Trilene XL 2024

Wurming67 reply :

I use to use Maxima years ago and it got tougher to find so I switched to Berkley big game and it reminded me alot of it,had great results from it,it does have a lot of memory but no big deal just trim it,it's cheap enough,but I love the strength of it.

So for some odd reason I wanted to try trilene XL I enjoyed the castabilty of it and even the sensitivity of it buttttt today I was out using it and i had my best fish of the year break off I was mad but I was like maybe the line was frayed from the other fish I caught so I cut some off re tied it and a few fish later a nice 3lber broke off,so needless to say I just finished respooling my reels back to big game.(problem solved/lesson learned)

NYWayfarer reply :

On 4/15/2018 at 8:40 AM, Wurming67 said:

I switched to Berkley big game and it reminded me alot of it,had great results from it,it does have a lot of memory but no big deal just trim it,it's cheap enough,

I switched from Trilene XL to Big Game. I agree that it has lots of memory. A few squirts of KVD line and lure or Reel Snot takes care of that.

Wurming67 reply :

On 4/15/2018 at 8:45 AM, NYWayfarer said:

I switched from Trilene XL to Big Game. I agree that it has lots of memory. A few squirts of KVD line and lure or Reel Snot takes care of that.

Thanks I'll try that

new2BC4bass reply :

Personally don't understand why XL was breaking. In the past (loooonng ago) I have landed 35 lb. carp and 20 lb. catfish on 8# and 10 lb. carp on 4# XL. Trilene XL is all I used in those days. I use several different brands of mono and co-polymers nowadays, but only because I wanted to try new lines. Not because XL was failing me.

I can suggest you try Silver Thread AN40, Sunline Super Natural, McCoy Mean Green and Sufix Elite for lines with less memory than Big Game. Buy lines of same diameter to get the same breaking strength. If using 12# Big Game (.014 diameter), then buy 14# AN40 (.014 diameter). Breaking strength should be very similar. However, since these lines are a bit softer (thus less memory) they probably won't have the abrasion resistance of Big Game. Where I fish abrasion is not a problem so these other lines work well for me. I do use 8# and 12# Big Game on some reels.

islandbass reply :

Maybe it was from a bad batch or a nick/wear higher up the line.

Since I don’t like to leave things to chance before I retie, I check the next 20’ or so of line above for wear. Cutting off and re-tying is moot if somewhere above that point is a nick or bad spot.

Sorry you lost those fish. It’s always a crappy feeling.

Hulkster reply :

I used to use XL all the time but starting having problems with strength/break offs. Im pretty sure when they updated it a few years ago (its even softer) maybe it lost some strength I don't know.

so I switched to the Sufix lines, I like Siege the best. its like Big Game (strong, abrasion resistant) but much more limp. I even using 8 and 10 pound test on 3000 size shimano spinning reels. No issues whatsoever.

NorthernBasser reply :

Been using XL for YEARS, and I've never had a breakoff. And I've fished it in some heavy cover (14lb). Of course I'll regularly check for nicks, etc. I wonder if you got a bad/old spool?

new2BC4bass reply :

On 4/15/2018 at 10:11 AM, Hulkster said:

I used to use XL all the time but starting having problems with strength/break offs. Im pretty sure when they updated it a few years ago (its even softer) maybe it lost some strength I don't know.

so I switched to the Sufix lines, I like Siege the best. its like Big Game (strong, abrasion resistant) but much more limp. I even using 8 and 10 pound test on 3000 size shimano spinning reels. No issues whatsoever.

I use Siege on several of my baitcast reels. I really like the Neon Tangerine.

Wurming67 reply :

Once something like that happens losing a big fish on a certain line all confidence is gone if I kept it on I would be thinking about it every cast my.mind can't handle that ????

Wurming67 reply :

I was at Walmart grocery shopping with wife this morning picked up a spool of power pro 50lb for my weighted texas rigged baits and 20 lb for the wife's spinning reel,gonna give it a shot tomorrow morning, I havent used braid since they first came out with it and I was snapping rods and cooking reels I'm sure it's changed alot since than, see what happens tomorrow ????

Boomstick reply :

I have found that Trilene XL probably has just as much memory as Big Game, but the difference is 12lb big game is .35mm where Trilene XL 12lb is .33mm, so calling them both 12lb is misleading. XL might break around 12lb, but I can tell you for a fact that I've had 12lb Big Game withstand over 20lbs of pressure before.

