All chaptersFoundations · Chapter 3

Foundations · Chapter 3

Line Selection

The nine-spool system: three braids, five fluorocarbons, one copolymer.

The Line System

Every technique. Nine spools.

55 bass techniques on our home reservoirs, and none of them needs a tenth spool. This is the consolidated line system behind every guide on this site — what to spool, why the color matters, and where each pound test pulls double duty.

Techniques

Line types

Spools

Braid colors

The braid color code

Braid color isn't cosmetic in this system — it's a bite-detection tool on top and a stealth tool on bottom. Two colors, two jobs, never swapped.

Hi-Vis Yellow · Topwater

Reserved for surface baits — walking baits, poppers, buzzbaits, ploppers. Not every blowup is a cannonball. On the subtle ones the fish sips the bait and the only tell is the line jumping. Yellow against dark water is how you see that half-second early and drop the rod before you feel anything.

Moss Green · Jig & Worm

Everything that drapes across the bottom runs moss — jigs, Texas rigs, finesse mainlines, punch setups. Bottom-contact line lies in the fish's living room while it decides whether to eat. Moss disappears against stained-water bottoms the way yellow never could.

The frog exception. A frog is topwater, but it runs on 65 lb moss green. Frog line drapes across mats and pads where bass inspect it up close, and frog blowups are ones you see — you don't line-watch a frog. Visibility to the fish matters more than visibility to you.

Find your technique

Pick a technique. The rack below lights up and expands the spool(s) it runs on, and the setup line appears below the picker.

Braid-to-leader connections tie with an FG knot. Direct ties: Palomar for braid, San Diego jam or Palomar for fluoro and copoly. Wet every fluoro knot.

The nine spools

Each card shows the pound test, every technique it covers, and three ways to buy it: the house pick we fish, the field favorite from broader testing, and the budget spool that still gets it done. Prices are the lowest we found at time of writing — always worth a re-check.

10LB

Braid · Spinning
Mainline

Moss Green

Setups ▾

Drop ShotNed RigWacky RigNeko RigShaky HeadMojo RigSplit ShotJika (finesse)Fluke (weightless)Tube (finesse)Damiki RigHover RigRaid RollerCoike (wacky)

House

Sufix 832 Lo-Vis Green

Tackle Warehouse

Field

Daiwa XBRAID Finesse X8

Tackle Warehouse

Budget

Sufix ProMix

Tackle Warehouse

30LB

Braid · Casting
Topwater Mainline

Hi-Vis Yellow

Setups ▾

Walking BaitsPoppersBuzzbaitPloppersProp Bait

House

Sufix 832 Hi-Vis Yellow

Tackle Warehouse

Field

Strike King Contra Braid

Tackle Warehouse

Budget

H2OX 8-Strand

Academy

65LB

Braid · Casting
Heavy Cover

Moss Green

Setups ▾

Punch RigFrogsFlipping JigTexas (grass)Tube (flipping)Tokyo Rig (grass)Alabama Rig

House

Sufix 832 Lo-Vis Green

Tackle Warehouse

Field

PowerPro Super 8 Slick V2

Tackle Warehouse

Budget

Yo-Zuri SuperBraid

Tackle Warehouse

6LB

Fluorocarbon
Leader / Ultra-Finesse

Clear

Setups ▾

Drop Shot (leader)SpybaitDamiki (leader)Hover Rig (leader)Raid Roller (leader)Coike (leader, small)

House

Sufix Advance Fluoro

Tackle Warehouse

Field

Seaguar Gold Label Leader

Tackle Warehouse

Budget

Seaguar Red Label

Tackle Warehouse

8LB

Fluorocarbon
Finesse Leader

Clear

Setups ▾

Ned RigWacky RigNeko RigShaky HeadMojo RigSplit ShotJika (finesse)Fluke (leader)Finesse JigTube (leader)

House

Field

Premium

12LB

Fluorocarbon
Reaction Mainline

Clear

Setups ▾

CrankbaitsJerkbaitLipless (open)Blade BaitsTail SpinnerUnderspinCarolina (leader)

House

Field

Budget

Strike King Contra Fluoro

Tackle Warehouse

15LB

Fluorocarbon
Power Workhorse

Clear

Setups ▾

ChatterbaitSpinnerbaitTexas (open)Free RigTokyo RigJika (power)Carolina (main)Casting JigSwim JigPitch ShotSoft Swimbait (sm)Jigging SpoonLipless (grass)Coike (frog hook)

House

Field

Field

Sunline Super FC Sniper

Bait Finesse Empire

20LB

Fluorocarbon
Big Bait

Clear

Setups ▾

Glide BaitsSegmented SwimbaitMolded Soft SwimbaitFlutter SpoonFlipping (no braid)

House

Field

Budget

12LB

Copolymer
The Floater

Clear / Smoke

Setups ▾

PopperWake BaitBug BaitWalking Baits (trebles)Prop Bait (trebles)Jerkbait (winter)Mojo (floating plastics)

House

Sufix Defcon FC Copoly

Field

Budget

The full matrix

Every technique, every setup, one table. Multi-setup techniques get a row per setup.

