Muskie Lines

Another caution: These new super braids, being very thin, must never be wrapped around your hands or fingers as severe injuries could result. Bass Pro Shops sells an orange polyester “work” type glove for grabbing these new lines when bringing a fish on board. The gloves sell for $2.99 a pair and are a must for “hand-lining” any fish, especially a muskie or northern. I haven’t mentioned how the new super braids work trolling, but a fellow muskie aficionado Bob Kimm, summed up his approach to questions using the super braids trolling. “I troll with TUF line quite a bit so I may be able to help a little. You are correct about the release clips not holding superlines too well. Superlines are thin and slippery, so they tend to pop out. What I do is use a heavy release (Kumler or Offshore) with a rubber ‘O’ ring slid over it to hold it tighter. You can find the ‘O’ rings at most hardware stores. Slide the ring up onto the release jaws and roll it past them, put the line in there lease, then roll the ring down again so it clamps the jaws

tighter. Seems to work pretty well. A fish will still pop it off, but the pull of a bait or ripping a weed top usually won’t.

As far as leaders go, from what I gather in talking to a couple die-hards out there, most of them use 80 or 90 lb mono leaders made with Berkley Big Game (which is great line by the way, if you like mono for muskies.). I guess their reasoning is it’s the only thing in the system with any give, so it’s a little insurance against breakoffs or pulling hooks out. None of them seem to have any concern with biteoffs, and say they almost never happen. I do use mono leaders some when I shortline troll, but it sort of gives me the willies. When I troll the rocks in Canada, I use either a stranded wire, or more often now a single strand.”

Finally, when your line becomes curled, twisted or kinked while casting, check to see that you have ball bearing swivels on your leaders. If you do and the line is still kinking try adding a second ball bearing swivel. You could add a second ball bearing swivel between the lure and the leader. You can also let all your line out behind the boat (no lure attached) and troll, letting all your line off your reel. This will eliminate the line kinks for a while. Use this idea whenever your line begins to twist or kink.

On the Rating to Break Point Comparison Chart you’ll note eighteen lines tested. This comparison gives you some idea between rated line break points and average break points. This chart surprised me. Some of these lines are rated at more than the actual average break, while others were higher than the rated break strength. This is very important information to consider should you be looking at a line class record. You could be disappointed if you submit a sample of your line and it misses your break point for a line class record. Understand that this was not a scientific study but a great junior high school science project. I think it is important to note that the three Berkley Trilene XT, monofilament lines and the Stren Clear/Blue Fluorescent line exceeded the rated break strength. The remaining fourteen all came out less than the rated strength.

The lines I have tried are as follows: Cortland Musky Mono 20#, 25#
Stren PowerBrand Kevlar 35#
Cortland Musky Master
Braided Micron 18# 27# 36#
Spectra 50#
Berkley Ultra Max 25#
Berkley Tri Max 20#
Micron Tresse 36#
Cortland Spectron 50#
Spectra Versitex 50#
Spectra T.U.F. 50#
DuPont Magna Thin
Berkley Trilene XT 14#
Berkley Trilene XL
Silver Thread
Maxima Monofilament
Power Pro 30# 65#

My observations with using these lines are summarized here; Silver Thread cut into the spool. Berkley Trilene XT 14# mono was stiff. However, I liked the Trilene XL until I switched to Cortland Muskie Mono, which I really like. Stren Kevlar I found nothing I liked about it. Stren Kevlar had some sort of a coating on the line like a wax that got very ratty and frayed. The Power Pro 65# line I now have on one of my rods is looking similar to the Stren. It appears to have quite a bit of fraying and gives you a very insecure feeling as you reel it in. I have not determined why it is fraying. Of these sixteen lines I have tried over the years these are the only ones that I have had any kind of problems with. All the other lines have preformed as expected.

I did capture an 18# line class record using the Cortland Musky Master Braided Micron in 1993. I have been very pleased with all of the Cortland lines I have tried. I like the Cortland Musky Mono a tad better than the Berkley Trilene XL for a monofilament line. I understand from Bennett’s, a Colorado Muskie Shop owned by former RVP Bob Todd, that Berkley Fireline is his top seller. I asked the fellows at Rollie and Hellen’s what their top selling line was and they told me Spectra T.U.F. In talking with Berkley about their new Whiplash and FireLine, that Trilene Big Game is still their most popular line. Their newest “superbraid” line-100% gel-spun, Whiplash in 50#, 80#, and 100# are the most popular line weights and “green” is the color. With regard to FireLine the lighter 8#, 10#, 14#, and 20# are the most popular line weights and still the “smoke” color is the most popular. You may recall Berkely had some trouble with the old smoke color, but they have changed their formulas and made some revisions in the old Fireline. So try some of the new FireLine and see if you don’t notice a difference.

In summary, the muskie line manufacturers understand very well what the problems were with the early super-lines. They have made changes and corrected their products to better accommodate us and serve our needs. With the variety of lines available to a muskie fisherman there should be no problem finding just what you need. Good luck and Good fishing!

author contact: jamestsmith@cox.net | author bio