New Guy -- Question for Spinning Reel Line 2025

ford4wd08 reply :

Hello all,

My name is Jordan. New to the site. I have an 11 year old I am starting out on bass fishing with me. I fished a lot as a youth, but haven't done so much in the last few years. I have ordered him and myself a couple of budget rods/reel combos that I think will do us fine (I have other bait caster and spinning reels, but I want him and I to use the same set up for now). I ended up going with Pflueger President Reel (30 size).

My question is what type of line should I start a youngster out with that is easy to manage and won't twist up on him (problem in the past)?

I am leaning towards braid as it should be easiest to use, but I don't want him trying to yank on things if he is to get hung up or whatever.

I would like to stay on a little bit of a budget, was thinking of braid or flouro, any suggestions?

PS: Most fishing will be soft plastics like texas rig or weightless worm set up.

Jar11591 reply :

I would reccomend 10lb braid. Handles perfectly on a spinning reel.

The Bassman reply :

The most important thing is to teach him to close the bail manually, not with the internal trip. also, when retrieving keep a little tension on the line. It doesn't have to be held between the fingers, just a little contact with an extended index finger. These two things would solve a lot of guys issues with spinning tackle.

roadwarrior reply :

Braided line is a TERRIBLE choice for new anglers. Braid can be VERY dangerous.

I suggest something simple like #8 Trilene for spinning tackle and #10 XL for

baitcasting,

fishnkamp reply :

We all have our preferences. Both my wife and use those exact reels. In fact we have several Presidents in 20, 30 and 35 sizes. What we do is load some quality 14 pound Stren mono on the reel so it is filled 1/2 way up. We tie on Berkley 14 pound test original Fireline braid. It is the same diameter as 6 pound mono. If I want to I will add a 5 foot piece of 8 pound mono on the end as a leader. Doing this means I get two reels spooled up with one spool of braid and the mono backing is inexpensive like $8 a spool. That setup works very well for us regardless if we are fishing here on the Chesapeake Bay rivers or out in Tennessee and Kentucky in those deep clear lakes. That line will rarely coil or give you any issues. I know that sounds a little complicated but once you fill one reel that way it becomes only natural. If you go bobber fishing just play with the leader maybe only 6 pound test mono for panfish. I use a good knot called a double uni or uni to uni knot to attach both the backing and leader to the main braid.

Darren. reply :

Welcome aboard!

I've got 4 boys and started them all out pretty young.

While I do agree that Trilene XL in 8lbs is a great starting point,

and I did use it for a while, I was not afraid to use braid on their

setups. However, I was always with them and when they got

hung up, I'd teach them how TO do and how NOT to do things in

getting a snag loose.

I've got 2 in college now, and 2 in high school. They've learned

their lessons at a young age with braid, and use it exclusively

to this day on both spinning and casting gear.

So the lighter pound test, the more braid can cut in to your hands

or arm depending on how you try to pull loose a snag. I'd suggest

having something like a 12" section of a dowel rod you take with

you that you can wrap the line around to either pull the snag loose

or break off.

islandbass reply :

Folks will disagree with me on line and that’s okay. Trilene xl or suffix siege are very affordable and so is trilene big game. You can find a large spool if I think 600 yards for a darn tootin’ good price.

Monofilament. It’s the most practical and economical line. I’m an absolute big no for fluorocarbon. Braid can cut fingers so I’d refrain from using it for now.

Line twist is an inevitable and unavoidable reality with spinning reels. That is a fact. Even a Stradic would eventually succumb to line twist. You can’t get around it, but you can minimize it by teaching him to close the bail manually and to make sure he has tension in the BEFORE he begins his retrieve.

Another thing he can do when using lures that have high potential to twist the line is to every once in awhile let the lure dangle about the rod’s length of line and let the line “rest”. You will see the Line untwist itself in an undulating motion. He can do this when using line twisting lures once every 20 casts or so and it only takes a few seconds.

If you start him off this way with what I mentioned, problems with line twist will be a thing of the past.

A Size 30 reel could handle 10# line very well. Hopefully it won’t be too heavy.

ford4wd08 reply :

Thanks for all the comments.

He wouldn't be using it without my supervision.

I have used Big Game almost exclusively for years.

I might try some mono for him to begin with, at least I won't be in too deep ($) on the line.

I might spool mine with braid.

It has been a very long time since I fished with braid, as I recall spider wire and such was really getting traction back then.

Guess the biggest point is don't over think it and get out on the water to get the boy fishing.

the reel ess reply :

I tried braid on a baitcaster when I was younger without the benefit of the InterWebs to tell me all about it. I didn't like it one bit. Now that I'm used to it, I can't imagine not using it. It helps greatly with hooksets and covers a lot of deficiencies and all but eliminates line twist if you handle the reel correctly as mentioned above. I wouldn't go back if you paid me. Even so, if he'll be fishing for bass, I'd still probably start him on mono until he has the hang of it. It's a lot easier and cheaper to cut mono tangles out and even respool than it is with braid.

