Question on fishing line for jigging

  • twenty2andy
    Posts: 12
    #1305137

    Please don’t laugh at me. Hell, I live in North Carolina! I am very excited to be going up and fishing Mille Lacs in a little over a week. Bought a bunch of slender spoons and darters (although it sounds like bite is on dead sticks on a simple hook!). Question… I have like 6lb spider wire on my ice fishing poles. Do I need to change to a better ice fishing line? How big of a mistake is it?

    Thanks for the help!
    Soon to be freezing southerner.

    Corey Rhymer
    Roberts, WI
    Posts: 763
    #1140752

    Should be fine, assuming you’ll be in a ice house and temps aren’t going to be subzero like they’ve been. Ideally, you want to go with a 4-6lb test fluorocarbon. Fluoro sinks, comparing to mono and braided , it’s abrasion resistant, dang near invisible underwater and since it’s nonporous like other lines it doesn’t freeze up so much. But, most likely if you’ll be indoors, you should be just fine!(we’re talking about walleye fishing, I assume.) I’m sure more guys will chime in… Good luck when you come up!

    140-zuki
    Cokato, MN
    Posts: 114
    #1140755

    I would at about 2-3ft of 6 lbs flourocarbon to the business end of it with a really small swivel between the two. Super clear water plus limiting the line twist from the spoons.

    Travisroell
    West Bend, WI
    Posts: 33
    #1140765

    Quote:


    I would at about 2-3ft of 6 lbs flourocarbon to the business end of it with a really small swivel between the two. Super clear water plus limiting the line twist from the spoons.



    This is what I do!

    tswoboda
    Posts: 8445
    #1140783

    I would do a 6-10′ 6 lb fluoro leader on the 6 lb braid

    Will Roseberg
    Moderator
    Hanover, MN
    Posts: 2121
    #1140787

    Quote:


    Please don’t laugh at me. Hell, I live in North Carolina! I am very excited to be going up and fishing Mille Lacs in a little over a week. Bought a bunch of slender spoons and darters (although it sounds like bite is on dead sticks on a simple hook!). Question… I have like 6lb spider wire on my ice fishing poles. Do I need to change to a better ice fishing line? How big of a mistake is it?

    Thanks for the help!
    Soon to be freezing southerner.


    Welcome to IDO

    The main issue with using superline for ice fishing is that it absorbs water and if you’re fishing outside of your shack it can start to freeze. Not that it’s going to weaken your line, but it becomes a bit of a hastle as it can catch on your reel guides reeling in and letting out line. Probably not worth getting all new line for just one weekend so as others have said I would add a few feet of 100% flouro leader.

    I’m still not positive what I’m doing that weekend but if I’m up at Mille Lacs you’re welcome to borrow one of my Tuned Up Custom set ups and an LX-5 if you’d like to give them a try

    toxic11
    Posts: 222
    #1140799

    Dang. I use a 2 pound ice lines on most of my reels and never lost a fish.

    Paul Delaney
    Moderator
    Posts: 233
    #1140898

    In most cases with jigging for Walleyes on my reels I use a limp 6lb mono with a 6lb flourocarbon leader attached to a small barrel swivel. This will work for most walleye jigging situations but if you are fishing smaller finicky fish you can scale down to a 4lb test setup. Welcome to the IDO site this is a very informative site and never hesitate to ask questions here lots of great guys more than willing to answer questions.

    Paul Delaney

    http://www.lateeyessportfishing.com

    BBKK
    IA
    Posts: 4033
    #1140914

    Quote:


    Dang. I use a 2 pound ice lines on most of my reels and never lost a fish.


    For walleye?

    toxic11
    Posts: 222
    #1140917

    Yup. Just recently hooked a 22″ one. It came unhooked right at te hole but the line didn’t break. It’s all in how you work or set your drag. And also it’s a lot better fight when you actually have to work for the fish. To me it’s more fun that way

    twenty2andy
    Posts: 12
    #1140970

    Wow, thanks everyone for the advice and the welcome! I found the IDO videos on youtube and have loved Sundays for the new videos to come out. I will definately add some flouro to the end of my setups. Will that is one hell of an offer, but I would be way too worried about messing things up. I am renting a flasher (have never used in other ice fishing adventures). Very cool of you to respond! Like I said, been watching every video that has come out and recognize you from there. I would like to catch a few like you did up at Red lake jigging, but wouldn’t mind pulling them in via tip-ups like you did earlier on Mille Lacs! I have been reading a lot of message boards and it looks like simple red hook and shiner is the ticket right now, but I definately want to try the double treble hook setup you guys were using. Thanks again!
    Andy

    out_fishing
    Moorhead, MN
    Posts: 1151
    #1140975

    I always use 8 lbs floro leader, whatever you use make sure your drag isnt set too tight or one good run on a nice walleye and it will be gone.

    twenty2andy
    Posts: 12
    #1140976

    That is very good advice for me. I was thinking that, but I need to remember it!

    One other question… Tie right on to the slender spoons and if using darters??? Any thoughts on that?

    out_fishing
    Moorhead, MN
    Posts: 1151
    #1140980

    I use the clip that comes with the slender spoons on all my other jigs. I dont use darters often but I would think that would be fine to use the clip. makes for changing lures fast.

    twenty2andy
    Posts: 12
    #1140985

    Oh I didn’t even know they came with clips. I had to order on-line and send to people I am meeting up there. I didn’t want to try flying with fishing lures in my carry-on. Not sure the policy on that one! That sounds good.

    tom_gursky
    Michigan's Upper Peninsula(Iron Mountain)
    Posts: 4751
    #1141047

    Welcome to IDO

    slipperybob
    Lil'Can, MN
    Posts: 1410
    #1143633

    Quote:


    Yup. Just recently hooked a 22″ one. It came unhooked right at te hole but the line didn’t break. It’s all in how you work or set your drag. And also it’s a lot better fight when you actually have to work for the fish. To me it’s more fun that way


    That said is the biggest problem with 2# line with a fish right at the hole for me. Some 2# lines are as thick as other 3# lines too, so that’s all relatively speaking. But take line test consideration for your lure weights too. It’s whatever will get the fish to bite.

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