Unless you are using really light line, I would recommend Trilene XT or better yet Sufix Siege line. They are strong and have much less memory.

Wurming67 reply :

On 4/16/2018 at 12:41 AM, Boomstick said:

I have found that Trilene XL probably has just as much memory as Big Game, but the difference is 12lb big game is .35mm where Trilene XL 12lb is .33mm, so calling them both 12lb is misleading. XL might break around 12lb, but I can tell you for a fact that I've had 12lb Big Game withstand over 20lbs of pressure before.

Unless you are using really light line, I would recommend Trilene XT or better yet Sufix Siege line. They are strong and have much less memory.

Probably my fault going so light, I fish alot of grass here in Florida

I'll probably end up putting braid on all my reels besides my senko

J.Vincent reply :

I haven't fished with Trilene XL in probably 20 years, because I rarely find myself in a fishing situation where the qualities of XL would be beneficial. I think on a light spinning or medium spinning outfit in open water, XL may be a descent choice but otherwise there are better and more advanced products in the Berkley Lineup.

Boomstick reply :

On 4/16/2018 at 1:03 AM, Active_Outdoors said:

I haven't fished with Trilene XL in probably 20 years, because I rarely find myself in a fishing situation where the qualities of XL would be beneficial.

I pretty much stopped fishing it too for the same reasons. The only times I may consider it is for a finesse presentation, (which I normally use flurocarbon for leaders anyway so it's a moot point) but I would go with 8lb line as a leader where I will normally use 6lb with other lines. I will also use XL in 4lb on ultra light trout gear.

I personally do not believe XL has any benefits or reason to be on casting gear. I tried that once too, and found the memory made it pretty much unmanageable, plus tying baits on a windy day was quite the challenge due to the loops in the line. I've had better luck with other lines. Finally, I broke off oh something that shouldn't have and went home and respooled that reel with 12lb Big Game which handled better than 14lb XT.

OnthePotomac reply :

Trilene XL 17lb is my go to line for spinner baits, blade baits and top waters. I know it can handle a 20lb snakehead since they hit like a freight train. Love the Potomac surprises. Never brakes with last year's spool. I use the Palomar knot with it.

flatcreek reply :

On 4/15/2018 at 8:40 AM, Wurming67 said:

I use to use Maxima years ago and it got tougher to find so I switched to Berkley big game and it reminded me alot of it,had great results from it,it does have a lot of memory but no big deal just trim it,it's cheap enough,but I love the strength of it.

So for some odd reason I wanted to try trilene XL I enjoyed the castabilty of it and even the sensitivity of it buttttt today I was out using it and i had my best fish of the year break off I was mad but I was like maybe the line was frayed from the other fish I caught so I cut some off re tied it and a few fish later a nice 3lber broke off,so needless to say I just finished respooling my reels back to big game.(problem solved/lesson learned)

I boated a 29 pnd flathead 3 weeks ago fishing a club tourney on 12pnd Big Game. made me sick after I turned the beast knowing it wasn't a bass.I squirt the kvd stuff on it every now and then and keep fishing it.The memory is not that bad to me,getting 35 to 40 yds on a cast works for me.For the price and quality I see no reason to change.

Tywithay reply :

With proper drag settings and good knots, I don't believe I've snapped off any line in the last 5 years or so. Trilene XL has been no exception. I've got everything from 8lb to 20lb on a variety of reels and it has held up well.

optimator reply :

Trilene XL is what I started bass fishing with about 35 years ago. Then once when the store was out I tried Ande. I stuck with it ever since. The last couple of seasons I've been using Siege for my 8 & 10 lb needs. But for my 12 lb and heavier mono's I've stuck with Ande.

DRT reply :

I have fished xl for years on both casting and spinning gear. It’s been a good line and I can’t say I’ve had much trouble with break offs or anything like that, but it is a very soft line. Lately I’ve wanted a little more abrasion resistance, so on the recommendation of others on here I tried sufix siege on my casting rig. I must say that I’m very impressed with it. It seems to be a stronger, more abrasion resistant line but still has great cast ability. I highly recommend it.

Hulkster reply :

Sufix Siege is the best mono I have ever used. I like it so much I even use it on my spinning rigs. still casts great.

JawjaBoy reply :

I still use XL on a few spinning reels and I do use 17# on baitcasters occasionally. For the most part though, I've gone mostly to XT for mono on my baitcasters. It handles very well and still has good shock and abrasion resistance. I REALLY liked the Big Game Supreme until they discontinued it. It had the handling of XT with the sheer toughness of Big Game.

