Lining spinning rod spools for multiple uses?

KC8QVO

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I have 3 more spools coming for my travel spinning rod. It is lined with 15lb power pro now. What other lines should I load the spools with? I want a light weight line for casting small rapalas and other crank baits. I have 5lb fireline on another rod that does well with that, as well as 4lb mono. I dont think I have more than 100yds of either left, though so I will probably have to purchase a new filler spool of whatever I get. I do have a lot of 6lb triline mono left. Id like to use this for walleye jigging. I think it is going to be too heavy for casting the small lures, though, otherwise I would stick with it for the small crank baits. I think ill use 10lb mono on one spool. Any thoughts?
 

dingbat

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You match line weights to the rod. What rods will you be using?
 

KC8QVO

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I have a Fenwick Methods, the heavier of the 2 spinning rods. It has 4 interchangeable sections - 3 pieces with two sets of mids and tips.

My purpose for the rod is to cover as many bases as I can with one rod and one reel so when I travel I can travel light and still fish. I don't care about the action being too heavy for "lighter" fishing, I can cast lighter lures and line with it fine (ran 4lb mono with my small reel last week). It isn't a perfect combo for light fishing, but it does it.

I needed a more capable (bigger fish, better casting, better handling) quality rod that broke down and ended up with this one. I was looking at the Okuma Nomad series also but I had a Fenwick rod that I liked already and figured I'd get more versatility with the interchangeable mid sections as opposed to just the tips with the Okuma. It was a bit less expensive too.

That having been said, I want to set the rod up to catch everything from bluegill in a pond to big pike and muskie. The pike and muskie are covered with the 15lb power pro now. I've been running 10lb mono (with a leader) with pike with good results. The power pro will be even better - easier hook setting and stronger.

I know it isn't ideal, but the rod would be a lot less ideal with a small reel for the small line like I ran before. At least swapping spools I can still keep relatively the same balance in the rod as the reel is the same too.
 

dingbat

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I use a 6 ft., fast action, #10-17 North Fork Composite rod with a Penn 360 Slammer full of #10 Sufix Braid for everything from catching bait (Spot - Saltwater Bluegill) to #10- #20 Stripers.

For larger fish, #20+, I'll go with a 7 ft., fast action, #15-25 Lamiglas rod using the same reel and line.
 

KC8QVO

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My spools got here today. I stopped at the store yesterday on my way home and picked up a few things. Got a spool of 5lb power pro for the light end. I used 150yds of that on one reel and lined the other 2 with 6lb triline xl smooth casting mono and 10lb triline xt extra tough mono.

I also got a berkley clamp on line counter. When I opened it there were parts out of place inside and it didn't work. So just to see if it was fixable I took it apart. The shaft inside that the line spool drives was out of place from a washer and lock washer falling off the shaft. So I got that put back together and it started working.

The line counter is still a piece of junk though. I was going to put 150yds (450ft) of the 6lb mono on and I didn't get to 300ft on the counter and my spool was full. It should hold well over 200yds (600ft) at that line weight. All I can figure is the line is slipping too much on the spool in the counter. Maybe it works better dropping a line than winding it up, but I was not having much luck with it. I even tried different levels of tension on the line. It just wasn't reading right.

I am open for ideas with the spool that has the 10lb mono on it. I wasn't going to wind that one but after the problems with the counter on the 6lb I made some adjustments and ran the 10lb to try it. My goal was to split my spool of power pro in half (300yds, 150yds on the reel) but since I couldn't get a reading I went back to my stake method - 75ft/25yds apart, 3 laps = 150yds.
 

dingbat

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I don't get it.....why are you messing around with all those line weights when one size will do it all?

A #10 braid is the same diameter as your #4 mono and stronger than your #10 mono. It would do everything you want plus some......
 

KC8QVO

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It isn't all about the size and weight.

The 6lb mono I have is less visible in the water than any braid will ever be, but is not as invisible as fluorocarbon, nor does it have the same sinking properties. For walleye fishing it will work fine - we use lead jigs and have run mono for years. In a trolling set up the mono won't be ideal, but I don't plan on this rig doing any trolling (yet). I wanted a braid that would handle bigger fish so I got the original 15lb test. I want the best cast-ability of the small lures I have so I wanted the lightest line I could find. I figure 5lb power pro is lighter (in actual weight, not load capacity) and smaller in diameter than 4lb mono. I will do a comparison today casting with the different set ups to see how they compare (I have 4lb mono and 4lb fireline (dyneema I think) on 2 different reels).

For fishing clear water and/or fish that are easily spooked I'd want a fluorocarbon line of some type.

Maybe no one pays much attention to the line performance and different environments the lines are geared for. That is what I was going after with this thread - thoughts on the environments for the line, as opposed to size/weight. I think I have about what I want for now for the uses/environments I'll be in so as time goes on I will figure up what I need that I don't have an go from there.
 
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dingbat

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With almost 40 years of guide and tournament angling experience behind me, I'm trying to give you some insight to help shorten your learning curve but it seems to have gone over your head. ;)

Too much Saturday morning fishing shows, not enough water time to understand what was being said.....lol
 
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BF

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I went down this path many moons ago when I would do backwoods canoe trips and take 1 rod and reel, but have a couple extra spools of different line... After much fiddling around, I ended up giving up on the idea and always used a medium weight line that could do all tasks. The compromise of it being a bit heavy for light work, or too light for big lures was better than always swapping spools on and off. This was before the days of braid, so as dingbat says, that may well be the way to go.
 

KC8QVO

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I've been using my 5lb power pro and 6lb mono most recently. When I was back up at the lake I used the 15lb power pro. I am happy with the selections right now.
 
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