# Braided line options, Spinning Reels, and Rod for Saugeye



## Northern1 (May 9, 2012)

Next year, I want to do more bank fishing for saugeye, mostly at Indian Lake. Right now I use Sufix 832 on a Pfleuger President 6935. I've been doing some research and have seen another option that I may explore next year regarding the line. The line I saw was Sufix Performance Braid. It is slightly more expensive, but it seems like high quality, tough braid. I currently use 20 lb test (which is 6 lb diameter, I believe). Should I bump down to 10 lb test for sensitivity? (I think that is 4 lb diameter). I know braid has no give so you can feel a lot anyway, but input is definitely welcome. There is probably other braid you guys swear by, so lets hear it!

I really like my 6935 President, but I might treat myself to a new reel as a birthday gift in the spring, most likely another President to spool up another rod. Is the 6935 the proper size?

By the way, I use a 7' MH Berkley Lightning Rod. In a pipe-dream, I would love to get a St. Croix eventually, but its not yet in the budget. But lets just say it was possible, what type of Spinning series St. Croix would you buy in the under $150 category?

Thanks to all!


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## Shaggy (Oct 24, 2008)

A big part of that increased sensitivity you're looking for will come from upgrading your rod. The St. Croix Mojo Bass is a great rod in the $100 price range. I personally would not go below 20# in braid but that's just me. Power Pro's Super 8 Slick is an excellent braid in the $20/spool price range. Since you're talking spinning gear I would also recommend the Berkley Nanofil. It only goes up to 17# but the stuff casts a country mile. Hope this helps.


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## partlyable (Mar 2, 2005)

I agree with shaggy a sensitive rod will go a long way. I bought a mojo bass about 4 years ago and I could not go back the difference in sensitivity is unreal. I have a few other rods that are not mojos I still use but they are all 1 piece. I personally like the presidential as a reel so I would just upgrade rod. 


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## Intimidator (Nov 25, 2008)

You can also check out the Eyecon line from St Croix.
As for braid or a sensitive superline....Shag is correct, from the bank Nanofil is amazing with the distance it casts! I use the 17lb low vis green when I need distance to reach my Gator holes off the bank. It frays alittle more than regular braid but doesn't lose alot of strength...I really like it!
I continue to use Daiwa Samurai braid....it is a 8 strand braid that is round and very soft and even smaller and stronger than most other braids.
There are 2 other New braids that I will trial this year...The new Berkley Trilene 8 strand dyneema and the Seaguar Smackdown which is 8 strands of individual microweaves.
All this means is that braids are going to get smaller, rounder, softer, and even stronger, with no stretch and full sensitivity.


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## fishslim (Apr 28, 2005)

Suffix performance best braid out there. Everyone knows i fish almost every day of the year and this braid will last all year for me one spool on my reel. Does not frey up like other lines will break at knot if you cannot get it loose. Works well in low temps as well. Worth the money and easy to tie knots

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## Intimidator (Nov 25, 2008)

fishslim said:


> Suffix performance best braid out there. Everyone knows i fish almost every day of the year and this braid will last all year for me one spool on my reel. Does not frey up like other lines will break at knot if you cannot get it loose. Works well in low temps as well. Worth the money and easy to tie knots
> 
> Sent from my DROID RAZR using Ohub Campfire mobile app



It would probably just be best to say that you prefer Suffix....I prefer to straighten the hook, so I do not want my braid breaking at the knot....the Samurai is softer and even a thousandth smaller than the Suffix but the differences are in the varied uses.


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## Northern1 (May 9, 2012)

Thanks for the input guys. Is 10# or 20# the proper size to get? I know I don't want to lose all of my jerk baits if they get hung up. But I do want sensitivity.


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## 1basshunter (Mar 27, 2011)

Northern, St.croix has a lot of rod in your price range!!!
the permier, Rage, mojo, Avid, and the triumph. and they are all good rods. Just fine the one that feels the best in your hand..

And as far as braided line go's there are a lot of good one out there, right now i am using seaguar smackdown and I like it a lot in 15#


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## suresnagsalot (Dec 15, 2013)

I wish I could get enough line strenght to bend hooks! wen fishing at night do u allways use a leader? can u ever just use straight braided?

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## Northern1 (May 9, 2012)

1basshunter said:


> Northern, St.croix has a lot of rod in your price range!!!
> the permier, Rage, mojo, Avid, and the triumph. and they are all good rods. Just fine the one that feels the best in your hand..
> 
> And as far as braided line go's there are a lot of good one out there, right now i am using seaguar smackdown and I like it a lot in 15#


I'm looking at all of the options. The triumph is like $75. Then a medium action Avid is $200. Now, obviously the $200 rod is going to be nicer. I'm going to be fishing joshy's, vibes, jerks, and floaters with this rod, so is that extra $125 going to help me feel those ticks, not just the inhaled baits, whereas the $75 may not detect those ticks?


