Thread: Advice wanted on line for new Spanish rig

I've got a new Battle II 4000 (early Christmas) that I intend to be my main Spanish rig for lures and bubbles. I would like to get it set up right from the first. I've already loaded 110 yds of 20 lb braid for the backing - now comes the mono.

I'm an oldish fart (70 yo). I've got a marginal right shoulder and can't take a lot of hard casting so I go for the lightest line I can get away with to ease the work I have to do to get a lure out. Not to whine, but I've had to get steroid injections after a trip down there. I don't mind that so much as I don't want to be limited while on a trip.

The goal is to get a typical Spanish over the rail without using a net. I've been using 14 lb mostly and 10 lb inshore rig when my shoulder complained too much. 14 lb (on a 6500 SS) works my shoulder pretty hard. With the 10 lb it doesn't take much of a fish for me to feel the need for the net so that's a pain in the arse, with 14 lb I can get most of them over with confidence.

I would appreciate opinions on 12 lb, i.e. can I still get most (95% +) of them over the rail without a net?

What do you guys use for Spanish (lure/bubble casting)?

I'm sort of new to pier fishing, but I thought you were suppose to use mono for the backing with braid as the main line.

Originally Posted by sleeping_dogs

I'm sort of new to pier fishing, but I thought you were suppose to use mono for the backing with braid as the main line.

Braid makes for really nasty tangles if the line is slack (pier gets crowded at times). I put braid on the inside of the spool (backing) to get more yardage on a small spool in case a king hits my Spanish rig. Top shot of mono is HiVis (again, I'm an old fart, eyes are not so great - true for a fair number of us), which makes it easier to do the dance out on the octi.

I hadn't thought of it like that. Thanks

You will love the Battle II 4000 I have three of them For plugs I actually use 20 lb braid on one as I'm expecting to catch bigger fish as well as a possible King For the bubble rigs I use the old mainstay mono I have used for over 40 yrs Bass Pro Shop Excel 1500 yds for $9.99 Can't beat it Excellent casting and strength and very durable Easily lasts a season on my reels Maybe more Have use the same spool to fill my reels for over 4-5 yrs Can't remember breaking a reasonable spanish off trying to get him up on the pier Good luck !!

I usually reel up the smaller Spanish but if it's a bigger one I'll let somebody hand line it or net it over the rail. Don't really want to try hand lining anything with braid. I give em all away anyway.

Originally Posted by DAN S II

You will love the Battle II 4000 I have three of them For plugs I actually use 20 lb braid on one as I'm expecting to catch bigger fish as well as a possible King For the bubble rigs I use the old mainstay mono I have used for over 40 yrs Bass Pro Shop Excel 1500 yds for $9.99 Can't beat it Excellent casting and strength and very durable Easily lasts a season on my reels Maybe more Have use the same spool to fill my reels for over 4-5 yrs Can't remember breaking a reasonable spanish off trying to get him up on the pier Good luck !!

Thanks, but what weight? I yank them over the rail with confidence at 14 lb, but with 10 lb is pretty goosey.

It may be a pretty silly question, maybe I will only know by trying, but my question is about 12 lb. vs 14 lb.

I know 10 lb is easier to cast, but needs a net pretty often, I know 14 lb will yank most of them over the rail, what do you think about 12 lb for an everyday Spanish rig.

I'm probably asking for more "precision" than we have, just looking for a general opinion - 10 v. 12 v. 14.

I found that the repetitive motion of continually casting and reeling in was difficult on my shoulder, when it was giving me trouble. I went to drifting 3/4 of a cigar minnow (I'd cut off the tail plus about an inch) and it helped my shoulder a lot! As well, the bigger spanish seemed to like the cut-down cig, maybe due to the extra scent.

Now that my shoulder is well, I still prefer using 3/4 of a cigar minnow to the other methods. I still use mono, too. I've had issues with braid that I never had with mono. I use 14 lb test or 12 lb test for spanish. It doesn't seem to make any difference to the fish.

Well if the sharks are around(when are they not) I'm not sure casting very far is a good idea. The farther out the hook-up is the more chance of losing it. IMHO

Sounds like we need to hire a trainer to apply ointments and rub downs as us old farts leave the pier!
Like you eym, I have also switched to the low impact snobblin. An occasional short toss with a looney breaks up the pattern and keeps me loose.