Fishing Question. My Pole says it can hold a 14 pound line but mine is a 20...can that hurt my pole?

Question

Question. My Pole says it can hold a 14 pound line but mine is a 20...can that hurt my pole?

Answer 1

Unless it's a really cheap rod or you really abuse it, there shouldn't be a problem. The recommended line weight is what the rod will work best with, but in general a rod will stand up to considerably more stress than the recommended line rating.

(If you button down the drag on the reel and pull against a snag as hard as you can, bending the rod into a "U" shape you might manage to break the rod, but for normal fishing there won't be a problem.)

As other people have mentioned, heavier line will shorten your casts and you won't be able to put as much line on the reel, plus it may detract from the action of your lures or be more visible to the fish, but that won't damage the rod. But next time you reload the reel, you'll probably be better off getting lighter line.

Answer 2

Fishing poles are rated for certain weights of line, usually a difference of a few pounds, like 10 to 14  lb. test.  It means that that particular pole will work best with line in that weight range.  Your pole could be unnecessarily stressed if you hook into a big fish or a snag and you alot of strain on it...the 20 lb. line has a rated breaking strenght of 6 lbs. more than the 14, or almost 50% more than you pole is rated for.

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Answer 3

I Personally have 4 Ugly stix, I am a tourney fisherman. About the only way to hurt an ugly stix is to run over it with a tank.

have you seen the commercials on T.V.

check out the stix`s construction at: http://www.shakespeare-fishing.com/produ...

Answer 4

you probably wont be able to cast as for,and the pole mite not be able to handle a fish with the drag sit for 20 pond test.the pole mite break.but if it seems ok then keep using it.mite just set your reel drag a little looser so you dont break your rod.

Answer 5

no not at all

Answer 6

Personally i would stick with the actual line ratings suggested, but in theory no, unless you hook something big and the drag isn't set on your reel, your casting distance will also be limited using 20lb, it could also damage your reel if your using a light reel, that isn't designed to take 20lb test line.

Answer 7

It's not the line that hurts your pole.  A 14 pound line will snap with a fish over 14 pounds, but the pole can handle it.  When the line does not snap until 20 pounds, the pole will snap from the stress.

Answer 8

Nope. not as long as you have the drag set right for the pole. but a lot of pros use heavier line than recommended for the pole because of abrasion resistance.