BFS Line Conundrum

How small is your rod and how light is your line? It's not about the size of your tackle, but how you work it. Come share your Ultralight and Bait Finesse System (BFS) fishing success here!
poisonokie
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BFS Line Conundrum

Post by poisonokie » Thu Nov 29, 2018 1:27 pm

Alright, TT has done it again. I have an Alphas Air Stream Custom sitting in customs and a Tenryu Rayz 53UL-BC waiting to be shipped. The rod is rated for 1-6g (~1/32-7/32) and 1-4#. The reel has the shallowest, smallest diameter spool I know of and has a fixed inductor. The combo should be very nearly the most finesse BFS setup currently available.

The only thing I don't know what to do about is the line. As you TTers know, Daiwa prohibits the use of braid on their honeycomb bfs type spools, presumably because the lack of stretch can damage the spool on a backlash or hookset. I'm guessing that also rules out the use of Ester line. Also, in this case they discourage the use of lines lighter than 6#, presumably because the tension created by stretch becomes too high for the spool to handle when spooling on more than 40 meters.

So since the rod is rated 1-4#, what you guys recommend? If I could use any line I would go with either 4# Invizx, 8-10# J-Braid, or 2.1# Varivas Ester (which I'm also waiting on and have never tried before.) I've gotten some feedback on this, with other users saying braid won't actually present a problem when used with the drag settings and lure weights the setup is designed for. I haven't heard anything about going lighter than 6#, but I'm thinking since fluoro is supposedly less stretchy than equivalent mono (I'm not sure this is really the case with Invizx) that I should be able to to go a little lighter than 6#. Or I guess I could measure out 40m of 4# instead of filling the spool. I like using braid for stuff like this, and the rod does have braid-friendly Ti/SiC K frames, but aside from the fact that they say not to use it, I don't like the idea of all the crap it can carry back to that perforated spool. I've heard I can line the arbor with thread tape to both get out of using mono backing and prevent the intrusion of contaminants. Should it break up, though, it seems like it might get into the reel and be just as bad as pond scum.

That leaves the Ester, which Daiwa doesn't mention. I don't know if that's because it's okay to use or because no one besides some ignorant Okie would ever use it with that reel. At 2.1#, it sits at the magic middle of the rod's line rating that I usually shoot for, it sinks, it's sensitive, and it's bright orange for line watching. Like braid, it'll offer enough capacity for a nice cushion should I hook into something big. It's intended to be used as Area line with a fluoro shock leader, which I would also use with braid. One downside is I think it may add more weight to the spool even than equivalent fluorocarbon, so that makes me think braid may be the way to go. Do you think the use of a leader would mitigate the lack of stretch inherent in these lines? Am I totally over thinking this? I try to take very good care of my equipment, I don't mess around with setting the drag too high or casting weights beyond a rod’s capability, I don't abuse the rod when fighting fish or to free a snag, so the spool is in good hands. I'm just trying to find the optimum setup without unforeseen consequences.

If you actually made it through all this, thanks. If you have any insight, double thanks.
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Re: BFS Line Conundrum

Post by John G » Thu Nov 29, 2018 1:39 pm

The Alphas Air Stream Custom does not have a Honeycomb type BFS Spool.

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Re: BFS Line Conundrum

Post by Hobie-Wan Kenobi » Thu Nov 29, 2018 1:46 pm

Ive used braid on many honeycomb spools, including Daiwa AIR spools. I never had a problem. I also do not fish them crazy either.

BFS was originally made to use lighter lures with thicker lines than were optimal for spinning rigs (7-10lb FC). BFS reels still have that in mind, yet pitching into heavy cover with these reels may not be as popular because traditional reels are more capable than they were 10 years ago. This shifted BFS to be more UL focused than it was intended to be. Even so, I havent heard of a spool to crush.

Interesting tidbit, spooled mono and FC have more tension than braid does.
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Re: BFS Line Conundrum

Post by John G » Thu Nov 29, 2018 1:57 pm

For me, for anything that goes underwater, I use Sunline Sniper FC.

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Re: BFS Line Conundrum

Post by poisonokie » Thu Nov 29, 2018 2:00 pm

Hobie-Wan Kenobi wrote:Ive used braid on many honeycomb spools, including Daiwa AIR spools. I never had a problem. I also do not fish them crazy either.

BFS was originally made to use lighter lures with thicker lines than were optimal for spinning rigs (7-10lb FC). BFS reels still have that in mind, yet pitching into heavy cover with these reels may not be as popular because traditional reels are more capable than they were 10 years ago. This shifted BFS to be more UL focused than it was intended to be. Even so, I havent heard of a spool to crush.

