What Line To Use For ULTRALIGHT FISHING?

[@midwestfischerman]

I'm happy to talk about any subject concerning fishing for fifteen minutes! Merry Christmas, Ethan!🎄🎅

[@dennisstewart7849]

Ethan, thank you for the videos in 2024, I have enjoyed and appreciated them. Merry Christmas to you and your family. May the new year bring you good health and happiness!

[@FishAnything]

Thank you so much, Dennis! Wish I could post more, but I am happy with what I can do.

[@HataKreataz]

See you have one of John’s TShirts, cool; I’ve watched a LOT of his vids! Thank you for 15 minutes on line, I appreciate it!

[@clarabbee]

Love the video man! I do a lot of saltwater ultralight fishing in South Florida, I run 6lb Spiderwire Ultracast braid with an 8lb ande mono leader. 1-4lb rod + daiwa fuego 1000. Mostly throw 1/32oz jigs, catches everything from 2 inch gills to slot sized snook and juvenile tarpon! Ultralight fishing all the way! Your channel has always been super informative and helpful man, tight lines keep it up!! 🎣

[@khost9810]

How long was the fight with the snook and tarpon with this setup of yours?

[@clarabbee]

@khost9810 about 6-7 minutes for bigger snook, 10-15 minutes for juvenile tarpon. make sure to get a real good revive on them afterwards. if im targeting them on that setup i usually tie a 12lb bite tippet onto my 8lb.

[@FishAnything]

That sounds so crazy - I wish I could try that someday! Thanks so much for the support.

[@johnwilson3891]

Enjoy your videos, Merry Christmas to you and yours.

[@FreshCalimari]

thank you for uploading this!! i was just looking for new line to respool my ul reel

[@FishAnything]

Awesome - hope it helps!

[@frankmccutchen4410]

Great video! Very informative I really like the Trilene Sensation for a leader

[@FishAnything]

Yep, hard to beat!

[@cosminantonie6221]

top presentation straight on the point,got your first like from London!Tight lines!🎉

[@FishAnything]

Thank you!

[@DavidBrown-rc6bv]

Thanks Ethan. Great Video on different lines and you may pick one based on your type of fishing.

[@samuelwarden6285]

I've been using the Vicious Panfish Hi-Vis Yellow Mono for crappie and bluegill. I've used the 4, 6, and 8 lb tests, and I haven't had any problems with it . That trilene sensation is a great line, but I have to order it because none of the stores in my area stock it. Merry Christmas Ethan. 👊👍

[@vegetablejoe2389]

I love the Vicious Hi-Viz Yellow....5lb & 7lb on a light rod with 1/8th oz jig head. Have caught everything on my set-up.

[@FishAnything]

Good to know! thanks for sharing guys

[@Defpotec82020]

Great video man. I have to pick up some JDM line now and give it a try. Thank you! 👍

[@FishAnything]

The ester is seriously something to look into!

[@dnavarrette9471]

Thanks! Lots of good info🙂 tight lines👍🏽

[@colejfishingadventures]

Good stuff man! I’ve been subscribed mate and I’m loving the videos! I’ve gotta get out and make another video! Keep up the good work mate! 🤝🤝💪💪

[@ichabod13]

Been loving doing braid and catch just about anything on them. Also nice when you attract a catfish or a decent bass...or a tree stump. 😅

[@FishAnything]

Lol braid vs tree stump can be dangerous if you start grabbing the line. The amount of dang cuts I have on my hands from braid 😵

[@czaratejohn]

Just started fishing.. and my rod is ultralight. Subscribing.

[@FishAnything]

Awesome - thanks for the support! Holler if I can ever help out :)

[@GT-ho6co]

Trout Magnet SOS 4lb is my favourite and it’s a copolymer line. Interested to hear your thoughts on different lines and likelihood of wind knots etc. I never use mono due to memory and copolymer has been the sweet spot. I’ve not tried ultralight braid but use braid for salmon fishing so may have to try some light braid now too. Love the ultralight videos!

[@FishAnything]

Yeah I don't battle a lot of wind knots but that is certainly a possibility with certain lines. The good braids don't have many issues, but some of the braids that are more wirey and rough have led to issues for me. I agree with your thoughts on mono vs copoly. From my perspective, I would choose Trilene Sensation over any mono option - I don't see a downside.

