# 4 lb. test line for crappie !!!!!



## Jody Hawk

I picked up a little pointer the other day and if you try it you will catch more crappie. I've always used 6 lb. test for crappie but since watching my buddy the other day I respooled all of my reels with 4 lb. Mr. Crappie fishing line. I like the 4 lb. because you can get your jigs down deeper when trolling and if you hook into a hybrid it'll break your line before he wraps up all of your crappie poles while it is strong enough to hold the heaviest crappie.


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## Al33

And I just respooled with 6.     

I have used both 4 and 6# in the past but haven't noticed any big difference. When they are hitting they are hitting. 
How many of you really think it makes that much of a difference? Convince me and I'll re-spool again with the 4#.

Al


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## HuntinMan

I dont it matters. I use 30lb line on fiberglass poles and catch tons of cappie every year. I use the heavy line to fish the nasty looking stuff with a wire hook so most of the time the bends and comes free then I bend it back and fish on.


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## QuakerBoy

I prefer 4 myself for crappie.  In fact...I use 4 for smallmouth bass in the sand flats up in erie.

Set the drag right and you will be ok.


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## No. GA. Mt. Man

*4lb test*

When Crappie are hitting good I think you could use a plow line and fill a cooler.


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## huntnnut

I agree, when crappie are really turned on they will hit most any wt. line though when they are finicky the 4# test line will usually put more in the boat.  

I prefer 4# test for crappie and for freshwater trout fishing when using a spinner.


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## Jody Hawk

Al33 said:
			
		

> How many of you really think it makes that much of a difference?



Well let me say this, I fished right along side my buddy the other day. We were both trolling jigs. He had twelve nice slabs and I ended up with two. He finally broke down and told me what my problem was. He told me to get rid of that 6 lb. line and go get me some 4 lb. test. I work with another fellow who travels the Southeast fishing crappie tournaments. He says that in most cases he only uses 2 lb. test !!!!! Believe what you want but I will promise you that you'll catch more fish on the lighter line than the heavier line.


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## Schulze

actually I always use 8 pound for trollin. Just have to use some extra split shot on it.

On my Ul I always spool up with 6 pound in the ultra thin type lines. Strong and thin. 

I have never lost a fish cause my line was too heavy except that one time the rod got pulled out the boat by a hybrid lol.


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## DavidW

*It matters*

A long time ago I had the mind set that 15lb big game was the only line they made. A guy who fishes lanier alot was wearing me out so I asked some simple questions. This was the most useful fishing tip anyone ever gave me:
1. 8lb test will get 30% more bites than 10lb test
2. 6lb test will get 30% more bites than 8lb
If you do the math it works like this, 4lb test will get 90% more bites than 10lb line. I fish around 175 days a year and when the fishing gets tough the first thing I do is drop my line size. This applies to almost any type fishing your doing. As far as fishing with the 30lb line in the trees and stuff, my grandfather has the same mentality. I almost feel guilty when I take him out and I catch more than he does. He`s just to stubborn to learn a new trick.Also a fish caught is worth twice as much as the price of a hook and sinker. If you give this formula an honest try you too will see that it works.
David


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## Jody Hawk

DavidW,
I know another fellow who only fishes for stripers on Lake Lanier. I went with him one day and was amazed to see that all of his reels were spooled with 10 lb. test line !!!!! I questioned him on this and he told me that in that clear water he catches more stripers since changing to 10 lb. test.


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## elmerpud

*Type of line*

I have gone to Fluorocarbon on everything but my spinning reels, I really think that has made a big difference over mono.


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## quailchaser

I think I will re-spool with 4# line. I'm convinced.


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## Ga-Spur

I may as well since I have never caught a 4 pounder anyway. What is the weight record anyway?


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## Al33

*Okey Dokey,*

Back to Wal-mart for more line.    

HEY! Before I go, tell me what your favorite brand is for line for spinning reels. I don't want to come back on here and read I should of got something else after I have re-spooled a second time.     

