main line/ leader

[steelfire]

What do you guys run for a main line on your rigger rods??? i run 17lb. Is that to light??? And if I go up to 20 or 30lb what should i use for a leader for salmon and browns... Thanks guys.

[Missdemeanor]

Depends on the season......In the spring I run 17 lb with a 14 # fluoro leader.... Now when the fleas are thick (like right now) I spool up with 30# Ande. Now I have heard about Cortland's Flea Flicker line, but I haven't personally tried it.......Good luck

[fosterm22]

I run 17 lb all year. In the fall, just have to make suire the drags are not too tight and there are no nicks in the line. Every fish I have broken off has actually been the leader between the flasher and the fly or on the wire.- never the main 17lb line

[steelfire]

Any problem with fleas with 17lb test?? I never have had any problems.

[woody 184]

Steel that 17lb will load right with fleas.....I have been running 30lb Big Game and that has been picking up fleas..... I suggest respooling or check your lines very often because those fleas will not allow you to reel in that fish if you have one on......Woody.

[ray koziatek]

if ya got two or more guys aboard have the pole man back up one guy go to the line pull it down 6" or so and let it go flips the fleas off every time.............do this before you wad em at the tip kinda a pian but it works CAUTION------DONT GET THEM IN YOUR EYES....

[steelfire]

Its funny, I have been fishing the lake for about ten years and I have never had a problem with them!!! Guess I have good luck.

[woody 184]

Steel I was out tonight for a couple of hours and my Big Game had two inches of fleas on the mainline......My wires picked up 6 inches but that Twilly Tip cuts them buggers right off.....Love the wire......Woody.

[steelfire]

Thats cool. wire rules!!! I'm headed up in two weeks for a week of salmon fishing. Guess I'll see if my luck holds or not!!

[Silver Fox]

Not 1 flea w/ 40#

[steelfire]

what type and pound do you use for a leader for spoons???

[Silver Fox]

20# from now till fall.

[fosterm22]

after last weekend- I switched all rods to 30 lb flee flicker- about 100 yeards per rod with my usual 17 lb trilene as the backer.

So far- it was been great!

[steelfire]

I might try the wd40 on the line trick. Will the damage the mono????

[GAMBLER]

In the Flea season, I run 30 Lb. Ande pink with 15 or 20 lb. leaders. For browns, I like the 15 lb. In the spring, I run 15lb. Maxima to 12 lb. Seagar leaders. Get enough reels so you don't have to switch up line throughout the season.

[Legacy]

20# fleaflicker mainline on the riggers (all year round)

[chugbug]

Then what leader for fall salmon??

[skipper19]

Fleas were a pain with straight 17 lb trilene then I went to using the trilene for backing and spooled on 20 lb fleaflicker (enough to run from reel to ball at least 200 feet) and then back to a 50 foot 17lb leader for the ball to the lure portion. Fleaflicker is flat and is not very well adapted to splice knots like the nail or double blood. I've had to pay very close attention to the formation of the splice and test the integrity with scrutiny. It has broken several times under stress test and I've had to retie untill satisfied with the strenghth of knot. If someone knows of a super knot and how to tie it for this combo it would be a great thing.

[chugbug]

Skipper 19 , I didn't like the knot connection with flea flicker either as it was pretty big when done , it looked good and I felt it was strong , I normally use a uni-knot for all my mono connections . Thats why I decided to just go with a 25 lb main line and a 17 lb leader , knot is still pretty big but passes through the reel ok , not sure how I will make out when the flea gets real bad , but the 25 lb should work up to a point .

[skipper19]

I agree chugbug, the knot is a concern and yes if you use larger diameter line like ande or even up to 40 lb trilene for the part used to the ball from the reel it should be flea free. What the heck , it isn't gonna scare fish away any worse than the rigger cable, right? I'm trying some 45 lb copper for my dipsey rigs this weekend. I hope this will work to keep fleas off and get the lures down deep.

[chugbug]

Skipper 19 , flea won't be a problem in sept. will it ??

[steelfire]

if fish are in shallow in September, just use a flouro leder.

[nyforests]

Fleas weren't a problem over the weekend. The upwelling might have changed their pattern some