Technique	Mainline	Leader	Notes
Alabama Rig	65 lb braid	—	Five arms in open water is a strength problem — braid direct.
Blade Baits	12 lb fluorocarbon	—	Straight fluoro; the sink rate helps the vertical yo-yo.
Carolina Rig	15 lb fluorocarbon	12 lb fluorocarbon	Main to leader with a swivel between — both spools already in the system.
Chatterbait	15 lb fluorocarbon	—	Straight fluoro keeps the blade hunting on the deflection.
Crankbaits	12 lb fluorocarbon	—	All divers. Fluoro's sink adds a foot or two to the dive curve.
Damiki Rig	10 lb braid	6 lb fluorocarbon	Vertical on sonar — light leader for natural hang.
Drop Shot	10 lb braid	6 lb fluorocarbon	The classic braid-to-leader spinning setup.
↳ alt setup	15 lb fluorocarbon	—	Pitch Shot variant: heavy dropshot pitched on casting gear, straight tie.
Fluke	10 lb braid	8 lb fluorocarbon	Weightless — braid for the long cast, leader for the dying-shad glide.
Flutter Spoon	20 lb fluorocarbon	—	Big spoon, violent slack-line strikes — heavy fluoro absorbs it.
Free Rig	15 lb fluorocarbon	—	The free-sliding weight wants low-stretch bottom contact.
Glide Baits	20 lb fluorocarbon	—	Big bait, wide S-turns; 20 lb keeps the action without going to wire-stiff line.
Hover Rig	10 lb braid	6 lb fluorocarbon	Hover-strolling wants the thinnest connection you can trust.
Jerkbait	12 lb fluorocarbon	—	Default setup, three-season.
↳ alt setup	12 lb copolymer	—	Winter variant: copoly holds a suspending bait higher on long pauses.
Jigs	15 lb fluorocarbon	—	Casting and football jigs, straight fluoro.
↳ alt setup	65 lb braid	—	Flipping jig in cover — braid direct.
↳ alt setup	10 lb braid	8 lb fluorocarbon	Finesse jig on spinning gear.
Jigging Spoon	15 lb fluorocarbon	—	Vertical over deep timber and bait balls.
Jika Rig	10 lb braid	8 lb fluorocarbon	Finesse Jika on spinning gear.
↳ alt setup	15 lb fluorocarbon	—	Power Jika on casting gear around rock and wood.
Lipless Crankbait	12 lb fluorocarbon	—	Open water, long casts on flats.
↳ alt setup	15 lb fluorocarbon	—	Grass ripping — the extra muscle tears the bait free.
Mojo Rig	10 lb braid	8 lb fluorocarbon	Default: sinking leader keeps the drag pinned to bottom.
↳ alt setup	10 lb braid	12 lb copolymer	Floating-plastics variation (ElaZtech): copoly leader lets the bait glide up.
Molded Soft Swimbait	20 lb fluorocarbon	—	Line-through and top-hook molded baits.
Ned Rig	10 lb braid	8 lb fluorocarbon	Braid main, 8 lb leader — the finesse standard.
Neko Rig	10 lb braid	8 lb fluorocarbon	Same finesse setup; the leader takes the abuse on the nail weight fall.
Pitch Shot	15 lb fluorocarbon	—	Heavy dropshot on casting gear, straight tie.
Punch Rig	65 lb braid	—	Braid direct — you're fighting the mat, not the fish.
Raid Roller	10 lb braid	6 lb fluorocarbon	Mid-strolling bait — ultra-light leader preserves the roll.
Segmented Hard Swimbait	20 lb fluorocarbon	—	Multi-joint baits; heavy fluoro protects the investment.
Shaky Head	10 lb braid	8 lb fluorocarbon	Standard finesse spinning setup.
Soft Plastic Swimbait	15 lb fluorocarbon	—	3.8–4.8 boot-tails on jigheads or swimbait hooks.
Spinnerbait	15 lb fluorocarbon	—	Straight tie, no snap — the fluoro also survives blade-arm abrasion.
Split Shot Rig	10 lb braid	8 lb fluorocarbon	Old-school finesse; pinch the shot on the leader.
Spybait	6 lb fluorocarbon	—	Straight light fluoro — the whole technique lives on thin line and slow rolls.
Tail Spinner	12 lb fluorocarbon	—	Cast and count down; fluoro sink helps hold depth.
Texas Rig	15 lb fluorocarbon	—	Open water and sparse cover, straight fluoro.
↳ alt setup	65 lb braid	—	Heavy grass — braid direct, pegged weight.
Tokyo Rig	15 lb fluorocarbon	—	Open cover and shell bottoms.
↳ alt setup	65 lb braid	—	In grass, treat it like punching.
Frogs	65 lb braid	—	The color-code exception — moss green, because the line lies on the mat.
Walking Baits	30 lb braid	—	Default: hi-vis yellow braid direct — line-watch the subtle blowups.
↳ alt setup	12 lb copolymer	—	Treble-heavy alternative: straight copoly floats and cushions treble fish on hard head-shakes.
Popper	12 lb copolymer	—	12 lb copoly straight — trebles + short casts to visible targets. Loop knot for free pop.
Prop Bait	30 lb braid	—	Default: hi-vis yellow braid to loop-knot — watch the line jump on the long pause.
↳ alt setup	12 lb copolymer	—	Treble alternative on pressured, calm days — copoly stretch protects treble hookups.
Buzzbait	30 lb braid	—	30 lb hi-vis braid, Palomar direct — single hook, no leader needed.
Ploppers	30 lb braid	—	30 lb hi-vis braid direct — the rotating tail wants immediate contact off splashdown.
Wake Bait	12 lb copolymer	—	12 lb copoly direct — the floater keeps the bait riding on top through the slow crawl.
Bug Bait	12 lb copolymer	—	12 lb copoly, loop knot — floats the insect profile and cushions light-wire trebles on finesse blowups.
Tube Rig	10 lb braid	8 lb fluorocarbon	Finesse tube on spinning gear.
↳ alt setup	65 lb braid	—	Flipping tube in cover.
Underspin	12 lb fluorocarbon	—	Slow-rolled over bait schools; 12 lb keeps the small blade thumping.
Wacky Rig	10 lb braid	8 lb fluorocarbon	Standard finesse spinning setup.
Coike (Urchin)	10 lb braid	15 lb fluorocarbon	Wacky single on spinning gear — big-line finesse, 15 lb fluoro leader (not 6–8).
↳ alt setup	15 lb fluorocarbon	—	Frog hook / trailing treble on casting gear — straight 15 lb fluoro, no braid-to-leader knot to fail on a snap set.
↳ alt setup	10 lb braid	6 lb fluorocarbon	Small 13–16mm nose-weighted vertical drop on spinning gear — lightest possible connection over deep suspended fish.

