what pound line? 2024
NewAngler reply :
What pound line should I use for smallie fishing??? I have been using 10#. I was going to switch to a 12# only because I only have one reel setup and fish for both large and smallies
roadwarrior reply :
Yo-Zuri Hybrid or Hybrid Ultra Soft #6 (.010" diameter, 11.9 lb breaking strength).
8-)
The Yankee Fist reply :
Listen to RW, it's the most FANTASTIC line you will EVER fish. 
:)
Crestliner2008 reply :
Rarely can you fish both LM & SM with the same, single rig. Invest in having two (at least!). One for smallie fishing and one for largemouths. The first should be a medium to med-light action 6'6" - 7' spinning rod, loaded with 6# test line (I'd go with a quality mono myself) - similar, but not restricted to what RW has suggested.
Then you can go with another heavier 6'6" spinning rod, like a medium-heavy version of the first, with a larger reel, loaded with 12# test fluorocarbon line (of your choosing).
Both rigs will serve you quite adequately in pursuit of both species of bass, under a wide variety of situations and presentations. JMO
The Yankee Fist reply :
QuoteRarely can you fish both LM & SM with the same, single rig. Invest in having two (at least!). One for smallie fishing and one for largemouths. The first should be a medium to med-light action 6'6" - 7' spinning rod, loaded with 6# test line (I'd go with a quality mono myself) - similar, but not restricted to what RW has suggested.Then you can go with another heavier 6'6" spinning rod, like a medium-heavy version of the first, with a larger reel, loaded with 12# test fluorocarbon line (of your choosing).
Both rigs will serve you quite adequately in pursuit of both species of bass, under a wide variety of situations and presentations. JMO
This is great advice too!
I have relied on "many rigs" over the years to fish for a multitude of freshwater species locally...panfish, SMB, LMB, Pike and Trout. Time is very constrained for me now so I decided I would get 3 main rigs to rule them all. This way, being shore bound, everything I need within reason can be toted easily.
First is a 6'6" UL...panfish, trout, SMB. 4LB TRILENE XL, though I will go to YZ 2# if they make it.
Second is a GLX Loomis Bronzeback, basically 6-12lb, medium 6'10ish rod that will handle almost anything you want to do under the big stuff. SMB, LMB, Trout, panfish and on...enough water around? Pike. 6-10 mono, or my fav YZH 6
Third would be the "I'm not screwing around here" rod. 7ft med-heavy to heavy casting rod. This will get YZH 12 or 15 and that line will bend a 30lb rated hook right out of a snag....easily. This is the next rig I will buy.
FWIW, I have found no major stretch factors with the YZH lines...nothing like reg mono. Flourocarbon is just terrible for my uses, the stuff is just like uncooked spaghetti. I hated braid too although my die hard peers insist I must have it. Try some different stuff for yourself. A minimal investment in lines will make you realize you are ready for a change or you may find you stick with what you already know and like.
I went gaga for the YZ HS because I feel it bridges the gap between mono and the uncooked spaghetti very well. YMMV...GOOD LUCK!
NewAngler reply :
technically i have three rigs..
my go to-
6'6 st croix primeir- medium/fast (i think) with an abu 4600c3 with a hell of a birds nest 10# flouro- needs to be cut out, and was gonna put a 12# on, only because i already have it.
next is a crappy combo shakespere rod/reel telescopic rod that is listed as medium, but i think is ultra light also 6'6
third is a crappy PINK spinning combo i bought my wife for $15 at walmart, god only knows what line is on there, i would assume around 8# flouro is the standard, at least from what ive seen.
The Yankee Fist reply :
You could absolutely run what ya brung...meaning the 12lb stuff. What's it's equivalent mono diameter? If it's low then it would be good to go.
No sense wasting it if it can be used. I'm not sure what the shelf life is on that stuff.
What's the capacity on your reel? I may have a spoolfull left on a 275 yd roll of hybrid soft 8 I could give you for the St Croix's rating.
