# River set up



## Silent Mike (Aug 9, 2009)

I dont have many different set ups at the moment but my river set up contains a Lew's speed spool bait caster with 10 lb power pro, on a medium heavy 6'6" gsx tournament casting rod. 

My frustrations are getting higher and higher as i keep breaking off! My texas rigged beaver gets stuck in rocks constantly which im sure wears down the line, then if i back lash my lure goes flying miles down the river....

Is the braid causing this or am i going to have the same frustrations with fluro?


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## Bucket Mouth (Aug 13, 2007)

Sounds like you need to check your line after every few casts. If you can't feel the abrasions in the braid, tie a long leader of fluoro on.


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## Silent Mike (Aug 9, 2009)

i may do that...its kind of hard to tell on braid if its compromised


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## StuckAtHome (Apr 29, 2004)

I use power pro but on my casting reels it's 8 pound diameter minimum, thinner than that and it gets wrapped around outside the spool. Don't think I've had a break off in years, I'll tow the kayak back upstream with the line, I'll straighten the hook or break the lure before the line breaks.

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## pppatrick (Apr 21, 2012)

i personally would't run a braided line smaller than 20lb on casting gear. particularly on a m/h action rod. i'd bump up to 20-30 pound braid for worm/jig, if not higher even.


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## lordofthepunks (Feb 24, 2009)

10lb is entirely too small.... 10lb braid is for finesse fishing with spinning gear...

I cant imagine how much line it took to fill that spool... 


if you must use braid, I wouldn't go smaller then the mono equivelant of 14lb... even 20lb braid is more of a finesse spinning gear tool...


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## Silent Mike (Aug 9, 2009)

very interesting pppatrick/lotp...i never thought of that...i knew that braid was a smaller diameter but i never thought about spooling it with a certain mono equivalent...ill upgrade to 20-30lb power pro, or spool with fluoro


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## lordofthepunks (Feb 24, 2009)

Silent Mike said:


> very interesting pppatrick/lotp...i never thought of that...i knew that braid was a smaller diameter but i never thought about spooling it with a certain mono equivalent...ill upgrade to 20-30lb power pro, or spool with fluoro


I wouldn't go lower then 30lb... youll have similar problems with 20lb...

40lb is good overall size line for braid... its prob the most versatile size...

of course, other problems will present themselves that you may not be aware of because no line is perfect for every situation but for an all around size for braid 40lb is solid...


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## lordofthepunks (Feb 24, 2009)

http://www.powerpro.com/publish/con...s/power_pro_v2/info/using_powerpro/specs.html


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## Silent Mike (Aug 9, 2009)

appreciate that! for river set up / flipping / pitching...40 should work well for me!


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## pppatrick (Apr 21, 2012)

Don't waste that 10lb, reel it onto a spinning reel. Theres gotta be a ton of line on there, as lotp said. The back end should be as fresh as when it was spooled. 


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## Rasper (Sep 6, 2012)

I use 30lbs exclusively for worm/jig. I fish heavy cover with it too and I have never broke off. But for the river I use flouro. Braid is amazing but on rocks the abrasion is terrible I have to re tie all the time flouro is better for that IMO. 20lbs flouro for the river. Don't forget to have a sensitive rod cause I always have trouble feeling bites if I'm not using a heavier weight. Oh down size if you want more hook up. T rig don't work well on smallies in the river. I learned that from numerous hook sets followed by every four letter word you can think of.

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## Silent Mike (Aug 9, 2009)

> T rig don't work well on smallies in the river.


i beg to differ...i fish T-rig beavers ALL the time and miss maybe a fish an outing if that....that is my go to bait hands down


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## Bad Bub (Jan 17, 2006)

It's been hard to beat a Texas rigged plastic on the river the last few years. If your missing fish, start looking at the hook your using... I've been using a straight shank hook tied with a Snell knot, and my hookup rate has been phenomenal!

