lines for bfs setups

[nstd]

i have two bfs setups right now. getting ready for a couple trips to the sierras this year. hoping to use one for reaching the mid water and deeper stuff, and another for surface and top water. both reels are aldebaran and one has the avail shallow spool.

I'm thinking about spooling one with flouro or ester and the other with braid tipped with mono.

what do you guys recommend for flouro, ester, or braid?

For braid, i'm thinking of using the g-soul x4, Berkeley fireline or maybe gliss.
For flouro, maybe sunline sniper?

Thanks!

[Craigthor]

I run straight braid no leader, using Varivas Bait Finesse PE .4.

[Dalleinf]

Also straight braid in whatever thin round x4 and x8 I can get cheap in bulk.

[nstd]

I run straight braid no leader, using Varivas Bait Finesse PE .4.

any reason why you use Varivas?

[nstd]

Also straight braid in whatever thin round x4 and x8 I can get cheap in bulk.

where?

[Craigthor]

I run straight braid no leader, using Varivas Bait Finesse PE .4.

any reason why you use Varivas?

I like how it spools and casts, when getting into high end JDM rods tossing cheap line on them they won’t always perform as expected. Same thing when using JDM Spinning rods they also benefit from quality lines.

[DirtyD64]

What are your BFS setups and what are they used for (rod/reel, primary tackle used)? That might make a difference. I have used a good variety of lighter braids, but not for BFS, always on spinning.

That being said, I have always used Sufix 832 for baitcasting situations. It is round, doesn't dig too bad, strong, and once broken in it casts well for me. I would suggest 8lb or 6lb for about any situation, 10lb would be good for Light/Medium Light duty.

Would and plan to try the Sufix Nanobraid in the future, also the Fireline 8 carrier should be okay. I just look for a round line, seems to really help me with casting/line management.

I took everyone's advice on here and decided to go braid with a short leader for my 1st BFS setup. I might try 4-5lb fluorocarbon in the future, but for now I don't see any advantage it would give over braid other than the invisibility.

[Dalleinf]

Also straight braid in whatever thin round x4 and x8 I can get cheap in bulk.

where?

I live in Denmark/EU so usually Danish, German or UK shops. If I lived in the US, I would buy from Ebay or bargain bins from Bass Pro and Cabelas etc.

I am interested in trying the very high-end JP braids, but I have not had any issues with different Sufix (esp. Matrix Pro) and Berkley braids in 6-10 lb on my BFS reels. These lines are on many of my reels and have been used on hundreds of trips in my recent approx. 5-6 years of BFS/baitcast trout fishing, so I am in no hurry to get high-end braided line.

[hungry_cow]

I run straight braid no leader, using Varivas Bait Finesse PE .4.

any reason why you use Varivas?

I like how it spools and casts, when getting into high end JDM rods tossing cheap line on them they won’t always perform as expected. Same thing when using JDM Spinning rods they also benefit from quality lines.

Do you know how the Varivas Bait Finesse PE compares to the Sunline Small Game pe-hg?

[Craigthor]

I run straight braid no leader, using Varivas Bait Finesse PE .4.

any reason why you use Varivas?

I like how it spools and casts, when getting into high end JDM rods tossing cheap line on them they won’t always perform as expected. Same thing when using JDM Spinning rods they also benefit from quality lines.

Do you know how the Varivas Bait Finesse PE compares to the Sunline Small Game pe-hg?

Having used both yes I do I, the Sunline is much more a fused line then a braided line like the Varivas. The Varivas is a traditional braid so not as colorfast as the Small Game. I’d give a tiny edge to the Small Game on abrasion resistance due to the fused nature of the line. Castability I would say it is a wash as I don’t cast for distance but accruacy on small streams. The Varivas is not as slick and I feel is easier to tie then the Small Game. You do have to watch the Varivas for fuzzing of the braid which could comprise strength. I don’t think you could go wrong with either.

[Allsorts]

I would hazard a guess that a lot of this has already been worked out in SEA, especially Singapore where braid and BFS are synonymous. There's a BFS FB group based in Singapore - would be interesting to reach out to see what they've learnt. I suspect they steer away from super soft / skinny braids...

https://www.facebook.com/groups/BFS.fis ... =bookmarks

[Craigthor]

I would hazard a guess that a lot of this has already been worked out in SEA, especially Singapore where braid and BFS are synonymous. There's a BFS FB group based in Singapore - would be interesting to reach out to see what they've learnt. I suspect they steer away from super soft / skinny braids...

https://www.facebook.com/groups/BFS.fis ... =bookmarks

Good group there.

[Edward78]

I Use Gliss, powerPro Braid and Fireline Crystal. The 12lb Gliss is on my SS Air and Aldebaran with Avail spool and its cast awesome but if you rub against anything it will break before any other line would. The FireLine crystal 6lb I have on my Alphas Air cast much better than expected with very respectable distance and abrasion resistance. PowerPro 8lb braid once broke in cast nice hold up well as you would expect with braid.

I think you should run some quality Fluoro on your stock spool reel in the 4 - 6lb range and spool the avail up with whatever superline you decide on but I would stay in the .14mm range give or take .01mm.

[nstd]

Decided to try out suffix nanobraid 2 lb. line is thin!

[Edward78]

Decided to try out suffix nanobraid 2 lb. line is thin!

That's some small line .04mm, it may find itself wrapped around the spool shaft easily but should also cast crazy far as well.