[@BobSmith-ol3ye]

I am excited to try out that trilene sensation and ester line. I have been dabbling with sub 6lb braid, I am impressed with Vicious's 5lb braid for the cost/performance. It is .002"(.06mm) diameter @$27 for 300 yards.

[@yakfishin4912]

Been using 10lb braid which is 2lb diameter then into 4 or 6lb floro

[@FishAnything]

The ester is really exciting to me. Looking forward to using it more this year.

[@JosephHulst-o9d]

Got my first fish of the year today some chubs and rockbass happy new year

[@Krozin]

Heck yeah! I wanna hear about fishing line! I gotta string up a new pole

[@FishAnything]

Woohoo! Hope that fishing pole catches you a load of fish :)

[@teamflanneloutdoors5631]

NDYakAngler turned me on to Trilene sensation years ago and I love it. It was hard to find years ago but looks like they are pushing it again. 2lb Sensation is amazing👍I mainly use 6lb for leader to braid for Bronzeback.

[@craigleith100]

Hey man thanks for the upload I got a new UL set up for my Birthday end of September but trout season ends then so have to wait until spring I got Daiwa Hyper Sensor 5lb 0.185 mm but haven’t spoiled it yet I got it from Amazon but I’m not sure what kind of line it is ie Fluor mono ester 🤷🏼‍♂️😬 but it’s apparently good for UL fishing I only fish for wild brown trout so sizes vary from 6/8 inches up to 3lb+ none at the 4lb weight yet but great fishing over here I live in Edinburgh Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 so have 3 healthy rivers 2 slightly larger ones at either side of the city & then there’s my local urban river that runs right through the city centre although at some parts you would think your out in the country this is were I’ve caught my biggest fish I can’t wait until Spring new rod new reel new line + a load of new spinners Mepps only 😉 Have a Lovely Christmas 🎄 take it easy & tight lines ✌🏼💙🎣🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿👍🏼

[@FishAnything]

Sounds like awesome gear - hope you catch a ton of fish with it in 2025 :)

[@swimking101]

Can you give an explanation of PE line, great video. Love the info. Thanks

[@FishAnything]

PE is braided fishing line

[@michaelm_365]

Love the information and focus on ultralight! Hopefully Santa is bringing me some MULE Fishing goodies! Question: With braid, do you run a mono backer? Or just straight braid? I feel light the light reels are small enough for just braid, but then I feel like I’m waiting line that’ll never see the light of day. Thanks again for the video!

[@FishAnything]

Typically I put some mono backing on my reels because they have so much capacity and I don't want to run out of braid while filling the spool. Thanks for the support!

[@timothythompson6549]

J Braid X8 is still my all time favorite 8 lb to 80 lb and everything in between.

[@KeithMK]

I was wondering, have you tried 2lb S.O.S line from trout magnet? If you have what do you think about it?

[@FlowtMedia]

I have it, I like the Mr crappie 2lb camo a little bit more!

[@mattnguyen1672]

It’s basic line. Good for bait fishing trout but not too good for casting mini jigs there’s varivas that’s superior

[@jeffabbey1057]

I feel it is absolutely the best UL line, period....

[@610MRA]

@@jeffabbey1057it’s easily one of the worst

[@randolphso3747]

​@@mattnguyen1672im using varivas and daiwa duraheavy 11lbs test ❤❤

[@freddyj5845]

Id like to see you try FINS crappie braid.

[@dankjankings7339]

Nothing better than fins braid, it's miles ahead of the rest.

[@FishAnything]

I will have to get a spool!

[@dankjankings7339]

@FishAnything I use the windtamer, it actually sings through the wind. Ridiculous quality

[@Black-March]

Merry Christmas, look in to Varivas lines, Varivas Ester Super Trout Advance and Avani Saltwater Finesse 0.2 Gou, Avani Light Game Super Premium and Varivas Super Trout Area Infinity. Those are considered the most high end lines for UL fishing in Japan. Not cheap, but Line Laboratory on KZbin keeps confirming that Varivas makes really good shit.

[@JoshuaSimonson909]

There are a lot of options in the " Super Trout Advance" series by Varivas, what would be best for all around UL trout fishing you think?

