[aretheyrunningyet]

Had a great evening chasing searuns below the old Waimak bridge last night. First fish was 4.5lb (will be dinner tonight) with the rest all 2.5 – 3.5lb. I had one bust off which would have been closer to 5lb which raises the question, what breaking strain do most people use for fishing this area ? The fish I lost was mid-air when it busted off with a loud crack. I was fishing with suffix 6.9lb mono at the time and hate seeing a fish swim away with a hook in its mouth and line trailing behind.

[yellowfin]

I use 4lb for all my trout fishing except at night where I may go heavier on the fly gear and use up to 10lb…sea runs are just ocean going brown trout, so it makes sense to target them similar breaking strain line, an exception would be targeting them at the rakaia gut where big fish in heavy water necessitates the use of heavier line. It’s always a trade off, use heavier gear and reduce hits, the action of your spinner, and casting distance or go heavy and have the peace of mind that once a fish is hooked your chances of landing it are improved..as I said above, I prefer to take my chances with the light stuff

[lalandi]

I’d have thought 7lb mono would be sufficient for fishing down there. On the spin set up I use 5lb mono mostly but will go to 8lb when fishing larger or turbulent waters where abrasion can be an issue. Rakaia is different (as mentioned above). I use 5 or 6kg on the 9wt and 25lb on the lure rod.

[yellowfin]

I use 6lb line, it seems to do the job for me. A few may break off , but most end up on the bank.

[aretheyrunningyet]

Thanks for all the feedback. I should have mentioned that I was fishing the faster water about 200m below the old bridge so abrasion could have played a part. I had started out just below the bridge but went further down to where the birds were working and got a fish on my first cast. I always re tie my knots after each fish but there could have been stone bruising to the line. Not sure but I will try some 10lb line next time and if my hit rate drops go back to what I was using.

[yellowfin]

Kevo is right on the mark: it is always a tradeoff between better lure action and more strikes on lighter line; versus less margin for error when a big fish hits, you are fishing a snaggy area, or your line gets damaged. Very light mono on braided rivers will result in many unneccessary lure losses – which can get expensive. Stone bruises and nicks in your line can greatly weaken it resulting in lost fish; especially when a big one takes the hook. Fishing 15 pound mono is a safer bet when targeting big searun trout on an eggbeater reel in the lower Rakaia River as you never know when you might get a salmon! I always fish 6 lb mono in lakes and smaller streams. I should add that some blokes are “experts” at loosing trout lures. If you are one of these guys you might be better to fish heavier lines until such time as your lure loses reduce to a level more acceptable to your pocket!

[aretheyrunningyet]

Well I went to the Waimak again last night for a look. The river was just starting to come up and had a bit of colour so hooking up was a little harder. I fished with the 7lb line until I lost a couple of lures and then changed to my wifes reel which is loaded with braid, probably about 30lb. I fished the main flow for a while with no luck then moved down a bit where a small braid joins the main flow. I have been told about a brown estimated to be 18lb which lives in this spot so thought it was worth a look. First cast I hooked what seemed to be a reasonable fish until it realised it was hooked and went nuts. It went down river and I could stop it if I put the brakes on but couldn’t get any line back. After 15 minutes of losing more line than I was getting back the hook pulled. Had it not been dark I would have waded through the braid to my left and tried to chase it but was quite muddy and I started to sink in so had to stay put. I saw the fish a number of times in the darkness and it would have gone an easy 15lb but I couldn’t get it close enough to see what it was, maybe a salmon, maybe the brownie I was told of ? It fought like a salmon but I hope its a brown and it is there next time I get a chance at it.

[Miliwolf]

I do not really get choosing the line on the breaking strain. I would have thought diameter would play a much greater role… I have line with the same diameter but vastly different breaking strains. For a extreme example, 6lb Maxima Ultragreen has a diameter of .22mm, compare that with Stroft GTM 11.2lb line which also has a claimed diameter of .22mm , Same line thickness for nearly twice the breaking strain! Now marketing departments seem to make up the numbers a bit, so the true diameter/Breaking Strain might differ.

Just something to think about….

I fish braid when spin fishing, and normally use a meter or two of 1X or 2X tippet material, which depending on the spool/brand I grab has a breaking strain of around 8-10lb.

[yellowfin]

I like the sporting side of using light tackle..hooking and landing trout and Kahawai on 4lb line is challenging and at times highly rewarding for me, anything heavier starts to remove some of the satisfaction from my angling and in turn reduces my enjoyment..that’s just my own personal view guys

[aretheyrunningyet]

You are right with marketing departments Miliwolf. I think stone bruising has been an issue for me with the Suffix 7lb line I was using with most lures lost while casting which virtually never happens for me. The section of water I was fishing was flowing quite quickly with my lure often bouncing along the stones.

I too like light tackle for trout kevo, just wish I wouldn’t always hook the bigger fish when I can’t chase them down river. The hook wouldn’t have pulled last night if I could have followed it.

[troutfishernz]

I agree with Kevo I use 4lb sometimes 6lb for all trout fishing anything heavier just isnt as fun.
However can see the advantages of going heavier for Sea runs just incase you hook a salmon.
Or Kingfish as I did in Nelson once while targeting Kahawai and Sea run trout on 6lb.

[aretheyrunningyet]

If I thought there was a chance if a kingi in the Waimak I would be using 80lb braid and 150lb flurocarbon leader. Dunno how much I’d get on my trout reel though ! Could be stressful for the rod too, can see the carbon splinters already.

[Miliwolf]

I use heavier line, so I can release the as quickly as possible. The faster the release, the less stress the fish would be. I have also gone away from using lighter lines when saltwater fishing for the same reason.

If abrasion is a issue, then one possible remedy is to start using a fluorocarbon line. Either a few meters of fluorocarbon tippet (but then you have a knot to worry about) or track down same fluorocarbon mainline, its probably 4x the price of normal line but the added abrasion resistance could make it worthwhile. I see on trademe, that 250m of Stroft Flurocarbon is $89, although even stroft nylon is expensive.

Here is the Berkley Vanish Flourocarbon Mainline , it does not have a great reputation, but mainly because people use it for tippet material.
http://www.trademe.co.nz/sports/fishing … 040022.htm

or Krypton Flourocarbon, I know nothing about that brand, or is that a co-polymer… ummm
http://www.trademe.co.nz/sports/fishing … 284397.htm

[aretheyrunningyet]

Thanks Miliwolf, will give flurocarbon a go and report back.

[Fishy Bishy]

Check out K-Labs ( http://www.klabs.co.nz/shopdisplayproducts.asp?id=13 ) and try their FluoroCasting line from Asso.
It is Italian line and brilliant. I just bought, Salmon line, Double Strength 15lb (.37mm) and 6lb Super HT, High Tenacity mono for all my Trout reels and trolling reels (.26mm).
I have been using Asso for several years now and wouldn’t change.
Value for money and harder wearing than most on the market.

[Author]

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