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## Northern1 (May 9, 2012)

Intimidator said:


> It would probably just be best to say that you prefer Suffix....I prefer to straighten the hook, so I do not want my braid breaking at the knot....the Samurai is softer and even a thousandth smaller than the Suffix but the differences are in the varied uses.


Why is that 15lb samurai $15 more expensive than all the rest? That makes no sense...


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## 1basshunter (Mar 27, 2011)

Northen, I know the triumph is on the low side but it do's still have alot of sensitiviy and stength to it  my new rod is a legend tourament bass and my new baby lol


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## acklac7 (May 31, 2004)

Northern1 said:


> I'm looking at all of the options. The triumph is like $75. Then a medium action Avid is $200. Now, obviously the $200 rod is going to be nicer. I'm going to be fishing joshy's, vibes, jerks, and floaters with this rod, so is that extra $125 going to help me feel those ticks, not just the inhaled baits, whereas the $75 may not detect those ticks?


I would go with a Medium light avid or an Eyecon. Both will be night and day better then the Triumph. A 6'6 ML Avid (One-Piece) along with your braid of choice (I prefer power pro) will hands down help you hook more fish/feel more structure then the Triumph.

As far as braid I prefer to go as light as possible. Yes, I may loose more baits, but when im finessing lures I can't stand heavier line. I go 8lb/(1lb diameter) power pro on jigs/cranks (on a ML rod), then 10lb/(2lb diameter) P.Pro for stickbaits (MH or M rod). Might switch up to 15lb here soon for sticks as I can't stand loosing my prized, precision-tuned smithwicks :B


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## Northern1 (May 9, 2012)

AJ, thanks for your input. So do you plan on carrying around two rods, essentially one for finesse with lighter braid and one for jerkbaits with a bit heavier braid? I can see how a ML would be ideal for something like big joshy's. I've seen your pictures to know you have reeled in some hogs, on ML, but it seems like a rod for popping lures from cover and some backbone for handling those 5+ lb fish would need to be at least medium? Not trying to question you, just asking out of my sheer ignorance...lol.


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## Shaggy (Oct 24, 2008)

I cast a 2.8" swimbait, weightless, a very long way with a St. Croix Mojo Bass, 7' Med. and 17# Nanofil. Just letting you know.


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## grub_man (Feb 28, 2005)

Northern1,

How do you do most of your saugeye fishing? Are you spending more time casting jigs, or fishing jerkbaits? The techniques require different rods. 

If you are looking at the St. Croix line, take a hard look at the ML and M power rod with extra fast action for casting jigs. The limber tips on these rods load easily for casting light lures, yet have good power in the butt section for fighting fish. 

For treble hook lures, you want a rod that reacts and recovers more slowly. You are looking for a rod with a moderate to moderate fast action, and a lure rating that will handle the majority of the lures you plan to throw on it. St. Croix has some cranking models that many like, though I much prefer S-glass (a higher modulus fiberglass) for treble hook fishing. Because the glass reacts and recovers more slowly, you are less likely to pull treble hooks out while fighting fish. Additionally, in order to approximate the reaction and recovery rate of glass rods, graphite rod designers can do fairly well, but the tradeoff is dropping a lot of power from the butt of the rod, requiring 2-3 graphite rods to handle the weight range of lures commonly used, when the right glass rod can handle the task well.

Joe


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## Intimidator (Nov 25, 2008)

suresnagsalot said:


> I wish I could get enough line strenght to bend hooks! wen fishing at night do u allways use a leader? can u ever just use straight braided?
> 
> Sent from my SCH-I800 using Ohub Campfire mobile app


I use straight 20lb and a double Palomar.....you'll be fine without fluoro....when you start talking a thousandth or two for more strength and still having all the other benefits go with the strongest you can...you don't lose the sensitivity with having larger braid...you'll see, some braid is supple, some is stiff....some has wax coatings and when it wears off, it is impossible to deal with. Some colors wear off faster but everything turns mute gray at certain depths anyway.
I normally buy mine on EBay.


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## Northern1 (May 9, 2012)

Joe,

I am relatively new at casting for saugeye, so to answer your question, i'm not sure yet! This fall I fished many jerk baits. However, earlier in the spring I was fishing a lot with swim baits.


Thank you everyone!! Okay, after a lot of good input, here are two options i'm coming up with in my head for rod/reel combos.

