Need Stronger Line!!!

[Leaky33]

Hope this works, first attempt at posting a pic. If it doesn't will ask TD to do it.
Anyway went to Ut. Lake for the first time this year in my tube. Left the Sparkinator at home since this area (S. of the State Park) has large/wide weed lines that he would be in serious trouble with.[frown] Had a great time, caught 7 in the pm in about 5 hrs. using night crawlers and dead chub minnows. [][] What was disconcerting was that I had 4 others that simply broke off in just a few seconds after being hooked. It didn't even feel that much of a pull when they broke off. Best guess is with my 6# line they go into the bottom and simply break off on some stuff even though they weren't in the weeds. Next time I'll have some 10# line or stronger? 2 things I noticed. Circle hooks don't miss any "takes" and minnows get bigger kitties.
The one in the pic. was the largest at about 8#. Man, what a fight. Lucky he headed out to the middle of the lake. All I could think of was the "jaws" movie with him towing those big drums behind him. My kittie was into my backing with the 6# line with me chugging after him as fast as I could go out towards the middle of the lake. Finally got him to turn and then he just circled me like a "big white" sizing me up. Man, don't know what the heck I would have done if he were any bigger. Wonder how big the ones were that I lost? Thus, the need for 10# or greater line.[:/]
Leaky and the Sparkinator
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[waljustia]

So, if he went into your backing.. You caught a daddy kitty w/ your fly pole? That sounds like a lot of fun!
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[Leaky33]

Naaaa, in this case it was an ugly stick. At least I didn't use might med. light action bass rod. [laugh] I gather you don't use backing on your spinning gear. Well I do, I'm cheap. That way I can load less of the expensive stuff and replace it again with the left over latter. []
Leaky
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[scartinez]

I don't know what kind of line you use, but I would recommend yozuri hybrid. It is some of the strongest line I've ever ued. I've bent so many hooks with this stuff. I use the 10lb most of the time. It's about 6.99 for like 275 yards.
I noticed with big cats, you have to keep cutting off a few feet of line and retying after landing big fish. They slobber up your line pretty bad and twist the crap out of it. Makes the couple of feet of line closest to the hook pretty weak.
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[Saberfish]

Leaky, I wouldn't want to discourage your moving to a larger line, but from your discriptions, I would first check the age of the 6 lb test line, and your knots.

The pulling strength of fresh 6 lb. test line is way more than most people would think.
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[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]Glad you got into a few. You are correct in thinking you need stronger line for fishing up close and personal like that. You can land any fish in Utah Lake on 6# line...in a fair fight. But, big cats don't fight fair. They run in and out the sticks and stones and no line will hold up to that stuff.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I fish 10# Excalibur as primary line and a leader of 14 or 17 pound to help with rubbing on rocks or brush. I also "topshot"...using cheap line as a backing and never really getting into it. No need to spool a whole reel with expensive line if you are never going to use more than the first 50 yards. And, when you start seeing the knot, it is time to rip off the old stuff and topshot with new line. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Nice goin'.[/#0000ff]
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[waljustia]

gotcha.. I don't use backing.. just not the expensive stuff.. I have about 50yds of the good stuff.. then put the "Filler" for the rest of the spool.
Those cats can get kind of addicting.. having a couple just take your line and run with it.. it's a lot of fun.
Hope you get into some more. You were right to leave sparky home on this trip.. Cats are scared of dogs![laugh]
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[Leaky33]

Actually, I had 75-100yds of the good stuff, so you can see how far out he was with me finning as hard as I could. I use old 20# stuff for backing. I kind of thought that maybe it was old stuff (1yr old) but then I fought the big guy with no breakage and a lot more pressure. Then I lost another due to breakage after????? Frayed line??? I like your idea.[]
P.S. Forgot to mention. Recently read a post, ssomewhere about fishies fighting abilities and the conclusion was that the kitties out foight everything including the various bass (smallies) included. They concluded at equal weights that the kitties would drown em all towing em backwards.[shocked] I think I agree. They don't quit easy. Carp would give em a tussel but still -----, no contest.
Leaky and the Sparkintor
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[Theekillerbee]

Nice report Fred. That is one healthy kitty!
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[Fin-S-Fish]

With mono, I prefer at least 12lb Trilene XL. I like the limp line better than the XT. Good for bass too. Try some of the braids too. Some of the braids are virtually unbreakable even to clip the hook off is difficult.
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[fishguru73]

With any kitty under 5 lbs. you can get away with what you were using "if" you are nowhere near any rocks, brush, or thick vegetation. Even over a soft bottom with nothing between you and a catfish, the hardened jaw of the fish, combined with twisting and thrashing can easily break light line. If you are fishing on the bottom with a slip-sinker rig or, even worse, fixed weight such as split-shot, line abrasion is inevitable. Using a slip float and drifting with fresh cut bait or chicken liver would be my first choice if I wanted to slay Goliath with a sling. You can cover more water and present to more fish that way. However, if you prefer still fish on the bottom I would use a heavy line with a 6-7 weight rod so you can still get the fight out of the fish without losing the added strength you need to land fish that top 15 lbs. Braided lines and super strong copolymers don't like to break and it is a pain to get them dislodged from a snag or cut of a few feet of expensive line every time there is a problem. I use Berkely big game in 16-20 lb because I can break it if I need to, but it is strong enough to take a beating from a bruiser. I may choose 12 for drifting , but I want something that can handle a monster if I need it to. Think BIG! Tight lines![]
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