Your Favorite 8lb Test Mono Jigging Line??

[EPS]

I have tried many, wondering what others use.. I like Trilene Sensation and StrenMagnaThin low diameter, but looking for comments on best 8lb line that has good combination of low stretch , strength, low memory and low diameter..

[Fenwick]

Fire line
Fenwick

[Homer]

For mono, I like the Tectan line carried by Cabela's. Their 5.9 lb. test is plenty stout enough.

[Chris M]

The tectan makes a great leader off of fire line. Tectan has alot of stretchability.

[mbrandt]

Rapala Fineses. In green. Started using it last year and love it.

Mark

[SWeed]

Fireline the ultimate for jigging... I prefer the green as it is easier to see..... I used to use Berkley XT Mono.

["Crow"]

Went to put in my 2 cents....and Homer said it all already for me......across the board, TecTan is the best line I've used out there, bar none....Its a true mono....not a copolymer, and that says it all. The copolymers are good , dont get me wrong....til you hit about 26 degrees ......then all ##### breaks loose with the smaller diameters,the lines design just cant take the compression, and its not the knot, they start blowing at that critical point....and only at critical times, like when you get that jarring, jolt from a big female...you know, the over 8lb. class.....I've even had the copolymers cut off on the hookset in the cold, the line stresses and gives on the friction......In the river as far as I'm concerned it rules
Give me TecTan over em all....especially in cold weather.

[hooked]

tectan 5.9 is what ive been using for 7yrs,great line plus i use the 17.4 pulling boards. hooked

[EPS]

I also like fireline... DO you guys always use 4-10 Fireline? I just purchased some 3/8 and I just cant seem to break it in my hands.. Noticably lower diameter. I have used Rapala Finesse, but it seemed to have a low break strength. I am trying to rig up a few rods for finesse walleye fishing with a slightly softer rod tip.. A few questions on fireline... do you guys always use a Mono Leader when jigging? If so how long? Also will you go with a slightly softer rod tip to prevent hooks from tearing out?

[MuskratRamble]

Crow, ... how is the sensitivity of the Tectan? I switched from Trilene XL to Sensation this year and liked the new stuff, but I may go to Fireline or this Tectan (this post is the first I am hearing of it).

[skr]

I use 6 lb fireline. I have never lost a fish due to line breakage with this stuff. I use slightly softer rod with it. I'm going to try powerpro thi year and see how I like it. If I use mono its magnathin although I might have to try some tactan. Good fishing

[the badger]

I HAVE USED STREN MAGNATHIN FOR YEARS AND STILL LOVE IT AS MY CHOICE OF MONO.

WALLEYES WON'T FORGET THE DAY THE BADGER CAME OUT TO PLAY.

[Crow]

Muskrat,
I'll start by saying this.....your not gonna beat the sensitivity of that Fireline....thats for sure..
I would have to say that the TecTan is sensative, if not more sensative than the Sensation....but the diameters are finer...Sensation failed my cold tests,with the typical copolomer problems; knot compression and an almost brittleness after a few trips on the river{you start going thru a lot of line keeping it fresh by re-spooling]. Not enough flexability[stretch] for firm hook-sets under 24 degrees
Magna-Thin did pretty well ....good til about 24 degrees...then the same copolymer failures set in. Just enough stretch to maximize firm hook-sets Kept its stretch till about 22 degrees]
I went thru a phase trying them all....
Heres the deal....
Fireline ...great til you get down in temperatures....it freezes up on you..
TecTan had it all.....great sensitivity, just the right amount of stretch even under 20 degrees, and you cant beat the abrasion resistance....even scuffed up, it held for me on alot of bigger fish.[we hook into alot of Muskie here incidently while fishing eye's] It lasted longer on the spool than all the rest[except the Fireline]
The River isnt very forgiving, rocks, wood,cement, not to mention the assorted car parts and the like.
This is only my opinion, and ya know how that goes....all the lines I used were 4# diameter ratings [approx. .008] or in the case of the TecTan even thinner.[their 8.8lb. test has a .008 diameter, the 11lb. .0092] The TecTan has outrageous diameters to breaking strength, another bonus, the stuff can really take a lickin.
The only draw-back was the price, its up there.....you get what you pay for, but it more than makes up for it in performance.
These are all great lines....I fish about 250 days a year,you just got a fanatic here !!
Final word....sensitivity has alot to do with your rods too.....I'm a St.Croix man....

[Muskrat]

Thanks, Crow. Good input. I am a St Croix man myself (own maybe a dozen of them). Did you find the fast taper an issue with the Tectan ... like ripping out of lips during hook sets or did you modify your hooksets or what???

[Jbob]

If you haven't tried the new line that Berkley came out with you don't know what you are missing. The new line is called Iron Silk. It has less strech, more sensitive and greater abrassion proof than any other mono. Yes it is a mono. You got to try this line. It is going to replace all other monos.

[EPS]

My local Bait shop suggested the New Iron Silk was better suited for baitcasters and bass fishing..were they wrong? Its diameter not as thin as others but they said it was very abrasion resistant but did have some memory. Sounded to me like it was Trilene XT with sess stretch.

