Bass fishing is increasingly getting popular across the country.
More and more Americans are interested in catching the various types of bass found across the country including smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, Guadalupe bass, and spotted bass.
If you are also interested, then you must learn about the equipment you will be using for activity.
As an amateur bass angler, you will be using a fishing rod, a fishing line, a hook and a bait to catch bass.
Everything piece of equipment for catching bass is important but in this post, I will focus on the fishing line pound test strength.
By the end of the post, you will know everything you need to know about fishing line strength and bass fishing.
Let’s begin.
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Understanding Fishing Line Strength
To catch bass, you need to use the right fishing line strength. If you use the wrong one, your line will break or the experience will be boring and tiring.
Fishing line strength is the strength of a fishing line. In other words, it is a measure of how much stress a fishing line can handle before it breaks.
It is also called the pound test because it is tested and measured in terms of pounds. Some anglers simply call it ‘test.’ Every fishing line has the size of its test indicated on its label.
This is supposed to help anglers to know if the line has the strength it takes to catch the fish they want to catch.
Generally, the best fishing line strength for catching a species of fish is that which matches the average weight of an adult of that species.
For example, certain species of trout weigh about 4 pounds in weight. The right or correct fishing line for catching such fish is a 4-pound test strength fishing line. A 5-pound test strength line is also okay.
The Best Size Test line For Bass Fishing
Experts recommend using the lightest fishing light you can get. This because lighter fishing lines are easier to handle and fun to work with.
However, while looking for the lightest fishing line, you must make sure that it is also the correct line in terms of strength.
What I am trying to say is that the best line for catching bass should be lightweight and at the same time, it should have the right strength for handling and reeling in an average size bass.
In other words, while getting a line that is too lightweight for a fish species is not advisable because it will break. And getting one that is too heavy is also not advisable because it will make the experience not very fun.
According to experienced bass anglers, the best size test lines for bass fishing are 8-12 pound strength lines. This is because the average weight of bass is approximately 8 pounds.
The best thing about 8-10 pound test lines is that they are strong enough to handle most types of bass and at the same time lightweight enough to make fishing an exciting experience for you.
If you happen to go fishing in an area where bass species are small-sized, a 6-pound test line will be more appropriate. And if you happen to go fishing in an area where bass species are generally big, a 17-pound line will be more appropriate.
So what I am trying to say is that the best or most suitable fishing line for a bass species is that with a pound test strength just slightly heavier than the average weight of that species.
How To Choose A Bass Fishing Line Strength
Below are some of the factors to consider when choosing a fishing line:
1. Bass Species
This is the number one thing for you to consider. This is because there are several bass species and they have different sizes.
Some are small while others are big. Therefore, you need to know what sort of bass you are going to catch so that you can know the appropriate fishing line strength to get.
Remember, the best or most appropriate fishing line strength is that which matches or is just slightly heavier than the average weight of the targeted fish.
2. Location
You should also consider location when choosing a fishing line strength.
If you are going to fish in a small pond, a wide and slow-moving river, or the open and calm waters, you should simply choose a fishing line strength that is equal or slightly higher in pound weight than the fish you are going for.
In contrast, if you go fishing somewhere with strong currents or tides, you should get a higher pound-test fishing line than the one you normally use.
This is because strong currents and tides usually increase the stress on fishing lines making it harder hookup and reel up fish. So you need a stronger line to successful land bass in such locations.
3. Atmospheric Pressure and Rainfall
If the atmospheric pressure is fluctuating, bass generally becomes extremely active. This means they become harder to catch with normal strength fishing lines.
You need to use strong fishing lines to catch them when they are active. You also need to use fast fishing techniques.
When it rains, bass are believed to become more active and difficult to catch. In fact, in heavy rainfall, you should not even bother catching them with a line.
Nevertheless, if the rain is light, you should also use a stronger fishing line than normal to increase your chances of success.
4. Wind
Strong winds will make it difficult for you to fish because they will add extra stress on your fishing line when you catch something. In other words, they will increase the probability of your fishing line to break and break it will if it has a low pound test.
To avoid the snapping of your line under stress, you should dump your normal line and use a higher-strength line in case of windy conditions.
5. Sunlight
When the sun is shining too brightly, most bass species tend to move deeper into the water. Therefore, to fish them out in such situations, you will need a long fishing line.
However, you should remember that long fishing lines tend to be lower strength than shorter fishing lines.
Therefore, you will have to balance between the fishing line length and strength. In the early mornings and late afternoons, bass usually emerges from the deep so there is no need to use a long fishing line in such a case.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the most appropriate fishing line strength for bass is between 10 and 12 pounds test strength. While the best fishing line for bass depends on things such as the bass species, the location, atmospheric pressure, rainfall, wind, and sunlight.