Crab snare line rating?

Haven’t done much snaring the last few years so i’m trying to dial this in. I’ve been using 30 lb trilene big game mono chucking <8oz as that’s what’s presently on my reels. Losing snares occasionally to a bad cast.

Ordered a few more bigger spinning reels and may chuck heavier snares up to 12oz. What lb mono would you use? Is 40 fine or go with 50?

I suppose the trade off is strength vs casting distance. Trying to avoid braid due to cost and cuts.

Thoughts on this?

TIA

40lb should be fine.  Make sure your guides are smooth and check for line wear. 
I use 50lb Big Game Trilene.  Reeled in plenty of doubles and once a triple at Ocean Beach without issue. 

I have 40lb on mine and it's worked good.

Just wanted to add to this, has anyone tried the new XXH Beef Stick rods BSS1202XXHFS?

I'm looking for some new snare rods and this one caught my attention.  I'm actually replacing my 20 year old MH Beef Stick but these look super heavy duty.

Seems like anything over 30# in mono is really hard to cast far so I've been using that and another rod with 60# braid and a 30# mono shock leader. The set up that I use braid on is much nicer and really is and advantage for distance but sometimes I kinda cringe at the strain exerted on the reels during retrieval especially if it's nicer gear.

While on this topic, anyone have a rec for a snare that they like? I've seen some at the bait shop, some on Amazon, mostly seem pretty similar. Any one brand work better than another? Thanks!

I have a local guy that’s been making my snares for me.
Nickname is Sofaking and he gives me a good deal.  He’s in Pinole.
Let me know if you want some.

While on this topic, anyone have a rec for a snare that they like? I've seen some at the bait shop, some on Amazon, mostly seem pretty similar. Any one brand work better than another? Thanks!

I'm sure I'm overspending but I've been buying crabslayer and torpedo crab snares... both made by locals and yes they're pricey, but I don't tend to lose snares very often and both makers have quality stuff that holds up pretty well. They work way better than anything I've ever seen from Amazon (for me anyway, ymmv).

I bought several different kinds from Amazon years ago when I was just starting and I've thrown them all away at this point lol

You can load your reel with braid and use a topshot of 30/40lb mono. I either have straight 50lb braid on my reels or some with a 40lb 20yd topshot. It's a nice buffer to prevent that dreaded *snap* when you cast and the bail closes and you watch your expensive snare flying further than its ever gone before haha. As far as snares go, I've been using Ken's crabslayer snares for years and they are great but there are a lot of good quality competition now too. Robert with torpedo makes good ones, vivid snares, etc

I use braid for the snare rod, and I’m very new to it, so I don’t have any mono suggestions. But I can suggest torpedo snares to answer that comment, and mention that there are some bail less spinning reels out there to avoid accidental breakage from a closing bail. Penn and can staal are two. But I don’t have experience with either because they are very pricey!

Also re: line... I only use braid - 50 or 65lbs, tied directly to swivel>snare.

Never snapped a line.

Sweet, thanks for the tips! New to the crab snare game, have an older heavy duty rod and Penn conventional reel that should work fine for this.  Where I am thinking about trying first I shouldn't have to cast too far.  Looking forward to giving it a shot!

Maybe it's just me, but I hate mono when snaring. I was out this weekend and had one reel with a topshot of mono and one that had straight braid. The mono stretches so much that I couldn't get a good hook set and I felt like I was missing crab. The rod that had just the braid on the reel did much better. I eventually cut off the mono and got a keeper on the next pull. Could totally have been a coincidence, but I definitely felt the snare a lot better without the mono.

Maybe it's just me, but I hate mono when snaring. I was out this weekend and had one reel with a topshot of mono and one that had straight braid. The mono stretches so much that I couldn't get a good hook set and I felt like I was missing crab. The rod that had just the braid on the reel did much better. I eventually cut off the mono and got a keeper on the next pull. Could totally have been a coincidence, but I definitely felt the snare a lot better without the mono.

Not just you! 

You can rubber band your bail to prevent it from flipping midcast. This has probably saved me a few hundred dollars in snares over the years

Thanks guys for the inputs. Awesome that more questions are being asked and knowledge being shared.

For my personal setups, i’ll have 2 reels equipped with braid as I did some testing and get noticeably more distance. Lack of stretch is a plus for sensitivity and getting/keeping tight.

Going with 40lb mono for the backup reels whenever my non-fishing buddies join me.

Any suggestions for budget friendly surf rods 10-12ft?

Chaosfishing has a pretty decent sale going on.
Loaded up on bulk momoi mono, flourocarbon, and some daiwa j braid.