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## Silent Mike (Aug 9, 2009)

Bad Bub said:


> It's been hard to beat a Texas rigged plastic on the river the last few years. If your missing fish, start looking at the hook your using... I've been using a straight shank hook tied with a Snell knot, and my hookup rate has been phenomenal!
> 
> Sent from my DROID RAZR using Ohub Campfire mobile app


this is great advice! This ONLY works on straight shanks...you can put a snell on an off shank hook but you wont get the action that the straight shank has. Also, a huge key, is to be patient. Give it a 1..2..3.. set!! From what i understand the fish moves the bait around in his mouth, and that explained my lack of hook sets when i first started using flukes.


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## Rasper (Sep 6, 2012)

Hmmm I have trouble with good hookaets. I wait a bit longer then I do with largemouth. But I know tons of people and have trouble getting good hook sets with T Rigged plastics. Know I only use black/white and purple tubes on tube hooks. I get bigger smallies and I don't get hung up as much as you think. But I use the warrior tubes that are 4" long. Bigger bait = bigger smallies. That isn't so true with LMB

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## Bad Bub (Jan 17, 2006)

Rasper said:


> Hmmm I have trouble with good hookaets. I wait a bit longer then I do with largemouth. But I know tons of people and have trouble getting good hook sets with T Rigged plastics. Know I only use black/white and purple tubes on tube hooks. I get bigger smallies and I don't get hung up as much as you think. But I use the warrior tubes that are 4" long. Bigger bait = bigger smallies. That isn't so true with LMB
> 
> Sent from my DROID BIONIC using Ohub Campfire mobile app


I use both a Texas rig and an insert tube head with tubes on the river. For Texas rigging a tube, try one of the kahle style hooks from either eagle claw or lazer trokar. That trokar tube hook is one wicked mother! Big bite, and the tip angle reduces hang ups tremendously! 

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## Rasper (Sep 6, 2012)

Bad Bub said:


> I use both a Texas rig and an insert tube head with tubes on the river. For Texas rigging a tube, try one of the kahle style hooks from either eagle claw or lazer trokar. That trokar tube hook is one wicked mother! Big bite, and the tip angle reduces hang ups tremendously!
> 
> Sent from my DROID RAZR using Ohub Campfire mobile app


That's what I hear but how much are they and how many do you get. Cause the tube jigs I get like 10 for a buck and a quarter at fin feather fur. But I do wanna give those a try.

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## Bad Bub (Jan 17, 2006)

Rasper said:


> That's what I hear but how much are they and how many do you get. Cause the tube jigs I get like 10 for a buck and a quarter at fin feather fur. But I do wanna give those a try.
> 
> Sent from my DROID BIONIC using Ohub Campfire mobile app


They're pricey. $6.99/4. Worth every penny to me. When compared to everything else I buy for this habit, $6.99 is a drop in the bucket.

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## mo65 (Aug 5, 2011)

Haven't been on for a few days so I just strolled into this thread...but the guys suggestions about a heavier braid on your baitcaster are dead on target. That 10lb. braid is so thin that it will "dig into" itself...resulting in a backlash and your bait snapping off and flying into the next county. At first glance...you look at braid just like mono...basing your choice on "pound strength"...but with experience you'll find DIAMETER playing a larger role. Braid is so strong that 30lb. is similar to 8lb. mono in diameter...which can lead to the troubles you experienced. Just fatten that diameter up and don't worry about the lines break strength. I use 65lb.braid on my frog rod...and I realize I'll never need that much strength for bass...but that diameter is PERFECT for trouble free powercasting from shore. Also like was said earlier...save that 10lb. braid for a spinning reel...it will work great on one. I think the tips the guys posted here will help you out a lot.


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## Bassbme (Mar 11, 2012)

Bad Bub said:


> I use both a Texas rig and an insert tube head with tubes on the river. For Texas rigging a tube, try one of the kahle style hooks from either eagle claw or lazer trokar. That trokar tube hook is one wicked mother! Big bite, and the tip angle reduces hang ups tremendously!
> 
> Sent from my DROID RAZR using Ohub Campfire mobile app


Amen and hallelujah on the Trokar tube hook. As Bad Bub said. it is one bad ass hook. Nothing else even comes close.