Wurming67 reply :

I just used braid today for the first time since it came out and it made a big difference imho, it was more sensitive,casted great but I can see why guys use line conditioner,but the biggest thing I noticed was my hooksets we're right on,the power of the line really penetrated the hook I was noticing with mono the stretch from it I was missing some fish so I think I'm gonna keep using it,but I can see using big game for my spinner bait, buzzbait,rattle trap though I might give fluorcarbon a try on senko setup.Thanks for all the suggestions for using braid made a huge difference today.

waymont reply :

That's a drag losing that fish and your confidence in the XL line.

I have been using it from 4-14lb test for 30+ years and have never had one issue with it.

It is possible to get a bad spool I guess.

Wurming67 reply :

On 4/17/2018 at 5:22 AM, waymont said:

That's a drag losing that fish and your confidence in the XL line.

I have been using it from 4-14lb test for 30+ years and have never had one issue with it.

It is possible to get a bad spool I guess.

I'm sure it happens

gimruis reply :

XL casts nice and its reasonably priced but it has very little abrasive resistance. If there's anything sharp around (dock, wood, rock, etc), it can break. Its generally fine in a more open-water presentation if you don't mind using line that stretches. Just my 2 cents based on use over the years.

Mobasser reply :

I've used trilene xl a lot over the years. I always use it for spook fishing. 12lb. Haven't had any problems, but I think Stren is just as good

islandbass reply :

On 4/17/2018 at 2:28 AM, Wurming67 said:

I just used braid today for the first time since it came out and it made a big difference imho, it was more sensitive,casted great but I can see why guys use line conditioner,but the biggest thing I noticed was my hooksets we're right on,the power of the line really penetrated the hook I was noticing with mono the stretch from it I was missing some fish so I think I'm gonna keep using it,but I can see using big game for my spinner bait, buzzbait,rattle trap though I might give fluorcarbon a try on senko setup.Thanks for all the suggestions for using braid made a huge difference today.

I recall learning the same things about braid. I remember being blown away at the feedback braid transmits, so much so that I jokingly say it would turn an ugly stik into a Loomis.

The only “bad” thing, not really bad but to be mindful of is that same zero stretch trait can backfire on you in one way. You could actually yank your bait away from the fish — and that risk increases when you can see the take. So when I use braid and can see the take, I make sure they have it first.

BassThumb reply :

In general, it's not a good idea to judge a fishing line (or any other product) based on one issue.

A lot of things could have caused that breakage. Could have been a bad knot, nick in the line, tiny nick in rod guide, bad spool (it happens), abrasion from bass teeth or an underwater object, etc.

Best to let a consistent pattern develop before making judgement. Trilene XL is one of the softest, least abrasion-resistant lines on the market, after all.

Wurming67 reply :

I'm entertaining the idea of putting braid on my weight less Texas rigged senko or fluorocarbon

Fishingmickey reply :

I used 14lb XL exclusively on my bait casters for many years. Never had any problems with breakages. I had many bass run me through a field of Lilly pad stems and not break off. I did re-tie and check after each fish. I have switched to using fluorocarbon and braid on frog and flip/pitch rods.

WRB reply :

Trilene XL mean eXtra Limp, XT is eXtra Tough, softer verses harder line originally marketed spinning verses baitcasting reels. Big Game came out decades later as salt water line, finding it's way to fresh water. What is interesting XT is 1 size larger then XL per lb test.

Tom

Pkfish49 reply :

After trial and error, I've settled on Triline XT 10 LB test. I mostly shore-cast and found that this handles abrasive contact with rocks and general repeated contact with heavy weeds and obstructions much better than the same test XL. I don't get the "smooth casting" marketing lingo for the XL series. I don't have any problems casting with XT line and didn't find the XL line to have casted any better.

Hulkster reply :

Quote

What is interesting XT is 1 size larger then XL per lb test.

I think its 2x larger. I think 8 pound XT is the same as 12 pound XL. something like that

thinkingredneck reply :

You can buy Maxima online from a number of sources. Walmart has 1000 yd spools for less than $20. Free delivery for store pickup. Cabelas, BPS, etc

Cak920 reply :

Personally I will never put Trilene line on my reels again. I’ve tried it twice and it was terrible. The memory was the worst I’ve ever had. First time I thought I must have just got a bad spool but after the second time I was not happy. Then a friend had the same experience so I won’t buy it.