At least that way you can try the stuff in the 8 variety for free to see if you like it. I think these MART fish store boxes should let you sample line like those little food samples given out. 
I do find that if you let your local reel filler have at it they will put too much on there. I like to keep the YZ stuff roughly an 1/8" away from the spool lip...seems to reduce seething fits of anger caused by these newer, harder high tech lines when you first open the bail to cast and the line is jumping out at you like a horror show jack in the box. ;D
All I know is Cabela's told me the P Line Co-Polymer...I think?... was the greatest thing ever. I HATED it, I HATE HATE HATED IT. I tried flourocarbon stuff and super stuff and just was miserable but I figured technology had to take us somewhere from TriStrenline. I liked Ande's better to be honest and then, I started the internet search, joined here and have been really happy. YMMV, IMHO, AATOFSASWUD. :)
xjma99 reply :
I use either 6 or 8# spiderwire mono on my medium spinning rod.
I'm thinking of switching over to braid though...
NewAngler reply :
braid is so d**n expensive!! it better catch the fish itself, and cook the fish, should i decide to keep it.
roadwarrior reply :
Go ahead an give the #8 a try, but smallmouth bass
are line sensitive. I fish Yo-Zuri Hybrid or Hybrid Ultra
Soft #6 (.010" diameter, 11.9 lb test) on spinning gear.
8-)
mphenry reply :
8# fluoro works for me on spinning rods
10-12# on casting.
EastMarkME reply :
QuoteGo ahead an give the #8 a try, but smallmouth bassare line sensitive. I fish Yo-Zuri Hybrid or Hybrid Ultra
Soft #6 (.010" diameter, 11.9 lb test) on spinning gear.
Hows the 6 hold up for abrasion in the rocky bottoms RW ?
I might try it.
Mark
The Yankee Fist reply :
Not RW here BUT.... ;D
It works great for me in rocky rivers and lakes. If anything, you'll end up retrieving alot of lures with bent hooks and sliced hands before abrasion will get to that stuff. I love that line. My fav "new" gear by far and I must thank RW for that advice.
BTW, the 8/12/15 variants are good too. Just a great line.
hawgwalker reply :
I use 6lb yo zuri on all my spinning rods but having said that I would put 15-20lb yo zuri on your 6'6 St Croix and use spinnerbaits, football jigs, c rigs and even a spook for smallies and you will be ready to chuck jigs and frogs or whatever for largemouth. You make some sacrifices with one rod but that 6'6" St Croix is about as do it all as your going to get
EastMarkME reply :
QuoteNot RW here BUT.... ;DIt works great for me in rocky rivers and lakes. If anything, you'll end up retrieving alot of lures with bent hooks and sliced hands before abrasion will get to that stuff. I love that line. My fav "new" gear by far and I must thank RW for that advice.
BTW, the 8/12/15 variants are good too. Just a great line.
Thanks. I wondered about abrasion but this helps. Lets face it...abrasion only matters if you get a fish on...and Im thinking more fish with the lighter line. I'll try it and gladly take my chances.
These new 6-8 lines are so different than the old line. I love it.
Mark
D4u2s0t reply :
I catch smallmouth and largemouth on the same setup. They seem not to be as picky in my lake as other people make it seem. I have 8# mono on my pole, with the drag set properly I have never lost a fish. I'm also not going into heavy cover with it though. But when they hit, it's hard to tell if it's a huge largemouth or a small smallmouth lol.
NewAngler reply :
You're telling me! The first bass I caught was a smallmouth, and I swore I had something big on my line- nope. A small smallie. Great fight though.
roadwarrior reply :
QuoteThey seem not to be as picky in my lake as other people make it seem.
Try lighter line, you will be surprised by what a difference it makes.
