pound test

[raider44]

I know this question is asked several times a year; but What lb test is a favorite for riggers? We have been reluctant to run lighter lb test while fishing Ontario because the fear a big guy could snap the line.

Normally we run #30 mono for our riggers, but are considering in the future running a lighter lb test, as long as the fleas aren't to thick.

any thoughts?

[Tim Bromund]

Troy,

if a fish breaks your line, your problem isn't with your line, it is with your reel's drag.

My biggest king was a 38lb male off the olcott pier back in the early 90's and was landed on 8 lb test (on a reel with a butter smooth drag)

before fleas made it impossible, all we ever ran on our riggers was 12 lb and we landed many 30+ lb bright silver summer kings on it, on reels that had butter smooth drags.

do you see a pattern forming here??

These days, I fill the rigger reels with 17 lb and then add 100 feet ot so of 30 lb big game to deal with the fleas and the only reason I use 17 and not something lighter is it makes a better knot to the 30 lb with the closer diameter between the 2 lines. If I could use it all summer, my rigger reels would still be filled with 12 lb, at least for spoons, for flashers and flies, I'd use the 17 straight up just because of the extra drag and abuse the attractors put on the line.

Tim

[LongLine]

Line snapping on light line is mostly due to week spots caused by releases, twist, knots or within the last couple feet nearest the lure. I rarely go over 14 Lb on my riggers for spoons & plugs. Most of the time I run 10 Lb. For flashers I have a 20 Lb'r ready to go. The trick with light line is feel it for kinks/curls when ever reeling it in & to cut a little off & retie after every fish or after 2 hours. Also don't ever put a frayed/curled line in a release.

I agree with Tim on the drag. Smoother the drag, lighter you can go. Also rod length plays a part of it. Remember mono will stretch something fierce if you're not careful with it. I've gotten partial to the co-polymers in last couple years.

Tom B.

(LongLine)