[@Black-March]

@@JoshuaSimonson909 Any of the "Ester" lines are good, they come in 0.25 to 0.5 Gou (thickness) and they're a great allround choice for UL fishing. I like the 0.4 Gou thickness which is 2.1 lbs strength. Then you also have "Super Trout Infinity PE X8" in 0.2 and 0.3 Gou. This line is extremely expensive line, but it's also very thin (which gives long casts) and very very strong. So Super Trout Infinity + Varivas Shock Leader is probably the best high end combination.

[@JoshuaSimonson909]

@@Black-March ok cool, I do wonder if I can use a braid as my main line, and a polyester as my leader line since polyester is a single strand? Any thoughts on this?

[@Black-March]

@@JoshuaSimonson909 You could, but not sure you would want to since if you're using 5.6 lbs braid (Varivas Trout Area Infinity) you would want your leader to be about 5lbs and you can't really get 5 lbs ester line. So mono or fluoro leader is best. Varivas leaders are actually really awesome in their design anyhow, they work great for having in a pocket.

[@JoshuaSimonson909]

@@Black-March ok gotcha, anyhow, thanks for all the info!

[@psycoboarder1080]

You can use google lens on your phone to translate the package on those JDM lines, it's not perfect but I use it at the Asian market to make sure I'm getting the right thing

[@fishman1347]

I love suffix. I have used braid and see the benefits of it but you have to worry about 2 knots instead of just one.

[@FishAnything]

Sufix mono is definitely tried and true. Need to spool up that 4lb for a crappie setup

[@shawneldridge4465]

🎣 when I fish a lot I like to use berkley trilene xl extra tough and the color i use is low-vis green.

[@kevinerbs2778]

I got two braids you've probably never tried but one is Berkley nanofil & the other suffix nano-braid. I have the first line you showed it's quite strong for it's lbs rating honestly. The Berkley nanofil is discontinued ,because anglers had an issues with the higher lbs line always breaking at 17lbs exactly. I am not totally sure what was happening there but it's very slick ling compared other braids, as it's a braided plastic & not fibers.

[@bradysmith1924]

How about a video on ultralight casting distance. What would be a normal casting distance for your rod and reel set up?

[@joshgrimes9554]

I use Gamma polyflex on all my ultralight set ups....ive used everything out there and to me, it just cant be beat.

[@dankjankings7339]

As far as braid goes, I tried Fins Windtamer and haven't looked back. I tried every braid out there.

[@rickyyym]

What connection knot do you tie? These low diameter braid lines just seem tricky to tie a connection knot that sticks to the leader

[@GQRS]

Great vid bro the Phoenix braid is the best but you cant buy it anymore...dont know why its always out of stock.

[@FishAnything]

They likely are having supply challenges with whoever they have produce it for them. Hopefully they restock soon because it is good stuff.

[@krsone1585]

I've been using 4lb. Trilene lx mono for like 30 something years, landed a 13.lb bsss

[@FishAnything]

Can't go wrong!

[@edwardlee9845]

I love maxima green 3lb test. With a better real 500/1000 or Japanese ul spinning reels. Ty for ur show

[@JoshuaSimonson909]

I never heard of polyester fishing line before, seems they are more of a thing in the JDM market, Seems "braid like" enough, but without the fraying downsides, I will try them out asap!

[@ericglab1630]

I like Sensation as well and it is a multi-polymer nylon formula, not a traditional copolymer fluorocarbon coated nylon.

[@MrBendylaw]

In freshwater, I use almost exclusively 4# Trilene 100% Fluorocarbon (the gold box) on a 6'6" or 7" light spinning rig. Don't know if that qualifies as 'ultralight', but it lets me reach out and cover water, and it's sensitive. I'm okay with the same weight in P-Line, but it's got more memory and stretch. Mostly fish for trout, but I generally aim for everything in my vicinity. If it's perch, crappie, or smallmouth, that's just fine too!

[@freshandsaltyjohnny]

Well if it's states "Light" on the rod then it's a Light rod not UltraLight.

[@Jack_Out_TheBox_Outdoors]

Early, could you do a review of the best gear like last year?

[@FishAnything]

Thanks - I will see what I can do!

[@SergioRodriguez-dp6ss]

What knot do u use to tie your leader to your braided main line? Thanks Happy Happy new years

[@brianbutler3318]

Reaction Tackle Coated Flouro is fantastic! No twisting!

