Ice Fishing Lines

Thanks to everyone for advice on what lineweight to use on an upcoming panfish trip to northern Minnesota. Seems a lot of guys are using 2, 3 & 4# lines. However, this question took me down various path’s as I was discussing fishing lines with some guys I fish with. I know we all have our preferences, so this may be a loaded question. I have 11 different rod/reel combos each spooled differently for various fish and added a couple of panfish rod combo’s yesterday. I mainly fish Walleye and Perch with an occasional Crappie trip.

With regards to ice fishing lines, what line weight, type and brand do you prefer to fish with and why? I’d also like to hear from James and the IDO Staff and what they prefer.

Walleye: Line weight? Mono, Flouro or Braided? Brand? Color? Why?

Perch: Line weight? Mono, Flouro or Braided? Brand? Color? Why?

Crappie: Line weight? Mono, Flouro or Braided? Brand? Color? Why?

Panfish: Line weight? Mono, Flouro or Braided? Brand? Color? Why?

Panfish I like flouro because:

– It sinks, helping to get your jig down faster.
– Doesn’t twist much and doesn’t have much memory
– Is thin
– Doesn’t stretch. I normally set the hook relatively hard, but use some slow action rods. If I am missing more than I should, I end up barely setting the hook, which is easy and I have confidence doing with no stretch line.

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Panfish I like flouro because:

– It sinks, helping to get your jig down faster.
– Doesn’t twist much and doesn’t have much memory
– Is thin
– Doesn’t stretch. I normally set the hook relatively hard, but use some slow action rods. If I am missing more than I should, I end up barely setting the hook, which is easy and I have confidence doing with no stretch line.

Consider the Source

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I like fluoro for open water fishing but what you said there is not true for every brand.

– yes they all sink
– you are right, doesnt twist much because it has tons of memory. It has the most memory of any line out there. The trick is to get it to be naturally straight. If the memory is “straight” then there will be very few twists and a great spool of line. If the memory is “curls” then it will be very hectic to use and cause a lot of problems.
– Some are thin, a lot are way too thick.
– Yes it stretches. Fluoro is NOT a no stretch line every brand of fluoro stretches. Braid is the only “no-stretch” (even though it does have some stretch, but it is by far the best of all of them). Some fluoros will stretch more than mono. There was a study on this posted on tackletour a while back. Some are good and don’t stretch much, but to buy fluoro because it is “no-stretch” is a bad idea. A lot of them stretch just as much as mono.

Well the flouro I use doesn’t stretch much. I have had no problems with the memory either. Maybe it is the brand I buy, I don’t know. Personally I would never use braid ice fishing.

The line itself can change the jigging action of the lure ever so subtly. So I like to have one of each available.

I wrote a lot of my 2 cents in the groups thread on fishign lines there.

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Thanks to everyone for advice on what lineweight to use on an upcoming panfish trip to northern Minnesota. Seems a lot of guys are using 2, 3 & 4# lines. However, this question took me down various path’s as I was discussing fishing lines with some guys I fish with. I know we all have our preferences, so this may be a loaded question. I have 11 different rod/reel combos each spooled differently for various fish and added a couple of panfish rod combo’s yesterday. I mainly fish Walleye and Perch with an occasional Crappie trip.

With regards to ice fishing lines, what line weight, type and brand do you prefer to fish with and why? I’d also like to hear from James and the IDO Staff and what they prefer.

Walleye: Line weight? Mono, Flouro or Braided? Brand? Color? Why?

Perch: Line weight? Mono, Flouro or Braided? Brand? Color? Why?

Crappie: Line weight? Mono, Flouro or Braided? Brand? Color? Why?

Panfish: Line weight? Mono, Flouro or Braided? Brand? Color? Why?

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I’ve been using 2# Vanish for pannies and 6# Vanish for walleye for years and have come to trust the stuff. I’ve been experimenting with Ice Magic this winter and so far its proving to be a very good line as well. I don’t use braids much because I tend to fish outside almost exclusively. When it comes to lines I guess I keep it simple.

Vanish is what I use too.

I use the same exact as James for pannies and wallys and I like the stuff had no problems… I had a post like this a while back and the majority had said vanish so thats why I went with it and I’m happy I did…If I remember right I think P-line was the next favorite??? Never used that stuff yet, might try it on a combo next yr

I know I’ve used P-Line before too. Those are the 2 I use for both ice and open water fishing. I go with 100% pure flouro P-Line. I personally don’t like messing around with compound lines.

Similar to previous posters, I prefer fluoro as well. I’ve been using Berkley’s 100% fluoro in 8 lb. for walleye through the ice.

I use 4 lbs trilene micro ice in green. I been able to catch walleye, perch, trout on that line with no issue. I like the green because it stands out on the ice but disappears in water.

Do you lose a lot of jigs due to your line disappearing?

Sorry ill go slap myself.

I suppose I could, but again, I got it to work by doing it myself. The added time, lost time on the water, and money to drive it 30 miles or so to the nearest shop to me, isn’t worth it, although I know that’s not how it should work.