govallis

Too expensive and not as good as Goody Polybands. O-rings can cut into Senko, I no longer use them. I no longer use tubes neither.

Caught 8 LM within a hour with a Shim E, 6 of them were within 15 minutes, a Senko won't do any better. I always wacky rig Shim E, with a Goody Ouchless polyband (Model 71291). This way one stick lasts forever and fish don't see the transparent polyband at all. I also have one Senko rigged this way in my bag, just in case if a Shim E won't get a bite. I always Texas rig Yum Dinger, because of its unique slot. I use two springs, one at the top where the hook goes in and one at the meddle where the hook goes out. I also use a small piece of thick rubber where the hook goes out the first time at the top, to keep the Dinger straight. This way, a Dinger also last forever. Dinger is lighter than Senko, 0.39 vs. 0.4 oz, but not so noticeably. I fish it exactly the same way I use a Senko - raise the rod tip and drop, repeat. Sometimes I add a few twitches while raising the rod tip. Shim E is even more lighter than Senko, 0.36 oz, falling significantly slower. So I have to force myself to wait longer before I raise the rod tip. With Senko and Dinger, I just raise and drop in a natural speed, without having to slow down.

Used the Red Label as a leader for two days and landed a dozen largemouth, each is about 18"/3lbs. No breakage, nice, but now the first 1.5" of the leader become white and slightly rough. I'm going to switch to STS and see if it'll be as easy to become white.

Received the 12# Red Label from Walmart. It has exactly the same diameter as the STS, 0.32 mm, and also labeled as the same as 0.31mm/0.012in. They feel exactly the same too, in terms of stiffness. They behaved exactly the same as well in my strength test: beaten the C21 10# and then SB 12#, but lost to C21 12#; after won C21, there are some fray on one loop knot. For a 18" leader, at least, I don't see apparent reason to pay more than the Red Label. I'll be using it from now on. If it'll break due to abrasion, then I'll give STS a try. On a forum, one guy claims that even a pike cannot break STS, but he never tried Red Label though, only Blue Label.

Found a roll of Seaguar STS 12# in a store in a nearby city. As expected, its diameter is 0.32mm (0.31 on label). I did some tests, It beaten C21 10# and SouthBend 12# (both are 0.31 mm), but lost to C21 12# (0.33 mm). This is as perfect as I want from this invisible leader in terms of strength - breaks after the C21 10# or SB 12# that I use to tie treble hooks to expensive lures and before the C21 12# main line. During the tests, I noticed that the STS must be extremely abrasion resistant. After it beaten the C21 10#, it got some fray on its loop knots, but this shabby segment still beaten the SB 12#.

When you look at the listed diameter, on the label or on the web, keep it in mind: the value is usually less than actual. Floroclear is the only one with accurate listed diameters. I usually buy 3 packs, such as 10#, 12# and 15#, and keep the 0.33 mm one and return the other two. I've found that 0.33 is the best for main line - strong enough and still thin enough to manage. For leader, I keep the 0.31 mm, it'll break before the main line when snagged and strong to bend the hook to get the lure back. Also, don't look at the in numbers. For example, 0.011 in could mean anything between 0.0110 to 0.0119, i.e., 0.28 mm to 0.30 mm! That's a 2 lb variation, so if you are looking for a 8lb line you may end up with a 10lb.

Ordered the 12# red label from Walmart for $10.59 200 yds. This is actually cheaper than Vanish. It's not a confidence thing, in my head there is no word of "confidence". I consider myself kind of a scientific fisherman who measures each and every line he touches. I have done enough tests between the 10# C21 and 8# Vanish to get the conclusion. For lakes that are not so clear, the 10# C21 is all fine. If the 12# red label will work out well, it'll be the leader and my only leader.

I never feel the need of a fluorocarbon leader until I fished a clear lake. I have decided to use fluorocarbon leader only. All my local stores run out the 12# STS, this makes me wonder, it might be indeed the optimal size. I don't like braid. For main line, I've settled down to C21 12#, spinning rod. Zero issue for the past 6 months, I always use a tiny swivel, otherwise the line will twist and bird net.

