Big Boy Trip!

Scotfish

Junior Member
I am planning a rocky point fishing trip the end of February and my concern is my gear . I bought a couple heavy spinning rods that I haven't spooled up yet so what pound test line can I get away with using? To heavy I can't get the yards on my reels to light and you worry about breaking off. Monofilament or braid ? 30# to 100# what do you suggest.
 

SunDevil

Well Known Member
definitely braid. what are you going to be fishing for? if you are fishing for 100 lb grouper you will want to go heavier, 60 lb or more (is your spinning reel good for a 100 lb grouper?). if you are targeting 20 lb yellowtail than you could get away with 30 lb.

I think the guy that caught the 420 lb yellow fin tuna this week in Loreto caught it on 50 lb mono.
 

jerry

Well Known Member
definitely braid. what are you going to be fishing for? if you are fishing for 100 lb grouper you will want to go heavier, 60 lb or more (is your spinning reel good for a 100 lb grouper?). if you are targeting 20 lb yellowtail than you could get away with 30 lb.

I think the guy that caught the 420 lb yellow fin tuna this week in Loreto caught it on 50 lb mono.
Scotfish, Tom in Lobos would be a good charter for you.My friend Matt went out with him on his new boat ( Ted's old center console one) and they caught a lot of fish Saturday.
 

AzDave

Junior Member
I just switched all my salt water rigs to braided this year. I have a 25lb rig and a 40 lb rig (with 25lb mono leader). The braid makes a huge difference over mono. Mono was not as responsive in deeper water. Plus the braid is less in diameter.

I'm with Jerry - Fish Lobos!
 

Scotfish

Junior Member
Thanks for your responses! The reels I have holds 240 yards of 30# monofilament line so I should be fine with 80# braid and on this trip you can expect to catch grouper from 30 to 100 pounds,black seabass up to 100 pounds and hopefully some white seabass from 20 to 45 pounds. Thanks for the information and will definitely post pictures and info of my trip.
 

audsley

Well Known Member
I have no business telling anyone how to fish saltwater on this forum, considering the expertise here, but I'll say what little I'm sure of. Braid, and only braid, should be used for shorecasting because you'll get significantly more distance. Braid also gives crispier hookups when bottom fishing.

Aside from that, I hear a lot of arguing about braid vs. mono. I troll with braid but learned the hard way to tie on 8-10 feet of mono leader to absorb the shock of a big fish hitting while the boat's moving. I think a lot of people do that.

One guy I know believes braid cuts too easily on rocks. I don't have an opinion about that, but if true it could be a big deal because groupers like to head for the rocks when hooked.

If you get a birds nest in your reel, you'll wish you were fishing mono. It's great having the additional yards braid gives you, but you will probably need that extra line if you have to cut out a birds nest.
 
I always used braid with a mono leader. I once was on a wreck and the local cuda would always bite the mono baited line then of course it would break. I loaded up a braided with a crab, he wouldnt go near it. It was hilarious.
 

Shawno

Well Known Member
Thanks for your responses! The reels I have holds 240 yards of 30# monofilament line so I should be fine with 80# braid and on this trip you can expect to catch grouper from 30 to 100 pounds,black seabass up to 100 pounds and hopefully some white seabass from 20 to 45 pounds. Thanks for the information and will definitely post pictures and info of my trip.
Scotfish
Will you be fishing on a friend's boat or a charter and launching from Cholla or Penasco? I have caught a lot of grouper and whites around March 1st. It is a good time to fish, both with jigs and live bait. You should have no problem landing white or black seabass on spinning gear with 80lb braid, but grouper over 30lbs are another story. I usually use a 150lb mono topshot as my light setup. It is a trade off, because the whites are often "line shy". I have lost countless grouper using 100lb topshot or straight braid. The top shot is needed for abrasion resistance. Good luck, maybe we'll see you out there.

Shawno
 

Scotfish

Junior Member
Scotfish
Will you be fishing on a friend's boat or a charter and launching from Cholla or Penasco? I have caught a lot of grouper and whites around March 1st. It is a good time to fish, both with jigs and live bait. You should have no problem landing white or black seabass on spinning gear with 80lb braid, but grouper over 30lbs are another story. I usually use a 150lb mono topshot as my light setup. It is a trade off, because the whites are often "line shy". I have lost countless grouper using 100lb topshot or straight braid. The top shot is needed for abrasion resistance. Good luck, maybe we'll see you out there.

Shawno
 

Scotfish

Junior Member
150lb mono dam! I wish I could pick and choose what hits my line.Iam gonna do my best with what I have with 80lb braid on one and 100lb on the other and I really would like to get into some white seabass!
 

Shawno

Well Known Member
White seabass go nuts for live macs or fresh dead sardines. If you can't find good bait, try 8 to 16 oz blue or silver jigs that mimic them.

Shawno
 

Jungle Jim

Well Known Member
Or deep diving spoonbills.

I never use anything heavier than 20 pound mono when trolling. I tie the mono directly to the lure, no swivels, quick clips or any other type of silly over-pitched over-priced terminal tackle. I catch plenty of 5, 10, 15, 20 pound groupers and even 40 to 70 pound White Seabass on 20 pound mono. Aren't we (sport fishing)??? Sure I might loose one or two fish and a few lures but give em a break, make it a challenge, it's you against the fish for gods sake. How about dropping a stick of dynamite down on the hapless shits then harpoon them with braided steel winch cable when they surface with their bladders and eyeballs blown out.

After each catch it is quite simple to run your finger along the mono to the lure, if you feel any rough spots just cut the mono and retie the lure.

Last Saturday I got spooled just off of Cedo in seven feet of water by something grand. By the time I slowed the boat he was long gone with a brand new Rebel Jointed Fast Track deep diving spoonbill and 250 feet of line in his jaw.

JJ
 

audsley

Well Known Member
This has been an eye-opener for me. I've been using 80 lb braid with 10 feet of 80 lb mono leader and a 115 lb Shellure swivel pulling the lure. I'd assumed I was ready for a 100 lb grouper with that rig. Sounds like I need to beef it up in case a big one hits. And if I understand topshotting correctly, the mono is more than just a leader. Sounds like you're basically fishing with mono and using braid only as backing.

Do others here feel that braid is too susceptible to being cut on rocks? Is that the reason for using so much mono?
 

Scotfish

Junior Member
I guess if you can survive that first big run and keep them away from the rocks from that point on lighter line will do.The heavier line helps when they rock up then your dealing with the fish and abrasion.
 

Shawno

Well Known Member
Or deep diving spoonbills.

I never use anything heavier than 20 pound mono when trolling. I tie the mono directly to the lure, no swivels, quick clips or any other type of silly over-pitched over-priced terminal tackle. I catch plenty of 5, 10, 15, 20 pound groupers and even 40 to 70 pound White Seabass on 20 pound mono. Aren't we (sport fishing)??? Sure I might loose one or two fish and a few lures but give em a break, make it a challenge, it's you against the fish for gods sake. How about dropping a stick of dynamite down on the hapless shits then harpoon them with braided steel winch cable when they surface with their bladders and eyeballs blown out.

After each catch it is quite simple to run your finger along the mono to the lure, if you feel any rough spots just cut the mono and retie the lure.

Last Saturday I got spooled just off of Cedo in seven feet of water by something grand. By the time I slowed the boat he was long gone with a brand new Rebel Jointed Fast Track deep diving spoonbill and 250 feet of line in his jaw.

JJ
Much respect to those who can catch big fish on 20lb line.
 
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