How long is the rod, what is it’s action? Most are 6’6” or 7’, medium action I believe. It will be printed on the rod, above the handle somewhere. If that’s the case, I’d go with 12-lb test monofilament or 15-20 lb test braid. As for length, you’ll want to put on enough line so that there’s at least a 1/16 inch of spool rim visible. You don’t want the line to fill the spool to the point that it’s flush with the rim. A bit less.

Important note, make sure that the line goes into the reel in the same way that it comes off of the manufacturer’s spool. Otherwise, you’ll have wind knots and will have the line jumping off of the reel.

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by SaltyAgua

It's a long story. But you asked.

Unlike a lotta guys on here, I got along really well with my mother-in-law. She was someone who was very dear to me and I miss her something awful since she passed in 1988. She was raised in Chicago at the Cooper-Carlton Hotel where her father was the manager of the hotel's restaurant. The Cooper-Carlton was the hotel where visiting baseball teams stayed when they came to Chicago to play the White Sox. One morning when she was about 10 years old she was invited to visit the dining room and was allowed to take a baseball around to the guys seated there and get their autographs. That bunch of guys turned out to be the 1927 Yankees. Murderer's Row. Babe Ruth. Lou Gehrig. Tony Lazzeri. Anyway, she kept that ball in a drawer away from the light for most of her life and since she never did have a son to pass it on to, she gave the ball to me. I use that handle to honor an old friend.

Hey Ver. I don't mind at all. I use either Rage Swimmers in 3.75 inch or Keitech swimbaits in bout the same size Or 4 inch. I use a 1/8 oz. jig head with as big a hook as I can find which isn't that big. I prefer a bright florescent orange head but it's not that big a deal to use a plain lead head. I use several colors. Either a white, smoke, shad or one of those with a little blue/gray in it. Just try different colors to see what is workin for you there.
Here's a big hint. I go to the .99 cent store and get a package of the gel super glue. It comes 2 tubes to the pack. When you put the swimbait on your jig, put super glue all around the base of the jig head so when you slide the bait up on the head it is glued there in place. I have caught over 30 fish before on 1 bait before doin it that way. You will have to re glue it from time to time and sometimes you will have to bite the nose off the bait and re glue it but it will last a lot longer if you glue it.
You live right in the middle of some great lakes for bass fishin. Let me know if this helps. I can tell you some of the other things I do/use to put fish in the boat. Nothin ALWAYS works. But some things are good consistent fish producers.
Do you fish from shore or boat. I always fish from my boat. Good luck and tight lines.