I picked up a Penn Fierce 2 spinning rod and plan on using a 7’ medium heavy rod. What do you guys recommend on the line? I was thinking about using 30 lb braid. The rig will be used for pier and maybe some surf fishing.

Most will say braid but I'm just not a big fan of it

I have braid on all of my saltwater spinning setups and do not regret it.

Do you use a florocarbon leader?

Braid for tarpon, cobia, redfish, crevalle,.......Mono for bonita and kings.

I'm on this side of the fence

I’m not a fan either. Great for bass but for open water fish that make big strong runs I think you’re better off having line thst has a little stretch to it. When there is that much speed and force something has to give and if the line has no give you end up having a lot of fish pull or tear off.

I don't care for it on my saltwater rigs, I've hooked several good fish, only to have it dig into my reel, and bind up. And yes i spool with mono first.

Especially with treble hook baits

I like how braid cast but it's hell on my fingers

Would 15 # mono be a good choice?

All depends on what you are fishing for.

King mackerel.

I like mono for kings. 20-30lb.

I would use 17-20 mono for kings.

I learned that the hard way last year on snook. 15 lb big game from now on for me

I would damn sure listen to Peach.
BrentM bringing some great information to the table(especially for a damn Yankee)

Braid on a reel with a good drag system is good to go!

Honest question.. Why use braid for some and mono for others?

Can't speak for pier fishing but I have braid on my surf reels and I love it. Where is the downside in being able to use 30 lb line yet because it's the same diameter as 8 lb mono you can put 300 yards of it on a 5000 size Penn Fierce II. You can cast line the diameter of 8 lb mono way farther than you can cast 20 or 30 lb mono as well. Cast distance may not be an issue from the pier but it certainly is sometimes from the beach. For any potentially line shy fish I just put a 3 foot fluorocarbon leader on the end.

Some fast and long running fish need stretch in the line.

Mono is great for kings because they make fairly long fast runs. The stretch keeps the hooks from ripping out but more importantly, a king or bonita will run much farther using mono than braid, hence they will be tired when you bring them to the pier. With braid, they will run about half the distance of mono and will come to the pier "green" which greatly increases their chance of breaking you off underneath the pier. If you do use braid for kings or bonita, make sure you have a very light drag. Most pier cobia do not make long runs. They will "bull dog" around the pier and underneath the pier. Braid works well to pull them out from the pilings. Also, they have a tough mouth and braid works better to sink a large jig hook through their mouth. For tarpon, braid is the only choice off a pier in my opinion. You can put so much more line on a reel with braid and it is not uncommon for a tarpon to run 400 -500 yards of line out. I've caught 21 tarpon this summer off Okaloosa Island pier. I probably would have lost nearly half of those with mono. Braid is great for pulling bull redfish out from the pilings as well.

Go with 17lb mono if youre going to use it primarily for kings. You're better off fishing mono in any treble hook application, whether it be plugs or live bait (due to the stretch cushioning against hard runs and explosive strikes). That lack of stretch in braid will cause treble hooks to pull out if you've got one hooked on the outside of the mouth which happens a ton. I also do not like to fish straight braid for any fish with thin or paper mouths such as speckled trout, as you will pull twice as many hooks on them, using braid, as you would if you use mono. The lack of stretch in braid will tear their mouths or open up a huge hook hole with all the head shaking they do. On hard mouthed fish like reds, jacks, bass, catfish, cobia, tarpon, etc. Load it up with braid and have at them. Both mono and braid have different applications and conditions that they excel in. One other thing, on a spinning reel, you'll probably get 20-30% greater casting distance with braid than you will with mono, if that is a consideration that makes a difference to you.

I only use braid on cane poles.

I would use 15 lb mono on your setup and try and to get at least 300 yards on the spool. Keep your drag nice and loose and hang on.

I mostly pier fish in Panama City and use 15 lb mono on my King rod when using a treble hook with live bait. I have a separate rig for throwing XRaps. I have 400 yards of 20 lb braid on it because I can cast those things a mile with the braid and a medium light rod.

I use braid for everything except crappie. I can load way more of it on a reel than i can mono of the same lb test, i can feel bites way better, it doesn’t bow in the current as much as mono, one spooling will last me a few years, and i don’t chafe off on logs and stumps. Powerpro will not dig down in your spool if you put it on tight. I don’t understand whats not to like. I’ve caught plenty of kings on braid and it did just fine. I can also get a braid backlash out of a baitcaster easier than i can with mono.

Braid with a FG knot to a flouro top shot!!

I used 30 lb braid with a mono leader while crappie fishing last week and no I'm not joking.

I agree with Peach. I spool 14 lb. Berkeley big game on all my King rods. The reels
I use will hold 300-320 yds of 14 lb. mono. They are old school Penn 706 ( greenie ) 706z.

Big game is good line for the pier. Very abrasion resistant. There are collectors out there that will give you good money for those greenies.

Can’t give up my Greenies. Kinda like land, they don’t make’em anymore.