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Author Topic: Best line for jigging lake trout?  (Read 19766 times)

Offline bigrod

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Best line for jigging lake trout?
« on: Jan 30, 2008, 10:21 AM »
I have recently really gotten into jigging for lake trout here and I'm getting more serious about getting rigged up right.  My question is about fishing line.  Most the fish we catch are between 1 1/2-3 1/2 lbs., with the occasional big one.  What lb. test do you recommend and what type of line for an all around good basic set up?  Thanks.

Offline moski

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Re: Best line for jigging lake trout?
« Reply #1 on: Jan 30, 2008, 02:30 PM »
i like to fish with 20lb fluorocarbon on a level line reel for bigger fish! i like the fluorocarbon cause theres no stretch and with macks they don't seem the hit it very hard so when the do you want to feel it with out your line stretching

Offline BottomDweller

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Re: Best line for jigging lake trout?
« Reply #2 on: Jan 30, 2008, 03:14 PM »
good call moski.  but 20# is bit too heavy for some of the jigs i sport; my reels are spooled with 15.

Offline Dorado

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Re: Best line for jigging lake trout?
« Reply #3 on: Jan 30, 2008, 04:24 PM »
I like 8 or 10 pound Fireline.  There is NO stretch at all, so you feel everthing, even at 140 feet (fished Willow that deep once).  You just need to put a swivel and 4-5 foot leader of Fluourocarbon. 

This setup lets you fish 1/8 ounce or less jigs; you can still feel them and they sink fast since 8 LB Fireline is the diameter of 4 pound Mono.  Also this line lasts forever, and has no memory, so you do not have those annoying coils coming off the reel....

Offline LT

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Re: Best line for jigging lake trout?
« Reply #4 on: Jan 30, 2008, 04:37 PM »
I've always lined my spool with 10-12 and kept the drag a little open just in case the 20 pounder smacked it  :tipup:
         

Offline Big Mack

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Re: Best line for jigging lake trout?
« Reply #5 on: Jan 30, 2008, 04:42 PM »
I agree dorado, I trust fire line for everything as far as fishing for big fish: lakers, steelhead, kings in AK, everything. Fluoro is nice but you are right, when you get to 150 ft or more you can definetly feel more with the fireline and get a better hookset. I think I use 14 or 20 lb but it still has a small dim. and good feel. Use the same reel with the same line for steelhead too and it casts great. Had the same line on for a few years now, using it all year but it still good.

Offline Dorado

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Re: Best line for jigging lake trout?
« Reply #6 on: Jan 30, 2008, 05:00 PM »
Sportfishing magazine tested all those "superlines" a few years back, and Fireline actually tested at twice the stated strength, so that tiny 8lb line is actully 16 pound test!

My only problem with it is that when you do get a rats nest, the diameter is so small it is a real pain to unsnarl.




Offline LT

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Re: Best line for jigging lake trout?
« Reply #7 on: Jan 30, 2008, 05:09 PM »
At the risk of putting my age on display, Garcia once made a line in the 70's called "Royal Bonyl" ...what you describe reminds me of it...might try it out  :tipup:
         

Offline Bigred1

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Re: Best line for jigging lake trout?
« Reply #8 on: Jan 30, 2008, 05:16 PM »
I like power pro instead of firewire.  It doesn't seem to get the water in the line like I have experienced with firewire.  I also use a 5 foot leader and depending on how finicky the fish are determines the strength I use.  Just my opinion.

Offline moski

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Re: Best line for jigging lake trout?
« Reply #9 on: Jan 30, 2008, 06:34 PM »
i like the braided line cause of its strength but i've had it cut into my reels before and i wasn't really happy with it since then! i've been pretty true to mono's and fluorocarbon for the less abrasiveness for bigger fish, but that's just me.

Offline Dorado

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Re: Best line for jigging lake trout?
« Reply #10 on: Jan 30, 2008, 07:44 PM »
Yeah the braided line can be harder to work with, but I find that it is actually easier than mono/fluoro more than 8 lbs (no line coils). 

Good, modern reels can handle the new lines.  We were using spinning rods with Penn 850 metal spin reels rigged with 30 pound Power Pro to catch 60+ LB yellowfin tuna in Baja.  The other fisherman could not believe how powerfull that line was, and that we could land those fish on spinning gear.  We had to grab the spool when you pumped the drag would not go tight enough..., but everything held.

Just my opinion....

Offline fishley

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Re: Best line for jigging lake trout?
« Reply #11 on: Jan 30, 2008, 08:42 PM »
 Well all i can say is throw that braided,icein up, guide eatin junk away.  get the best .P-line florocarbon in 15 lb test it is the stuff low stretch virtually invisible and has a low water absorption which is a plus while ice fishing. i have converted many braid users over to p-line I mainly only fish for lakers and that is all that you will see on any of my rods it is a little spendy but hell to stick a dirt 30 its worth every penny i have allso landed several fish over 40lbs with no problems at all. with the low stretch setin a hook in 120ft of water is no problem. it allso comes of a level wind great in the cold its smooth as smooth i have had a spool on my swim bait rod that is 2yr old and still tuff as heck just my 2cents .ASH

Offline BottomDweller

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Re: Best line for jigging lake trout?
« Reply #12 on: Jan 31, 2008, 07:09 AM »
that's what i use fishley.  p-line fluorocarbon 15 lb. 

Offline bigrod

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Re: Best line for jigging lake trout?
« Reply #13 on: Jan 31, 2008, 08:57 AM »
Thanks everyone.

 



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