Spinning Rod - Fishing Line - Steelhead

[NWBoater45]

I am somewhat of a newbie to steelheading and need help on selecting the right fishing line. I just bought a Penn Battle 4000 reel a couple of weeks ago. The first line I put on it was PLine Flourocarbon with 14# test. I filled the reel with to about 3/4 capacity (about 125 yards). After the first cast while float fishing, I opened the bail and the line spun off the reel. I was pissed off after bringing my set up back in by hand. After loosing about 25 yards of line due to twisting, I had problems all day and the next with the line still twisting up. So I cut the line off and put on some Trilene Transoptic. Same thing happened but worse. About half the line spun off the reel. Both spools were bought in 150 yard capacity. I have never had this problem with trout or salmon reals.

So long story to get to this question, what is the preferred/suggested steelhead line?

I mainly use this rod for drift fishing. I have another rod with braided line that I use for float fishing.

[Amx]

Reel it on with the line coming off the supply spool in the proper direction, checking now and then to see if the line is twisting. Sometimes what I do then is walk around the yards, house, and garage laying out the line. Then reel it back on. With the line dragging thru the grass the twists will be taken out. Same with dragging the line in the water behind a boat moving at an idle. Of course there needs to be no lure on the line. Also some fluorocarbon, and other line, just won't work very good on spinning reels, too stiff, too much memory. I've even wondered if that stuff Bill Dance advertises now and then and sprays on his reels really works on eliminating line memory.

[Shad_Eating_Grin]

my experience with fluorocarbon is that is too stiff for using on a spinning reel as a mainline. Will coil and spring off uncontrollably from the reel spool. Better used as a leader rather than as a mainline.

[eat-sleep-fish]

I like the Suffix brand of line for spinning reels. Seems to be a little softer and less memory. Also go a little lighter if you can get away with it, maybe 10lb test. Will not fly off the reel as easily.

[Amx]

On my spinning reels I've used Seguar floro, and P-line floro coated co-polomar. The P-line cx works great. But the P-line cxx is too stiff. The Sunline 5lb is great, but the 10 lb is too stiff. I use Shimano 2500 and 4000 sized reels. Some of my spinning reels have braid and I like it a lot.

[natetreat]

The memory will fade after a solid days use. If you can avoid putting slack in the line the line when you're breaking it in it won't happen as much. Higher pound test line is going to have more of a problem with that than a thinner line. As you spool the reel, you need to make sure the line is coming off the side of the spool, not with the spool spinning around a pencil. Izorline and maxima are good lines, with little memory. You will have to break in the line to get it to work the way you want it, but the problem you're having sounds like you spooled it in the wrong direction. When you reel in, make sure you're line is tight against the bail, hold it between your fingers before you start reeling. The unspooling in the back yard trick works wonders, but for the most part you shouldn't have to do that.

If you really don't want to hassle with line memory, pick up some braid. I assume you're bobber fishing, so pick up some p-line hydrofloat 20 lbs., that stuff is awesome. zero memory with braided lines.

[Steelheadin360]

if your float fishing- 20# power pro hi vis

[natetreat]

if your float fishing- 20# power pro hi vis

That's what I used to use. But then I tried hydro float. It's more substantial, floats, doesn't freeze and it doesn't tip wrap. Have you tried it? Only downside is that every once in a while you have to retie your knot, but I'll take it.

[Steelheadin360]

Yea i tried the hydro float but had problems with line fray and knots popping

[spoonman]

I stay away from flouro mainline. Use it for leader material. For spinning setups its hard to beat izorline, its incredibly tough, yet limp enough to cast a mile. I run twelve pound and have landed fish far heavier than that. Oh, and the best part, its cheap. You can by a big spool of twelve pound for under fifteen bucks. Which gives you plenty to respool with. I change out my line every two or three months.

[dutchman2858]

Two things I've done that helps quite a bit if using mono: I've used Reel Magic line memory spray and found it to work very well on my spinning reels. Also I've taken my newly filled spools and dropped them into some very hot water where I left them for several minutes. This is particularly helpful for line that is a bit stiff and comes off a bigger spool--the larger coils relax, and conform more to the spinning reel spool size.

After you cast, close the bail by hand, instead of just starting to reel...it will twist your line less. If you have time at the end of the day walk out into the water a ways, take all terminal gear off and let the line run out downstream (or behind your boat) and let it lay in the water for a few minutes--the line will untwist and be ready for your next trip. Good luck!

[dadamunky]

I'm digging the hydrofloat, using a 10 foot mono leader tied with the double uni. Awesome hook sets, great strength, and it floats very well so less mending. Like Nate added zero memory and no tip twists.

[NWBoater45]

Thanks everyone for your input. Looks like there are several good options. I do use Hydrofloat on my float setup and like it a lot. I think I will try Spoonman's response and get a spool of Izoreline for my drift/spoon setup. And thanks Nate about the spooling tips.

Just sitting here watching the rain fall hoping it will send those metalheads up the rivers this weekend.

[spoonman]

Just sitting here watching the rain fall hoping it will send those metalheads up the rivers this weekend.

Amen brother!

[chrome_chasin]

For my float rigs I use 30lb hi vis Spider wire and have zero issues. But I still have some reels spooled with Mono, either the P-line CX or Izor and if my line starts to twist I will do as mention by dutchman and add a small weight to the line and let it all out down stream for a few minutes. Then pinch the line while I reel it in.

[natetreat]

Thanks everyone for your input. Looks like there are several good options. I do use Hydrofloat on my float setup and like it a lot. I think I will try Spoonman's response and get a spool of Izoreline for my drift/spoon setup. And thanks Nate about the spooling tips.

Just sitting here watching the rain fall hoping it will send those metalheads up the rivers this weekend.

One of the best ways to avoid line twist is to fish a baitcaster. If you throw a spinner, make sure you put a swivel on the end of your line or after about ten minutes, you're going to have a mess.

[geljockey]

Here are a few tips for spooling line onto a spinning reel you may not be aware of:

1. you want the line coming off the spool in the same direction that the bail moves on the reel.
2. after attaching the line to the spinning reel spool, lay the spool of line flat on the ground (label side up or down) and
make several turns of the handle on your spinning reel to reel some line on.
a. you want to keep some tension on the line when doing this
b. after you have put some line on the reel spool, release the tension (let go of line and drop rod a little)
c. see if there is any line twist.
d. if you don't see any line twist, continue. If you do see some line twist, turn the spool over and proceed

[Amx]

And sometimes flipping the supply spool over doesn't help at all because of the different sizes between the supply spool and the reel spool. Thus the reason why sometimes I'll lay out the line on the lawn and drag the line thru the grass while reeling it back onto the reel.

[natetreat]

And sometimes flipping the supply spool over doesn't help at all because of the different sizes between the supply spool and the reel spool. Thus the reason why sometimes I'll lay out the line on the lawn and drag the line thru the grass while reeling it back onto the reel.

When I was a kid, it was really common to see my brother and I walking out the end of the line in front of our house, and reeling it back in. Over and over until the new line had no twist. We didn't have the fancy low memory lines back then, maybe because the parents couldn't afford them, but we managed that way. Another thing that really worked is soaking the spool in fabric softener over night. I don't think I'd do that in the rivers, it smells like fresh laundry for quite a while, but in the salt, the smell never seemed to bother the lings.

[FishingThePacNW]

20lb braid is what i use and it works amazingly! Virtually no memory and this stuff is unbreakable! Just my 2 cents