What can you use a 10lb fishing line for? Fishing is supposed to be a relaxing pastime, but trying to figure out what type of fish you can catch using a specific line test is not. Nothing is more frustrating than hooking a fish that is too large for your fishing line and having it snap on you.
Key Takeaways
Key Takeaways:
- A 10lb fishing line can be used to catch a variety of fish, including Brown Trout, Atlantic Bonito, Bull Trout, Pacific Barracuda, Carp, Bluefish, and more.
- When using a 10lb fishing line, it is recommended to use a high-quality monofilament line for light to medium tackle.
- Monofilament fishing lines have advantages such as resistance to abrasion, good knot strength, and versatility for both freshwater and saltwater fishing. However, they have limitations like line memory, water absorption, and susceptibility to UV damage.
- Braided fishing lines are not recommended for beginners due to difficulties in knot tying, higher costs, and potential hand injuries from the thinner diameter.
- Using a leader line is recommended to prevent the main line from breaking, especially when fishing in areas with potential snags. The choice of a fluorocarbon leader line for reduced visibility depends on factors like fish species, water clarity, and depth. However, focusing on bait presentation and fishing techniques is more important for beginners than line visibility optimization.
What kind of fish can you catch with a 10lb Fishing Line?
- Brown Trout
- Atlantic Bonito
- Bull Trout
- Pacific Barracuda
- Carp
- Bluefish
- Freshwater Drum
- Chub Mackerel
- Kokanee Salmon
- Greenling
- Spotted Bass
- Pacific Sand Sole
- Walleye
- Pacific Sanddab
- White Fish
- Pink Salmon
- Sockeye Salmon
- Spiny Dogfish
- White Spotted Greenling
Understanding what fishing line strength you require will not suffice to effectively catch these fish. To increase your chances of catching these fish, you must be knowledgeable about your tackle.
So, without further ado, let’s get started on the tackle!
Which Fishing Line Should You Use?
Light to medium tackle is typically used when fishing with a 10 lb fishing line. If you’ve done any research on “how to select a fishing line type,” you’ll notice that it’s become far more complicated than it needs to be.
Choose a high-quality monofilament fishing line weighing 10 lb. Monofilament is a good, well-balanced fishing line that can be used for a variety of different types of fishing.
If you need a quick recommendation for a high-quality monofilament fishing line, I recommend the [sherpa id=”d7f193d8′′].
Check out my guide here if you’re new to fishing and want to learn more about monofilament fishing lines.
As enjoyable as monofilament fishing is, there are some limitations to be aware of. So let’s take a closer look at some of the limitations of monofilament fishing lines.
Advantages of Monofilament Fishing Line
Resistance to abrasion from underwater objects
Line stretch acts as a shock absorber, reducing the likelihood of your line snapping.
Excellent knot strength
The sinking rate is slower.
Excellent for casting
Underwater visibility is adequate, but it becomes more difficult to see as you go deeper. Choosing the right color will also aid in visibility.
Useful in both freshwater and saltwater.
The Drawbacks of Monofilament Fishing Line
Line memory (line curls or twisting) can affect casting and feel bite sensitivity.
While fishing, it absorbs water, which changes how the line behaves in the water and reduces line strength by 10% when fully saturated.
UV rays will gradually deteriorate the fishing line over time.
Want to know whether your fishing line will sink or float? Then read my post here to find out more.
Why I Do Not Recommend Braided Fishing Line to Novices
If you’ve done any fishing line research, you’ve probably come across braided fishing lines and heard how many experienced anglers recommend them. I have nothing against braided fishing lines; they are fantastic fishing lines, but I do have some reservations.
My main complaint about braided fishing lines is that they are more difficult to handle and less forgiving than monofilament, which can cause problems for inexperienced anglers.
What makes braided fishing lines so difficult to work with? I’m glad you asked; here are my main concerns about using braided fishing lines:
Difficult to learn how to tie knots. Because the line diameter is much smaller than monofilament, it can be difficult to tie a knot if you’re new to fishing. Plus, the outside of braided lines is super smooth, which adds to the difficulty of tying knots. A solution is to use a stronger braided line with a similar line diameter as an 8 lb monofilament to make tying knots easier, but these lines are much more expensive. Unless you’re serious about fishing, I don’t think it’s economical to buy braid just for this purpose.
Costs significantly more than monofilament. When purchasing braided lines, there is always a cost increase, which is fine if you’re a serious angler. However, if you’re just starting out, I wouldn’t recommend paying the higher price unless you’re certain this is something you want to do.
If you’re not careful, braided lines can cut your hands. Because braided lines are much thinner in diameter than braid for the same line test, they can potentially cut your hands. When casting, pulling on a snagged line, or grabbing the line to land a thrashing fish, the thinner line can act like a cut, cutting into your hands.
Check out my post on hand safety when handling fishing lines to learn more about how fishing lines can potentially cut your hands if you’re not careful.
Do You Require A Lead Line?
I can see this being a contentious issue depending on who you ask. Because you’re fishing for small fish, the chances of getting snagged on something are low, as are the chances of a fish breaking your line. On the other hand, when fishing, there is always the possibility of snagging something, and the purpose of a leader is to keep your main line from breaking.
I lean toward the need for a leader line. Preparing a leader line requires little effort and provides excellent practice, especially for beginners.
“It’s better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it.”
and not possess it.”
If you’re not sure what the exact purpose of a leader line is, check out my post on why you’d want a leader line for more details.If you’re having trouble determining how strong your leader line should be, you might want to check out this post for more information.If you’re having trouble determining how long your leader should be, check out this post on how long your leader should be, which could help you answer some of your questions.