Option 1:
After looking at the St. Croix models. I could get a 6'9'' Xtra fast action ML Mojo Rod (for swims), and put my Pfleuger reel on it with 10 lb braid. And I could also get a 7' M Fast Action Mojo Rod (for sticks), get another Pfleuger reel on it with 15-20 lb braid. That would be around $260. (**BTW, I read that the Mojo rods and Premier Rods are the same thing, only the handle and paint is different, plus the Mojo is Made in Mexico not Wisconsin.)

Option 2:
I could get a 7' M Fast Action St. Croix Avid, keep the Pfleuger reel I have, and put 15 lb braid on it for multipurpose.


In the long run, which one would ultimately make more sense?


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## grub_man (Feb 28, 2005)

Northern,

If you are looking for one rod that does it all, take a hard look at one of the St. Croix 6'8" Medium Extra Fast rods. It will handle the jigs and swim baits well. The limber tip is nice for making subtle moves with a jerkbait. The drawback is that these rods really tend to lock up in the midsection, and if you try to manhandle the fish on treble hooks, they are more likely to come off. If you back off on the pressure and play the fish a little more carefully, this type of rod can work well for you in this application.

When I'm on foot, I'll often carry a single rod with similar action and power that I built on a blank from another company. I find these types of blanks to be incredibly versatile.

Also, look awfully hard at the rods on the SCIII blanks, Avid, Rage, etc. Save up, or watch for them to go on sale. The difference is significant. It's much easier to justify the expense in going from an SCII blank to an SCIII blank than it is to justify moving up from the SCIII. Going from the lightning rod to the standard modulus SCII or similar blanks will make you say "wow, these are nice." Going to the mid modulus SCIII or similar blanks, will really make your eyes pop, and from a rod building standpoint, I find them to the the level where the cost is really justified for the difference in performance. Going to a top shelf rod blank from there will amaze, but it will also dig much deeper into your wallet.

Also, don't dismiss the Bass Pro Shops and Cabela's house brands. They make some nice rods, and sell at some deep discounts throughout the year. I have a buddy that fishes rods from both retailers almost exclusively, and they are nice for the money. Going this route, you might just be able to come up with two rods and stay within your budget.

Joe


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## Northern1 (May 9, 2012)

acklac7 said:


> I would go with a Medium light avid or an Eyecon. Both will be night and day better then the Triumph. A 6'6 ML Avid (One-Piece) along with your braid of choice (I prefer power pro) will hands down help you hook more fish/feel more structure then the Triumph.
> 
> As far as braid I prefer to go as light as possible. Yes, I may loose more baits, but when im finessing lures I can't stand heavier line. I go 8lb/(1lb diameter) power pro on jigs/cranks (on a ML rod), then 10lb/(2lb diameter) P.Pro for stickbaits (MH or M rod). Might switch up to 15lb here soon for sticks as I can't stand loosing my prized, precision-tuned smithwicks :B


AJ, yes, it is a punch in the gut to lose a perfectly suspending rogue. I just lost an X-rap last trip in hot-steel, man that thing was perfect, and I know exactly where it is, and I saw other guys snagging on that same spot over and over after I decided to leave the area.

But, after input from you, Joe, Intimidator, Slim and others, I think I have decided on my course of action for the upcoming season. I'm going to go with an Avid ML XFast tip rod with 8lb braid(like you said). I'm putting my Pfleuger on it. This will be my jig/vibe/swim rod.

I'm going to keep the trusty lightning rod around for one more season as a stick bait rod, as I know that finesse is important, but I don't feel its as important as with a swimbait or jig, which I need more feel by ice-off. The lightning rod will hold me over until NEXT year when I'll then purchase a M or MH Avid with MF action with 15-20 lb braid on it.

So, I suppose you all have answered my question(s). Thanks guys. If any of you are at Indian or are going to Indian any time this coming season, send me a PM. Thanks again!


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## fishslim (Apr 28, 2005)

A.J. And the guys are leading you the right way medium light rod for lakes and rivers will work that is what i use and i have brought in many 10# plus eyes in on it no problem whether river and current or a lake. As for Braid i in MY OPINION as said feel Suffix Performance,best braid that i have used. And as for breaking at knot that is what i PREFER i can straighten out some hooks and if that was my goal to just be able to straighten out a hook i would just go with heavier braid not the 8 or 10# that i PREFER. Northern the choices you have decided on will work great for Indian shore fishing as well as other places river or lakes. 

