JACK WOLLITZ What's your line? It matters in the end

A shudder reverberated from the back deck of the boat and the water boiled 15 feet away in the thicket as Steve Zarbaugh set the hook and wrestled a big bass that had eaten his plastic tube.
The largemouth wallowed at the end of Zarbaugh's line, which stretched like a banjo string as the fish struggled in the willows and weeds. It was angler versus lunker, the classic matchup, with only a thin strand of monofilament linking the two.
Fortunately, the line held and we boated Zarbaugh's 31/2-pound largemouth.
Ironically, earlier that day, he had commented that he had just respooled his flipping and pitching reels with 17-pound Berkley Big Game after experiencing frustrating line failures with a different kind of mono.
Taken for granted
His successful catch underscores the importance of anglers' fishing lines, all too often taken for granted.
Line, obviously, is the critical link between angler and fish. The wrong line or, worse, damaged line, can spell disaster.
In recent years, the number of line options has swelled to the point where one can stare for an hour at a store wall arrayed with packages of all descriptions.
There are choices in color, pound-test, diameter, stiffness and composition. You have braid, mono, polymers, co-polymers, coated and fluorocarbon - and multiple variations in each category.
The key to selecting the right line is to understand how it performs.
Limp line, such as that sold by Berkley as "XL & quot;, is best for spinning reels. It lays better on the spool and is less likely to retain its coil and be unruly since it has little "memory & quot;.
Tougher lines - made with scuff resistant plastics in larger diameters - are the best choice for those who will be presenting lures in snaggy places where a big fish's fighting antics can quickly scrape weak spots.
Above all else, an angler needs to be confident in his or her line. Such was the case when Zarbaugh made the switch a few days before he hooked that nice bass last weekend at Mosquito Creek Reservoir.
Tentative possibility
Had he been unsure about his line, Zarbaugh may have reacted tentatively in his hookset - for fear of breaking off the fish - and failed to drive the hook hard enough to hold the fish in the dense cover. Instead, he was completely confident the new line would withstand the force of a big hookset on a medium-heavy flipping stick, so he jerked on the largemouth like he meant it.
Regardless of what line you chose, however, it is important that it be kept fresh. Pro anglers who fish every day change their lines after each outing. Weekend fishermen ought to change their lines at least several times during the fishing season.
It also is important to monitor the line during the day. Check for nicks after unsnagging lures. Run your fingers up the first few feet of line periodically when fishing around rocks and other abrasive bottoms.
Sometimes it may seem as though you are retying too often, but rest assured that each new knot is like an insurance policy against inopportune break-offs.
After years of trial and error, I've settled on a reliable complement of lines.
For spinning, I use 8- and 10-pound-test Stren or Berkley XL. My crankbait rods are outfitted with 10- and 12-pound P-Line.
Pitching outfits are spooled with 17-pound Berkley XT and Big Game, while my flipping stick is loaded with 20-pound Big Game.
The spinnerbait rod gets 17-pound P-Line. Topwater choices range from 14- to 17-pound XT, depending on the size of the lure and the clarity of the water.
Basic choices
Those are pretty basic choices. Others may work better for you. It will pay to experiment to see which lines deliver the performance you prefer.
And the dividends will be evident in the increased number of fish you convert from hookup to landing.
jwwollitz@aol.com