Line weight and material for tarpon

Sunshine-Shot4 · Sep 3, 2025

I fish Florida's coasts, from the Keys to Tampa Bay, and lost a tarpon last season on a 15 lb line near pilings. I'm trying to dial in the right line weight for our tough conditions. What line weight and material do you use for tarpon especially near abrasive structures like pilings?

hollowgrain · Sep 3, 2025

Bump up to 40-50 lb braided line like PowerPro, it has zero stretch and cuts through abrasion better than mono. Leader with 80 lb fluorocarbon about 6 feet long keeps the fight under control without snapping.

Back40Bill · Sep 3, 2025

I stick with 50 lb braid on a Penn Slammer reel for those Tampa runs, and double the leader around pilings to avoid cuts.

Lost one on 30 lb last year, but this setup landed a 100 pounder clean.

Keith.303 · Sep 3, 2025

hollowgrain said:
Bump up to 40-50 lb braided line like PowerPro, it has zero stretch and cuts through abrasion better than mono. Leader with 80 lb fluorocarbon about 6 feet long keeps the fight under control without snapping.

This would be perfect.

Selbor2u · Sep 3, 2025

I like to catch big bass on 6lb braid with 6 ft G loomis and 1000 daiwa ballistic.

Sunshine-Shot4 · Sep 4, 2025

The 50-pound braid idea sounds perfect for Tampa Bay tarpon. What knot do you use to tie the fluorocarbon leader to handle pilings? I keep losing line to abrasion.

Back40Bill said:
I stick with 50 lb braid on a Penn Slammer reel for those Tampa runs, and double the leader around pilings to avoid cuts.

Lost one on 30 lb last year, but this setup landed a 100 pounder clean.

hollowgrain · Sep 4, 2025

Keith.303 said:
This would be perfect.

Do you use that too?

Keith.303 · Sep 4, 2025

hollowgrain said:
Do you use that too?

I’m cheap, I use mono instead of fluorocarbon. Otherwise that’s my rig.

flhr95 · Sep 5, 2025

Back in the day it was 60# mono on a Penn 68, seven strand leader material finished it out before attaching the pinfish for bait.

hollowgrain · Sep 9, 2025

Keith.303 said:
I'm cheap, I use mono instead of fluorocarbon. Otherwise that's my rig.

Probably you are one of the few people I know who is cheap but likes fishing haha.

Keith.303 · Sep 9, 2025

hollowgrain said:
Probably you are one of the few people I know who is cheap but likes fishing haha.

Don't worry, any money I save by using mono instantly goes into reels or rods.

hollowgrain · Sep 10, 2025

Keith.303 said:
Don't worry, any money I save by using mono instantly goes into reels or rods.

Ok, this actually made me laugh haha. Then it means you are a serious fisherman. Sorry for judging you in the first instance.

Line weight and material for tarpon

Sunshine-Shot4

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hollowgrain

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Back40Bill

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Keith.303

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Selbor2u

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Sunshine-Shot4

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hollowgrain

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Keith.303

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flhr95

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hollowgrain

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Keith.303

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hollowgrain

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