Lines for wake baits

[Harshwaters]

20# Big Game. Never broke a fish off. 

[Obtuse_Angler]

15 hours ago, chevro1et said:

The past two seasons I've used 20lb Izorline XXX for wakes.  This year I'm gonna try a few spools of 22lb Sunline Defier Armilo.

That’s what I was using this year. Really liked it. 

[bassbass]

Braid

 

[Morph808]

The Armilo breaks closer to the rated lb rating vs. CXX which often breaks much higher.

I like 17-20lb copoly for up to 3.5oz baits. Any higher then I go with 25lb. On occasion will do 65lb braid to 20-25lb mono leader if I plan on using a walk-the-dog style lure as an alternative. Favorites are P-Line Original, Hi-Seas, and Izorline.

[urbanhick]

25lb pline PF

[MLucc]

Another one to look at is Trik Fish 25#. 

Recommended by Mike Bucca. Budget friendly and the stuff is like iron.

I stay away from any braid to leader connections. To me its just adding a potential failure point to your line system.

Edited January 22, 2023 by MLucc

[B_larkin3]

20 lb CXX, 20 lb big game, or 20 lb Abrazx. CXX is the best out of the bunch imo. Big just has more memory.

[Rharttulane]

Ima 20lb big game boi too! 

[119bowhunter]

Straight braid for me on any topwater, be sure to use a parabolic rod and don’t swing for the fences when you get a bite, just lean into them

[brootalititties]

On 1/21/2023 at 2:57 AM, Jerkbait22 said:

Maybe I just got a bad spool. I got it for the same reasons as you, only fish braid on my frogging setup. Let me know how it works out. I usually just throw 15-20lb co-poly for my wakebaits. 

Been fishing Armillo for about 9 months now and 100% agree with retying constantly. I’ve never actually broken the 25 lb but feeling my line there is always noticeable abrasion when compared to flouro and it’s super thin diameter line.

back to answering op question I have found myself reaching for wakes that can be fished on flourocarbon just so I don’t have to worry about swapping line back and forth. Use defier or defier armillo for stuff that really suffers on flouro, mostly crawlers

Edited January 22, 2023 by brootalititties

[Ceaser]

Braid, braid to flouro, copoly they all work. Depends on the cover for me. 

[alabamaswimbait]

5 minutes ago, Ceaser said:

Braid, braid to flouro, copoly they all work. Depends on the cover for me. 

I remember when you used to stretch out your Big Game lol

[alabamaswimbait]

I use 20 or 25 XXX for everything

[Rangermike]

I use 20 floro clear because it casts great and haven’t had issues on baits in the 2-3oz range. I’ll use 50 braid in heavy grass just to cut the grass get fish in easier. If it’s a big trucha I use 80 braid . 

[mbleming]

The guys that use braid for topwater, do you have trouble with the braid constantly wrapping around the front treble hook? I was thinking of trying straight braid but thought a significant number of casts might end up fouled in the front...maybe heavier line can help prevent that? 50lb and above? In addition, do you find that the braid sinks after awhile, causing the bait to be pulled under slightly?  Thanks!