I must admit that all of the fishing line choices confuse me to no end. I bought a JX from Chark and the young lad that took my order suggested one brand and then when I just ordered my 4/02, the other fellow suggested a different mono.

Now when I go out and look, I see one line saying it was 40# yet tests much higher. Why would I want 40# line that test at a higher weight? Is this a function of diameter?

I welcome brand suggestions.

ON MY LONG RANGES I USE IZORLINE, INSHORE OR CLOSE TO HOME I USE P-LINE.IF YOU PURCHASE A 40 SPOOL AND IT BREAKS AT 50 THERES NOTHING WRONG WITH THAT.THE DIAMETER OF A FORTY IS BETTER THAN FIFTY.

Trying to decide which mono is useful is like trying to decifer Quantum Mechanics. The whole industry is rife with " HYPE " One is never supplied with facts to make an informed decision. Here are a couple of line adds right out of Pacific Coast Sport Fishing magazine. P-LIne: "If chasing big tuna is in your blood, then P-Line is your partner for life" or a Maxima add.. " Maxima line doesn't break. Records do ". Heres a good one for Power Pro.. " The longgest lasting , smoothest casting, easiest to use super line on the market PERIOD ". What a bunch of Bovine Digested Material. I could go on but we can only take so much.

All mono line will over test for its labled rating. The best mono lines GROSSLY over test for their labled rating. (Like Louie says , there is nothing wrong with that, but it would be nice to know the whole truth.) Some lines will over test but their diameter is excessive for their rating. I once e-mailed Izorline and asked them to become an industry leader by honestly labeling their line. I suggested the following: Labled rating with actual Breaking strength and line diameter. With a published line strength coeficinet which would be the actual line diameter divided into the actual breaking strength. This would give you pounds of breaking strength for each .001 of an inch of line diameter. Useful information we all could use to make an informed decision. They never responded to the communication. Not that I expected them to your understand.

Here is what I use and WHY I use it. Was using Trilene Big Game, which is a great line but I switched over to Izorline Copolomer XXX. For the following reasons. It over test like crazy for its line diameter, 30lb breaks at 49-52 lbs.,(At the FHS 60lb Izor was breaking at 95lb) it is limp which minimizes line spool memory and facilitates casting and it has a light grey tint which minimizes light piping. Both Big Game and Izor over test about the same and have similar limp qualities. But I liked the Izor line tinting over the clear Big Game. I believe Big Game has recently come out with a tinted line that you might consider. Izor XXX is so under rated that I actually use 30lb and treat as my 40lb line keeping my line diameter as small as possible. But in order to do this you must be confident of your knots. By the way , bad knots are the underlying reason why lines are so underated. When someone looses a large fish to a separated line its always the line that broke, the fisherman always blames the line for being weak, but in reality its almost always the knot that breaks. So inorder to compensate for this excessive pride, and avoid having their line labled as "WEAK" line manufactures just underate their lines so bad knots , er.... I mean line, will not break as eaisly and appear to be the strongest line you ever used.

Line strength is a function of diameter and material used.

Start feeling the different brand lines in your hand and you soon will be able to separate the desiarble limp lines from the stiffer types. And compare line ratings with line diameter which is "usually" on the spool labeling.

Got wound up on this one.......

Walt

Want to know how I really feel about line manufactures advertising, look below.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Walt,

Unfortunately, Walt's only partly right. It gets worse every single year as line companies brag about their overtest. Ande has a tournament mono that tests at lb. strength, but most people won't use this "weak" line.Walt is right, find a nice limp, castable line and use it. I like Pline, but Izorline is super, also

By the way, I like the Bovine Digested Material moniker. Wish I'd thought of it!

Tournament line breaks at or below its rated lb test thats why record chasers use it. All other mono lines break at or above rated test (some way above) by design. IMO line diameter is a good starting point on where the line will break. Also a nontournament mono that breaks close to its rated test is Soft Steel Ultra which I use for top shots and like alot.