[@FishAnything]

I will have a look! Thanks!

[@OregonFishingAdventures]

Two copolymers u should try if u haven't already is gamma poly flex and suffix advance copolymer they do have a slightly bigger diameter more along the lines of regular mono diameter I also like the Pline Cx premium for something thinner in diameter I use them in 4lb personally I did a massive test of copolymer lines when I got into it years ago probably tested like 13-15 different copolymer lines and these were my top 3 copolymers I will admit I've never tried the trilene sensation cuz I had some bad experiences with other trilene lines in the past so it made me question there line

[@FishAnything]

I have used gamma poly flex in the past and loved it. I wasn't able to find the 2lb variety recently so it has fallen off my list but that is a good reminder! I wish Sufix Advance had a 2lb variety.

[@tomkeerl7328]

What knot are you using for braid to mono or fluorocarbon? Do you have a video on the knot. Thanks

[@xhr2530]

I used seaguar pe x8 for bass and I think for UL it would be a great braid line also.

[@MarkIzaguirre]

I like jbraid grand for braid and izor xxx for co-polymer

[@FishAnything]

I still need to try the izor!

[@adamwissenz9]

Didn’t know Berkley did co pol.. thanks. try out sufix advance mono it’s nice co pol

[@FishAnything]

I am going to try some of that Advance - thanks!

[@raymondjohnson6496]

Sensation I use it for catfish bluegill Crappie, that’s one of my favourites

[@FishAnything]

Such a good option for a great price

[@TheBaldingPlebs]

Hey, Ethan, I only have a couple minutes to write this comment(It's a joke bro). Anyway. You did convince me to go lighter in my normal fishing setup. I'm slinging a Light action rod now and I've noticed it throws tiny lures way further. A question though... One thing I'm curious about lately is bfs fishing and was wondering if you would make a 2025 guide to it. Thanks man!

[@raygissendanner1476]

Thank you for the information i have been using the piscifun braided line for my ultralight have you tried it if so please let me know what is your opinion on it and have a merry Christmas and a happy new years

[@FishAnything]

I have yet to try that one!

[@Cru_Jones33]

suffix nano is my go to, after i cant find more ill prob switch to suffix 131 or some japan stuff id have to look an see what one though. If not braid ill just use strait fluro. My #1 reel is shimano calcutta conquest bfs then ill grab alderbaran or my spin rod for variety. 6 or 8lb braid for most spoons 1/16 and up as spoons are my favorite thing to throw.

[@billbohobo3633]

I've used only Trilene sensation for 2lb and 4lb. But I wanted to know why colored line? Does the fish not see the line when it's colored?

[@Dilligads]

Some species are very line sensitive. I have found crappie to be the other end of the spectrum.

[@FishAnything]

Pros and cons... Being able to see your line move on bites can lead to a lot more hookups. On the flipside, if the fish are line-shy, you may not want the high vis. That is why braid to a leader is a good option!

[@Dilligads]

@@FishAnything this 100% !!!

[@ivanvedris9636]

Hello, I already told you in the email that you have to try the new product - Duel The One!

[@yesno9016]

Hey i just bought this light rod from majorcraft and it handled 3 bass fine one 2.3 pounder and 2 bluegill like a beast but it snapped like a hour and a half later when i casted a lure 1/4th oz lure right in the middle of the rod piece between the spinning reel and the first ring guide so the thickest part of the rod which makes no sense does anyone know what most likely happened? i am new to fishing so im not sure.

[@FishAnything]

Do you know what size lures the rod is rated for? If you were throwing larger lures than the rod is rated for, that may have been putting a heavy load on the blank. Otherwise, there may have been a weak point in the blank for some reason (did it get dropped, bang against a car, etc.). Sorry to hear about that - hopefully the company will replace it?

