10-17-2008, 10:45 PM
Hey Roxanne
It depends a lot on the water you are fishing in. In dark murkey waters with sharp rocks and structure I like to use 12 pound test.
But where I normally fish, the water is extremely clear, to the point where big bass see my line very easily. In this situation I use 8 pound test. It is a minimum in my opinion for big bass, but I've landed a few good sized ones with this poundage as long as my drag is set well and I fight the fish well. I consider 6 pound test too light for medium to big bass, but it should do well for panfish or anything under 3 pounds. So if you normally go after smaller panfish, 6 pound line test should be fine. For bigger fish such as Largemouths over 4 pounds, 8 pound test is a minimum with 12 pounds being a good place to start.
It all depends on what fish you are targetting. Don't be afraid to experiment either, get the 6 pound combo and see how it goes. If you notice you are hooking bigger fish than expected and they are breaking you off, change your line to 8 LB tests. Most spinning reels can accommodate up to three different size lines. Changing the line is easy too. Do this until you find the best line for your particular fishing area.
Good luck.
Mig Rod
[signature]
It depends a lot on the water you are fishing in. In dark murkey waters with sharp rocks and structure I like to use 12 pound test.
But where I normally fish, the water is extremely clear, to the point where big bass see my line very easily. In this situation I use 8 pound test. It is a minimum in my opinion for big bass, but I've landed a few good sized ones with this poundage as long as my drag is set well and I fight the fish well. I consider 6 pound test too light for medium to big bass, but it should do well for panfish or anything under 3 pounds. So if you normally go after smaller panfish, 6 pound line test should be fine. For bigger fish such as Largemouths over 4 pounds, 8 pound test is a minimum with 12 pounds being a good place to start.
It all depends on what fish you are targetting. Don't be afraid to experiment either, get the 6 pound combo and see how it goes. If you notice you are hooking bigger fish than expected and they are breaking you off, change your line to 8 LB tests. Most spinning reels can accommodate up to three different size lines. Changing the line is easy too. Do this until you find the best line for your particular fishing area.
Good luck.
Mig Rod
[signature]