Northwest Fishing Reports

Curious what kind of line folks throw on the jig rods. I have a rod w/ 50# braid for the thick-n-nasty stuff.. pads, grass mats, etc. but for open water w/ light structure, mostly sandy bottom what would a recommended line type and test be? I've been using 10# mono and fluoro but wondering if I should bump to 12# or even throw some braid on.

Yup, but you can use braid with a floro leader and that'll be fine too.

In stained but open water would going straight braid be an issue?

Depends on the amount of stain, the color of the stain, and the color of the braid. I'd at the minimum put marks on the braid. 2" long, every 4" for a t least 2 feet, 6 feet would be better. Breaks up the line and makes it harder for the fish to tell that there is a line there. Use a black magic marker with a slot cut in the wick that'll go around the line, slide the line thru the slot.

You can get away with flipping braid in stained water say up to 3' viz or in heavy vegetation. But for all my jig fishing or flipping in cover that's not vegetation I use 20# fluorocarbon exclusively. I don't have to worry about a big one breaking me off when it gets into the nasty cover. Flourocarbon because of the minimal stretch and invisibility! And on top of that I run 65# for anything nasty. Believe it or not you can break 50# braid easier then you think.

I'm going to play around with 20# braid and 12-15# fluorocarbon since I'm in mostly open water...

15lb fluoro for open water, 17 or 20 fluoro for pitching docks, wood and grass.

I use 15lb 100% pline for pretty much all my light/ moderate and some heavy flipping and pitching and open water. then ill use my big braid if I am combat fishing. granted I don't really throw a jig in open water too too much.