Did you measure their diameters or just read the listed values? Based on my experience, the listed lb and mm/in could mean anything, should be for very basic reference only. If you want the very right line for your very specific usage, you must measure its actual lb and mm to settle down your choice. Based on my numerous measurements and tests with different lines of different materials, I can safely say that a line's actual strength is primarily determined by its measured diameter. Again, I'm saying "measured diameter" and "measure lb". Listed values mean nothing, or anything. If people say a line is very strong, it means I should go 12# or even 6# of that line if what I need is 15#, because that line has mostly much smaller listed lb and/or mm. Yo-Zuri Hybrid is the best example; the 6# line has a measured diameter of a normal 12#. Materials, or quality, might have more things to do with stiffness and durability, etc.

I have been using Vanish 8# as a leader and got much more bites especially from larger largemouth while a 10# Pline C21 leader would not get bite at all or only from smaller LM's. However, this Vanish may break at anytime for no apparent reason. Yes, I know knots. So, I bought a roll of Seaguar STS 10#, because for the same 100/110 yards it cost only $1-2 more than the Vanish and all reviews are positive - no unexpected breakage. I picked 10# instead of 8#, because I want a stronger leader to get hooked fish out of weeds more easily. I measured its diameter, 0.28mm, exactly the same as the Vanish. I did a comparison test, they did break at the same level of drag. This is no surprise; I have done many such tests with many lines and I found that it is the measured diameter that determines the actual strength, regardless what's on the label about its LB and mm/in. Here comes to my question: is the 8# Vanish actually a 10# line, or the 10# STS is actually a 8# line? I read some posts that claim the 8# STS still breaks but 10# won't. So either STS is 2LB less than its label, or all other brands label 2LB less to give people a false feeling of a stronger line. Most fishermen won't bother to measure the diameter. I always measure because I want to be sure that the leader breaks before the main line does so I won't lose the bobber, swivel and etc. Also to avoid lots of retying by simply replacing the leader. Most lines are much thicker and stronger than their labeled LB and mm, so far only Pline Floroclear has an accurate label on mm, all others including STS are marked thinner. Should I go 12# STS? I worry that I might get less bites due to a more thick/visible line. The 12# is listed to be 0.31 mm which means 0.32 - 0.33 in real life based on my experience, significantly thicker than 0.28 of a typical 8 lb.

That's exactly what I was to suggest, but you already done, good job.

Two weeks ago, two fish didn't take everything I threw at them, and some others kept biting off the tails of worms. Heavy vegetation and soft bottom. I nose hooked a 2.75" tube, slip shot rig, got all them landed within an hour. One smallmouth, three largemouth, and two big crappie over one pound and 14" long!

I always do and never worry about twisting. But I separate the swivel and snap 18" apart, then I don't worry about any potential influence to the action of the bait and fish have less chance to see them being not together. I use the smallest ones, giving the least chance for fish to see them.

I always carry my soft baits including senko in zipper bags, never a problem. People say that some baits such as Zman Elaztech need their own bag, or they'll melt others.

Mostly just a bass or large crappie. It happened to me last week, couple times. Then I switched to a short tube and got them landed, 3 bass, one is over 2 lb, and 2 crappie each over 1 lb.

Pline C21, in a Walmart near you.

The $5 Walmart YUM see under water well. They are thin - thin lenses and thin frame, light and comfortable. That's all matters.

You are right, sometimes they won't strike from the head and thus hook is missed and worm is broken and/or lost.

The major reason for the CPS is to save the soft bait, otherwise it costs one bait per fish. Also, it makes it much easier to hook/unhook the baits, much more convenient to switch, use, keep the baits. Screw the CPS all way in and almost buried into the bait, then it won't slip off the hook. To OP: I used trick worm and got two LM's withing 20 minutes, one is 5#. I add a 1/16 oz Eagle Claw worm weight about 1.5 ft above the hook as a slip shot rig, it makes the trick worm much easier to work with and seems more effective too. It is too light to fish with if totally weightless, unless you want to fish extremely slowly.