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

[Frank J Harvey]

What's ur feelings on Berkeley Fireline for UL fishing?

[Andy is OptiMystic]

that's fused dyneema with a slick coating; I think it is an excellent choice.

[jim cosgrove]

spend the couple extra bucks and get nanofil made by berkely.

[Frank J Harvey]

Thanks for your input Andy.

[Slip Sinker]

I prefer to use braid over mono for several reasons:

1)     Economy and maintenance… sure the initial outlay for braid is significantly more than monofilament but avg that cost in to 10 years or so it becomes more economical in the long run. I used to be committed to  Berkley Trilene Xt 8lb test on my common spinning reels… religiously I used to swap out the line twice a year… it became kinked and degraded and the dreaded memory coils develop effecting casting performance. I no longer have to do this … what a maintenance chore relieved!

2)     Knot strength is significantly greater in the braid. Mono compresses under the tension of any fishing knot and seriously degrades the strength and performance from spool to your presentation or lure.

3)     It is thinner for its equivalent mono strength therefore it is a more stealthy approach to your target fish. That being said leaders are no longer required.

4)     Sensitivity is key!... since there is virtually zero  line stretch you feel everything. Over the winter ice fishing I had this great opportunity to do a line study between mono, fluorocarbon and ice braid. Using my sonar I was able to present tiny jigs to the schools of fish and follow their reactions and sensitivity of feel with the different fishing line types. The mono you would notice line tension not feel but just notice when a crappie took the jig the ensuing fight would be fighting sponge bob on a rubber band. The braid which not surprisingly proved more sensitive like a flick on your forehead compared to the mono presentation. What was really cool I could see the fish coming up to the presentation on the sonar and you were ready for the bite. So this and that being said what about the missed strikes and fish are you missing with mono during a normal day of fishing? It is significant if you are using mono. If you have not experienced the headshaking fight of a bluegill or smallmouth on braid you are truly missing an experience in itself. I was literally shocked when I started fighting fish with braid. It is that night and day of difference. On one hand you have sponge bob on a rubber band and on the other you literally have a tiger by the tail. That to me is a significant part of my sport … just not the fish in the cooler at the end of the day but what happens in between… setting the hook and landing the fish.

5)     Rod tip wear …my oldest fishing rod with miles of braid running thru many fishing casts has just started showing wear… nine years on a 30.00 dollar rod.  $3.00 performance tip and 3mins of maintenance problem solved. i dont believe t was caused by the use of braid... any line will show wear on a rod tip.

Braid in my book wins hands down.

[Frank J Harvey]

I agree Slip Sinker. Thanks for replying.

[Slip Sinker]

heres a tip all you fly rodders might want to try... braid floats mono sinks and so does fluorocarbon. use a length of 4# braid as your leader...since i only use a foam spider or a popper on the end of my fly rods i want this presentation to stay on top. works great!

[Andy is OptiMystic]

I use Nanofil on one of my rods. It is very similar to Fireline but I think it sinks a little more readily. The fused/coated dyneema lines still float but aren't as buoyant as old school braid.

[Slip Sinker]

i wanted to try Nanofil as a leader ... maybe the next time i get my 3wt out.

[jim cosgrove]

i use it on my bass bug rod but changing flies often or losing them to the trees and brush mono is way easier to re tie, and you want some play as the fly line has little or no stretch and if you snap a tip off a flyrod it is pretty much junk.i have made leaders of braid and used mono for the tippet.it is also too light and doesn't want to lay down.as much as i love a topwater bight ,i catch more fish below the surface on flies.

[Slip Sinker]

basically all i use my fly rods for is the hot top water June bite... missed it totally last year due to arm pain... hopefully i can catch some of it this year. in fact it was such a beautiful afternoon and finally all the snow is off the lawn i got some practice time in.

[Tony Livingston]

For a bluegill rod, I'm all about mono. Sure it wears out....that's part of its allure to me. It means it's time for the springtime ritual of disassembling my reels, cleaning them and re-spooling. I look at the braid/mono debate the same way I do the synthetic/non-synthetic motor oil debacle. I would much rather change and replace my oil every so many miles than run 25,000 on the same oil.  For what it does, mono (and non synthetic motor oil), is cheap....I can afford to change it.

And while I understand the enhanced sensitivity issue, I don't have a problem detecting subtle takes and catching fish using the mono. I think learning your gear and equipment in regards to how it reacts, is the most important issue.

Sufix Elite mono is my line of choice. I have tried braid, and nanofil...always come back to the mono.