Fresh off of his 2021 Bassmaster Angler of the Year win, all of Seth Feider’s tournament-weighted fish came from less than 10 feet of water. A proven shallow water competitor and grass fishing extraordinaire, Feider dives deep into the nuanced world of line selection, and specifically, braided line for shallow water flipping and pitching applications around heavy grass.
TACKLE USED
- LINE – Sufix 131 G Core Braid, 30- or 40-pound (per the guidance in the video)
- LINE – Sufix Advance Fluorocarbon
- REEL – Daiwa Tatula Elite Pitch/Flip, 8.1:1
- ROD – Daiwa Steez AGS Casting Rod, 7’3″ MedHvy
- HOOK – VMC Ringed Heavy Duty Wide Gap Hook, 4/0
- WEIGHT – VMC Tungsten Flippin Weight
First up is a discussion on strand count and why he favors braids with more strands (pics per inch). More strands equate to smoothness and quiet, and Feider explains why that matters. He then discusses his preference for braid with slow sink attributes for bottom applications (fluorocarbon-like benefits). Feider’s strong preference for braid break strengths and diameters smaller than typical 50- to 65-pound heavy stuff is perhaps most intriguing. Next, he explains when he uses 30-pound and when it’s necessary to step up to 40-pound.
And no line discussion is complete without factoring in cost. Feider claims to get upwards of three full tournament seasons on a spool of braid, which equates to 5 years or more for the average guy. While the initial cost can be high, you come out far ahead over time, as fluorocarbon is expensive and doesn’t hold up well (memory, brittle attributes). On top of that, it’s easy to pair braid with fluorocarbon using a line-to-line knot. Doing so affords you the benefits of fluorocarbon (low vis, sensitive, sinking) with the flexibility to change leader sizes based on application, with minimal usage/waste.
And if that wasn’t enough, he explains how 100 size reels paired with 100 mm handles improve efficiency when mated with a medium-heavy rod (over heavy power sticks). It’s hard to get enough of this dude’s analytical knowledge!
