Printable View
So my lovely wife bought me a Penn Battle 7000 (BTL7000) reel for my birthday. I would like to use this reel for King fishing. My question is how should I spool the reel: Monofilament only, braid with a top shot, braid only, florocarbon only, etc.......
Then.... what lb test would you recommend??
There are so many options that I wanted to solicite some opinions from the experts.
Thanks in advance!!!
BTW - This forum is the best fishing forum that I have ever run across!!!
With all that line capacity, I would fill 'er up with 15# mono.
I am far from an expert but i got a battle 7000 as well an am going to load it with 20 lb sufix superior mono in that sneaky smoke blue color that blends in pretty well under water cause the battle will hold like 310 yards of 20 lb line... plenty enough for kings i am told...
I would combine some here.
Put a backing on it. 15#-16# test. Enough to cover the housing a few times. Momoi's regular line works great as a backing since it will have the long lasting strength to hold on to your spool if ever you make it that deep. I also love using Yozuri hybrid here because it is softer and keeps the braid from digging in due to the way it packs on the base.
Tie double uni (8 twist braid/6 twist mono).
Follow it with two spools of 15# power pro super slick 8 (should easily get 450-600 yards on that). Splice them together with 10 twist double unis. I suggest hi vis yellow, so when the fish is running, you can see easily where your line is.
Add the same Mono now as Top Shot to finish filling the remaining capacity of the reel using same d - uni from backing connect.
You'll get a lot of capacity, and while 300 yards will be plenty for most kings, you may easily need more for a large one, a big jack or tarpon, etc. With a big reel like that, why not take advantage of the amazing line capacity?
Enjoy. That's a solid reel.
I like the high visibility green 12 or 15# line for king fishing on the Octi.
You are going to use a swivel and wire leader and that itty bitty swivel will get hit no matter what color your line is. Plus, you won't get tangle up near as often when you can see your line.
The heavier the line, the shorter your casting range.
Hope this helps.
I would go with 15# mono. I have used Trilene Big Game for years, recently changed to hi-vis green cause my eyes aint what they used to be....
With a 7000, I would go with 20# mono.
As mentioned that gives enough line capacity for kings or the incidental tarpon and JCs,
and it gives you a little more 'pull' to maybe get that fish away from jaws ;-)
Academy has 300 yard spools of Power Pro on sale this week for $14.99
Just one more opinion for the road -- take it by J&M Tackle and have them spool it up with Momoi Diamond Illusion 16#. Man, that is some fine line. I hear comments about memory, but I've never had that trouble with it myself.
I'd use 17# suffix siege. Spools come in 330 yards
As always, thanks so much for the advice!!!! Still have a couple of options to think about, but I like all the suggestions.
Chillinfish, I was at our local Academy yesterday and saw that! Unfortunately, they were sold out....:mad:
Thanks again guys!!!!!
Momoi illusion/diamond has memory when used in cold weather. Summer heat, it works better and is strong.
Winter, the regular momoi is better, and works as well in the summer really. So for versatility, I likely won't buy illusion/diamond again.
This is what I had them put on my combo I bought from J&M and my only complaint is how hard it was to break when trying to get rid of a shark :D I was highly impressed. I was using a Penn Battle 6000.Quote:
Originally Posted by Rich1
and FYI i ordered my line straight from the Sufix website and they sold in 1/4 pound spools for 10.98 each i ordered 10 15 and 20 pound test... the lengths are 1495, 840, 670 respectively
There are a lot of right ways to do it, but you should be aware that there is a pretty real trade-off regarding the weight. 15 lb ish line will cast a little farther than 20, but that is a significant amount of fighting power to lose.
Right now I've got 16 lb Momoi on my king rod, but I'm leaning towards 20 lb next time because of some breakoffs I've had trying to hoss a couple of fish.
It really depends on how you fish.
I figured you'd say 4 lb test ! Aren't you the ultra light king? You could probably get 2,000 yards of line on that thing for a long run! :-)Quote:
Originally Posted by Pier#r
That diamond illusion is great line, but as it's name implies, it's hard to see. The regular Momoi tends to test significantly higher than its rating and I thing the 16# tests closer to 25#. If your knots are good, you'll have a hard time breaking it.
If it were my reel, I'd load it up with 20# braid, leaving enough room for 150 yds of hi-vis 16# Momoi, but that's just me and my momma used to tell me, "George, you're cute, but you're weird."
Suffix is great too. Tritanium is what I like. Great in 8#. Got some 14# last year to try on kings. It worked well horsing in some jacks...but I was nervous about the high vis. I had a king or two turn their noses up at my bait and bite somebody else...so I went back to illusion.
Rich, the key there is having hi vis main line and a clear top shot. That way fish isn't deterred at all by your line in clear water and you have high visibility once cast out and hooked up.
However, I'd venture to say the fish would probably notice the hook and the steel leader before they'll notice hi vis line, and would bet money that's what happened to your almost king.
In some cases when traveling light for fishing on foot at distances, I'll break off and lose my leader or top shot and am forced into using main line with hi vis to keep fishing if I didn't bring replacement line.
Oddly enough, I hooked up just the same as I did with the clear lines.
A number of factors can weigh in and out. Sometimes it may not be your leader or line at all. It is possible the other guys bait twitched it's tail or got snobbled at just the right time to deter the king and catch his attention and he, out of instinctual predatory drive, darted at it instead of the dead looking bait. As for other times, luck is just luck.
Which mine is usually plain bad. Lol
:)
If this was 1970 something,I'd tell you face to face or maybe over the o'le rotary phone to go to K-MART and get a 99 cent spool of 20lb house brand blue line. Bottom line is this for a reel of that size,spool it with a decent quality mono,any color,no larger than 20lb test,and you will be fine.
That hi-viz 15 lb (16??) mono that John has on those big ass spools. 7 strand leader about 15" and a #4 treble attached with a haywire twist.
Don't have time or interest in learning the names of 600 different line types, compositions, etc. That's what John G. earns his living doing. I'm happy to pay him for his knowledge.
I think sometimes we overthink this crap because of the fantastic job done by the advertising departments of the line makers.
It's a king mack that tourists catch by accident every day on $30 Wal-Mart rigs that they fish upside down. Not like we're on the flats in the keys fishing for bone fish or permit or Blue Marlin off Cabo.
If you watch closely, it's not the gear those who catch the most kings that matters, it's their technique and experience. I've seen more than one guy fishing really sh**ty looking gear, held together with electrical tape, fish rings around guys with the best of this and that.
My suggestion - take your reel to J&M, tell them what you want to do and let them do their magic. You will not go wrong.
20# Big Game in solar color on my Battle 7000
Divedeep saying it best.
Although add skill and experience to quality gear and technique and you have a lethal (to fish) combo.
That said, those without skill and experience are doing right by asking questions and discovering what gear will give them a tactical advantage--as well as make it easier on their pocketbooks by avoiding that which doesn't work well.