Best Light Line for ultra-light fishing…??

Howdy all…have a question for you ultra-light fans.. I recently spooled two ultra-light reels with Spiderwire 4lb line. Went out Monday and fished for a few and had line flying off the reel in clumps.. .. Spent about half the time untangling the knots.. I spooled the line correctly as far as I know…didn’t curl up on itself each time I checked it…

So the question of the day is….what type of 4lb test do you feel is the best?? I’d like to get something spooled up that doesn’t cause me more work than fishing.. Thanks all..

I’ve been using Stren 4lb high vis for years for my trout & crappie fishing line. Can’t say it never knotts up but I have been pretty happy with it. Don’t fill the spool to full or it will fly off when you cast some of the really light jigs. Good luck

Trilene xl is all I use for pannies, in the clear. I carry a couple rods for free-line jigging that have Crystal 1 pound on them, but I seldom use the rods until after the crappies go to deep water to avoid the heat.

Sensation is a good line and P-lines are offered that are very supple and tangle-free.

If you are one to use a float, don’t spool up any fluorocarbons….they absorb water and sink. You’ll hate the stuff with a float.

If you are hard and fast on the braids, try the Crystal. It casts smooth and long. Also try closing the bail by hand instead of turning the crank to close it.

for little spinning reels, I am happy with plain 4# stren. I just spooled one up with some 6# generic berkley stuff and it keeps poppin off of the spool.

Cortland in HiVis green and orange!
I’m trying out the Cabela’s P-line that was suggested to me in the HiVis. Not enough fishing time in yet to give a thumbs up or down on it. So far it hasn’t been bad.
Trilene XT 4# if your fishing around a lot of timber and snags. It is a lot stiffer than most would like

4# P-Line

WEfish

Sensation or Cabelas, had good success with either.

As many have said in thispost … alot of lines can be used used for pannies ,the only time I see line unspooling on smaller reels is when the spool is they have it over filled , just keep that in mind when filling your smaller spools .

I use 4lb Power Pro on most of my panfish rods ,but I dont fish in anything close to clear water tho.

I’m not much of a panfish guy, so I can’t give you any help with line selction, but try spraying some Reel Magic or KVD’s Line conditioner on the spool. Its amazing what that stuff can do to line. and before you give up on the spider wire, try stripping some line off. sounds like you might have a little too much on there???

Hey guys…thanks for all the suggestions..!!.. . I did wonder about that line conditioner.. How many of you use it? I might give that a try..

Trilene 2-4lb clear.

My line gets changed often enough I have not seen a need for conditioners but, I might be missing out on something too.

The biggest problem most have with any line…..over spooling the reel. Do Not Over Spool your reels.

I have used Stren 6# on both my 11′ Crappie rod reels AND my 3′ bream rods with good success for years. 6# will cast 1/16-1/8 oz jigs as far as I need, with either pole, BUT I almost exclusively fish the Arkansas River, backwaters and jetties, where you catch 2# bream and 3# crappie fairly often, I need at least 6# because drum-large cats and sizeable bass often eat my jigs. De-spooling during casting is caused by overfill and/or casting light offerings into the wind. IF you can’t eyeball 1/8″ free spool on your reel, mark it and stop overfill.

Trilene XL 4 on all my ultra-lights for many years. I cant even imagine changing.

Switched most of my ultralight gear to nonofil a couple years ago , love it . The problem I had with some of the other “braids “, when pitching really light jigs , it doesn’t wrap tight enough on the spool . Then , next time you cast it comes off in clumps .Still keep a couple spoiled with trilene xl for certain situations .

Wow….a 9 year old thread resurrected.

Crazy to be brought out after nine years but then change….

I use Trilene XL Clear 4 pound pretty much for my general panfishing now but like Mike Martine, where a braid is preferred, I use Nanofil 4 pound. If you’re casting without a float the Nano gets some serious distance for you. If I am vertical jigging I use the Nano.

Wow , didn’t even notice the date