Line choice for slammers?

I'm late to the party, have some in the mail. Only some 7"s, couldn't pull the trigger on bigger ones. Bout to rig up a rod for the, but wasnt really sure what line I wanted to put on.

I was thinking 50lb power pro, and having a leader of fluro or mono, but do I really need a leader? My plan is just waking them. I was thinking I could get away with just the braid, and no leader?

Or maybe getting away with some 20 mono?

I throw themon 50lb braid with a floro leader but......... make sure to have your drag set. I lost a Giant (8+) when I hand my drag too tight and the fish decided it did not like the sight of my boat and surged. I could not get the bail open on my baitcaster because the fish had too much tension on the line. She ended up pulling of..... lesson learned.
20 lb mono or floro works well too.

I kind of ruled fluro out as a main line, how does the sinking line affect the bait? I plan on surface only. Does anyone do a straight braid to lure
? Or attach a snap or do a loop knot?

What size and stiffness rod do you use?

What size and stiffness rod do you use?

Castway 7' heavy w/ curado 300

I have 50# power pro tied to a snap. I'm not sure what size the snap is. One of my slammers came with a split ring and one came with a snap. Good advice on the drag Rich. I'll have to make the adjustments


oh ya and make sure you change out the hooks. Owner seems to be the most popular but the sizes people use vary as a personal preference. I followed Stratos' advice. These are the hooks I got. They are badass

http://www.ebay.com/itm/270781321876?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649#ht_1753wt_956

I kind of ruled fluro out as a main line, how does the sinking line affect the bait? I plan on surface only. Does anyone do a straight braid to lure
? Or attach a snap or do a loop knot?

You are right about the floro. I overlooked the fact that you just wanted to wake them. I crank down my slammers at times, sometimes waking them, then cranking them ,then waking them again all in the same retrieve. Don't overlook the slammer as a sub surface bait . The 8lber I mentioned earlier was while cranking it down through a stump field.
I always use a snap. Make sure it is heavy enough to handle a brute because you will catch one. Like shawn says..... change out the hooks. You want it super sticky. Sometimes they will follow then just nip at it or come right up on it and slap and swirl at it.

So what did you get 1x, 2x, 3x? and what color patterns.

prediction: You will be ordering the 9" in no time. When I started out swimbaiting several years back I got a couple 7" slammers. The next year I got a 9" and used it 25% of the time and the 7"75% of the time. The following year it was reversed and the 7" only saw the water 25% of the time. Last year and so far this year the 7" has not seen the water.

Got two 7" 2x in perch and hitch. They got delivered to work today, but I am home for the next couple days. Bad planning on my part.