STREN MAGNA THIN VS FIRELINE CRYSTAL

[Bob Hubby]

First thanks for all great discussions on this site. I got some Micro Spoons they work great. I generally fish intercoastal for redfish and speckle seatrout. I had tried some Stren Magna Thin on the flats and it casted like a dream, but lost 2 big fish when it parted very easily. It appears it abrads on the oysterbars. I had to change line after one trip and go back to Trilene XL. Since I Have a lot of Magnathin available and like it's castability over FirelinemCrystal. I have been using Fireline 6# to cast the Microspoon with a small 10# Sampo Swivel and can cast about 20 feet. However the Fireline does not cast as well as the Stren 8# Magna Thin. Comments please. Thanks Bob

[Bob Hubby]

Dick thanks for the comeback. The microspoon is considerably lighter than a 1/16th oz. Your 9' rod would help. For Bluegill I use a 5'6" light action rod. I would use my 7'6" saltwater medium action rod, but it is overkill. I'm trying keep the weight down or I would add a splitshot. I'm interested in the Stren line and wondered if others have found it to break unexpectantly. I have my drag set for about 2 pounds and losing 2 fish one day is extremely rare. I fish 3 to 4 time a week and don't lose more than a fish or two on Trilene XL in a year due line failure. I might have gotten a bad spool. I'm not unhappy with the Fireline other than it does not cast as far as I would like. Thanks Bob

[Bluegill Chaser]

I've been using Berkley Vanish Transition 4lb flourocarbon and while many other fisherman said that using Vanish will cause your fish to "vanish" I've yet to have a break off. I've pulled in 2 lb largemouth and 3 lb striper on that rig with no line/knot breaks, once in medium cover. I can cast a 1/16 oz jig with a micro tube on my light spinning rod about 40 feet max.

[Copperhead John]

I tried the Fireline Crystal in 4 lb. test with ultralite lures(1/64 oz. and 1/32 oz.) on my 6' Falcon Lowrider ultralite rod for brim and did not like it - it frayed and for some reason caught the wind a few times on casts resulting in snares. I went back to 8 lb. PowerPro and I get less distance with ultralites but the difference is not that great. The PowerPro is 1 lb. diameter and much smoother than FireLine. I sometimes use a leader uni-knoted to the end of the PowerPro. I have confidence that I could catch an 8-10lb. class trout or red with no problems on this line since it tests much stronger than it's rating. It also casts a mile with flats lures. I really want to try the 5 lb. test PowerPro which is 3/4 lb. diameter I believe but I don't think this current line will ever wear out. I will never go back to mono except for leaders.

[Bob Hubby]

Good respnses I use 15 #power pro on the flats at times and find it holds up well. I get tangles now and then which is a pain. As far as Vanish I use 20# as a shock leader and really like it with Trilene XL 8# and the Power Pro. It looks like I need to give up on the Stren Magna Thin. It really casts well, but breaks on hooksets. Copperhead you said on an earlier post you lived near Kings Lake, my guess is the first of march the bass will prespawn and a few may have already spawned, am I right? Why the handle Copperhead, the John is probably a given? Thanks Bob

[Copperhead John]

Sorry, I don't recall saying I live near King's Lake and frankly have never heard of it. I live in Tallahassee, Florida which is a fisherman's and hunter's heaven running from the Red Hills quail country in the north(we are about on the Fla-Ga line) to the huge St. Marks federal wildlife refuge on the south on the Gulf flats with major lakes and rivers all around(Appalachicola;Talquin; Jackson; Miccasookie; and Iamonia to name a few) as well as hardwood forests filled with deer, bear and hogs. To give you an idea, Ted Turner lives most of the year just west of town on his 22,000 acre plantation "Avalon". I grew up in north Florida where we call the big male bluegills with the purple and copper markings on their heads, "copperhead brim" and it is my favorite fish to catch.
The big red which can be seen on my pictures section was caught on 8 lb. PowerPro and that and 10 lb. PP is all I use on the flats here. I will use 15 lb. PP if fishing an artificial frog for bass in the weeds but that's as high as I go and It cannot be beat. For me, it's all about a balance of casting distance and strength - I would never use the heavier sizes of line

[Jim Gronaw]

I just recently tried the Fireline Crystal in 6 lb test and 2 lb diameter with a 4 lb flor leader for the 1/8 and 1/16 th oz Rattle Flash spoons. I must admit that I like it and strike detection appears to be better than that of quality 4 pound monos. I can cast quite far with it and have good strike detection on the 'end' of a long cast.

There are times when I prefer mono over the braid, suchas when I expect to lose a lot of jigs in brush and will have to be tying and re-tying often. Sometimes, it's more a matter of choice and what you are used to and comfortable with. On most of my panfishing applications I prefer quality 4 and 6 lb monos.