As a rule, I recommend Yo-Zuri Hybrid or Hybrid Ultra Soft #6 (.010"
diameter, 11.9 pound breaking strength), but I also fish #4 (.009"
diameter, 8.5 lb breaking strength). All of my biggest German Brown
Trout, the fish in my avatar and perhaps the World Record smallmouth
have been caught or hooked-up using #4. Coincidence? I don't think so!
8-)
The Yankee Fist reply :
Would the 4 be too much for an UL 781 IMX?
I'd hate to overkill with the line's power. I just can't stand the TriStrenlene line on my reel now after using the YZ.
D4u2s0t reply :
QuoteQuoteThey seem not to be as picky in my lake as other people make it seem.Try lighter line, you will be surprised by what a difference it makes.
As a rule, I recommend Yo-Zuri Hybrid or Hybrid Ultra Soft #6 (.010"
diameter, 11.9 pound breaking strength), but I also fish #4 (.009"
diameter, 8.5 lb breaking strength). All of my biggest German Brown
Trout, the fish in my avatar and perhaps the World Record smallmouth
have been caught or hooked-up using #4. Coincidence? I don't think so!
8-)
that's good to know, thanks for the good info. I don't specifically target smallmouth, but if I do now I know!
phisherman reply :
I use Yo-Zuri Hybrid 8# test for my spinning gear. I switched over a year ago from Berkley Transition fluorocarbon (not a good line IMO). The YZ Hybrid performed better than I expected and now it's the only other line I will use besides Sufix Braid. Only issue I have with it is it develops memory just like regular mono does. Other than that, +1 for YZ Hybrid.
Steve_in_Maine reply :
I run Cabela's 8# 100% Fluorocarbon no-vis on my spinning setup that I use with tubes for smallies.
Steve
Hook Set reply :
What RW says. I simply switched from 8 lb to 6 b and have a greater catch ratio. Just get the drag right and let em fight till they give up!
iceintheveins reply :
Tubes, Grubs - 6 pound test
Lighter cranks, jerkbaits, 1/4 ounce and lighter spinnerbaits, and inline spinners - 6 Pound Test
Poppers, prop baits, senkos, soft jerkbaits, smaller walkers - 8 pound test
Heavier spinnerbaits, deeper cranks, buzzbaits - 10 - 12 pound test
With smallies I don't go lighter than 6 pound test, and heavier than 10- 12 pound test is rarely needed. You wouldn't have to use heavier than that with largemouth either if they didn't live in such heavy cover.
bryand82487 reply :
I used the yozuri hybrid ultra soft #8 today and it performed well. My only complaint was that when split shotting the line between the hook and weight begins to get memory in it after catching a fish or two and gave me some tangling issues.
retiredbosn reply :
QuoteI used the yozuri hybrid ultra soft #8 today and it performed well. My only complaint was that when split shotting the line between the hook and weight begins to get memory in it after catching a fish or two and gave me some tangling issues.
What gear were you using spinning or bc, either way use some KVD conditioner, problem solved.
On RW's recommendation I have switched to Yo-Zuri Hybrid, I use 8lb test on an EXT 05 series bait caster ML KVD rod, the refractivity of the Hybrid makes it harder for the fish to see. I have considered switching to 6lb, the diameter of 8 is .11 and 6 .10, when I purchased the line I could only find 8 so that I what I bought. This winter Bass Pro will have all kinds of great sales, I picked up my EXT for 40 bucks, and the rod was 59, pretty good deal in my book. I have completely switched to BC's for 99% of my fishing, I found that a ML BC set up is the equivalent of a M Spinning set up. Good luck. PS keep an eye on the flea market there are always good deals there.
bryand82487 reply :
I'm using a spinning setup. I will have to find some of that line conditioner and give it a try. Does it keep the memory out or just fix the problem until you catch another fish or two?
retiredbosn reply :
Removes memory, improves casting, helps eliminate birdsnests, I use it some, hardly ever on my 8 and 12 lbs that are on casting reels. Some on the one with 15lb, it isn't something that needs done continually, occassionally.
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