Thread: Need more line capacity

I've been spooled to often this season ; on the pier and offshor fishing for kings with a Shimano open faced reel- I'm old school; been using 15 pound mono on the Baitrunner reels I have- Can someone educate me about braid or fluorocarbon line? What do I need to use on these reels that will give me more line capacity and ideally higher pound test line? Is there anything I need to know about specific knots to use or not ose when tying on terminal tackle! Thanks in advance! <{{{<

Just take it to J and M and have them top shot it. Have them fill it 2/3 of the way up with 30lb braid and the last 150 yards fill with your favorite mono. I have done this to most all of my reels. As for knots used with braid, I use a simple uni knot with braid and for mono to terminal tackle attachment I use what is known as a grouper knot.

What size reels are you using and what is the line capacity on them?

Originally Posted by hammerhead

What size reels are you using and what is the line capacity on them?

That was my first question.
A schoolie king shouldn't spool any decent reel with 250 yards of 15# line. Even if you hook one with some shoulders, careful application of drag even on 15# line should stop them, even one on the larger end of what is normally hooked on the pier.

Hook a real smoker or a tarpon and all bets are off, of course.......

Be sure your drag is appropriate. Although the pier wisdom is not to lock down the drag and let the king run, that is not the same as letting the king run free. A normal drag is 25% of breaking strength (4-5 pounds normally for 15-20 line). A little lighter is fine for Kings, but tighten down slightly as the fish comes in (and lock down a lot if you must water-ski your king to jump the shark literally) close to the pier.

Being you said baitrunner,I'm guessing either 35 or 4500.The 3500 is a little small for kings,but a 45 is excellent.My daughter,in the pit Todd and Tom Fox(RIP O'le friend) has caught more kings than you can put in the bed of a long wheelbase pickup using that reel and they had one thing in common. The reels were spooled with approx. 275yds of 20lb braid and around 150yds of 16lb mono. Fluoro line is not needed and the simplest knot to tie is a uni to uni. Wrap the mono three times around the braid and wrap the braid six times around the mono. We will happy to do it at J&M,the cost will be around $35. Might seem costly at first,but the braid will last several years as long as you take care of it.

Thanks for the responses guys! Very helpful...I'm using a Baitrunner that I bought when they first came out about 20 years ago...it's at Orange Beach right now and I'm in Auburn (War Eagle!)...so I can't see the model number but to the best of my memory it is the 3500 model that I've been spooled on...I didn't know much about braid this morning...great idea to use it for backing and tie on mono to the business end. I'm going to give it a shot this weekend. Hope to see you on the pier! Uni to uni knot...careful on the drag... thanks again, can't wait 'til this long holiday weekend...<;{{{<

I hooked a 21 pounder right off the coast and it's first run took 300 yards of braid right off my reel. (drag was set well) You wont need that if your going for smaller ones though