[@julienshaffer7316]

Hey l wanted to say that I wanted to try one of the jigs so bad but I couldn’t buy them so I made one they work well I don’t know what the exact weight is but it is definitely an ultralight mile jig

[@1989JARR]

I have 10 lbs suffix 832 braid (4lb equivalent diameter) and a 4 lbs trout copolymer leader currently for my ul. Haven't caught anything with it yet. Just set the rod up but f4om casting a 1/8 in line spinner it cast far enough just might swap to a different leader cause it snaps super easy I found to 4lb pline floro but I'm going to see as I use that rod more and actually catch something

[@alec2212]

Cortland has a 5lb conventional braid tjat be interesting for you to try :,)

[@chipseiler1766]

I use Trilene Sensation as well, only as a leader. My issue / challenge with it is that every time I tie a knot (usually either a uni or a Palomar knot) it curls up. Do you / did you have the same issue? Any suggestions on how to beat that? ...By the way. I buy my Varivas line straight from Varivas and use a line conditioner to help with the managability. I do use either mono or Trilene Sensation Copolymer as a leader. I always use double uni to tie the leaders.

[@MetatronsCube23]

if it's curling you are "burning" the line when moving the knot. dont fully cinch the knot with a bunch of line that needs to pull through the knot, and make sure all the line has spit on it for lubrication.

[@chipseiler1766]

@@MetatronsCube23 That's my belief also. Believe it or not, I don't cinch it tightly until the end, and it's quite "moist." I've been trying to tie it more loosely every freakin time I tie one. You'd think after doing this for over 45 years I'd have it down. 🤔😣

[@FishAnything]

Always annoying when you have the line coil towards the lure. I agree with the above comment - I think it just needs to be a bit of a delicate process where you avoid too much tension pulling from above the jig.

[@Stezzy300]

currently using trilene XL smooth casting 4lb

[@mikeandrade586]

I'm over the flouro craze. Light mono or medium braid for me. Also I use suffix elite as my go-to line. I feel like all berkley/trilene lines are total trash.

[@MichaelRomero]

I just got 0.3 Varivas braid for my Daiwa Gekkabijin spinning reel.What size do you use on yours?

[@FishAnything]

I have 5lb test Iron Feather spooled up on my Shimano Vanford and it is great!

[@mr_chicano]

have you tried bass pro's xps braid in 6lb?

[@FishAnything]

I haven't tried that one yet.

[@munenekermer9665]

Would your thoughts be the same for BFS?

[@WhoDey98]

i thought trilene sensation was cancelled or discontinued?

[@bamikefoxtrot9001]

I am new to fishing in general and I am having issues with my braid to fluoro leader knot passing through the guides any tips?

[@andrewsales5417]

Does copolymer float or sink?

[@FishAnything]

Its a good question - I think it generally floats but it is likely going to be less buoyant than mono.

[@Sherlock_Ohms]

I have read about braid damaging the eyelets. Is that true? This is the reason I have not tried it yet.

[@ronfrederick9983]

No braid does not cause damage any longer.

[@pips_queaky]

I need y'all advice regarding to ul setup. I used to fish 10 years ago(just a line and hook) but i stopped. And now i can afford a rod and reel and i want to have ul setup since most of the fish here in my area are small but im kinda worried that if a big fish bit my lure im concerned if ul rod will be able to handle big fish?

[@johndamoth2548]

Try out the walmart brand ultra light rod. The ozark trails ultra light.

[@arsicv]

i have beem using 6 pound daiwa j braid 8x with shimano sedona and gunki finesse game fishing rod. For me its a great rod for its price(210cm(6'11") 0.5gr (0,018oz) - 7gr(0,25oz). i would absolutely love to get your opinion on this rod.

[@0-One-AI]

Why is Stroft not in this match?

[@billwiley7216]

