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01-28-2023, 06:02 AM
(This post was last modified: 01-28-2023, 06:04 AM by danell.)
Hey folks, I'm curious as to what you all recommend for line set up? I've been trying this ice braid tied to fluorocarbon, but have broken off a lot, as well as the braid has broken several time just off the reel. I have 1 rod set up with straight flouro and have sense tied the braid directly to a mini swivel and the flouro to the other end of the swivel to prevent more break offs. This presents a problem all its own. Swivel gets grabbed by the eyes on the rod.
Would love to hear your thoughts.
Thanks.
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I tie the fluorocarbon directly to the braid with an FG knot...makes a nice, smooth transition and doesn't hang up in the guides
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If you fish in a tent or if the outside temps are above about 28 braid can be great. Be sure to wind it on tightly. I tolerate it down to about 20 degrees at times. I use 10 lb Power Pro Ice Tec with a 3-6 lb leader of Sufix Invisiline fluoro or Sufix Ice Magic connectected by an Alberto knot, it's very strong and much easier to tie than the FG and still slim. I also have several rods rigged with straight fluoro or mono 2 - 10 lb depending on the target species and expected size of fish.
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I was going to suggest it might be a knot issue, but sounds like others are saying the same thing... I use the uni-uni knot or I just fish my braid to the hook and still catch fish, but maybe that's why my catch rate is low this year... I like the power pro, but I also have some nano-fil on some rods and it works pretty well too, except for when it spools off my in-line reels.. Good luck... Jeff
When things get stressful think I'll go fish'en and worry about it tomorrow!
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Just a divergent thought: if you are having a hard time with getting knot/swivels through the guides you might want to try a longer rod. I used to use a 4.5 or 5' ultralight. It also let me get my second hole a little farther away which may have helped to cover a bit extended range. I also saw a couple of old gents fishing with fly rods. They would balance them across 5-gallon buckets and watch the tip. They pulled in a lot of big cutthroats while I watched. They also showed me how to rig a worm sandwich, but that's for another story.
The older I get the more I would rather be considered a good man than a good fisherman.
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01-31-2023, 02:05 AM
(This post was last modified: 01-31-2023, 02:06 AM by Troutster.)
Braided line with fluoro leader is good for bigger fish but requires staying in a tent on the really cold days. That braided line will freeze to the reel when you leave the tent to try a new hole. I fish 3 to 4 lb fluoro and catch everything from crappie to Strawberry’s finest without issue. For lakers I will use braided line with a leader because I hate the coils and memory of 6 lb or heavier mono.
Braided line with fluoro leader is good for bigger fish but requires staying in a tent on the really cold days. That braided line will freeze to the reel when you leave the tent to try a new hole. I fish 3 to 4 lb fluoro and catch everything from crappie to Strawberry’s finest without issue. For lakers I will use braided line with a leader because I hate the coils and memory of 6 lb or heavier mono.
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Thanks for the insight and different perspectives. I went out Saturday and tried the triple surgeons knot (which I completely forgot about from my fly fishing days.) and it worked great, granted I was only catching crappie. I'm typically targeting panfish with the occasional trout catch. I do think I will be spooling up another rod with just 4-6lb flouro. I definitely ran into the issues with the braid freezing. It also didn't seem to drop as smoothly as the straight flouro. I didn't really consider some of the thoughts you guys shared, so thank you all.