Why it works this way

Why fluoro on bottom, copoly on top

Fluorocarbon is denser than water — it sinks, hugs bottom, and telegraphs every tick through low stretch. That's exactly what a dragged jig, Texas rig, or mojo rig wants. Nylon copolymer is nearly neutral and floats, which is exactly what a treble-hooked topwater wants: a fluoro leader pulls the nose of a walking bait down and kills the cadence, while copoly lets it ride and adds shock stretch that keeps treble fish pinned.

The winter jerkbait trick. The same 12 lb copoly spool earns its keep in cold water. A suspending jerkbait on fluoro slowly noses down during long pauses; on copoly it holds higher in the column, right where lethargic winter fish want it. One cheap spool, two jobs.

Mojo rig, floating plastics variation. The mojo's default is the 10 lb moss braid to 8 lb fluoro — the sinking leader keeps you pinned to bottom with the weight, where the sensitivity pays. But if you rig a buoyant plastic (ElaZtech especially), swapping to a copoly leader lets the bait glide up off bottom between drags. It's a plastics-dependent variation, not a rule — salted plastics lie on bottom no matter what's tied in front of them. Full breakdown in the mojo rig guide.

The efficiency plays

The Carolina rig is the whole system in miniature: 15 lb fluoro mainline to a 12 lb fluoro leader — two spools you already own for six other techniques, zero new purchases. Same story with the Pitch Shot, which ties the 15 lb straight without a spinning rod in sight, and the Alabama rig, which borrows the 65 braid because five wire arms in open water is a strength problem, not a stealth problem.

If you're building this system one spool at a time, buy in this order: 15 lb fluoro and 8 lb fluoro first (they cover 23 setups between them), then the 10 lb moss braid, then out from there.

Spooling notes

Braid lasts seasons; strip and flip it end-for-end before replacing it. Fluoro on casting reels benefits from a few wraps of mono backing or electrical tape on the spool arbor to stop slippage. Colored braid fades — a fading yellow topwater braid still does its job, but hit faded moss green with a green sharpie before it drapes white across a grass flat. Copoly is the cheapest line here and also the shortest-lived: replace it yearly, and keep the spool out of the sun.