# Yearly Discussion: Ice Lines



## icebucketjohn (Dec 22, 2005)

Mono, Floro, Braid or Nano... Which ones are on your rods?

I gave up on mono a few years back and switched to braided (Berkley Fireline Crystal). This stuff is very tough although I've questioned its performance in comparison to Floro or Nano.

Your thoughts, comments & experiences?


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## buckzye11 (Jul 16, 2009)

Ive been wanting to change to some type of braid... i'm sure the feel is way better... but, as of now i still have BPS 4lb hi-vis crappie line strung up on all my ice rods... same stuff i use on my UL's for softwater.
I mainly like it because of the hi-vis, but the stuff has hardly any memory in it... i use Schooley's, so thats important to me... i like throw the rod down and hand over hand them in.


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## Fish2Win (Jan 21, 2009)

I only run pline floro ice in 2 and 3 pound. It's the most limp line I've ever fished with. I also fish mainly schooley reels unless I'm crappie fishing in 15 + ft deep water.


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## yonderfishin (Apr 9, 2006)

This year Im trying a floro leader with mono , but this is for panfish/perch. When going small with the hook/jig/bait it only makes sense to go with close to invisible floro leader. Gonna try it anyway , see if it makes any difference.


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## Fish2Win (Jan 21, 2009)

I only run pline floro ice in 2 and 3 pound. It's the most limp line I've ever fished with. I also fish mainly schooley reels unless I'm crappie fishing in 15 + ft deep water.


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## Blue Pike (Apr 24, 2004)

My main line is 65 LB Power-Pro or 50 LB Mason Dacron.
Have used Berkley Trilene 2 or 4 pound test as a leader for pan fish and 6LB for Bass and Walleye.
This all may change this year. I may get some reels for my hand lines, 50 LB Mason getting tangled in my feet and melted on the heater is getting to be old hat.


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## Jmsteele187 (Dec 22, 2011)

Blue Pike said:


> My main line is 65 LB Power-Pro or 50 LB Mason Dacron.


Wow, is this on your tip ups? Line that heavy seems like real overkill.

On my UL's I'm running 4lb. Sufix 832 and 2lb. Fireline crystal, for panfish. I'm not a fan of the fireline though. On my M's I have 4lb triline micro ice mono and 8lb. Sufix performance ice braid, for the bigger fish.


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## SlabSlayR (Jan 23, 2012)

Blue Pike said:


> My main line is 65 LB Power-Pro or 50 LB Mason Dacron.
> Have used Berkley Trilene 2 or 4 pound test as a leader for pan fish and 6LB for Bass and Walleye.
> This all may change this year. I may get some reels for my hand lines, 50 LB Mason getting tangled in my feet and melted on the heater is getting to be old hat.


Man is that over kill! I use 20lb Mason line on my tip ups for pike. You must be fishing for lake sturgeon with that type of line weight.


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## Blue Pike (Apr 24, 2004)

Old school ice fishing gear ----- It is the way it was done 50 years ago, and still works just fine.

I'm thinking about getting some new gear. 

I see some Royal Bonnie on a few of the rods, I'll more than likely change that to Trilene.


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## Scum_Frog (Apr 3, 2009)

I dont think I will ever switch to braid....especially on pan fish....buddy of mine tried it on one of his rods....4lb braid compared to my 3lb mono.....couldnt even see my line on camera.....looked like he was fishing with Floss.....was terrible.....I'll never switch unless its tip ups. I mainly fish Bionic Ice 2-3lb. Havent had a single issue yet so no need too switch!! 

Did just order a couple of the new Fenwick Aetos rods and paired them up with some Presidents. Pretty excited though for some ice!!!


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## Jigging Jim (Apr 3, 2010)

SlabSlayR said:


> Man is that over kill! I use 20lb Mason line on my tip ups for pike. You must be fishing for lake sturgeon with that type of line weight.


