Line help please (hollow vs solid).

[jjdbike]

Hey folks

I am in need of some line advice please.

I need to spool up two pimped out / maxed out Newells rebuilt w/ as many beefy upgrades as I could get my hands on. One 332 that I want 50 lb braid & 40 lb wind on leader. One 533 that I want 60 lb braid & 50 lb wind on leader.

I'll be tossing jigs, ground fishing and deep dropping in an area that large bycatch is a real possibility (i.e. halibut, tuna and large sharks).

I'd like the line to be durable (I don't change my line very often at all), strong, castable and generally easy to handle & work with. I am seriously considering Toro Tamer 16 strand hollow core and splicing a loop on the end.
Pros for the 16-strand hollow is easy to handle, lays flat so won't dig into spool, super strong and durable, but most of all, super easy to splice a seamless loop for a cat paw w/ a wind on leader.
Cons, it flattens out I'm guessing it won't cast very well and may require a heavier jig or sinker to stay in touch in deep heavy current.
A potential plan B might be to use a solid core running line w/ a section of hollow core to splice a loop on terminal end.
Pros would be to cut down on diameter for more line capacity, lighter jig & weight required.
Cons, it's not nearly as quick and easy to splice a loop on the end while on the boat.

Can anyone add any info or offer any advice or opinions? What would you choose?

Thanks in advance!
JD

[Gobi King]

For jigging in heavy current you want the thinnest diameter.

I went with sufix 832 braid (solid), I am not very good with my knots and I am going with an albright or blood knot for braid > mono.

w\Walleye guys here in MI use 6 lb sufix braid or nano to jig in heavy river currents (Detroit River).

[Keta]

I would go with the solid and tie a loop knot to use for your L2L leader splice.  A 3 tuck surgeons loop works well and is fast, far faster than splicing a loop in hollow.

[jjdbike]

For jigging in heavy current you want the thinnest diameter.

I went with sufix 832 braid (solid), I am not very good with my knots and I am going with an albright or blood knot for braid > mono.

w\Walleye guys here in MI use 6 lb sufix braid or nano to jig in heavy river currents (Detroit River).

Thanks,
I am pretty good w/ knots but all knots weaken line and bump in the guides.
That's why I want to splice a loop.

[Keta]

Knots in spectra flow through guides well, Spectra to mono not so well.

[Reel Beaker]

For jigging in heavy current you want the thinnest diameter.

I am guessing the reason for this is that the current can cut through the line more easily?

[jjdbike]

For jigging in heavy current you want the thinnest diameter.

I am guessing the reason for this is that the current can cut through the line more easily?

Yes.
JD

[SoCalAngler]

For those lb tests I'd go with a 8 strand solid braid. You can use the knot Keta said to make a loop or other knots like the Bimini Twist.

The whole idea of going loop to loop is the ease and quickness to change toppers which sounds like something you will not do. Also if you choose to go hollow you can tie hollow braid just like solid.

I have been using braid for around 14 years now and I like to run long topshots. A knot like the RP which I use is very small yet strong and should pass through your guides easily.

All of my reels have braid backing and for me I don't move hollow until 80-100 lb toppers.

[Tiddlerbasher]

Where possible I like to splice hollow to mono. Or splice a loop in hollow - and splice a loop in a length of hollow - then splice to mono for a loop to loop. I try to avaoid knots where possible -  - to me they they are an unnecessary weakness

[jjdbike]

Where possible I like to splice hollow to mono. Or splice a loop in hollow - and splice a loop in a length of hollow - then splice to mono for a loop to loop. I try to avaoid knots where possible -  - to me they they are an unnecessary weakness

Thanks everyone.
Where I'm leaning now is filling w/ quality 8 strand uncoated solid core. Splice in a section of hollow core. In the hollow core splice a loop. To that, cat's paw to a wind on. Seems to be best all around solution.
Thanks!
JD

[boon]

Unless you need to change wind-ons often, I would just splice the leader into your length of hollow. As soon as you have to do a bimini in your leader and then a Cat's Paw to join the loop-to-loop you undo a whole lot of the benefits of using hollowcore, namely the smooth knotless joins. If you bust off anywhere in the braid you're either splicing again or just tying a knot like you would with solid.
Otherwise I would just be using solid braid directly to the leader, and get good at tying the FG or PR knot.

[oc1]

Sorry to intrude, but I never knew there is 20# 16 strand hollow core until looking at the Toro site.  They sure don't give that stuff away though.  What would go through the guides easier, two hollow core splices (one to leader and one to backing) or one FG knot (solid core braid to leader)? 
-steve

[boon]

The splices. Maybe won't cast as well due to the changing weights of line and behaviour making it fly weirdly.
Also comes down to whether/how you whip your splices. I've seen splices whipped so heavily that they may as well have saved their money and used solid with a PR knot. Personally I whip mine at the leader end only for maybe 10mm, with 4lb braid, so it's barely perceptible.

[Tiddlerbasher]

Over the last couple of years I've just been using a c/a super glue serve/splice. Wrapped initially with ptfe tape (plumbers thread tape) to tie in and compress the fibres. The tape easily peels off when the ca is cured. I check the joints before each outing, but so far, no probs
Particularly on my fly outfits some of these joints have been going 5 years without any issues, and without any knots
But, as with most things, opinions vary. Give it a try!