The line on our old cheap combos came off the reels in bird's nests. It was a cold Saturday in late February at the public pier, Ben was crying, and we were home inside an hour. That afternoon I found loose hooks rolling around the back of the Chevy Tahoe and decided the kids needed gear that did not fight them. The first week of March I ordered replacements, including one 330 yard spool of Berkley Trilene XL monofilament in 6 pound test. I re-spooled all three kid reels at the kitchen table that night, about 100 yards each, and we have been fishing that line for about eight months.
I am not a guide or a pro. I am a school office clerk in Brandon, Mississippi, and most Saturdays I take Wyatt, Callie, and Ben to the bank or the pier at Ross Barnett Reservoir. Here is why this line has stayed on our reels, and where I would tell another parent to look elsewhere.
The line that got Ben back to the pier
One 330 yard spool filled all three kid reels, and the six pound test matches the bluegill and crappie we chase from the bank.
Amazon See the Berkley Trilene XL on Amazon →One 330 yard spool filled all three kid reels
The listing says 330 yards, and that was the practical number for us. I put about 100 yards on Wyatt's reel, about 100 on Callie's, and about 100 on Ben's, with enough left to trim worn ends. I did not have to buy three spools or guess whether one box would cover the family. For a parent spooling three 5 foot combos at the kitchen table, that math matters.
Six pound test fits bluegill and crappie from the bank
Most of what my kids catch is bluegill and crappie, with an occasional small catfish. The 6 pound test and 0.22 millimeter diameter are light enough that a palm sized bluegill still feels like something on a 5 foot rod. I would not call it the right line for every fish in the reservoir. But for Ben's bobber and worm, and the small jigs Callie ties on, it has been a sensible match.
Ties knots small hands can manage
Wyatt is 13 and does most of the knot tying for his younger siblings. The line is a single strand monofilament, so it behaves the way an improved clinch knot expects. I sat with him at the tailgate and walked through the knot until he could do it without me. Callie can tie her own jig on now, though I check it. Ben still hands me his rod. This line has not slipped when I wet the knot and pull it down snug.
Casts without the bird's nest that ended our February trip
The old line on the cheap combos was the reason we went home early in February. It came off the spools in loops, and Ben's reel turned into a nest twice before I gave up. After we re-spooled with the Berkley Trilene XL, our mid March pier trip was different. Ben made a good cast, the line went out, and he caught a bluegill. It stopped the constant tangles that were making a 9 year old lose interest.
Forgiving when Ben drops the rod on the pier
Ben is 9. He sets his rod down to look at a boat wake, and sometimes it slides off the pier rail onto the boards. The monofilament has handled that without the drama I expected. I check the last few feet after every drop and cut off anything that feels rough. In eight months I have trimmed the ends more than I have replaced line. This is not an excuse to treat gear badly, but it is a reason a parent can relax.
One line covers bobbers for Ben and jigs for Callie
We do not carry separate rods for every technique. Ben runs a bobber and worm. Callie rigs small jigs from her Crappie Magnet kit in box two of the Plano. Both setups work on the same 6 pound line. That keeps the tackle simple when we are walking the bank or setting up on the pier. The 0.22 millimeter diameter is small enough for the little jigs, and the 6 pound breaking strength is enough for the fish we keep.
Enough line to cut off a bad tangle and keep fishing
Kids get tangles. That is not a knock on them or on the line. When it happens, I do not want to pack up because we are nearly out of line. With about 100 yards on each reel, I can cut off a messy section and still have plenty for a bank cast. I have done this a handful of times since March. The spool still has line on it at home. One bad minute does not end the morning.
The line lets a small fish put a bend in the rod
A bluegill is not a big fish, but on a 5 foot rod with 6 pound line it still feels like something. The kids can see the rod tip move and feel the tap before the bobber goes under. That feedback is a big part of why they want to go back. I have not used braid, so I cannot tell you how this compares. What I can tell you is that this line has given my kids enough feel to stay interested.
Holds up to eight months of bank trips with simple trimming
We bought this line the first week of March. It is now about eight months later. The kids have fished it on Saturday mornings and some weekday evenings, from the bank and from the public pier. I have not re-spooled any of the three reels since the first night. I trim the worn end before trips and check for nicks after a snag. The line does hold some coil after sitting in the Tahoe, so I strip off a little before the first cast.
A simple first line before anyone starts talking about braid
I have never fished braid. I know people at the pier who use it, and I have read enough listings to know it has fans. For our family, I did not want to start with a line that needed a different knot, a backing, or a lesson before the kids could fish. The Berkley Trilene XL is monofilament, 6 pound test, and it went onto the reels we already had. If you are teaching a kid to cast, start simple.
What I'd Skip
I would skip 6 pound test if your main goal is big catfish at the reservoir. This line is rated at 6 pounds breaking strength, and a big cat can push that past what I would trust. I would also skip any talk of braid for a young beginner until they can cast and tie a knot without help. I have not used braid, so I am not going to pretend I know how it fishes. And I would skip the idea that new line fixes every reel problem. Ben still bird-nests a spinning reel when he tries to cast too hard. The line is more forgiving than what we had, but it is not a cure for a heavy thumb.
Ben's first good cast on the new line ended with a bluegill in his hand. That was the whole test I needed.
If the kids' reels still have the old line, start there
One 330 yard spool of Berkley Trilene XL in 6 pound test filled all three of our kid reels. Check your state rules, pack a few bobbers, and let the kids do the casting.
Amazon See the Berkley Trilene XL on Amazon →