To reduce line visibility, should you use a fluorocarbon line for your leader?
When it comes to enticing a fish to go after your bait, bait presentation is critical. This is why many experienced anglers recommend practicing giving your bait action to make it behave more realistically. But what about the fact that those fish may be able to see your fishing line?
How visible your fishing line is underwater does play a role in how appealing your bait is to fish, but how much of a role it plays is difficult to say because it depends on a variety of factors, including:
- Fish species
- Depth of Fishing
- Clarity of Water
- Weather
- In general, the fish’s mood
I’ve been using monofilament as I’m fishing with a leader line for years, and I still do. More important than how visible your fishing line is underwater is your ability to give the bait the right amount of action. As a result, I don’t believe a fluorocarbon line is required.
This forces beginners to concentrate on the techniques needed to entice a fish to bite. Once you’ve mastered the technique, using a fluorocarbon line will improve things.
Don’t try to optimize everything. It is more important to simply begin fishing and practice.
Fluorocarbon lines are less visible underwater than monofilament, making them ideal for leader lines. Using a fluorocarbon line, on the other hand, will alter the action of your bait slightly. If you don’t have the technique down, using a fluorocarbon line will be useless and a waste of money.
Do You Need A Swivel?
The main reason for using a swivel is to keep your line from twisting on itself in the water. This is referred to as a “line twist.”
If you have a line twist, you will notice the fishing line wanting to curl on itself as it comes off the reel. This curling action will affect how you fish in addition to making your fishing line look strange.
The casting distance is reduced.
Reduces line sensitivity, making bites more difficult to detect.
It alters the way your bait moves underwater.
Several factors can cause line twist in a fishing line, including:
Casting spinning lures
Currents in the water
catching fish as it moves around
This is another point of contention among anglers when targeting smaller fish. I prefer to use a properly sized swivel to prevent line twists in the first place.
However, if you choose a swivel that is too large, the weight of the swivel will act as a small sinker, which is not what you want.
When your fishing line develops a line twist, it can be difficult to completely remove the twist from the line. So it’s preferable to try to avoid it in the first place.
If your fishing line already has a line twist, or if you want to learn more about how to remove it if you develop it, check out my post on how to remove a line twist.
What size hook should you use?
The importance of selecting the proper hook size is often overlooked by new anglers. If you choose a hook that is too small, it may break while fighting a fish or make getting a good hookset difficult. Consider how the hook will pop out of the fish’s mouth every time you pull up on the rod to hook it. However, a hook that is too large will not fit inside the fish’s mouth, making hooking a fish nearly impossible.
Here are the hook sizes I recommend for each type of fish:
Brown Trout #8 – #12 Bull Trout #6 – #4 Carp #6 – #4 Freshwater Drum #4 – #2 Kokanee Salmon #4 – #2 Spotted Bass #2 – 5/0 Walleye #6 – 1/0 Whitefish #8 –
Atlantic Bonito 1/0 – 2/0 Barracuda (Pacific) 3/0 – 4/0 Bluefish 4/0 – 6/0 Chub Mackerel #2 – #4 Greenling 1/0 – 2/0 Pacific Sand Sole #6 – 1/0 Pacific Sanddab #2 – #4 Pink Salmon 1/0 – 3/0 Sockeye Salmon 1/0 – 3/0 Spiny Dogfish 1/0 – 2/0
As you can see, there is a wide range of hook sizes available for the fish. The size you should use is determined by how aggressive the fish are to feed and the size of their mouths. This is why I recommend that anglers purchase a variety pack that includes multiple sizes in a single package.
What Rod and Reel Should You Use?
There are many different points of view when it comes to selecting the right type of rod and reel, including mine. When selecting a rod and reel to use, there are two primary factors to consider:
- The Particulars
- How it feels to fish with it
It takes time to experiment with different rod and reel combinations before selecting a rod and reel that FEELS right. When you’re more experienced, you’ll be able to tell what feels right for you right away. However, if you’re just starting out and have no idea what different rods and reels feel like, you should use the recommended technical specifications for each fish as a starting point.
Freshwater Fish Rod Length (ft) Rod Power Reel Size Brown Trout 6 – 7 Medium – Light Medium 3500 (35) 4000 (40) 4500 (45) Bull Trout 6 – 7 Medium 3500 (35) 4000 (40) 4500 (45) Carp 6.5 – 7.5 Medium Medium-Heavy 3500 (35) 4000 (40) 4500 (45) Freshwater Drum 6.5 – 7.5 Medium 4500 (35)
Saltwater Fish Rod Length (ft) Rod Power Reel Size Atlantic Bonito 7 – 7.5 Light Medium 4000 (40) 4500 (45) Barracuda (Pacific) 7 – 8 Light 4000 (40) 4500 (45) Bluefish 7.5 – 10 Medium Medium-Heavy 4000 (40) 4500 (45) Chub Mackerel 6 – 7.5 Light Light-Medium 4000 (40) (30)
Bottom Line
The key here is to get some fishing gear and get out on the water. As you begin fishing, you will discover what works best for you. The majority of equipment and tackle is based on personal preference.
If you choose a rod or reel that does not suit you, try returning it to the shop for a refund. In the worst-case scenario, try selling it online – you’d be surprised what you can sell in your local classifieds online.
So there is no danger in simply making a decision and acting on it. So, what are you holding out for?
If you want to learn more about what fish you can catch with an 8 lb line, check out my post on what fish you can catch with an 8 lb line.
If you want to learn more about what fish you can catch with a 10 lb line, read my post about what fish you can catch with a 12 lb line.
Tight Lines and Happy Fishing!