The heavy Tip-Up Line is used because the line is easier on the Hands with Big Fish. The 20 lbs and less can cut your Hands. :B


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## ballast (Sep 15, 2011)

3lb braid to a 2lb copolymer floro leader. Braid has no memory,sensitive, and stronger it ice's up a little but it's worth the advantage. My big thing is tungsten & uv..... Love technologic advances!!! I'll be watching my lure on my iPhone, I remember blindly rippin vibe n hoping for the best.


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## Jigging Jim (Apr 3, 2010)

Trilene Micro Ice - with a 2 foot Mono Leader.


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## kapposgd (Apr 10, 2012)

Stay away from nanofil in icy conditions, its gets abrasions very easily

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Ohub Campfire mobile app


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## HookEmUp (Apr 14, 2012)

I use p-line floro ice Its awesome! Ive always stayed away from braid on the ice, but would like to try some this year. Would really like the added sensitivity. Ive been looking at the power pro ice line and the sufix 832 ice. 
What are the downisdes of braid on the ice? Heres what i think..The thing with braid is that even the stuff made for ice fishing isnt completely water repellent like floro or mono is. The water and snow gets in, freezes and expands the diameter of the line. Then after you wind it on the spool and take it inside at night, the ice and water melts/evaporates and leaves you with a bunch of loose braid around the spool. Probably even worse if the spool gets set in the snow beforehand. Is this the case? This is just what ive heard.. I mostly fish in a shanty so i dont seeing it being too much of a problem. Opinions would be appreciated. Thx


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## ballast (Sep 15, 2011)

I have mono backing so there's not a much braid on the reel, the problem I found is the zero stretch when u hook a big one and your ultra light rod is maxed out either my leader breaks or the hook pops out and my cheap ice reels have a crappy drag system so ummm....i loose the big uns, but I'm getting a Shimano Sedona hopefully it helps


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## Jmsteele187 (Dec 22, 2011)

HookEmUp said:


> I use p-line floro ice Its awesome! Ive always stayed away from braid on the ice, but would like to try some this year. Would really like the added sensitivity. Ive been looking at the power pro ice line and the sufix 832 ice.
> What are the downisdes of braid on the ice? Heres what i think..The thing with braid is that even the stuff made for ice fishing isnt completely water repellent like floro or mono is. The water and snow gets in, freezes and expands the diameter of the line. Then after you wind it on the spool and take it inside at night, the ice and water melts/evaporates and leaves you with a bunch of loose braid around the spool. Probably even worse if the spool gets set in the snow beforehand. Is this the case? This is just what ive heard.. I mostly fish in a shanty so i dont seeing it being too much of a problem. Opinions would be appreciated. Thx


I fished braid for the first time, on ice, last year and didn't have issues with too much freeze up or loose braid afterward. I was using 4lb 832, which has a 1lb dia., and loved the sensitivity. I couldn't even see it on the camera. It looked like my jig was just floating.


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## icebucketjohn (Dec 22, 2005)

In years past when I was strictly a mono line user, I'd have lines break during the ice season due to a number of reasons... big fish, tangles, knots, etc. 

Since I switched to Berkley Fireline Crystal (2, 3 & 4 lb) a few years ago, I havent lost a lunker nor had any line breakage whatsoever. * The stuff is tuff!*

I may try floro as a leader for the first time this year, but I'm sold on the durability of braid. 

Although it's a lil stiffer than mono, I'll gladly welcome the trade-off in not losing any lunkers.


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## louisvillefisherman (Jun 9, 2012)

ballast said:


> I'll be watching my lure on my iPhone, I remember blindly rippin vibe n hoping for the best.



Are you serious about watching lure on your Iphone? Please elaborate!


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## ballast (Sep 15, 2011)

It's a new aqua vu product that I believe hooks wireless to iPad or iPhone, it's in in-fishermen 2013 ice gear issue. Kinda cheap to.


