Too Light Line

[Hawnjigs]

Have no trouble landing trout to 10#+ on 5# Power Pro main 4# tuff mono leader just play em carefully till they tire. However few days ago lost 2 jigs to a pair of 6# when they flipped landed at waters edge breaking the leaders and swimming off with 1/15 #2 jigs still stuck. Hope they're OK as trout of that size are a treasure with meathead harvest continually nicking availability.

Granted personal carelessness was a factor but will be reverting back to play it safe 8# braid 8# mono leader.

 

[Microbaits]

Trout can put up a serious fight on light line. I used to fish with 2# in a little creek that was stocked with the left over trout from a Sportsman club. These averaged around 1# to 1.5#. Great fun for sure. Since the club could no longer sustain itself, I stuck to fishing my local lakes. I have been using 4# mono,and I am now considering going to 6# braid and leaders This is because I am having problems with tying knots in the smaller line sizes. At 71 I'm finding it harder to feel the line let alone see it! With some of the newer lines tying is a bit easier.

 

[Hawnjigs]

Some would argue that lighter line = more bites. My bud Jon has a sight and feel problem tying knots too and he still sometimes outfishes me with his no less than 10# microfiber main and 17# Power Pro leader. In fact he reported getting 3 buffaloes to bite his Gulp stub on a 1/4 size jig head yesterday whereas a few days earlier I got zero bites on my 8# gear & 1/15 jigs at the same spot.

 

[Hawnjigs]

Never say never, this past cold season have reverted back to 5# Power Pro main and 4# tuff clear mono leader and only remember breaking off once due to carelessness. The river resource has diminished for several reasons but still got a satisfying share of chunks 5-10#.

Due to the reduced trout population needed the lighter line for farther casts to access previously untapped holds and deal with often windy conditions.

 

[hookup]

Line weight depends on the trout's size and teeth. Learned my lesson trying to lip lakers.