# 10 lb mono



## Fishon 13

This question probably has been asked a 1000 times. I'm a mono guy and I always use 12lb mono for trout and red fish. Does anybody use 10lb mono?


----------



## Fishon 13

I fish with baitcasters but I welcome input from all.


----------



## Ryan H.

if 12 is working, why would you want to switch? If it's capacity, a smaller diameter 12lb might do the trick. I can't tell any practical difference between 10 and 12. I almost exclusively use Ande Premium. (pink is my favorite)


----------



## Fishon 13

Ryan H. said:


> if 12 is working, why would you want to switch? If it's capacity, a smaller diameter 12lb might do the trick. I can't tell any practical difference between 10 and 12. I almost exclusively use Ande Premium. (pink is my favorite)


What size do you use?


----------



## Ryan H.

10 mostly for my casting (lure) rods, but have used the 12

For my bait rods, I use 15. I can tell a size difference between 10 and 15, but it's negligible between 10-12. I don't know why I use 10, guess I just grew up using 10 since that is what all the BASS guys used. I tell myself the 10 is slightly softer/limper and casts better, but honestly if one of my reels still had pink 12 on it, I wouldn't notice.


----------



## Solodaddio

Grew up using 10 for freshwater and 12 for salt. Nowadays if I use 10 it's gotta be braid, strong stuff and you can pack a lot on a small spool. 10 pound braid connected to a 15-17 pd leader is finesse as it gets.


----------



## Stumpgrinder1

10# Pline is very strong and Ive used it extensively . Its good stuff


----------



## Solodaddio

stumpgrinder3 said:


> 10# Pline is very strong and Ive used it extensively . Its good stuff


There's a 300yd spool of 10pd p line in the classifieds. I started using p line this year, great stuff!


----------



## Fishon 13

Thanks for the input y'all.


----------



## Wordsaw

I'm glad to hear some of y'all are still fishing with 12 lb mono. I just switched back after five years of frustration with braid.


----------



## dk2429

I've used 10lb, I stick with 12 tho. Sufix Superior 12#. Best mono I've ever used

When I head up to the lake bass fishing and carry 6 different rods I change it up a bit. I keep 12# on the rods with spinnerbaits/plastics/crankbaits. The rods with a jig/frog/topwater I use 20#. 

But for just fishing the bay, 12# all the way


----------



## Permit Rat

A lot of people are switching back. For reds and trout in the LLM, I am mostly using 8 lb. and this depends on the size lures (hooks) I am throwing. 8 lb. seems to be OK on my casting rod, that pretty much sees Spook Jr's on it. It's my go-to early morning snook rod.

For larger lures/hooks I have to use a stiffer rod and 10 lb. Hate doing this, cuz I like to give the fish a little chance.

Point is, you should have no problems going to 10 or even 8 lb. mono. To boot, the thinner line casts better than the 12 lb. and as long as you use the right knots and leader (tied correctly) I can almost guarantee no problems.

I like a medium stiff mono, like Ande. I've been using it for decades and have several WRs caught on it. Kind of hard to come by in So. Texas, so I shall probably be getting mine from eBay in the future. BTW....I am not a fan of the Ande backcountry lines....a little to soft for me and I think not as abrasion resistant. Go with premium clear and never look back.


----------



## iridered2003

10lbs mono and can not tell you the last time I was broke off by a redfish or trout.


----------



## Trouthappy

I had a couple of guides fish with me in Florida and noticed they used 10 pound line, while I've always used 12. I asked whey, and they said they could cast further. 
They only used 15-pound mono for leader, while I use 20 and 25 Ande. And 40, when mackerel are around.


----------



## Permit Rat

Trouthappy said:


> I had a couple of guides fish with me in Florida and noticed they used 10 pound line, while I've always used 12. I asked whey, and they said they could cast further.
> They only used 15-pound mono for leader, while I use 20 and 25 Ande. And 40, when mackerel are around.


Yes, most guides use 10 lb. on the flats.....I used 8, mostly for the same reason (better casting). I also never knew a guide OR a knowledgeable So. Florida angler, who didn't use a double line, either a spider hitch or Bimini twist, in the main line. For that reason, are you sure the guide was using 15 lb. mono leader? I ask because this doesn't make much sense, if you consider that the double line knot essentially gives one 20 lb. test emanating from the knot. To then tie that to just 15 lb. seems counterproductive.