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## jjpugh (Feb 6, 2007)

hey jon 
i tried that fire line crystal out a few years ago not ice fishing but on a normal casting rod and from my personal experience i will never buy it again. i don't know if i got a bad spool or what but i had 5 different lures come off the line while casting. not due to breaking but the line would come unraveled and my knots were good each time. Eric witnessed it. but i do prefer braid my main reason is the same as lake Erie perch fishing with braid. braid does not stretch like mono. so when you get that little tiny tap you can feel it. i also proved this theory to a friend this year up on the big lake. had 2 rods each one mono one braid and the perch were biting very soft almost eating it and sitting with it. and you could feel it with the braid but not with the mono. and if nothing else braid has no memory. so you don't get that pin-men down there spinning in circles while the line unravels. only down fall to braid is if you forget clippers a knife or a lighter your never gona change the line cause you cant bite threw it. just my 2 cents


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## ballast (Sep 15, 2011)

Two of my ice rods are rigged with mono, but I really stopped using them in the field. My go to 100% floro & the braid w/ copolymer leader is all i use.Now the fluorocarbon coated copolymer leader is on its way out to, but it really adds some action cuz its so flimsy n limp. (braid bites into itself line maintenance must be done to keep it functional)


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## Bad Bub (Jan 17, 2006)

jjpugh said:


> hey jon
> i tried that fire line crystal out a few years ago not ice fishing but on a normal casting rod and from my personal experience i will never buy it again. i don't know if i got a bad spool or what but i had 5 different lures come off the line while casting. not due to breaking but the line would come unraveled and my knots were good each time. Eric witnessed it. but i do prefer braid my main reason is the same as lake Erie perch fishing with braid. braid does not stretch like mono. so when you get that little tiny tap you can feel it. i also proved this theory to a friend this year up on the big lake. had 2 rods each one mono one braid and the perch were biting very soft almost eating it and sitting with it. and you could feel it with the braid but not with the mono. and if nothing else braid has no memory. so you don't get that pin-men down there spinning in circles while the line unravels. only down fall to braid is if you forget clippers a knife or a lighter your never gona change the line cause you cant bite threw it. just my 2 cents


Use a Palomar knot for fireline. Its too slick to hold with a clinch type knot.

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Ohub Campfire mobile app


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## Jmsteele187 (Dec 22, 2011)

ballast said:


> It's a new aqua vu product that I believe hooks wireless to iPad or iPhone, it's in in-fishermen 2013 ice gear issue. Kinda cheap to.


Aqua vu has the new micro units and vexilar has the new sonarphone and fishphone. Sonarphone starts around $150 and fishphone, $189. Pretty cool stuff if you're fishing in a heated shanty, otherwise it might get too cold for your phone.


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## Bad Bub (Jan 17, 2006)

Jmsteele187 said:


> Aqua vu has the new micro units and vexilar has the new sonarphone and fishphone. Sonarphone starts around $150 and fishphone, $189. Pretty cool stuff if you're fishing in a heated shanty, otherwise it might get too cold for your phone.


And make sure your gloves are "touch screen friendly".

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Ohub Campfire mobile app


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## Jmsteele187 (Dec 22, 2011)

Bad Bub said:


> And make sure your gloves are "touch screen friendly".
> 
> Sent from my DROID RAZR using Ohub Campfire mobile app


Lol, right. I wonder how long your battery lasts with that sonar and camera.


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## ballast (Sep 15, 2011)

Jmsteele187 said:


> Lol, right. I wonder how long your battery lasts with that sonar and camera.


I wonder if the app uses up data from the phone while it's going, or if ppl in wireless range can see the camera to if they have the app? It should work like that I've had wireless cameras before and anyone in range can pick it up. I'll wait to see some reviews first.


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## ballast (Sep 15, 2011)

The camera & receiver should be powered separately, the phone should only be a monitor. Actually it should last longer than older aqua vu


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## futurestrader (Dec 10, 2005)

Pline for panfish 2 or 3 pound test. Done deal.


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