1) The Hybrid casts well and is easy to pick out the inevitable backlashes, but it seems really weak. I have been using it for a while now on one of my finesse spinning combos with no issue, but it seems to break all the time when on the casting reel. Strangely, a large number of the breaks are far from the knot, often 30-60' into the line. Yesterday I had maybe 30' break off during a cast and today I bombed a lure maybe 60' out, then when I went to give the line a tug to tighten the spool, it snapped right below where I held it. I suspect that my constant tugging to tighten the spool is weakening the line, but I fish with my break really really loose (trying to train myself to keep my thumb on the spool during the retrieve and hook-set) and I am stop and pick out any time it wants more pressure then I can give with two fingers. Does this sound like the likely cause of my break-offs?

2) The Super 8 cast very well, but seemed like it would fray with the slightest contact with anything and it tangled badly in even the slightest wind. To be fair I was fishing it by Harpers Ferry, so a ton of rocks, but it still seems much more fragile then the Suffix 832 I use on my spinning reels.

3) The G-Soul was just insane, I must have read the diameter info wrong as the 14lb was crazy thin, like hair. It is so thin that if I close my eyes I have a hard time telling if it is between my fingers. While it did let me cast a 1/6oz spinner about a mile, it was predictable awful with tangles and backlashes were impossible to pull or pick out. I quickly moved the line to my UL spinning reel where it works great.

So after all this, I ask, what do you use use on your BFS setups? I would like to stick with either Hybrid or a floro line so I don't have to mess with a leader, but I am open to any suggestions. Right now I would prefer something that is easy to pick backlashes out of, rather then going for max casing distance. Hopefully as I get more proficient with this combo and learn it's limits I will backlash it less, but for now I want something I bit forgiving but also tougher/stronger then the lines I have tried.

Thanks.

Swamp Rat reply :

I have been using 6lb Maxima Ultra Green for years, but just spooled up Gamma Poly Flex 6lb on 2 of my rigs and so far so good. I never use flouro because it really isn't necessary here in the tannic waters of South Florida, so either 6lb copolymer or 12lb braid are what I prefer.

Jeff H reply :

I use 4 or 6lb mono and 6/2 Fireline. I just ain't real picky about it. Like the 4lb mono best I guess.

The Bassman reply :

Something's definitely amiss with those deep breakoffs. YZ is pretty tough stuff. 6 lb. is actually most manufacturer's 8. I would suspect that some of your backlashes left some hard kinks in the line. If you're really wanting to pursue BFS with mono 6 lb. YZ is as stout as you want to go. Also, rarely do you hear reference made to bombing baits with BFS. Try easy sidearm casts.

new2BC4bass reply :

A member here that has often given me excellent advice has said that Spiderwire Ultracast Ultimate Mono is the best mono he has ever used. This was about a year after he recommended Silver Thread AN40 to me. I currently have a couple 3000 yd. spools of 8# and 12# AN40 so I won't be investing in any Ultimate Mono for awhile. It has been doing well for me. I also have some Silver Thread Excalibur on a couple reels. So far, so good.

I read good things about McCoy Mean Green. I've got some Izorline XXX waiting to be used. Have read good things about this line, too. I think your line breaking is from the backlashes you are incurring by running your brakes so loose. I also think it is possible that some lines are more prone than others to break from backlashes. I had some P-Line CX do the same thing to me while learning to use a baitcast reel. Made a cast only to find the line was broken in the spool.

It is another story, but I had to relearn to cast the second year into baitcast reels, and backlashed quite often, but didn't have a single break in the reel. I was using a different line that time.

fishwizzard reply :

On 11/18/2016 at 9:39 AM, The Bassman said:

Something's definitely amiss with those deep breakoffs. YZ is pretty tough stuff. 6 lb. is actually most manufacturer's 8. I would suspect that some of your backlashes left some hard kinks in the line. If you're really wanting to pursue BFS with mono 6 lb. YZ is as stout as you want to go. Also, rarely do you hear reference made to bombing baits with BFS. Try easy sidearm casts.