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## Silent Mike (Aug 9, 2009)

mo65 said:


> Haven't been on for a few days so I just strolled into this thread...but the guys suggestions about a heavier braid on your baitcaster are dead on target. That 10lb. braid is so thin that it will "dig into" itself...resulting in a backlash and your bait snapping off and flying into the next county. At first glance...you look at braid just like mono...basing your choice on "pound strength"...but with experience you'll find DIAMETER playing a larger role. Braid is so strong that 30lb. is similar to 8lb. mono in diameter...which can lead to the troubles you experienced. Just fatten that diameter up and don't worry about the lines break strength. I use 65lb.braid on my frog rod...and I realize I'll never need that much strength for bass...but that diameter is PERFECT for trouble free powercasting from shore. Also like was said earlier...save that 10lb. braid for a spinning reel...it will work great on one. I think the tips the guys posted here will help you out a lot.


yes indeed, the diameter advice makes perfect sense and im not sure why i didnt see it before..this is going to make for far less frustrating trips! thanks to all!


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## Silent Mike (Aug 9, 2009)

just upgraded to 50 lb power pro (its all they had). this stuff is awesome! It doesnt get wrapped around my rod tip as easily, I get outta snags much much easier, its more durable (i didnt break off once), and I can fling it a mile! Thanks for the advice.


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## Misdirection (Jul 16, 2012)

Silent Mike said:


> just upgraded to 50 lb power pro (its all they had). this stuff is awesome! It doesnt get wrapped around my rod tip as easily, I get outta snags much much easier, its more durable (i didnt break off once), and I can fling it a mile! Thanks for the advice.


Just make sure you carry a pocket knife or something comparable with you that you can wrap the line around when you try and pull it out of a snag. That stuff can cut you if you try by hand.

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## mo65 (Aug 5, 2011)

Misdirection said:


> Just make sure you carry a pocket knife or something comparable with you that you can wrap the line around when you try and pull it out of a snag. That stuff can cut you if you try by hand.
> 
> Sent from my DROID RAZR using Ohub Campfire mobile app


Misdirection makes a great point here...that braid is just like a serrated edge knife...it will open you up. Although a quick snap(such as a backlash) will snap it...a slow steady pull with bare hands can get ugly. This is why I like to use a mono/fluoro leader attached to my braid. You still get your awesome sensitivity and low stretch benefits...BUT...you also get:

1. Less visible line attached to your bait...important in clear water.

2. Easier and safer to break off snags.

3. The leader adds a "buffer"...just enough stretch to prevent that "snap" on a backlash that sends your $10 bait flying.

Learning is half the fun...enjoy! BTW...that 50 lb. you got is an excellent choice for your baitcaster. :G


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## Silent Mike (Aug 9, 2009)

what lb test fluoro would you pair with 50 lb braid (12 lb mono diameter)?


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## Bad Bub (Jan 17, 2006)

If you point your rod directly at the lure, crank it down tight and hold the spool so the drag doesn't slip and pull straight back it will either pull the bait free by straightening the hook or breaking the knot. As far as leader size. I use 8#, 12# and 25# depending on the situation...

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## mo65 (Aug 5, 2011)

Silent Mike said:


> what lb test fluoro would you pair with 50 lb braid (12 lb mono diameter)?


I use 15lb. mono with 65lb. braid...so I'd say that 12lb./50lb. pairing should be a good starting point. You can always go heavier or lighter from there...depending on what you're trying to accomplish. When I'm topwater frog fishing...I up the leader to 20lb. if I'm fishing really clear water...I'll switch to 12lb. fluoro. Sometimes I think we "over think" this stuff...


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## Silent Mike (Aug 9, 2009)

> Sometimes I think we "over think" this stuff...


very much agreed


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