Line Size in the Winter
Believe it or not line size matters and in the cold water it matters even more. I know when I fish with customers one of their common questions is what line size do, I use and recommend for the avid fisherman? I generally give them a long complex answer and I will try to condense those thoughts in the article of information.
There are many key parts to line size; reel type, depth, power fishing vs. finesse fishing, bait action, fish activity is just a few. All these are keys to what size line you choose to put on your reel. The wintertime however starts with bait action as cold water generally slows down the metabolism of most bass and the size of the line makes a big difference how your bait reacts in the water. A good way to remember it is the smaller the line size the more action your bait will have in the cold water of winter fishing. On lakes like Guntersville where you always have a chance of catching your personal best fish, or a bass over 7 lbs. its concerning to go light on line size even though you need the most action you can get out of your bait. One way to eliminate this problem is to spool your reel with a braided line say 30 lb. test or bigger but string the last 3 ft. with a thin light weight monofilament line, maybe 10 lb. test; this will give the bait the action you need and allow you to have the strength needed to land a big lunker bass that could very well be your personal best catch. Another point is that braid is a very thin line to begin with, 30 lb. braid may be the same in diameter as 12 lb. monofilament but has the strength of the larger line. This size anomaly allows your bait to act like it is tied to light mono or fluorocarbon allowing the line to drop without any bows in the line as it drops; and also the leader keeps the line flexible and hard for the bass to see under water.
Its also important to remember that in the winter the bites are generally very light; many times, hard to detect and the type of line is also a key in catching fish.
Fish Lake Guntersville Guide Service
www.fishlakeguntersvilleguideservice.com
www.facebook.com/FishGuntersville
Email: bassguide@comcast.net
Call: 256 759 2270
Capt. Mike Gerry