Interesting tidbit, spooled mono and FC have more tension than braid does.
Okay, I'll just use braid. Or the Ester if I think I'll like it better. That's interesting about how the focus shifted like that, from pitching to cover to ultra light. I knew the thing about the line tension, which is why I can't reconcile why they would recommend a nylon or fluoro monofilament over braid. Thanks for the rapid response.
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Re: BFS Line Conundrum

Post by poisonokie » Thu Nov 29, 2018 2:02 pm

John G wrote:For me, for anything that goes underwater, I use Sunline Sniper FC.
Yeah, but will it deform the spool if I go lighter than 6#? Daiwa seems to think so, and the last thing I want to do is buy another spool, especially since they're probably hard to come by.
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Re: BFS Line Conundrum

Post by poisonokie » Thu Nov 29, 2018 2:04 pm

John G wrote:The Alphas Air Stream Custom does not have a Honeycomb type BFS Spool.
Maybe not to the extent that say a Megabass finesse spool is, but they're about as perforated as they can be.
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Re: BFS Line Conundrum

Post by John G » Thu Nov 29, 2018 2:13 pm

poisonokie wrote:
John G wrote:For me, for anything that goes underwater, I use Sunline Sniper FC.
Yeah, but will it deform the spool if I go lighter than 6#? Daiwa seems to think so, and the last thing I want to do is buy another spool, especially since they're probably hard to come by.
Is there a place where I can read this about FC damaging spools? The lightest line that I have used is 5LB Sniper on a 16 Aldebaran BFS XG and I never had a problem.

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Re: BFS Line Conundrum

Post by hoohoorjoo » Thu Nov 29, 2018 2:20 pm

Light braid works fine on my SS Air, no damage to my spool after one year and some nice fish. With tiny cranks, light drag settings are a must, so I see no problem with it.
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Re: BFS Line Conundrum

Post by poisonokie » Thu Nov 29, 2018 2:51 pm

John G wrote:
poisonokie wrote:
John G wrote:For me, for anything that goes underwater, I use Sunline Sniper FC.
Yeah, but will it deform the spool if I go lighter than 6#? Daiwa seems to think so, and the last thing I want to do is buy another spool, especially since they're probably hard to come by.
Is there a place where I can read this about FC damaging spools? The lightest line that I have used is 5LB Sniper on a 16 Aldebaran BFS XG and I never had a problem.
Yeah, I'll look up a couple of links. Mind you, I'm making an inference here. It says not to go lighter than 6#, but it doesn't say why. I've just read in the past about the enormous amount of pressure mono lines can put on a spool because of stretch. Supposedly, the lighter the line, the more you can put on it, and the tension builds with each yard.
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Re: BFS Line Conundrum

Post by John G » Thu Nov 29, 2018 3:01 pm

poisonokie wrote:
John G wrote:
poisonokie wrote:
John G wrote:For me, for anything that goes underwater, I use Sunline Sniper FC.
Yeah, but will it deform the spool if I go lighter than 6#? Daiwa seems to think so, and the last thing I want to do is buy another spool, especially since they're probably hard to come by.
Is there a place where I can read this about FC damaging spools? The lightest line that I have used is 5LB Sniper on a 16 Aldebaran BFS XG and I never had a problem.
Yeah, I'll look up a couple of links. Mind you, I'm making an inference here. It says not to go lighter than 6#, but it doesn't say why. I've just read in the past about the enormous amount of pressure mono lines can put on a spool because of stretch. Supposedly, the lighter the line, the more you can put on it, and the tension builds with each yard.
I know that guys in a BFS Facebook Group that I am a member of have had a 2LB line challenge. I don’t remember reading about damaged spools. I’m assuming that they are using mono or FC. I will ask and see what they have to say about it.

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Re: BFS Line Conundrum

Post by poisonokie » Thu Nov 29, 2018 3:24 pm

hoohoorjoo wrote:Light braid works fine on my SS Air, no damage to my spool after one year and some nice fish. With tiny cranks, light drag settings are a must, so I see no problem with it.
What do you secure it to the spool with? We're you the one who said thread tape works? If so, does it remain intact? I mean with such little line, I'll probably change it fairly often and I know that stuff can obviously survive exposure to water and being screwed between two pipes, so I guess it should translate to spools...
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Re: BFS Line Conundrum

Post by poisonokie » Thu Nov 29, 2018 3:25 pm

John G wrote: I know that guys in a BFS Facebook Group that I am a member of have had a 2LB line challenge. I don’t remember reading about damaged spools. I’m assuming that they are using mono or FC. I will ask and see what they have to say about it.
Cool. I'd love to hear their input.
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Re: BFS Line Conundrum

Post by John G » Thu Nov 29, 2018 3:35 pm

poisonokie wrote:
John G wrote: I know that guys in a BFS Facebook Group that I am a member of have had a 2LB line challenge. I don’t remember reading about damaged spools. I’m assuming that they are using mono or FC. I will ask and see what they have to say about it.
Cool. I'd love to hear their input.
I already contacted one of the guys in the Group. He lives in Malaysia and he does a lot of light line fishing with KTF 16 Aldebaran BFS XG’s. I’ll let you know what he has to say about it.

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Re: BFS Line Conundrum

Post by poisonokie » Thu Nov 29, 2018 3:43 pm

John G wrote:For me, for anything that goes underwater, I use Sunline Sniper FC.
Is that the low stretch/high sensitivity sunline or the softer, more manageable fc? And does it come in green? I've got a green theme going with the rod and reel, so that may provide a little more eye candy. I've never strayed from Seaguar FC, so maybe I'll try some out. I don't know, it's such a tough decision...
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