# Catfish Lines



## fisherman5567 (Jan 3, 2007)

Hey everyone, I just had my reels worked on and I am about to put new line on them. I previously had clear blue mono and then shakespear cajun on them. i was wondering what is the best color line and type for catfishin? I hear lots of good things about green stren and other greens? what do you think?

By the way these 2 reels are both abu c4 baitcaster with high capacity.


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## Predator225 (May 14, 2005)

Berkley Big Game comes through every year for me. I spool on it all of my cat reels, both for flatheads and channels. As far as color goes, I don't pay too much attention to color due to the fact that I am always LISTENING for the bite. But of course, if you're talking from a visual standpoint, the green is great, we used it for blues on the Cumberland.


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## riverKing (Jan 26, 2007)

i also have had great success with berklely big game, no complaints


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## Joey209 (Oct 17, 2007)

fisherman5567 said:


> Hey everyone, I just had my reels worked on and I am about to put new line on them. I previously had clear blue mono and then shakespear cajun on them. i was wondering what is the best color line and type for catfishin? I hear lots of good things about green stren and other greens? what do you think?
> 
> By the way these 2 reels are both abu c4 baitcaster with high capacity.


You'll here a mixed bag about mono and braided.Mono has some stretch to it and Braids have no forgiveness.It depends on what you want.And about the color.I don't think it really matters.If your watching your line I'd get a Hi Vis line and if your like me and your just listening in the dark for your bait clicker I don't think the color comes into play.I use cajun advantage


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## Salmonid (Apr 14, 2004)

Berkley Big game in 20 lb for my channel rods and 30 for my flattie reels, both in the high vis green, no problems whatso ever Highly recommend it!

Salmonid


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## H2O Mellon (Apr 5, 2004)

Salmonid, Dink, Ryan.... 

I got us covered! You guys drive to our fishing destinations, (becasue highways and I just dont get along, as they put me to sleep!) and I'll cover our fishing lines!



I use nothing but JBS Vicious fishing line. The company has done good things for OGF in the past. Vicious is also a sponsor of the Neocats tourney. I've got about 10,000 yards coming in addition to what I already have on hand . 20-50 # Vicious in Clear, Green and Yellow is on the way. 



Salmonid said:


> Berkley Big game in 20 lb for my channel rods and 30 for my flattie reels, both in the high vis green, no problems whatso ever Highly recommend it!
> 
> Salmonid


I should have the line sometime this week. I bought enough for all of us. I was happy to see that they came out w/ 25# in their Offshore brand.

Here is what I'll be using this year:

5500-5600 series Abus = 20 # in high vis green

6000-6500 sseries Abus = 25-30 #. (clear or green)

7000 series Abus = 30 # or 50# depending on the rod. 

Every year I claim that I'll be having some better organization but this year I mean it! (yea right). I have 3 dozen Abu reels and misc cat rods, but I always use the same 4 or 5.... I know it doesnt make much sense.


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## tcba1987 (Jun 22, 2004)

i like to use the Berkley Big Game and Vicious Fishing Line !! 25-30 lb test and i dont really care what color it is !!!


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## neocats1 (Oct 14, 2006)

Catfish are very forgiving when it comes to line color, making it just a matter of personal preference. The same goes with braid and mono. Each has there own good points and bad points that need to be considered depending on your fishing conditions.

I have to agree with Melon. I have been using the Vicious line since the beginning of 2007 and have had no problems with it.

I'll have some samples to give away at the catfish seminar at Gamder Mountain in March.


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## Salmonid (Apr 14, 2004)

Mono is much more forgiving around rocks like we have on the GMR. Braid is brittle when it gets roughed up where as the mono holds aty a higher level when scuffed/nicked. 

Salmonid


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## minnowseinetackle (Sep 28, 2007)

We prefer the shakespeare cajun red line. We have re-line your pole at our shop and we have had so many people change over to the Cajun, including my uncle who has fished forever and when he came down to the quarry where I was fishing was shocked that the line would not break when he got hung up and did not lose any tackle! He was very impressed.!We have many different tests. We swear by the Cajun!


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## dinkbuster1 (Oct 28, 2005)

Hi-Vis green or yellow, whichever you can see best. i prefer yellow. cant beat Big game for the price and quality, the Big Game Hi-Test is just a step above it though, cost's a bit more but its worth it. i was really impressed with the "sample" 20lb Viscious line (co-polymer!!) H20 Mellon gave me last spring so i will be buying some of that in Hi-vis yellow/30lb this year as well .


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## fisherman5567 (Jan 3, 2007)

Thanks for all the feedback guys! Looks like I will be visiting Mellons shop of horrors when I do put some line on them!


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## truck (Apr 12, 2004)

Bass proshop Excel 30# for all my cat rods.Unless they make a bad change in it it will stay on my rods


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## Ðe§perado™ (Apr 15, 2004)

I use the Big Game Solar green #20 for my channel and move up to Power Pro #80 for my flatties and Blues.


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## 1catdaddy1 (Jan 29, 2007)

Always have used trilene big game or their catfish line,no complaints about either.


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## c-orth513 (Feb 1, 2008)

I Use Stren 20#, never had a line snapped on a cat or carp. It's expensive but I like it, Trilene is also pretty good too, but I found it to get nicks & tears to easily.


But.... Don't use Eagle Claw line, it is super-cheap, but I estimate 10 nice carp/cats lost on it.


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## neocats1 (Oct 14, 2006)

I'm with Melon. Vicious Ulitmate 30#. I would not have them as a sponsor if the product was not top notch.


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## Abu65 (Apr 17, 2004)

truck said:


> Bass proshop Excel 30# for all my cat rods.Unless they make a bad change in it it will stay on my rods


I have used it all. I will be going back to Excell. It is excellent quallity at a really good price. I like big game but I think the excell stays limper & has better knot tying ability. Cajun had way to much stretch to get good hook sets all the time.


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## rolland (Jan 8, 2008)

> catfish seminar at Gamder Mountain in March


know the when, where yet? I dont want to miss it.


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## flathunter (Apr 5, 2004)

If you are going after flatheads go with the low vis lines...I switched last summer to low vis and caught alot of good fish.

Hi vis will shine under water like a fiber optic cable.

I used to think this did not make a difference, but I have talked to alot of flathead anglers who have switched from hi vis lines to low vis and there catch rates have went way, way, way up..Especially for daytime fishing, for trophy fish.

That big ole flathead did not get big by being stupid, and if they can see a line glowing like the 4th of july, then they have enough sense to stay clear of it..

Now for dink flats it I dont think it makes a difference, but for that once in a lifetime trophy that may be 20 years old, I honestly think it does.


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## mastercatman (Jan 30, 2005)

Berkley Big Game #20-#30 in low-vis green. Berkley Flourocarbon Leaders in same test. I agree with Flathunter on this one! Flouro is just too expensive for me to spool ALL of my reels up with! I may have to try the viscious line though. It seems like a fair amount of you like that and if they do things for OGF then more reason for it.


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## Predator225 (May 14, 2005)

For my main line, I use 50 lb Berkley Big Game. For a leader, I use 100lb Power Pro. Almost along the same lines as what Jack (flathunter) said, I have seen my number of hits go up since using this method. I believe that the softness of the braid when its wet has a more "natural" feel. 
This is though, the exact opposite of a rig someone else on here uses, I think he goes by Katfeesh maybe?


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