December 20, 2013
By Rick Ryals
Lighten up on your trolling tackle with this method.
Monofilament is great stuff for trolling. Its elasticity gives valuable shock resistance to help keep the hook from pulling under the surging of a big marlin or other fish.
On the other hand, that elasticity, coupled with the large diameter of big-game class mono, means that the line sags as a big fish runs this way or that. That belly of the line contributes to added pressure when you don't want it (line can break under its own pressure, if there's enough of it dragging behind a fish), and diminished pressure when you do (reeling at light speed to pick up the slack).
A combination of low-diameter polyethyelene braid, with a top-shot of monofilament, offers the best solution, in my view. We only need about 100 yards of mono—after that, all braid. The braid has much less friction—you're pointing right at the fish. Thus you aren't going to see as much line in the water.
Recently, I spooled up 30-Wide Tiagras for Bahamas and Northeast Florida marlin fishing, check out the gallery below. FS
First Published Florida Sportsman November 2013
[imo-slideshow gallery = 131]
