Number of Fishing Line Types in your Arsenal?

[Slip Sinker]

Taking inventory on my methodology of B.Gill/Pan fishing I recently have abandoned the one-line approach to my set-ups and reduced bait types and numbers. I currently fish with more line-type  and setups than different baits. My current jig inventory is down to (3) or (4) different jigs and Gulp Pink Waxies for 90% of my fishing trips.

• 1). Power minnow
• 2.) Lil Minnow
• 3.) Apex Shad 1.0” (actually measures close to 1.5")
• 4) Spring Cricket
• 5) Gulp Waxies

My line types-applications include:

• 1) Monofilament – Super- Line spool backing, Kids spinning rigs
• 2) Nano – Long/Casting UL jigs
• 3) GLISS - Long/Casting UL jigs
• 4) Braid – Drop Shotting
• 5) Ice Braid/Micro Braid – Slip/Float/Waxie
• 6) Florocarbon- Vertical Jigging/Ice Fishing

I was just curious what everyone else’s approach to panfishing when it comes to fishing line types… there is no right or wrong answer only personal preferences fishermen are willing to share.… there is no right or wrong answer only personal preferences fishermen are willing to share.

[Tony Livingston]

I use mono for everything except crankbaits. Braid is currently spooled on the crankbaits rod.

[Riverman]

I use 4# Co-polymer line.

I have to ask..... of the 5 jigs you list... which is the #1 bluegill catcher?

[Slip Sinker]

Until just this season jigs were not the most popular B.Gill tagging method for me… drop shotting and slip floating were the favorites loaded with Pink Gulp.

 My attention then turned to Long-Casting the UL swim jigs with slick coated super lines at 80-90% ice-out here mid march with the b.gills/panfish on the Apex Minnow and a clipped 2” Power minnow down to 1.5-1.75”. The popular jig weight at the time was 1/32 oz.

When early summer approached realizing the productivity I was having on the long-casting/jigs I tied some Spring-Crickets and tagged my first B.Gill over the 10” mark with it … lol… that became my favorite for awhile.

While clipping some Power Minnows down to shorter lengths I did a search on EBAY for alternative for shorter jerk bait type tails and found a source. The manufacturer has no name for it so I call it the Lil Minnow. I literally hammered the fish on its initial testing and debut vertically jigging and Long-Casting it. First fish I tagged was a jumbo 9” plus B.Gill… so since then it has become the top-gun in my arsenal seemingly tagging everything in its path.

Last night was the first trip it was out produced by another bait... the Apex Minnow. It seemed we had to make longer casts to tag the fish.

[John Sheehan]

Tony is it because of the no stretch quality of braid that you use it for the crank bait rod ? What is your reasoning here ?

[John Sheehan]

Crankbaits weakening mono to a great degree i guess might be the reason to go with something else .I generally up the test of mono for crank baits .

[Tony Livingston]

To be honest, its just because I tried the braid on my slip float rig and didn't like it. hated to waste it, so I put it on the crank rod.

[John Sheehan]

   I have a surplus of mono still so most of my reels are spooled with that but recently have spooled up two reels with Pline copolymer .I have a 15# test (4# test dia.) , Power Pro line I havens used yet and am trying to decide it's best application before spooling .I also have a spool of Flourocarbon and some spider wire I still am not sure what to do with . I have used mono for so long and am slow to change I guess.

  How deep do you dropshot Slip and why do you use braid?  I have been vertical Jigging 15-18 feet this year and doing well with the less stretch Pline copolymer. I rarely find myself fishing deeper than 20 feet on bottom in the three or four lakes I've been fishing.

[Slip Sinker]

I fish micro braids on two of my methods slip/float and drop shotting.

When slip/floating It is tough and slices thru lily pad stalks when fighting over sized fish

When adjusting the slip float knot it abraids the coating surface on Nano and GLISS so I avoid their uses for for slip/floating.

When drop shotting I throw the bait into or next to a lot of cover … rocks, rubble, heavy weedlines, stumpfields etc. braid is the toughest line in production right now. It has the best knot strength of any line type so when snagged straightening of the hook is the most common result.

[Riverman]

 

Can't wait until my order of LiL Minnows arrive.  

Work can wait until I try them out thoroughly. 

[John Sheehan]

You've thought your conditions and techniques out well Slip .Fishing hats off to you.

[Riverman]

Does braid affect the catch rate, over a clear mono-type line?  I don't want to tie lines together. 

[Slip Sinker]

thanks John... as you all know i really love this sport and i have also been accused of doing a little micro managing... lol