Yea, I pulled like 10' off the spool and was playing with it after dinner. If I thread a live end through a loop and yank hard it absolutely leaves an indentation in the line at the loop. If I keep using it I will have to be more careful pulling out loose coils to insure I don't yank against an actual backlash.

I also found about 100-150' of 10lb Sufix 832 on a spool I thought was empty. I used some of the YZH as backing and refilled my spool. I love the stuff in my finesse spinning reel but was putting off ordering an other spool until Black Friday, so I hadn't tried it on the PX68 yet. I hope it works well.

And in my slight defense, I was bombing my lure out there to reach a group of stocker Rainbows that were clustering around a bit of offshore structure. I could see them jumping just out side of my reasonable casting range and couldn't resist trying to get a lure out to them. Managed to get around 12, so I guess it was worth half a spool of line. I really need to start keeping a 1/4oz Kastmaster with me at all times for when I need just a bit more distance.

MassYak85 reply :

Nice to hear I'm not the only one that had issues with super 8 slick. I got more wind knots using that stuff for a week than I had from years and years of using regular power pro.

roadwarrior reply :

The break-offs are caused by the weak spots that are created by kinks in the line when you backlash. I suggest trying a different line such as Izorline, P-Line or InvizX.

fishwizzard reply :

It is heartening to hear that other co-polymer line might work. I am going to track down the actual breaking strengths of a few and see what I can pick up during the assorted BF sales.

Hogsticker reply :

If you want to stick with a fluoro, pony up and get some 8 lb Tatsu. It's about as trouble free of a fluorocarbon you will find. It's really nice line. It's what I run on my finesse slack line presentation set up. What do you use yours for? That could help answer your dilemma. I also find no need to run a leader with small diameter braids. I recommend Seaguar Smackdown or Maxima braid. Similar behavior to the super slick 8 without the garbage fraying. I have yet to find a co poly that handles as well as Tatsu and offers the same slack line sensitivity so I bagged that idea all together. Seaguar also has a new finesse fluorocarbon on the market that sounds similar to Tatsu with smaller diameters.

WRB reply :

The only braid I us is Fins and Fins WindTamer 20 lb , .009 dia, 8 carrier, should work for you if braid is your goal.

Sunline Natural mono 8 lb or Super Sniper FC , both .009 dia, smaller than Yo-Zuri 6 lb, would also work and isn't too expensive so you can change it every 6 outings or so.

Just a suggestion, use line conditioner like Tangle Free to help reduce backlashes when using mono or FC line.

Backlashes, don't pull out the loops, put your thumb on the spool snug and reel the line back onto the spool. Now slowly pull off the spooled line into the water until you are pasts the loos line, backlash is gone, no pulling.

Tom

fishnkamp reply :

Check out P Line Halo. Just make sure to drop the spool of line in hot water just before you spool it an you should like the way it plays. 6 and 8 pound ought to do the trick. 8 pound Halo breaks way higher. so does p Line CXX 10 # in moss green.

.ghoti. reply :

I have two BFS setups. Six pound test on both. Invizx on one. Super Natural on the other.

Drew03cmc reply :

I would suggest trying something along the lines of 15/4 PP or even 10/2.

CrustyMono reply :

10 pound brand, small line to one knot to a 6 pound leader

WRB reply :

Not a fan of using 2 or 4 carrier braid because it flattens like a ribbon and causing wind knots, digging into loose spooled line and backlashes on bait casting reels. Also don't recommend braid less than .009 dia for the above reasons.

The OP has a excellent outfit and needs to find line he has confidence using.

Tom

fishwizzard reply :

I went out the other day and fished the combo for any hour or three with the 150' of 10lb Sufix 832 I spooled up. It was a decently windy day, but the spot I was working was pretty sheltered and I was never casting directly into the wind.

