Opinions on braided line for flipping/pitching?

Hey all,
Just got back from the BFL in Wabasha and after breaking off 2 keepers I wanted to get your opinions on something. For the last couple years I have been using braided line with my flipping and pitching rods due to its strength, sensitivity and most of all, ease of casting. I had been using fluorocarbon but got tired of picking out backlashes. With the braid, I typically tie a 3-4 foot leader of 20lb fluorocarbon leader on 50lb power pro for abrasion, shock, and so the fish cant see the line.

At the last 2 BFL’s I have busted off 3 nice fish right above the knot. I know they were nice bass and not pike because they jumped and spit them back at me each time. In the days of practice, catching a lot of fish, I’ve never broken off this way. I realize im probably breaking the line because Im pumped up in a tourney and set the hook too hard for braided line. Also, Im sure braid also rips the hook out at times. Has anyone else had this problem?

I think I should go back to straight fluorocarbon or mono for pitching. What do you guys do?

thanks for reading and your opinions, losing fish drives me nuts!!

Paul

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set the hook too hard for braided line

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No Way….Can’t be done. I average 50-85lb test Power Pro and set the hook like a mofo. NEVER had any problems breaking the line….and trust me..i’ve tried..

The only time you should have an issue is if you don’t re-tie after a northern bite. (Cost me a fish on Saturday) or if you’re getting hung up in rocks a lot.

This will fray ANY line and should be retied.

Slop,
What kind of knot do you use when fishin with Power Pro?

Polymer

I prefer the co-polymer lines for flipping and pitching. I don’t have to worry about strecth with that short of line out and I don’t tear hooks out with the little give that’s in the line. I also like PowerPro and use it when throwing lines where LONG hook sets are required (i.e. C-rigging, Long casted top-waters, and/or even Swim jigs fan casted long distances). For shorter stuff (i.e. worming, tubing, cranking, etc) I prefer P-Line Florocarbon-coated mono.

Just my 2 cents.

Oh, and Slop does do several things like a Mofo…

at least i don’t drive like one, unlike you

I agree with slop. I run power pro on all my pitchin rods. The only time I have probelems is when I get lazy. But thats my fault.

Reels have drags.

Use them.

you won’t snap off as much.

you wont rip off as much.

As long as we are talking line i have something thats been on my mind for awhile. I use P-Line for my tubing, worms etc. The hook is a Gamakatsu EWG that i tie with a Palomar knot. Rod is a St Croix Avid I set the hook with a hard wrist snap. Now this yr i either have been either hooking up with more Northerns then usual. Or and this is what im starting to think . My line is breaking at the hook set. Anyone having the same trouble. Now this happens atleast 6 times an outing. What kinda line do you use other then power pro

I personally like mono for flipping. I used to use fireline but I hated grabbing it while flipping. Mono is alot easier on the hands. For pitching and everything else though its Power Pro or Fireline all the way.

Power pro with a polymer is the only way to go….

Here is the deal. A lot of times a knot will slip around to the area where the eye loop nears the hook shaft. That location can etch a line and cause a line to break more easily. The trick is to tie a knot and trim the excess and main line off near the knot, then slide that knot down to the location where the eye loop nears the hook shaft. Then tie your real knot to the hook. The first knot simply keeps the real knot from getting near that rough area.

Hello Heres my 2 cents for what it’s worth. PTrudeau I fish with basically the same set up you are trying right now.I went the Floro leader route for a while and had to ditch it because of the same problems you are haveing.I think the Floro has a bad habit of cutting its self.I would try P-LINE (17 LBS.TEST)for leader. I use power pro our fire line for my main line and I think the Power Pro is the better of the two. Leader length that works best for me is about 30 inches,tide together with a uni knot.Have fished this set up now for about 3 years and haven’t had any problems in that regards. knock on wood. Just cut back on the power in your hook set and that will help a lot.With no stretch lines just a small snap of the wrest is all it takes to sink the hook home. I use this set up on all of my swimming jigs and drop bait set ups. Also Danwi if you are useing the new style tungston sinkers they are rough on your line also (even with plastic inserts)They will cut your line quick.I use them and might have to change back because of the same problem you are haveing.Tho I like the size of them better.Still have the jury out on that one yet.Sorry for such a long winded thoughts guys but good luck in what ever you chose to do. STEVE

All I have to say is………Slop bass must not be very strong!!!! Especially if he sets the hook like a mofo!!

I use 20 pound P-line on my St. Croix flippin stick…..and when I set the hook….I really set the hook! I guarantee that if I was using Prower Pro…….Something would break! Maybe the line….maybe the rod….maybe the reel….and if none of that broke….a 5/0 superline hook would straighten out. I have even reeled in a chunk of bass jaw before!

I have broken all of the above and needless to say…I don’t use PP when I flip or pitch. Sometimes I will only have 10-12 feet of line out and straight below the boat. I can set the hook on a 3 pounder and flip him in the boat on the same motion.

But….I use power pro for frogs,spinner baits and anytime I am casting. I use soft rods and set the drag so it will give.

One other thing that I do not like about PP is that it wraps and digs into wood,sticks much more than mono.

I never use a leader on PP as the knot is almost always the weakest link….and there is no point of doubling your weakest link.

I think you should learn to use both. But…..everyone is different and should ultimetly use what works best for them!

