Live bait line choice

New rod last fall, 7’6″ ml moderate or fast fenwick. Love it, but finding my mono is lacking sensitivity dragging live bait around on that long of rod, especially on windy days.

Big believer in the shock absorption factor of rod/line combos in keeping fish hooked up, especially when it comes to small hooks that rigging uses. Afraid to go to braid, but only option at this point, and the rod has alot of flex so should handle it.

So which one? Needs to come off the spool easily, and go through the guides smooth. Love my copolymer sensation, but gets coily feeding line, worse on colder days. Switched to sufix mono but lost feel. Powerpro regular doesn’t feed smooth, feel the friction on guides. Fireline? How does that PP slick work? Wasn’t a fan of 832 when I tried couple years ago.

Sounds like you might want to try NANOFIL.. its really sensitive and really smooth…. So smooth in fact that you have to tie a special knot so that it doesn’t pull through.

Beware though.. The #test strength is what it is.. It is not stronger than advertised like most braids.. because it is not a braided line.

I use nanofil with a mono or flouro leader. I use the modified albright knot to attach the leader . I have been very happy with it for livebait and jigs and plastics.

Mwal

Tried Nanofil its ok, but I have tried P-Line Flouro, which is my go to line, but just recently switched to Berkley Sensation 8lb and it’s awesome! Pulling big creek chubs and stuff works awesome. I am not sponsored by them, it just plain works.

I use a 7’6″ Denali Pryme (actually made for crappie) Medium Moderate and to me it’s perfect. I can feel creek chubs start to go nuts and that’s when I know a fish is chasing the bait. I just let my line go (troll around with bail open). Then I watch my line and pull a bunch off the spool and wait a minute or two. As soon as that line starts to move on its own fast I reel up quick to pick up slack and put the hammer down. I have gotten pretty good at it, as it’s beginning to be my favorite way to fish besides slow death.

I like Sensation for mono. And fireline crystal for braid.

6lb for both.

Chris I’m glad you mentioned Sensation bc I always look for reasons to stick with it.

When I did use it was 6#, and some old stock I had so beefing up to 8# will make it a bit more sensitive.

It’s maddening going from sensation to XL, or Seige, or Stren bc of the light-year difference in feel. But that’s just me.

What kind of knot is required for Nano? It’s petty AH but hate having to learn new knots, especially if it’s loop here, double back, under this over that crisscross bowtie crap. Give me an improved cinch and I’m game

nhamm, I agree, I hate trying to remember all of the different knots. It’s like i need a book haha!

I leave for Canada on Friday and I am thinking of spooling a jigging rod with Sensation to see how it works.

But yeah for rigging live bait, its been really good stuff.

I use Sensation on all open water mono setups, it works great. My go-to jigging and live bait rods are 7’6″ MLXF St. Croix’s and the sensation does a great job of transferring feel.

the knot to use with Nanofil is a double palomar. It sounds difficult but it’s really simple.
https://www.google.com/search?q=double+palomar+knot+illustration&tbm=isch&imgil=Ru3bxrt-6CTPcM%253A%253BbnrsJLUbM-cFoM%253Bhttp%25253A%25252F%25252Fwww.netknots.com%25252Ffishing_knots%25252Fnanofil-knot&source=iu&pf=m&fir=Ru3bxrt-6CTPcM%253A%252CbnrsJLUbM-cFoM%252C_&usg=__8-1ESqpX9fm_bYyaaRETc2mmXOo%3D&biw=1366&bih=638&ved=0ahUKEwjf56i90ODUAhWl1IMKHXZTD9IQyjcIRg&ei=0KxTWd-_BaWpjwT2pr2QDQ#imgrc=Ru3bxrt-6CTPcM:

Surprised you didn’t like the suffix 832. I’ve gone to that on all of my jigging and plastics rods (the ghost white color/6#). It casts great and doesn’t seem to ball up in the wind. I run mainly 7 foot medium/light extra fast action rods (limit creek or St Croix) without any issues.

I’m with you on knots – I’ve been using the improved clinch since I was a kid and I use it on all lines and all applications. I can’t think of a time when I’ve had knot failure.

Love my XF tips for jigs, but wanted to try having a real soft tip mid section to hopefully deter having the fish feel me before I feel them, can hang onto line just a bit longer to confirm before wasting time feeding line to a rogue weed.

Think I’ll go braid still, know what I’ll get with Sensation, but would like to gamble with losing fish on braid due to no stretch, or them feeling me with no stretch.

Fireline crystal has been on my cat rod for awhile now, it’s heavier test but treated me well. I’m intrigued by Nano, maybe play with the knot at home before I go buy some make sure I’m…..knot pulling my hair out learning it

If you want something smooth Suffix nano-braid is pretty nice.