line suggestions

getting closer to actually getting in the water ......my brother gave me 2 penn reels , 9 level wind , 506 hs .
willing be fishing  for halibut , ling cod , etc....mostly from capitola to pleasure point.need suggestions on what line to put on these reels .  braid or mono ,  and what weight
thanks robert

First decide mono or braid.

For mono I like P-Line or Trilene Big Game
For Braid Power pro hands down, been using it for 10 years.

If you are unfamiliar with casting those types of reels, I would start with Trilene BG.
Cheaper to replace after clearing backlashes.

Most people including myself use 30lb braid and 20-25 rig/leader. Easy to snap if snagged which will happen a lot. I like power pro myself. I usually buy the bulk (1500 yards) from cabelas to spool my other reels as well. They go on sale sometimes at $89/roll normally $119.

I run braid with the topshot as Herb mentioned above. I mostly jig for RF & lings, and the braid is best for that. I like the short topper of mono or fluoro for abrasion resistance and ease of knot tying, plus it helps as a bit of shock absorber.
breaking off snags is easy but do not use your hands, wrap the line on a bonker or something to bust it. I don't go higher than 40# braid and that can be pushing it to break.

Stick with 20lb mono, tolerances on older penns weren't real tight and thinner lines will get caught between the spool and side plates. 

Stick with 20lb mono, tolerances on older penns weren't real tight and thinner lines will get caught between the spool and side plates.

I didn't even register that when I posted, so thanks Art.
 Yeah, older Penns don't work well with the new braids. Go mono for sure.
the stretch in mono makes it more difficult to break heavier lines, so 20# would be perfect.

20 lb mono it is. Thanks for the replys ,
New question ....
Is there a book that shows rigging have been looking on line have not found what I think am looking for .
 Thanks Robert

I have 30 lb braid/mono topshot on one of my salt reels, but my all time go-to is 20-lb test P-Line CXX in moss green. P-line CXX is pretty much all I've used for the last 10+ years... trout, bass, rockfish, lings, halibut, whatever. It's really good stuff....

Hey Robert, whenever I'm looking for info on something, YouTube is always where I start. I just type in "how to catch a salmon" or something like that

I love mono, it is cheap and rugged.  I use Big Game 20 lb, or Maxima green in 20 lb in the ocean.  I started using 65 lb power pro and a 30-40lb mono top shot for deep (200+ feet) pacific halibut last year, and it worked well for that. 

I have been trying spectra for kelp fishing, but am not sold on it yet.  It seems like I have to keep extra leader and glue because I am retying the short top shot every time I break it off on a reef or kelp.  I lost about as much gear with the spectra as I do with the mono, but with a lot more rigging headache when I did.  It is not that easy to tie an albright on a kayak, looking down, with swell, pushed by the winds...I almost chummed.  I switched back to my trusty 20 lb mono as I found it saved me time re-rigging.  That may change as I get more experience with the spectra, and the kelp volume increases this summer.

Ive used Power Pro either 20# or 30# braid in Cali/Florida/Alabama/Virginia. Awesome line and allows for a ton to spool. I usually use a 2-3 foot leader of 40# Flouro using a uni to uni or a swivel.

I started with mono on everything but have been switching over to braid. Except on my penn 500's. they get 25lb mono. It's way more forgiving in the event of a backlash and cheaper to replace. Before even thinking about going to braid learn how to cast really well. ftp://

I love mono, it is cheap and rugged.  I use Big Game 20 lb, or Maxima green in 20 lb in the ocean.  I started using 65 lb power pro and a 30-40lb mono top shot for deep (200+ feet) pacific halibut last year, and it worked well for that. 

I have been trying spectra for kelp fishing, but am not sold on it yet.  It seems like I have to keep extra leader and glue because I am retying the short top shot every time I break it off on a reef or kelp.  I lost about as much gear with the spectra as I do with the mono, but with a lot more rigging headache when I did.  It is not that easy to tie an albright on a kayak, looking down, with swell, pushed by the winds...I almost chummed.  I switched back to my trusty 20 lb mono as I found it saved me time re-rigging.  That may change as I get more experience with the spectra, and the kelp volume increases this summer.

I would have the same problem as well.  I eventually use a small spro swivel on the end of my braid and just tie a short leader of maybe 2 feet when fishing the kelp.  I break off and just re-tie to the swivel.

I love mono, it is cheap and rugged.  I use Big Game 20 lb, or Maxima green in 20 lb in the ocean.  I started using 65 lb power pro and a 30-40lb mono top shot for deep (200+ feet) pacific halibut last year, and it worked well for that. 

I have been trying spectra for kelp fishing, but am not sold on it yet.  It seems like I have to keep extra leader and glue because I am retying the short top shot every time I break it off on a reef or kelp.  I lost about as much gear with the spectra as I do with the mono, but with a lot more rigging headache when I did.  It is not that easy to tie an albright on a kayak, looking down, with swell, pushed by the winds...I almost chummed.  I switched back to my trusty 20 lb mono as I found it saved me time re-rigging.  That may change as I get more experience with the spectra, and the kelp volume increases this summer.

Great tip, I will try that next trip out.

I would have the same problem as well.  I eventually use a small spro swivel on the end of my braid and just tie a short leader of maybe 2 feet when fishing the kelp.  I break off and just re-tie to the swivel.

A few of us fish older Penn Reels, and Alan Tani does some great forums on the subject.  That said the older the Penn the bigger the line should be, tolerances weren't that tight,a nd back in the day they used huge line.  Anything under 30 Lb mono runs the chance of catching in the side plate.  Of course not all mono is created equally, so reed the die of the box and see what is the diameter of the line.