Reviewed by: CAPT. MIKE SCHOONVELD
Last year I read about the importance of calibrating line-counter reels when trolling diving lures or Dipsy Divers here in Great Lakes Angler Magazine. I realized line-counter reels were not spot on, but I didn’t realize how important having the reels filled with just the right amount of line was and I didn’t understand how important spooling with a specific line is when using the Precision Trolling Data App to put my lures at the right level.
Previously, I’d always used some sort of Hi-Vis line on my trolling reels, then adding a fluorocarbon leader to keep the fish from spooking from the brightly colored line. I tried several colors of Hi-Vis and found the fluorescent orange to be more easily seen in a variety of conditions than most other bright colors like bright green or bright yellow.
I was at an impass then. The Precision Trolling Data charts were made using reels spooled with 10-pound Trilene XT. But Trilene XT isn’t available in a hi-vis color. Then I realized the key isn’t a specific brand of line that puts the “precision” in the Precision Trolling Data – it’s the diameter of the line. Trilene XT in 10 pound test is .014 inches in cross-sectional diameter.
I checked what other brands were available in a Hi-Vis color with the same .014 diameter so I could use it with the depth charts. I found Sufix Siege comes in a bright orange Hi-Vis color, called “Tangerine” and it has many of the same properties that Trilene XT exhibits when it comes to abrasion resistance and others. The only difference is that Sufix Siege line is a bit thinner, so for calibration purposes, I had to use 12-pound test Siege which has a diameter of .014, the same as Trilene XT’s 10-pound diameter.
It works great, is easy to fish with makes trolling with multiple lines and keeping things straight and untangled so much easier. And with a four to six foot fluorocarbon leader between the Tangerine-colored line and lure, it catches just as many fish.
FISHING TOYS 