Mono size for rigger rods? overlining?

[MarkNY]

hi, because of fleas ive been rigging most of my rigger rods with 30# trilene big game. i like light tackle so my rods are not rated up to 30#'s, the heaviest is 12-25#. on spoon rods i usually run a 15# flouro leader but on flasher fly rods which i sometimes run on riggers the weakest link is the mainline. should i be worried about overlining these rods? any ideas on rigging these rods with light tackle in mind but still be able to deal with the fleas when they show up? id love to use 17 or 20# mainline on spoon rods. also, what is your favorite mono line for riggers?  best, mark

[BAZOOKAJOE]

You could spool up 20 lbs flea flicker.

[fish-on]

I run #30 big game and #10 mono leader with no swivel, I use a nailknot to hook these two lines together, The less swivels you have means the less fleas built up on them  when reeling in your line. Plus your line goes thru your eyes much better this way with out a swivel.

[LongLine]

Mark - I run 12 lb copoly on the rigg'rs with spoons & 20 for a flasher.  However I'm also known for checking lures every 20 minutes or so and feeling line for nicks, abrassion etc.  Fleas will build up too much on the vertical section of line down to the rigg'rs if left down too long. 

 

Tom B.

(LongLine)

[Sk8man]

I think Longline mentioned the key to it...check your lines frequently regardless of the line diameter. I use it as an opportunity to change lures as well. Usually the fleas are in patches and you go through them intermittently so by checking frequently you avoid the MAJOR buildups on the lines. Actually the fleas have become an incentive to me to be more active and less prone to sitting around and by changing stuff frequently I believe that I've increased the number of strikes going down or coming up (esp. with the downriggers).

[LongLine]

 I believe that I've increased the number of strikes going down or coming up (esp. with the downriggers).

 

yep, yep, yep....

 

Tom B.

(LongLine)

[MarkNY]

thanks for the replies....

[jason]

if you turn your sensitivity up on your graph you can see the fleas. all you really need is a 100 ft section of 30lb mono to combat the fleas unless your fishing in oswego where you need to fish down 120 plus.

[John E Powell]

To specifically answer your question about over lining a rod, the only practical time that becomes a problem is if you're unwilling to turn around for a snag and attempt to break it free without pointing the rod at the snag.

 

Over lining has a life of it's own it seems, especially in certain fishing circles like with steelheaders and bass fisherman. People talk it up and without really thinking about it, and it takes on a life of it's own. It sort of like the fallacy in rodbuilding that good rods are built on the blanks spine and bad rods are not built on the spine. 40 years ago, someone wrote that and it persists today because it seemed to make sense to do so despite the fact that recent research has proven that the lever arm effect of guides on a blank overcomes any and all torsional forces from a blanks spine.

 

Spool your reels with whatever you want, it's how you responsibly or irresponsibly use that line that determines if over lining is a problem or not. And just to add to the thought process here, all of us using 50lb superline backing are doubling or in some cases tripling their rods rated capacity without problems.

Edited April 17, 2013 by John E Powell

[Adk1]

This is probably a simple question but I have no idea why the fleas stick to a smaller diameter line and not to a larger diameter line? Also, does anyone use the fused lines like Berkley Crystal Fusion or Fireline?

[Sk8man]

It seems to be because they have a little hook on their tail that is not able to adhere to the larger diameter line as long as it is smooth like mono...textured stuff like braid or leadcore is a very different story.....

[Adk1]

It seems to be because they have a little hook on their tail that is not able to adhere to the larger diameter line as long as it is smooth like mono...textured stuff like braid or leadcore is a very different story.....

ok thanks for the schooling I have no experience with them