what pound test do you prefer

[hulapopper]

leave out salmon, steelhead and sturgeon. if you could use only one pound test line what would you choose.
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[jeremypeace]

even though im using 6lbs right now im finding i dont care for it much due to it just doesnt have the strength that i need
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[curt69]

If I could only use 1 it would be 8# . I sure am glad I don't have to use only one . In clear water with very few snags I use 6# . Trolling Popgear 14# to the gear 8# to the worm . Curt G.
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[Bardic]

I have a small pole for creek fishing with 4# on it, and I usually use that everywhere else too. I like being able to have a worm without any sinkers and still get it to cast out a good distance, get a lure on there and you can outcast nearly anything else, just set the drag good.

I also have one with 6# and 8#, and some 20# spiderwire, but I haven't fished many places where I get big fish that require it. When we are using a boat to troll more consistently I will have heavier line on there.
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[mbowman]

I'll go with 8#.
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[FishingPal]

I use the same as curt: 8 lb for overall, and 6 lb for the areas that are snag-less.
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[drowning_flys]

If just one all purpose fishing pole I would use 8lb fluorocarbon
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[SteelFan]

Stren 4lb test on my ultra light is all I ever use unless fishing for the big dogs. I have never broke off on a fish either. I have caught up to 8 lbers and never had a problem. It's all in the drag. A good reel helps too.
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[TheOldSarge]

Limiting myself to one test line would be like limiting myself to one species of fish or one body of water. [:/] There ain't no way I'm doing that.

Having said that, I like 2 to 4 # for stream trout and crappie, 6 to 8# for smallmouth bass and most reserviors, 10 to 12# for largemouths and most catfish. I have two heavy rods we use for bigger cats (mainly the Snake River) and keep both spooled with something between 17 and 25#.

New question ...

If you could fish only one species in one body of water on one particular day of the year, what fish, what water and what day? []
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[idahoron]

Sarge that is thread hijacking.
I like 10 pound braid on my Ultra light with an 8 or 10 pound floracarbon "spelling" leader. My medium has either 15 or 20 pound braid with the same leader. Ron
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[ilovesmallies]

stren 10lb works for everything. bass trout cats carp and crappie. good drag and sensitive pole will catch them all
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[forgiven]

Stren 10 for smallmouth (great abrasion resistance for fishing in the rocks)

4 lb on my utralights and

Stren 12 - 15 lb for steelhead and yanking Largemouth out of the weeds and trees at Lake Lowell
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[windriver]

If I could have only one it would be 8lb P-Line

Windriver
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[michfishgod]

6 pound cause i am inbetween for crappie i use 4 pound trilean xl smooth casting and for bass i will wind on about 50-80 yrds of trilean xl smooth casting 10 -14 pound and about a spool of berkly crystal clear fireline for bass/pike in 10 or 14 pound test. you can't have just one line if you do go with 6 pound test. in something that cast great and does not have memory. you should be fine.
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[TheOldSarge]

Ron, I wasn't really serious about the questions and did not mean to hi-jack the thread. I was simply trying to draw a parallel to limiting yourself to just one thing for fishing. []
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[gstott]

8lb because it's light enough to throw some smaller lures, but tough enough to hold up to some cover and larger fish. I agree with everybody about proper drag and catching big fish on light tackle, but it isn't always feasible. If you're throwing a jig or plastic into thick cover for bass, it doesn't matter how perfectly your drag is set, 4 or 6lb just isn't going to cut it.
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[ccarter4]

I spend almost all of my time fishing small rivers and creeks. As a result I fish a 5 foot ultra light rod with 2lb line on it about 95 percent of the time. I lose a lot of gear to snags (although I am often wading and can just go pull it out), but I find it to be very exciting using the super light gear. I have had to chase quite a few bigger trout down the river tho. If I am lake fishing I am usually using 6 lb cause its all around good, whether its trout bass or catfish I am after.
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[ivorytip]

jig fishing and small luers 6 lbs. bait or crank baits 8. a good rod makes all the diff though
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[StacyR]

I use 20 pound braid for my main line, with a 10, 6, or 3 pound leader, depending on what I'm fishing for.
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[SmartWeed]

I use yellow fluorescent braid for all my fishing, and if I had to compromise on one size it would be 15 or 20 pound. They have the diameter of 4-6 lb monofilament. However, I use braid in 6-60 lb test.
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