Bunch of elmo professionals are gonna cause me to go broke.     

Al


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## DavidW

*Spinning Line*

I have tried a bunch of them. My 2 favorites are Izorline(kind of hard to find) and BassPro Trophy Excel in natural clear. I seem to get alot less line twist with these two over some of the others I have tried. You can get Izorline at Izorlineeast.com. The other is sold at Bass Pro and Hammonds on Lanier. I will warn you that fluoracarbon was awful on a spinning reel, never made it through a full day without a major mess.


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## quailchaser

I have my reels spooled with 6# Mr. Crappie camoflauge line. From my experience, that brand will twist a lot and is very prone to knotting up. I think I will try another brand this time, maybe the BassPro Trophy Excell DavidW speaks about.


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## Jody Hawk

DavidW said:
			
		

> I will warn you that fluoracarbon was awful on a spinning reel, never made it through a full day without a major mess.



I agree. I found some 6 lb. Vanish on the clearance rack at Wal-Mart a few years ago. I bought five spools of it and didn't like it. I've gone back to monofilament.


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## Al33

*Ain't this somethin'?*

And to think when I was a kid fishing 5 Mile Creek all I needed was a cane pole and some kite string.   

Al


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## Jody Hawk

Al33 said:
			
		

> And to think when I was a kid fishing 5 Mile Creek all I needed was a cane pole and some kite string.



When you was a kid? Are you sure that is was kite string and not the hair from a saber toothed tiger?


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## Al33

Jody Hawk said:
			
		

> When you was a kid? Are you sure that is was kite string and not the hair from a saber toothed tiger?



 Of course not Jody, I used the tiger hair for making my flies. The hard part was getting the tiger to hold still and not bite me. The best hairs to use for fly tieing came from his elmo area.


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## Jody Hawk

You crack me up Al !!! You should seriously consider stand up comedy !!!! ROFLMBO !!!!!!!!!


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## quailchaser

Got all my rigs spolled with 4# line. Now I am ready for the Woody's Crappiethon.


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## WOODSWIZE

Bump -interesting old thread on Crappie line's.


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## NE GA Pappy

I still use the Stren Mono in 2lb for crappie.  If I am spiderlining, I use the 4lb Stren.  It twists more than I would like, and if I could find a line that would twist less, I sure would like it.  

We do need to have a Woody's crappiethon though.   Season will be here in a few weeks, and I am sure looking forward to it.


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## Coenen

Question, why not use a heavier, mono main line, a surgeon's knot, and then a small diameter fluoro leader? That seems to work for fly fishermen. Heck you can even buy fly tippet material in small weight class increments.


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## centerpin fan

Coenen said:


> Question, why not use a heavier, mono main line, a surgeon's knot, and then a small diameter fluoro leader? That seems to work for fly fishermen. Heck you can even buy fly tippet material in small weight class increments.



Thinner line casts farther and sinks faster.  Fly fisherman generally fish pretty shallow.  A heavy thick fly line is not a hindrance to them.

FWIW, I've used nothing heavier than 4# line for about forty years.  It's plenty strong.


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## Dutch

All I use is CrappieMaxx #6 Hi-vis and my catch rate isnt effected. 


The only time I use 4lb is ulta-clear water, like Lake Juliette.


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## chad smith

I can say this from experience! Using 4lb mono will put a few more fish in the boat but you will run through a lot more jigs and lite wire hooks!! I have used 2-10lb test and to me 6lb is the most versital! It is strong enough to bend the lite wire hooks from brush and pull them free as well as hoist them Oconee slabs into the boat! Try flipping a 1lb crappie in the boat with 4lb test and the line will break 80% of the time! My customers and I landed the new Oconee lake record Gar with a 10ft trolling rod,6lb mr.crappie line and a sugar bug lite wire jig back in November! If we would have had 4lb test it would have never got to the boat! All I can say is if you use 4lb test make sure you keep a net and a ton of jigs lol


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