Only pansies flip with braid!

Agreed D-Nort I love Power Pro for slop and for reeaallly long casts with a swim jig. I do however think heavy mono, or in my case co-polymer P-line, is the way to go for flippin the thick stuff. You get much more abrasion resistance and even more importantly the line slides over and around wood way better. I also agree with the no leader theory- one knot is better than two.
SC

P.S. Good job to those of you who finished well in the Wabasha BFL. That was a tough day!! My boater, Jim Caulum from Westby, was a great guy and fun to fish with, but man the bite was tough. He boated his last small keeper at about 12:30 PM and I had a few shorts but nothing in the livewell (slop fishing is NOT my strong suit). I was pretty fired up at this point though because he said he would take me anywhere I wanted to go. I had a spot that earlier in the week was LOADED with big smallies (17-20″) and generally doesn’t get much pressure because it is tough to get to. We headed over there and right away found fish busting right in the current break. Unfortunately these turned out to be LM and small ones at that!! The big smallies had totally disappeared. I caught a number of short smallies and LM on a c-rig and that was it… almost. Jim did end up with one really nice LM (3.5) that helped him out quite a bit and hopefully sealed the deal for a top 40 finish for him All in all it was a pretty lousy day of fishing for me but the company and the nice weather made it bearable

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All I have to say is………Slop bass must not be very strong!!!!

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At a stout 235lb’s, I know how to set the hook. Trust me, I’ve broken several Rods on my hooksets…

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5/0 superline hook would straighten out

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Snags don’t count for much

I thought it was a weak and feable 235.

I personally don’t like braids for flipping and pitching. I haven’t found the need for the extra feel or the no stretch when I only have 30 feet or less of line out. I can pitch more accurately with mono I feel as well. I tried Flouro this year for pitching for it’s supposed abrasion resistance, but I have had a few SNAP off’s on the hookset (sounds like a .22 rifle going off when it snaps). I’m going back to P-Line CXX-Xtra strong for flipping.

You just can’t beat braid in the slop. I don’t know how we used to slop fish without it and land anything. I have been using it to C-Rig somemore this year, like it alot for C-rigging around rocks too.

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I thought it was a weak and feable 235.

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Step up

When I had the pleasure of riding with a pro during an E50 event I asked this very question and here is what he told me. BTW he asked I not use his name as he isn’t sponsored by the company mentioned. I’ll just say he won the event.

This pro also like using braid but uses a leader when in clear water. He said that most all florocarbon will not hold up and break easily and I should use one designed for leaders only. He suggested Seagaur “Invisible Leader Material.” This is really great and tough stuff. It is very stiff compared to other lines and almost as tough as the braid. Little pricey but you only need a few feet at a time.

Tie this to the braid using a double-uni knot. wrap the leader around the braid 6 times and the braid around the leader about 9 as it can slip easier. I only had one problem with this setup. I had a difficult time getting the knot at the hook to hold. I used a trilene knot but add a little crazy glue and this holds now. (Don’t use super glue. Something happens to it in water and it doesn’t hold.)

If you keep an eye on the leader. If it becomes rough replace it but I don’t think you’ll have much trouble otherwise. I 30lb leader and don’t have problem with it breaking even with powerful jig hooksets.

This is coming from a Walleye guy that fishes a few Bass Tournaments a year. If you have not tried Seaguar, give it a try. That is be best line I have found to date. I use it for everything now accept casting cranks and fishing wood. You will either find Power Pro or Seaguar on all my rods no matter what I am fishing for.

Before you knock Seaguar give it a try. I am a big fan of flourocarbon line and the is the best in my book. I an not sponsored by them, just a great product that sets the standard for abrasion resistance and strength.

Hey Scott, would you agree that during colder temps. you need to be extra careful to not set the hook too hard with Seaguar. I had a lot of problems breaking off Seaguar during the later fall and earlier spring.

I have never had a breakage problem with Seaguar. Usually when breakage is an issue it is the result of the knot. Our walleye season starts very early (March) the water is cold and so it the weather. I have not had problem with seaguar breaking, warm or cold.

I also use it to tie my 3 hook crawler harnesses. That is about as much stress is you can put on a line if you think about it. I started using it for its abrasion resistance, now I use it for jigging, rigging and on my planer board rods. I also use it for Texas rigging, drop shotting and pitching small jigs on the bass side. For heavy jigs and casting I use Power Pro.

That was my point kinda. I think its fine for your walleye rods and that kind of hook set but I thought you were saying to use it to flip with. I found with those smashing hooksets using a flippin’ stick in the cooler temps. it was breaking off. Just a FYI.

I don’t have break issues with Seaguar on my flipping or pitching poles even in cold weather. What I once thought was breakage was, in fact, knot issues and exactly why I use the crazy glue I mentioned. I am only speaking of the “Invisible Leader Material”, however as I have not used their “Carbon Pro” or other formulas.

One of the most asked questions with braid and many different answers.. I have spoken directly to a line rep about this same situation and this was his answer. “Dean you can’t set the hook like your tryin’ to cross his eyes, just snap your wrist.” Mind you I spoke with him directly after a day on the water and I was &*^&$# mad after losing 9 jigs and breaking a rod.(Now thats setting the hook like a mofo Slop Bass.) It took some training but the problem has been solved.