Brad in Texas reply :

I'd start out a novice with monofilament for a season. Some of the Sufix products, Elite would be one, are not at all like the old mono lines. Very good lines.

But, I'd then move on to braid and try to stay with 10 lbs. or less, leaders when required. If the person you are introducing to fishing will only be a casual angler, a time or two a year, just stick with mono.

No, to beginning with straight fluorocarbon, perhaps another "no" to ending up with it. But, better fluorocarbon lines are coming out each and every year, so . . .

Brad

Crankin4Bass reply :

Welcome aboard!

I would go with 8 LB Trilene XL. The Pflueger President is a great real. I have 4 of them and they are rock solid.

A great tip I learned here was when the line gets twisted just let it out behind your boat or kayak without anything tied on and troll for a few minutes and the line twist will straighten out. Did it this weekend and worked like a charm!

Enjoy fishing with your kid! Some of my best childhood memories are fishing with my dad.

FishTank reply :

Like others have said 8lb or 10lb Trilene XL. Cheap, easy to find, and pretty dependable line. Good luck.

ford4wd08 reply :

Thanks for all the suggestions guys.

I'll get them spooled up this weekend for some fishing next week.

ford4wd08 reply :

So I know I may be opening a can of worms here.... (fishing joke)

What braid would y'all recommend for my setup? I am thinking 10 or 15 pound test. Any brand outshine others right now?

One last thing how much braid will a 30 president hold? If i buy a 300 yard spool would that be enough?

I prefer not to use anything for backing right now.

Brad in Texas reply :

On 7/19/2018 at 11:58 PM, ford4wd08 said:

So I know I may be opening a can of worms here.... (fishing joke)

What braid would y'all recommend for my setup? I am thinking 10 or 15 pound test. Any brand outshine others right now?

One last thing how much braid will a 30 president hold? If i buy a 300 yard spool would that be enough?

I prefer not to use anything for backing right now.

Well, if no backing, secure the line to the arbor using the tape method. I don't believe I have ever read a bad review of Sufix 832. I'd likely get the yellow, whatever they call it, as it is easier to see.

Others will have different ideas here but anything over 10 lbs. is overkill for a standard sized spinning reel/rod for freshwater fishing.

If you haven't already, be certain that you understand the unique nature of spinning gear, how it is operated to land a fish. It differs from casting gear.

Brad

islandbass reply :

A 30 sized reel is huge for braid that small. Since you're not wanting to use a backing, then you should think about buying a bulk spool of braid. 300 yds of 10# braid probably will not spill a 30 sized reel. You have to account that 10# test has the mono equivalent diameter of about 2# test and a 30 sized reel probably holds 150 yds of 10# mono a a rough guess.

The only braid I've used is old school power pro.Great line.

A-Jay reply :

On 7/19/2018 at 11:58 PM, ford4wd08 said:

So I know I may be opening a can of worms here.... (fishing joke)

What braid would y'all recommend for my setup? I am thinking 10 or 15 pound test. Any brand outshine others right now?

One last thing how much braid will a 30 president hold? If i buy a 300 yard spool would that be enough?

I prefer not to use anything for backing right now.

Clearly nothing 'wrong' with not using backing.

However, it is simply a waste of resources.

If you are only using it for bass fishing, you will never ever come close to using more than the top 25 % of that spool.

My recommendation is to buy a 'bulk' spool of 10 lb Big Game mono ( 1500 yds for like 9 bucks) and load it about 2/3's full. The tie a connection knot (blood knot or Uni to Uni Knot) and spin the spool full with Sufix 832 10, 15, or 20 lb braid (depending on what you're doing with it).

You're done.

A-Jay

HeavyDluxe reply :

My father always said, "If you can't reel it in on 14lb [then duPont] Stren, I don't want it in the boat." And I reeled a lot of stuff in from the Delaware Bay on 14lb Stren - including some thing _I_ didn't even want in the boat. So I guess he was right.

While recognizing that there are specific applications where braid or fluorocarbon might be better, I maintain that it's not a mistake to use appropriately-weighted mono for all-around setups. It just works...

Personally, 6-8lb Trilene XL is now what I use (sorry to my DuPont father) on all my kids' spinning setups. Sure, they can't frog fish in slop that way... But they can catch infantile panfish one day with worms, bobbers, and a bit of split-shot while turning right around and fishing senkos or jigs (in light cover) the next. Plus, we fish a lot of gin clear water here in New England, so the lowER viz of mono compared to braid is good, too.

ford4wd08 reply :

I guess I should consider using backing then.....