I always used a 20 lb. leader, tied to doubled 8 with a surgeon's knot. I might also give a more experienced angler, 8 lb. for tarpon.

The average inshore fisherman here in Texas, has no clue, as to just how strong 10 and even 8 lb. test mono really is. Reason is, _they don't need to know_. Trout, redfish, flounder and even snook are not known for being tackle busters. None of these fish make long drag burning runs in shallow water. None fight like an amberjack or a permit, or even a bonefish (for their size). The closest thing Texas fisherman have to a "Florida" fish, is the jack crevalle, and on those rare days when you run across those 20+ pounders in less than 2 feet of water, well, the thrill is on! 
ã€€
I'll go one step further and say that if we could gather all the Texas (and Louisiana) inshore fishermen with their favorite rods all together and spool those rods with 10 lb. Ande clear mono.......and then tie the end of the line to a 9 3/4 lb. weight and tried to lift that weight off the ground....more than half those rods would break.....but the line would not. Why then, do we use rods that cannot handle the breaking strength of the line we are using? BTW, I include myself among those anglers whose rods would break. The reason is simple: We are choosing our outfits for casting ease and efficiency, instead of fish fighting ability. That said, I would repeat and suggest dropping down to even 8 lb., with a 20 lb. leader for trout and reds; 30 lb. for snook. 8 lb. will cast even better than 10. I haven't fished in Texas all that long, so I can remember well and will say that I too have never lost a fish due to 8 lb. line failure.......only due to pulled hooks (and I hope to reduce that amount greatly with some new rods I am building.)


----------



## Trouthappy

I've used eight pound Ande while crappie fishing, and it's strong enough to pull a canoe fairly quickly, when you snag a bush or tree and want your lure back. It's heavy line for crappie, but we seldom lose a lure. Probably fine on saltwater flats as well, except I often stop at the jetties during the day. Around rocks, not much good. If a mackerel even looks at 8-pound line, it's cut.


----------



## Permit Rat

Trouthappy said:


> I've used eight pound Ande while crappie fishing, and it's strong enough to pull a canoe fairly quickly, when you snag a bush or tree and want your lure back. It's heavy line for crappie, but we seldom lose a lure. Probably fine on saltwater flats as well, except I often stop at the jetties during the day. *Around rocks, not much good. If a mackerel even looks at 8-pound line, it's cut.*


Joe, we could spool our reels with 40 lb. mono and tie directly to our lures and we'd still get bit off by mackerel sometimes. There's just no escaping it, if you fish for any of the toothy critters. That's what leaders are for, either mono or wire, and even that is not a sure thing. I've had mackerel bite the swivel I was using.


----------



## Blk Jck 224

iridered2003 said:


> 10lbs mono and can not tell you the last time I was broke off by a redfish or trout.


Yup...I also use 10# Moss Green X-Strong P Line...As strong as 12# Big Game & most others in the 15# class...Of course I have to back off of the drag on big reds...The smaller diameter really pays off with casting distance


----------



## pocjetty

When I use mono, it's only 10#, unless I'm at the jetties. I found Stren MagnaThin, and the 10# had a high break strength, and small diameter. It casts better, and holds up at least as well as any other 10# mono I have ever used. I've caught more than enough oversized reds on 10# line to know that it will handle pretty much anything I'll be catching in the bay.

If you're going to fish with 10# line, just be sure and pay attention to your last foot or two of line. (Above the 20#-25# leader that you're using.) If it starts looking nicked, cut it and re-tie. It's not that big of a chore, and it will keep you from having to tell those stories about the one that got away.



Permit Rat said:


> Why then, do we use rods that cannot handle the breaking strength of the line we are using? BTW, I include myself among those anglers whose rods would break. The reason is simple: We are choosing our outfits for casting ease and efficiency, instead of fish fighting ability.


The fish that you don't get to bit never, ever break off. You have to hook them before a heavier line can help you. You're probably right about 8# being better for the fishing part, but 10# is my compromise line weight. As I said above, the MagnaThin has a diameter closer to a lot of 8# line, and a break strength closer to a lot of 12#. That's what all my reading showed, anyway. people say a lot of things. But it's pretty much worked out that way for me, so I believe it's true.


----------



## texjam

10 mono on all the spinners. I ended up putting 10 on several baitcasters too years ago. Really all you need with a 20 lb mono leader.


----------