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## fisherFL (Oct 23, 2012)

fishslim said:


> A.J. And the guys are leading you the right way medium light rod for lakes and rivers will work that is what i use and i have brought in many 10# plus eyes in on it no problem whether river and current or a lake. As for Braid i in MY OPINION as said feel Suffix Performance,best braid that i have used. And as for breaking at knot that is what i PREFER i can straighten out some hooks and if that was my goal to just be able to straighten out a hook i would just go with heavier braid not the 8 or 10# that i PREFER. Northern the choices you have decided on will work great for Indian shore fishing as well as other places river or lakes.
> 
> Sent from my DROID RAZR using Ohub Campfire mobile app


When your breaking the knot, how do you do it? I use mono and I know with that to break the knot I wrap it around my hand, point the rod at the snag so it's straight and pull back until the knot breaks. I believe this keeps stress off of the reel an rod. But with the braid if you did that wouldn't it cut your hand up pretty good?


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## Bassbme (Mar 11, 2012)

Just pick up a stick and wrap the line around it and pull. One nice thing about snapping braid versus snapping regular mono .... you don't have to worry about the line snapping back towards you with braid. It doesn't recoil, it just goes limp. 

My dad actually wraps the braid around the cleat on the boat and has me drive away from the snag with the trolling motor to break it. That may seem kind of extreme, but we're bass fishing and using 50 and 65# test braid. That stuff is hard to break by pulling on it by hand.


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## acklac7 (May 31, 2004)

Northern1 said:


> AJ, thanks for your input. So do you plan on carrying around two rods, essentially one for finesse with lighter braid and one for jerkbaits with a bit heavier braid? I can see how a ML would be ideal for something like big joshy's. I've seen your pictures to know you have reeled in some hogs, on ML, but it seems like a rod for popping lures from cover and some backbone for handling those 5+ lb fish would need to be at least medium? Not trying to question you, just asking out of my sheer ignorance...lol.


Yup, carry around two rods, a ML for lighter cranks/jigs/smaller sticks, then a MH for large/giant stickbaits. The MH rig is more or less geared solely towards big fish (although don't get me wrong the big fish will still hit smaller baits), that said most all of my 25"+ eyes come on my MH/Giant stickbait setup. As slim said you can land huge eyes on a ML, but honestly I find that the MH will really take the fight out of them much faster, especially those super-strong river hogs. Also the River Wipers are starting to get big now, and a ML really is no match for those brutes. Found myself throwing my MH rod almost all of last fall (using smaller baits) because I was consistently getting into schools of "big" wipers (relatively speaking) while S-eye fishing and I was sick of tripping over rocks chasing them down stream...:B

All in all you're going to be fine with that Avid ML setup for chasing eyes 90% of the time. 

Also remember to get it registered with St.Croix asap, as it comes with a lifetime warranty.


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## fishslim (Apr 28, 2005)

With lighter braid all i do is get line tight point line and rod towards snag and then i just hold the spool on my spinning reel so it wont let drag out and pull till it comes loose or breaks. Never good idea light braid or heavy to wrap on hand unless you like pain.


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## Intimidator (Nov 25, 2008)

fisherFL said:


> When your breaking the knot, how do you do it? I use mono and I know with that to break the knot I wrap it around my hand, point the rod at the snag so it's straight and pull back until the knot breaks. I believe this keeps stress off of the reel an rod. But with the braid if you did that wouldn't it cut your hand up pretty good?
> 
> 
> Posted using Outdoor Hub Campfire


I always have a hand towel on me...if I'm using a heavy wire jig or lure that won't straighten, then I'll wrap the towel around my hand, then wrap the braid and pull to break it. If you use the reel to pull, it will cut into itself and you can birdnest easily.


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## Northern1 (May 9, 2012)

It's ordered! 6'9'' ML Xtra Fast St. Croix Avid Spinning. Sat down, had a nice conversation with my wife about the "benefits" of this rod. 25 minutes later, she was confused at the supposed foreign language I was talking in, but agreed. Really thankful for everyone's help! AJ, I ordered it off of Basspro. Am I still able to sign up for the warranty through St. Croix?


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## fishslim (Apr 28, 2005)

Should have warranty info with pole on how to register it. Enjoy


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## fishslim (Apr 28, 2005)

Been breaking my braid this way for years i do not have birds nest issue. Maybe you should try Suffix


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## Intimidator (Nov 25, 2008)

fishslim said:


> Been breaking my braid this way for years i do not have birds nest issue. Maybe you should try Suffix


Found some of the New Berkley braid at Gander Mt last night....reminds me of the very stiff old spider wire....decided to get it anyway and trial it! It has sections of hi- vis blended it to see the line above the water...we'll see.
I think the Seaguar may be the only one that will come close to gettting me to switch from Samurai.


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