I really liked how the 832 worked! It cast well, though not as well as the Super 8 or G-Soul, and I didn't really have much in the way of wind knots or tip-wraps. I did get a single bad backlash but I was able to pop the spool out and clear it. The loose coil issue was still present, but far less so then with the Hybrid. The coils were far easier to pull out and the "sharp" nature of the braid kept me from trying to pull too hard.

As to what kind of fishing I want to use this combo for, the answer is a bit of everything. I do most of my fishing from the bank or wading and I only bring a single rod. Right now I have a ML spinning combo for streams/rivers and more open water and a M spinning combo for larger waters or more cover-filled spots. I am trying to put together a matching set of casting combos to switch out to for some variety and greater options. I run braid+leader on both of the spinning combos. I was looking to go for a co-polymer or floro on the casting combos as I really prefer it on my MH casting combo and feel that, in my experience, they both work better for pitching then braid. It looks like most of the other co-polymers that were recommended are pretty inexpensive, so I will pick a few different ones up and give them a go.

I am also going to try using thinner braid without leader and coloring it black with a marker. One of the spots I wade is very shallow and very clear, but sometimes produces close to 100 bass days. Next time I am in the middle of a good bite I will cut my leader off and give the marker plan a try.

1201vilbig reply :

I use Hi-Seas Grand Slam Select co-poly in 8 lb test with no issues.

Kidflex reply :

20lb original sufix performance braid. 6 carrier braid design I believe. Very "abrasion resistant" compared to other braids. Smooth and tough. All other 8 carrier braids in low poundage (10-20lb) frays way too easy.

Hogsticker reply :

On 11/22/2016 at 3:07 PM, Kidflex said:

20lb original sufix performance braid. 6 carrier braid design I believe. Very "abrasion resistant" compared to other braids. Smooth and tough. All other 8 carrier braids in low poundage (10-20lb) frays way too easy.

It's a 4 carrier braid, but a nice one at that. Seaguar Smackdown doesn't fray to bad at all in lower tests.

Kidflex reply :

Thanks for the correction. The y6 braiding system threw me off. It is good, nonetheless

Gavin.Ange reply :

Seaguar makes some new rippin mono and finesse flurocarbon that comes in 5.2lb, 6.2lb, 7.3lb and 8.4lb. It came out at ICAST

Preytorien reply :

There's no way I would've ever used the YGK on a casting reel. The diameters are waaaay too thin, as you found out. I use Gliss, which is similarly thin and I can't imagine using it on my Curado 71XHG, which right now is spooled with 30lb Slick 8

alkaiser reply :

I've been using 6# YZ Hybrid and 7# Sunline Sniper for a couple years with no issues. I've also used the same line to catch halibut and saltwater bass. I haven't had a fish break off in 2 years.

fishwizzard reply :

On 11/23/2016 at 3:03 AM, Preytorien said:

There's no way I would've ever used the YGK on a casting reel. The diameters are waaaay too thin, as you found out. I use Gliss, which is similarly thin and I can't imagine using it on my Curado 71XHG, which right now is spooled with 30lb Slick 8

Yea, no idea how I misread the diameter so badly. Even while spooling it on I knew it wouldn't work I am pigheaded so I went ahead with it. Only lost about 100' max before I gave up and stuck in on my UL combo.

But man, on the few clean casts, that stuff would let a ned rig sail clear over the horizon.

Preytorien reply :

On 11/23/2016 at 11:14 AM, Bunnielab said:

Yea, no idea how I misread the diameter so badly. Even while spooling it on I knew it wouldn't work I am pigheaded so I went ahead with it. Only lost about 100' max before I gave up and stuck in on my UL combo.

But man, on the few clean casts, that stuff would let a ned rig sail clear over the horizon.

I bet! I've been thinking of trying it on my favorite spinning setup.

5824

Line selection for Bait Finesse System fishing? 2025

related Fishing Rods Reels Line Knots topic

previous topic

next topic

most viewed Fishing Rods Reels Line Knots topic