HERE A SHORTER WAY OF DECIDING;

GO TO A TACKLE SHOP , THE SPOOLING DEPT, GET A SAMPLE OF 2 OR 3 BRAND OF MONO, MAYBE 2-3 FEET LONG , STRETH THE LINE AS HARD AS POSSIBLE THEN LAY IT ON THE COUNTER, WAIT A FEW MINUTES, THEN STRECH IT AGAIN , YOUR DECISION WILL BE MADE .

Louie, I like your suggestion, but there aren't many saltwater shops in Tennessee! No one here has Izor or Momoi.

IM GOING WITH PAST EXPERIENCE HERE ABOUT FISHIN LINES THAT IVE USED IN THE PAST. P-LINE IS AN EXCELLENT LINE ,BUT HAS TO MUCH STRECH AFTER A LONG BATTLE, TO RETYE YOUR HOOK IT WILL SLIP THE KNOT. TO RECAST OUT ITS TO FLIMZY, SO YOU WOULD HAVE TO REMOVE MANY YARDS IN ORDER TO FIND THE NON STRECHED AREA OF THE LINE THEN RETYE, THAT WHY I DONT LONG RANG W/ P-LINE , AS FOR INSHORE FISHIN YOUR NOT REALLY HOOKN UP 100 LB CLASS FISH ALL DAY ,SO I USE P-LINE LOCAL ONLY CAUSE OF ITS CASTABILITY, THRWN LIGHT STUFF (PLASTICS). IZORLINE IS THE CHOICE FOR MANY LONGRANGER, BOTTOM LINE I PERSONALY NEVER HAD A BREAKAGE, EVEN AFTER MANY,MANY BATTLES THAT DAY IT HOLDS UP TO ITS NAME, BUT OFCOURSE CHANGE THE LINE FOR THE NEXT DAY BRUTALS.ANDE WOULD BE MY SECONDARY CHOICE, BUT I DONT GAMBLE WHEN IT COMES TO THE BATTLE OF FISHIN, ID ALWAYS USE MY BEST ARSENALS (izorline). AS FOR OTHER PRUDUCTS LIKE TRILENE OR MAXIMA I ONLY USE THEM FOR FRESH WATER PURPOSES, NEVER TRIED THEM IN THE BATTLE GROUNDS OF SALTWATER. IF THIS INFORMATION CAN PROVDE ANY HELP TO YOUR TYPE OF FISHIN, GLAD TO HELP .

My two favorites are Izor and Ande Backcountry. I know a lot of people really like Trilene Big Game; however, I had two terrible experiences with it and will never use it again. The Ande Back Country is a very nice castable line. Izor is strong as can be.

Outhouse. Don't worry too much about your topshots. You can have the Excel crew put on fresh line every night. Cost is pretty minimal. Will also reduce the amount of stuff you are bringing from TN.

LT

Fllr, Excel uses Big Game line on board. Do you still suggest I not carry my own line?

BRING YOUR OWN SPOOLS, I DO. WHEN ARE YOU RIDEN THE EXCEL. JUSTIN FLECK TOOK OVER THE BOAT. I BOOKED MINE ON OCT 20, TEN DAY TRIP.

My trip, my first, is July 25th. If the actual fishing is as much fun as the learning and planning, I am in for the time of my life.

ooooohhhhhhhh sh#!, YOUR IN A WORLD OF YELLOW TAIL HURT. 5 DAYS TO THE ISLANDS ARE SWEET DURING THAT TIME. MY ADVISE , LOAD UP ON JIGS. CEDROS AND ISL OF NAVITIDADE IS THE SPOT, RIGHT INBETWEN THE ISLANDS ,YOULL SEE A 1 MILE RADIUS BOILS, IF YOUR LUCKY. CAUGHT OUR LIMIT OF YELLOWS IN A FEW HOURS . THEY WERE ALL NICE SIZE , 20 TO 40 CLASS WITH THE OCCASINAL 50 HERE AND THERE. I HAVE ALOT OF GOOD EXPERIENCE DOWN THERE. BEAUTIFUL, JUST BEAUTIFUL.

Louie, since you opened your mouth, please recommend which and how many jigs. I have some, but I need help.