Braid or Mono for Bluegill fishing?

[Frank J Harvey]

Just bought a 6' 9" UL St Croix Panfish rod and ready to string it up with line. What to use? Braid or mono, what brand and what lb test should I go?
Thanks

[Allen Morgan]

Personally, I prefer Braid.  Go with 20 lbs test.  Any lighter, and you will have lots of issues with wind knots.

This sounds like overkill, but, that's still a very thin diameter line.  And, you won't have to worry if your bait gets swallowed by a LMB or a big ol' catfish.  Put some cheap mono backing on the reel first, then finish with the braid.  I usually use a small snap-swivel as an attachment point for a mono leader.

[Andy is OptiMystic]

Mono degrades pretty quickly compared to braid, even when unused; lots of line strength tests over time indicate that mono is good for maybe a couple of years at most and braid will last decades. Instead of mono backing, I like to fill reels with braid and then turn them around after a season or so. I keep a couple of junky old reels around to help me do that (reel it onto one, then the other, then back to original and it is turned around).

[Slip Sinker]

i like the way you think Andy... i have an old Daiwa with button push pop off spools mounted on an old glass ice fishing rod i use for the same purpose

[Frank J Harvey]

Not sure if the guides on this particular rod are braid friendly?

[Frank J Harvey]

They are the metal guides.

[Keith Ritter]

I like 4# original Stren, there are lots of new types of line and colors but there is a reason this line has been around so long. It works!!!!! It won't cost you a fortune to try it out.

[Estol riddle]

 Old School Rules. 

I'm with you, Kieth. Tried some of the new fangled line for a while and went back to what I had used all my life.

[carl hendrix]

Frank;; a line I have been using for several years and come to really like-- is Mr. Crappie !!  its a type of green color-- very low memory;; great knot strength-  cast extremly well-- so far i have zero faults using it.....in about all of my pix of fish -- you can see the line to give you a idea of it..  get it at wally world for around 5 or 6 bucks-   never had aany kind of fish to break the line either!

[Frank J Harvey]

I will take a look at it Carl. Thanks!

[carl hendrix]

Frank-- cajun red is real good line to!!   i just prefer a colored line;;  i can see my line at any distance;; and when i get hung oh yea;; a LOT easier to see where at and how bad!!  on my pix page ( 2) i think-- on my quantum reel is the Mr. Crappie line;; its on all of my reels now!!

[Andy is OptiMystic]

I like braid. Color depends on where you are. The mossy green works really well here in the NC Piedmont; for much of the year (while they are feeding somewhat aggressively) I don't bother with a leader and keep up with those using one, catch wise. It doesn't seem to put them off if you go with the lower diameters. The lower diameters do tend to get the wind knots from time to time but they are usually pretty easy to work out.

[Frank J Harvey]

I like braid too, but don't know if these rod guides can handle it?