Alright, this sort of post usually gets the floodgates opening, but here goes anyways...

What kind of line are most of you guys using for winter steelheading? I'm talking drift/spoon/spinner fishing. For fall salmon, I pretty much use 15lb Maxima UG exclusively, but of the four spools I bought this fall, one of them was bad... the line broke pretty easily. I'm looking for some different options this winter.

So what are you guys using? Green line? pink line? if it's pink, what kind is it? what test/what test leader? anyone using fluorocarbon leaders, or is that no use in the colored winter waters anyway?

Lastly, what do you guys think overall about the different brands? Izor, Ande, Maxima, is Silver Thread still around? Any other really good ones I don't list here?

Thanks,
-N.

[ 12-14-2001: Message edited by: StorminN ]

I've been using Maxima UG 12 pd on my primary reels but have one reel setup with 20 pd Izor.
Haven't had any problems. Used Ande Premium for years until I started finding bad spools in the stores inventory. A quick indication for any line being defective is a dull cloudy appearance.

Gooose

i love maxima for all around fishing but it gets a little pricey so i usually use trilene big game and i love it!
Tyler

I have NEVER had a problem with UG and thus that is all I fish. If I snapped a fish off it is always my fault and have never had an instance where I could seriously blame UG.

If you go to a shop that spools it up off bulk spools, UG is generally just as (in)expensive as any other line. If you do buy it in the spools off the shelves it can get pretty pricey, look for a place that spools it off bulk. You should pay no more then $3/100 yds for #12 and under.

I use ande 12# green for drift fishing. I am very happy with its perfomrance. It is cheap. I usually carry a couple spools of different pound test with me. I sometimes us 12# ande tournament for my leaders as it has a smaller diameter but is a little more expensive.

Used UG for years but now I just use it for leader. You have to be able to track your line through the water and now that I am in my 50's, I just can't see UG any more.It was hard enough to see it when I was young. I have now switched over to Gamakatsu Flo. yellow. Great stuff and I have caught a lot of fish with it. And those who say Flo yellow scares fish are wrong. I have landed 4 steelhead with this line since mid Nov. Since switching over I have not notice any decline in the number of fish that I catch each year.

you guys ever use mcCoy line. caught alot of chums this year on my spinning outfit with 8lb. and it would bend the hooks.

I have been using 12# pink ande for my steelhead rod (drift fishing) and have been very impressed with it. I also am impressed with izor line I use that on my bigger salmon pole. I have not had any bad things to say about either one of those lines. The only time anything bad has happend is when I messed up We'll I guess I better get of here and pack my bags time to go to work tomarow for two weeks later everyone Drift.

Like most of the guys here I think Maxima UG is the best. Most of the time I use 12lb UG mainline with 10lb UG leaders. I didn't have much money for about a month and so I decided to give Izorline a try. I've been very pleased with the performance of this line. 12lb Izor is stronger than 10lb UG so I'm happy. I used 12lb Ande, but then I had to drop down to 8lb UG leaders because if I used 10lb UG it would break the mainline. I don't like Ande's. Stormin' you might give Izorline a try just to check it out once.

~ Dr Pepper

I have used Izor line once but never again....
I have used Ande's and it's ok. But Maxima UG
in my opinion is the best. I use the pink hi-vis.
Maxima for my plug rods, and it is outstanding.

Cigar

Hey Stormin
I tied up a buch of leaders this year in Fluorocarbon line after hearing the testimony of 10 times the number of hookups to standard mono. I was not impressed at all, I don't know if there is a speacial knot to use or what but I found it very brittle and ended up costing me a few fish and lots of time on the bank tying up new rigs. I know I was fishing a snagy river but after I tied on different leaders I was not breaking off nearly as much. As far as main line I like going with 12-20 lb Berkley fire line and a 10 foot mono tipet.
Any body else using Flurocarbon leaders and having trouble, obviously this year we would not have to, What about Salmon leaders in the Salt?

NEN

Gotta agree about that flourocarbon as I was a witness to NeverEnoughs pain plus I've tested it myself. Brittle! May have app's elsewhere but not winter steelies. I'll say the same about good old Silver Thread and new Perfexion lines. Brittle! I'll let someone else test these new fangled lines and stick to Maxima UG followed by Chameleon, Ande, Izor and Big Game. The braids are great except they are harsh on the equipment.

Gooose

I just went up to kitsap sports and stocked up. a I got 8 and 10lb berkely vanish leader for small rivers and jigs, and i was looking at it. It lookes pretty week to me.i'm new to this steelheading thou, but ive caught salmon in rivers and it dont look like it will hold up. but i fish salt water alot. when using a flasher i tie the leader with maxima chameleon. it is stiffer so it gives the bait more action and I've lifted 15 lb fish out of the water with it on 20 lb leader. used the same flasher bucktail combo all day with out changin and never had a problem . and that was in sekiu for silvers. but for cut plug i use the UG never ever had a problem at all. need a ball bearing swivel in the middle if your mooching thou. usally just drag it off the downrigger. but i need to find a mainline with less memory because when i use the downrigger it just line twists all to hell. Ben

Hey all. In Octobers issue of Sport Fishing the test 86 brands and types of lines all rated 20#. Izorline Platinum had a mean wet beaking strength of 32.8#. Izorline Firststring was 30.2#, Trilene big game was 29.0#, Maxima Marine Green (not UG) was 22.9#. Now I know this is not stealhead weight line but I have found that lighter test of the same line will break generally with the same ratio.
For salt I use Izor Platinum 15#, and 8-12# Chameleon and UG for stealies. Best of Luck.

Matthew

Thanks, guys, for all the responses... looks like I'll mostly stick with the UG I've been using, maybe try some Izor too...

Cigar, where do you find the pink Maxima? I haven't seen pink line anywhere out here on the Peninsula... I'm going to Seattle tomorrow, though...

-N.

You might try Outdoor Emporium, they may have the pink Maxima. I run Izor on all my spinning reels, Yellow Izor on my plug rods with Maxima UG leaders, and Maxima UG on my bait casters I use for drift fishing.

I like Trilene Big Game for mainline because of the low memory and less line twists and coils. For leader its got to be Izorline. Ive been using Izor and Max UG almost exclusively for leader material and love both.

StorminN,

You can get Maxima pink (fiberglow) bulk at Ted's
Sport Center in Lynnwood or by the spool at Outdoor in Seattle.

Cigar

I've been a Maxima fan for as long as I can remember. I love Ultragreen and the Fiberglow is some killer stuff too. A friend of mine is a diehard Izorline fan and I must say that it is some damn stron stuff! I have been using Suffix line on my spinning reels which is essentially Izorline and it has worked well. Soooo.......I think you can't go wrong with Maxima UG or Izor. I have used Trilene Big Game in a pinch and it's not too bad if cost is a concern. Good luck and FISH ON!

I just wanted to make one last comment about the use of fluorcarbon. I used it last year as leader for both summer and winter run. I lost every fish I had on using this stuff. It did not hold up under pressure. I went back and retied all my leaders using Ultra Green. I would never trust flourcaron to big game fishing.