Wurming67 reply :

I just put braid on all my reels,should have done it years ago but when braid first came out it cooked my reels and shattered my rods so I was gun shy.Guess the rods and reels are now made to handle braid.

JustinJ reply :

i have been using trilene XL for years and never had an issue. while it can have some memory, (especially in cold weather/water) it is by far the best handling mono to use on a spinning reel.

puddlepuncher reply :

I just switched one of my setups to Trilene XL and have been impressed with it's lack of memory compared to other mono's. I'm a braid guy but I do enjoy the silence of mono especially when cranking. I was suspicious of this line as it is very supple but it has hauled in some decent bass, and some lumber without any break offs.

scaleface reply :

I use 17 lb XL blue fluorescent on my worm rod . Its only .015 inches diameter .

I lost a large fish on a crankbait last year using 12 lb Big Game . I'm not going to stop using it . I figure it was a bad knot , nick it the line or maybe even a walleye with sharp teeth .

sully420 reply :

On 4/17/2018 at 9:04 PM, Wurming67 said:

I'm entertaining the idea of putting braid on my weight less Texas rigged senko or fluorocarbon

If you are useing spinning gear i recommended 10-20lb braid to a 8lb floro leader. Make sure you put 10 to 20 yards of mono backing on your spinning reel.

Wurming67 reply :

On 4/19/2018 at 9:56 PM, sully420 said:

If you are useing spinning gear i recommended 10-20lb braid to a 8lb floro leader. Make sure you put 10 to 20 yards of mono backing on your spinning reel.

Thanks for info but I don't use any spinning reels,heavy grass here in Florida so I stick with baitcasters and heavy rods.

Not knocking trilene XL at all depending on the application I was using it in the wrong application.

Dranrab reply :

On 4/19/2018 at 11:46 AM, JustinJ said:

i have been using trilene XL for years and never had an issue. while it can have some memory, (especially in cold weather/water) it is by far the best handling mono to use on a spinning reel.

Justin, just out of curiosity have you ever tried P-line CX Premium? If so, how do the two lines compare?

Big-Bass reply :

BPS Excel is pretty decent for the price. I have used Trilene XL for as long as I have been fishing (30+ years).

Wurming67 reply :

Tried the braid on senko I didn't like it couldnt stay in good contact with it and it didn't sink the way I like it so i put big game back on senko but braid is staying on trig weighted and big eze but mono on spinner bait, rattle trap and buzzbait also gotta buy heavier gauge hooks for braid it bends them up pretty good????

Bankbeater reply :

How was the XL doing while tying on different baits? Sometimes the line will break while tightening down knots if the line is bad.

Wurming67 reply :

On 4/22/2018 at 5:32 AM, Bankbeater said:

How was the XL doing while tying on different baits? Sometimes the line will break while tightening down knots if the line is bad.

I noticed that,lost confidence in it so I'm using braid and big game

Beetlebz reply :

On my topwater rod I went to 15lb big game. I feel like it has a little more memory than the XL that was on it last season but man, the difference in abrasion resistance makes it worth it. That stuff is tough. Maybe not whopper plopper in pike water tough... but tough

I'll throw a c-rig on it all day without any sign of any kind of wear from the tungsten bullet weight even. Stuff is ok in my book. I didn't have many issues with XL but I did find occasion to retie my c-rigs from time to time from the weight (including a couple break-offs on casting).

Tywithay reply :

On 4/22/2018 at 3:23 PM, Beetlebz said:

On my topwater rod I went to 15lb big game. I feel like it has a little more memory than the XL that was on it last season but man, the difference in abrasion resistance makes it worth it. That stuff is tough. Maybe not whopper plopper in pike water tough... but tough

I'll throw a c-rig on it all day without any sign of any kind of wear from the tungsten bullet weight even. Stuff is ok in my book. I didn't have many issues with XL but I did find occasion to retie my c-rigs from time to time from the weight (including a couple break-offs on casting).

15lb big game should be pretty abrasion resistant...it's over 20lb test diameter.

Beetlebz reply :

On 4/23/2018 at 2:55 AM, Tywithay said:

15lb big game should be pretty abrasion resistant...it's over 20lb test diameter.

Yeah, I could definitely downsize. A little L&L does big things though.

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Trilene XL 2024

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