I went and bought a good large 9 foot rod with a nice large reel. size 60 to be exact. the rod cast 1/2 oz to 4 oz. with a very soft tip for bite indication and feel. now do I put braid on it or mono and what kind of braid or mono for surf fishing or soaking bait in inlets. Thanks much and god bless.
…mono 
Whether you use braid or mono is totally up to personal preference. With braid you’ll get a stronger line and a lot more of it, but it is more likely to snap off if the capacity is exceeded (this can be mitigated somewhat by a mono shock leader), or if you get caught on rocks or other structure. Another perk to braid is that the line is more sensitive to strikes and has a lot less drag in the water. Personally, I like braid, but your best bet might be to go to one of the local tackle shops like Haddrell’s and get their input.
A bad day of fishing beats a good day of work anytime.
What ya fishing for? If targeting smaller fish such as whiting, blues, black drum and reds and so on, mono works fine. It really is a preference like stated before. If your looking for larger sharks having allot of line capacity comes in handy because they can peel off allot of line pretty quick. Braid gets you allot more capacity. When targeting smaller fish to good size reds 15-30lb is appropriate with a couple hundred yards of line. If shark fishing a minimal of 300 yds of 50lb line is recommended by the shark guy’s at blacktiph. Welcome to CFC. The 9 ft rod with a 60 size reel is my favorite set up for surf fishing, good call there!
quote:Where I fish I am not allowed to target shark or I would be and I love the rod as well as the reel. im thinking 20 pound test mono would be my best bet now to narrow down baits and stuff like that. I caught several fish last year but nothing over 11 inches.
Originally posted by runbabyrunWhat ya fishing for? If targeting smaller fish such as whiting, blues, black drum and reds and so on, mono works fine. It really is a preference like stated before. If your looking for larger sharks having allot of line capacity comes in handy because they can peel off allot of line pretty quick. Braid gets you allot more capacity. When targeting smaller fish to good size reds 15-30lb is appropriate with a couple hundred yards of line. If shark fishing a minimal of 300 yds of 50lb line is recommended by the shark guy’s at blacktiph. Welcome to CFC.
20lb mono would be fine, but braid is also great too for surf/bottom fishing since you get the extra capacity and stronger line per diameter. you may have only caught smaller fish before, but you would be surprised what will hit just a piece of shrimp, which includes but definitely not limited to a big redfish, black drum, or especially stingray where the stronger line and extra capacity for when it strips out line.
If you can’t target Sharks, your best bet for bait will be fresh Shrimp. If you are in the Myrtle beach area, Blood Worms are a really close second then Sand Fleas/ Mole crabs. No need to buy “bait” shrimp. Just go to a seafood market and get a pound or two of med. shrimp. I cut them in half to start, if the bite is on I’ll go to thirds. Blood Worms are kinda pricey, Sand Fleas you can scoop up off the beach for free.
I use 15lb. Mono 99% of the time. You would be suprised what it will handle. 30lb. or so braid sounds like a great choice in the surf, it’s thin and strong. But if your reel doesn’t have the drag to support it, something big will take all of it.
I use 20# or 25# mono. I fish a 8’ and a 12’ rod and circle hooks usually in a spike or cart holder. Works fine. I fish 10# mono with artificials inshore and just use 20-25# leader.
I have got a catfish rod and one bottom fishing rod I went to braid on. For sure you can feel a bite better if your holding the rod and you get extra capacity. BUT with circle hooks what’s the point?
IMO it’s a B… to tie the stuff. I’m old and that limp line is a pain. When it wares and gets old I will likely go back to mono.
It has its place fishing long cast with artificials.
J Ford
My two set ups are pen battle 5000 on a intercostal rod (can’t remember who makes it. It’s white) and a battle 6000 on a star two piece one 8 ft and one is 7. The 5 has 20 lb braid and the 6 has 30 lb braid. Both with about 3 feet of 20lb mono shock leader. I do have a new okuma cedros 8000 sitting in the garage I need to find a rod for… Excessive? Maybe but come sept-November I hope it gets a ton of work from big reds haha.