[Lane]

I tried the iron silk this year and it did not work good on my spinning reels and in the early spring when we were fishing in the cold after ice out it was worse yet as it got very brittle and it has alot of memory. I did like the sensitivity and low stretch. I think if they do a little more work on it they will have a good product.

[REW]

I tried the Rapala finess a bit this spring for jigging, and took it off all my jigging poles. The problem is very simple -- too much stretch. I simply lost too many fish, where I couldn't get a good hook set.

On the other hand - I have found that this line realy excells for a lindy rigging line and or snell. With a lindy rig- you want a finesse line - especially, if using a plain hook (no spinner) - and the fish sets itself, so the stretch is not a big deal. As a matter of fact, the stretch, helps keep those big fish on the line close to the boat - once they have been well hooked.

Take care
REW

[REW]

No, and No.
No, it really isn't necessary to use a mono leader with fire line.
I use 4 lb test fire line for all my jigging -
This line actually breaks at over about 8 lbs. I am not talking the 10/4 fire line, I am talking the 4 lb bright green fire line. The bright green lets you see the line, for those little twitches. The line is plenty strong to get in walleys up to 10 lbs, as long as you aren't fishing weeds.
No need to go to a softer tipped rod - just use a wrist set - when setting the hook. None of this (over the head - hook sets - plaease. Also, if you get the fish close to the boat - be ready to drop the rod tip- if the fish decides to make a run. Also keep the drag set more loosely - so that the fish can run, if it wants to/ You will be fine.

With 4 lb fire line - the line diameter - is only about .004. This is much smaller than comparable than mono - and the visability - as far as spooking fish, has never been an issue.

Take care
REW

[rebs]

is tectan a good line for all around fishing as well, such as bass
what about 8 or 10 lb test

is it equally as good for spinning and bait casting

I fish alot in the winter for steelhead and salmon and use 15 lb test
do you think tectan would be good for this as well

it sounds like a great line so far

rebs

[dan wittty]

Just a thought from a self proclaimed river rat. Mono rules. What kind is better than the other? A few people here have stated the obvious. You get what you pay for. I have reluctantly tried many of the the so called super mono's. To me they all have there place and time. I just can't get the thought out of my head that when we were kids, any line was good line. We didn't have any money to spend on things like line. I will forever remember the excellent times we had catching fish with what ever line was on the reels in the garage. Usually it was shakespere 99 cent line from K-mart. You learn how to fish with it. Trilene sucks. Fireline and wire are to much. Most good quality monos have too much memory for my taste. I believe memory dampens casting distance enough to keep in consideration. Especially for those of us who have fished from shore most of our lives. I am a firm believer in low stretch. Most missed fish are lost on the contact or shortly thereafter. I use sensi-thin now because it is in my mind a step up from 99 cent K-mart line. Like I said, you learn to fish with it. Still a bit too much memory. Still better than others costing more. I think they discontinued it and now call it sensation? I hear Iron-silk is all the rage now. Maybe a step up from sensithin. Maybe not, we will see.

Thanks for reading

["Crow"]

Muskrat,
Didnt have to modify hookset at all....it's not like Fireline, and these are Walleye not bass....your not reefing on them , its that firm , steady sweep to the side that does it[it helps if you can figure which way the fish is going and swinging the other way]......the stretch in this stuff is just right....not too stiff where your yankin the jig outta there face....and just stout enough to not rip out when you hit meat.
Depending on the day and the way they're hitting dictates the swing on them...some days they're crushing it...all business, super aggressive, others they're picking it up buy the minnows tail and slowly moving off..you gotta know the feel, the difference on the take...
it becomes second nature after awhile, but you have to pay close attention.
I know guys that swear by hitting them as soon as you feel the tap and there are days when thats the ticket....I've seen them miss alot of fish that way too..yeah they can hit and spit it faster than most guys believe, but I do believe in giving them that extra "second".....often times its the difference between a solid hookset, and reeling up a jig with nothing but minnow lips left.
One more thing...a sharp yet firm, steady sweep[with authority] to the opposite side is the ticket..exception?? vertical take....then its a sharp hard firm straight up motion.....Firelines at its best right here. Hard , fast and sharp sets {bass style]???.....well heres my theory.....most guys are [7 outta 10] using ball head jigs.....as you rip the jig on a hookset....and especially with the low to no stretch lines....your popping the head of the jig thru the eye's closed mouth, in that fraction of a second the fishes mouth has a gap opened just wide enough for that hook point to get past the lips and out of his face..the sweep set doesnt allow that to happen.
Hope I've helped...and didnt confuse....
"Crow"

[TK_551]

I have been using MagnaThin for quite some time with good results. Plan on trying Fireline-just haven't got around to it yet.

Tom
#551

[BD]

Maxima Chameleon 4 or 6lb for jigging, 6 to 12lb for long lining, 12lb or higher for boards.

[BIG AL]

I use Trilene XT exclusively.......never had a problem with it><> ><> ><>

[Texeye]

Silver Thread

[Eyecrosser]

I have used a new (to me) line this year called Triple Fish. I think the name of the company might have changed to Team Fish or something like that. It is by far the best mono I have ever used. I wish it was easier to find. I got some from a friend in Wisconsin. Does anyone know where to find this stuff? Thanks.