Too many decisions in fishing anymore, maybe that's why I don't catch as much as I used too lol.

I might just run with Big Game mono as I like it a lot.

I want to start my son on fishing texas rigs and soft plastics.

That's what I started on if I remember correctly.

kenmitch reply :

On 7/20/2018 at 3:46 AM, HeavyDluxe said:

My father always said, "If you can't reel it in on 14lb [then duPont] Stren, I don't want it in the boat." And I reeled a lot of stuff in from the Delaware Bay on 14lb Stren - including some thing _I_ didn't even want in the boat. So I guess he was right.

While recognizing that there are specific applications where braid or fluorocarbon might be better, I maintain that it's not a mistake to use appropriately-weighted mono for all-around setups. It just works...

Personally, 6-8lb Trilene XL is now what I use (sorry to my DuPont father) on all my kids' spinning setups. Sure, they can't frog fish in slop that way... But they can catch infantile panfish one day with worms, bobbers, and a bit of split-shot while turning right around and fishing senkos or jigs (in light cover) the next. Plus, we fish a lot of gin clear water here in New England, so the lowER viz of mono compared to braid is good, too.

Braid might not be for you....But it does have a huge strength to diameter advantage. Size wise 10lb = 4lb, 20lb = 6lb, 30lb = 8lb, etc.

HeavyDluxe reply :

On 7/20/2018 at 4:07 AM, kenmitch said:

Braid might not be for you....But it does have a huge strength to diameter advantage. Size wise 10lb = 4lb, 20lb = 6lb, 30lb = 8lb, etc.

Again, I specifically said there are applications where braid or fluoro might be better... No one can argue with the strength to size issue, among others.

For every job, there's probably a specific tool that makes that job a lot easier. But, there are also tools that are pretty good for ANY job... I think all the different rods, reels, lines, and lures we talk about on here fit in those kinda roles. Most are pretty good for everything, and better for some other jobs, and perhaps 'perfect' for some specific thing.

Just saying that I think modern monofilament is a pretty good compromise for 'all around' fishing on spinning gear. I think braid or copoly are reasonable shots there, too. But it seems like mono's easy to hate on because it's the technology of yesteryear. It can still catch fish. That's all.

MickD reply :

On 7/19/2018 at 11:58 PM, ford4wd08 said:

So I know I may be opening a can of worms here.... (fishing joke)

What braid would y'all recommend for my setup? I am thinking 10 or 15 pound test. Any brand outshine others right now?

One last thing how much braid will a 30 president hold? If i buy a 300 yard spool would that be enough?

I prefer not to use anything for backing right now.

Filling a reel with 300 yards is a waste of money, but if you dislike backing enough to waste the money, then do it. One way to save money is to reverse the line on the spool after a couple years and use the new end.

haggard reply :

Lure: Texas rigged or wacky rigged 4 inch soft plastic worm

Line: 100 yards of 10 lb test mono Trilene XL (30 size reel may take more, fine, load it up)

Simple, relatively cheap, effective.

QUAKEnSHAKE reply :

11 is plenty old enough to use braid. My kids have been strictly braid users since each was 3y/o. They never have used another type of line they are 12 and 18 now. There is a lot of unnecessary fearmongering now a days and its ventured in to the fishing realm now.

10# braid will be fine as long as its not seaguar kanzen very weak line as rated.

ford4wd08 reply :

On 7/20/2018 at 9:46 AM, MickD said:

Filling a reel with 300 yards is a waste of money, but if you dislike backing enough to waste the money, then do it. One way to save money is to reverse the line on the spool after a couple years and use the new end.

Does anyone have a good tutorial on using backing?

I'm sure it's not difficult, I just have never used it before.

BTW, this site is great. Never had this much feedback on my first thread before.

.ghoti. reply :

Back up a few posts in this thread, and read what A-Jay had to say.

That' all the tutorial you need

MickD reply :

I agree that backing is a pain because it's hard to get the spool filled properly. You get pretty good at estimating the more you do it.

If you really want to do it right, 1. Put the amount of line you want to use onto the spool first. This is the length of line you want to end up on top of backing on your reel. 2. add backing to the level you want on the reel spool. 3. Move it all to another reel (I keep a couple old reels around for this-they must be able to hold more line than you expect to use. Now the backing is on the bottom, but not on the reel you want it on. 4. Move it to another "slave" reel. Now the backing is on the top. 5. Move it to the reel you want it on, the backing will be on the bottom and the line you want to use will be on the top and at the right level.

What type of line for a starter fisherman? I don't see a problem with braid if the son is going to be under supervision and mature enough to understand and follow instructions. I think mono over about 8 pounds is often too stiff for spin. Florocarbon is simply too fragile and stiff for spin for a starter fisherman.

5505

New Guy -- Question for Spinning Reel Line 2025

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