One of the first things is most ultra light fishing lines sold here in the American market is underrated as to advertised breaking specs as compared to real world breaking spec. These lines are not even considered to be eligible for world records where line class breaking weight is a determining factor. For instance many of the advertised 2lb lines actually do not break until an actual 3-3.5lb breaking point. When it comes to ultralight fishing the American market is so far behind what is offered in the JDM market for rods, reels (mostly spool design differences), lines and even jigs and baits it is not funny. Leland lures with their trout magnet line of baits and SOS lines and their sore lip, TCB and new Trinity Rods have been the best at really promoting UL fishing products to the masses with many being stocked even at some big box stores here in the U.S.A. When using the true 2lb types of test line they are not designed to horse a fish in as has gotten to be so common in many types of fishing these days. The fish on that line combo needs to be worked in to land or yes you will break off a lot of fish. That does not mean the line is weak or at fault only the technique that was applied to land the fish while employing that type of gear. Same with the ester lines that do not float, when trying to cast very tiny jigs down to deeper holding fish these lines are just another tool to fit a situation while still retaining true UL line breaking strengths . Ultra light fishing is a blast and honestly catching and landing say a 2+lb river smallmouth on a true UL action rod with 2lb line for me is a lot more fun and satisfying that catching a 6+lb bass on a broomstick rod and hauling it in using 20+lb braid winch cable. And yeah, you are going to lose some fish but that is just part of the UL game. If I had to pick one thing though that I would like to see more of here in the U.S. market though is on ultra-light reels is the same wider, larger inner core diameter shallow lip spools that are available on the same brand and basically same model reels designed for the JDM market. Seems the U.S. market seems to think that what is more attractive is deep spools which either just waste a lot of good premium line or need backer line to eliminate the waste. Any way you look at it you do not need 300yds of 2lb line for the distances you will be casting a 1/64 or 1/32 jig! UL fishing is a lot of fun and even more so for larger creeks and smaller rivers and hard to beat.

[@daveking8691]

TM sos 2/lb is copolymer

[@FenderFingers72]

Well, the more you ramble the more I learned so keep rambling.

[@jeffabbey1057]

I love Leland's SOS lines in 2# and 4#. Sensitive, tough, casts great, and you do not need a leader.

[@GT-ho6co]

Totally agree with you. 4lb trout magnet is my favourite line.

[@jeffabbey1057]

@@GT-ho6co Do you know if they make an 8#? I would like it on my medium -light bass rod. Thanks!!

[@GT-ho6co]

@ no Trout S.O.S. 2lb., 4lb., and 6lb. test line only in 350 yards of line.

[@FishAnything]

I still need to try it!

[@jimt5683]

Ester the best behind varivas and ygk pe

[@IceAce150]

0.6 YGK is the Best overall

[@FishAnything]

Will have to try it out!

[@MetatronsCube23]

The samurai J-Fluoro is a weird line, some of the higher pound lines are great, but the lower ones definitely can snap from very low stretch when used as a leader line or on a stiffer rod type. The lowest I use of that type is 7lb, I've had bad luck with anything lighter. I really like sunline for my basic set-ups, but fancy trout lines beckon me to buy them soon, lol. The Diawa lines are very basic, not great but not real bad either( not worth buying over anything else).

[@barry4fish]

Using braid, people are more likely to overload the line rating of the rod they are using, which might put your rod at risk of breakage easier. I have been ultralight fishing for nearly 50 years now, and even though i haven’t tried many of the new lines, for lb tests from 2-6, I still like Maxima Chameleon the best of all, and you can get it in the in-between sizes too (3 and 5 lb test).

[@FishAnything]

Maxima is good stuff but it is a bit harder to track down at times. Yeah I agree that people overload their rods at times. I use 3-6lb braid and that is just fine for UL rods. Throwing greater than 6lb is overkill.

[@DAVITALORD]

None of them are good tested everyone huge recommendation to you would be daiwa gekabijon Si3 simply the best outstanding line thinest smoothesst strongest best distance line ever

[@yakfishin4912]

I'm not into bluegill fishing at all. Waste of my time. To easy and no real fight. What would youbuse for stocker trout fishing?

[@jgrantprcc]

In my experience, bluegills are the hardest fighting fish for their size. And if you catch one weighing more than a pound, wow!

[@yakfishin4912]

@jgrantprcc Come fishing with me. I'll show you the difference.

[@yakfishin4912]

@@jgrantprcc Good for 3wt fly rod too

[@jgrantprcc]

There was a time when fly fishing was almost all I did, but in the last few years ultralight spin fishing with better quality equipment has become my favorite. Keep up the good work with your channel. And I love that you’re wearing a Creek Fishing shirt!

[@FishAnything]

I disagree that Bluegill don't fight and aren't fun, but I do understand that smaller sportfish aren't for everyone. For trout, I tend to gravitate toward copolymer options because it has more flex than braid which helps me avoid overpowering the hookset, and it is still clear so they don't get too line shy. You could really use anything, but it depends on what type of gear you like to throw and how stout your rod is (more flex in the rod, more ability to use a low stretch line, and vice versa).