01-23-2004, 06:31 PM
I agree with Polokid. Your arm gets mighty cold trying to drag a 34" laker through an 8" hole. It was done, but my buddy went well past the neoprene gloves he was wearing to get ahold of the fish.
As far as line goes, I've usually just stuck with mono 10-14lb. I have missed a lot of strikes too. This year, if I can get up to the Gorge, I am going to use 24/12 Fireline and flourocarbon leader, probably 12 or 14lb. I like either the surgeons knot or the blood knot for joining two different size or type lines. Either one retains 95+% of the line strength and either of these will slide right through eyelets.
If you have a metal spool on your ice fishing rig, you might want to put 20-30yds. mono backing on the spool before the Fireline. I have had Fireline slip on a cold metal spool on spinning reels. Makes setting the hook or trying to reel in the fish a real pain. If you are using a levelwind, you most likely would not have this problem, but might want to put a little mono on just to be safe.
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As far as line goes, I've usually just stuck with mono 10-14lb. I have missed a lot of strikes too. This year, if I can get up to the Gorge, I am going to use 24/12 Fireline and flourocarbon leader, probably 12 or 14lb. I like either the surgeons knot or the blood knot for joining two different size or type lines. Either one retains 95+% of the line strength and either of these will slide right through eyelets.
If you have a metal spool on your ice fishing rig, you might want to put 20-30yds. mono backing on the spool before the Fireline. I have had Fireline slip on a cold metal spool on spinning reels. Makes setting the hook or trying to reel in the fish a real pain. If you are using a levelwind, you most likely would not have this problem, but might want to put a little mono on just to be safe.
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