Braided Line

[zwhiten12]

What color braid is the least visible overall? Thanks y'all!

[thehooligan]

If i remember correctly, i thought someone was saying red braid blends in the best in water. I use red & green, and just picked up yellow power pro cause it was on sale. Color doesnt bother me, i use flouro leaders...

[zwhiten12]

If i remember correctly, i thought someone was saying red braid blends in the best in water. I use red & green, and just picked up yellow power pro cause it was on sale. Color doesnt bother me, i use flouro leaders...

What pound braid and leader do you use?

[0119]

I think the red idea is strickly a sales notion.  They say red line blends in yet red hooks at the same depth are seen to fish as blood.  Pick the line color that blends in the best with the water you fish.  I fish tannin stained rivers so brown is good for me.  In many lakes green seems better.  Better yet dont worry about the color and use a leader.  I use 20# mono because I dont have faith in Florou and 95% of the time I am using topwaters and the mono floats.  I use 20# because my water has more saltwater fish than bass.  If It was strictly bass I'd probably use no heavier than 15 or 12#.  I like to keep it simple and avoid complicated knots, sticking with a uni to uni knot.

[skeletor6]

What pound braid and leader do you use?

 

I am not sure what he uses, but it is going to depend heavily on what style fishing you are doing. Are you putting it on spinning or casting gear? What type of cover are you fishing in? What kind of baits will you be throwing? That will help us give you a good idea of what pound test to recommend.

 

As far as color goes, once you get to a certain depth every color is going to look the same. The depth at which this occurs depends on water clarity and the amount of solar radiation. 

[skeletor6]

I think the red idea is strickly a sales notion.  They say red line blends in yet red hooks at the same depth are seen to fish as blood.  Pick the line color that blends in the best with the water you fish.  I fish tannin stained rivers so brown is good for me.  In many lakes green seems better.  Better yet dont worry about the color and use a leader.  I use 20# mono because I dont have faith in Florou and 95% of the time I am using topwaters and the mono floats.  I use 20# because my water has more saltwater fish than bass.  If It was strictly bass I'd probably use no heavier than 15 or 12#.  I like to keep it simple and avoid complicated knots, sticking with a uni to uni knot.

 

Check this out....there is some science behind red fishing line. I do agree that it will not make a large difference and the red hook idea is basically farce. I have heard of reports where a person uses a red hook on the front and a standard metal colored hook on the back and the fish hitting the red hook instead. Well, many times the fish target the head of its prey to try and knock it out, especially if approaching from below.

 

As far as the blood idea goes, fish rely heavier on other senses to pick up the chemicals of blood rather than sight. It is common anthropomorphism to assume that a fish would use its sight to detect blood over its other heightened senses. i.e. a shark can detect a wounded/bleeding animal from miles away, That is not because of sight. A bass is not a shark, but much closer in phylogeny than land animals. 

 

http://www.educatedangler.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=921

[SirSnookalot]

I personally forgo much of the scientific information, there almost is always a contradictory article someplace and I stay away from marketplace hype.  I stick with braided lines and leaders, 10-20# lines (which is a heck of lot stronger than that) wherever I'm fishing and for just about all species, I use nothing but moss green.  

[skeletor6]

I personally forgo much of the scientific information, there almost is always a contradictory article someplace and I stay away from marketplace hype. I stick with braided lines and leaders, 10-20# lines (which is a heck of lot stronger than that) wherever I'm fishing and for just about all species, I use nothing but moss green.

I would be interested in seeing the contradictory articles showing red wavelengths penetrating deeper than other colors of the spectrum?

Furthermore, if your putting this on casting gear I would start with a thicker diameter line. Maybe 8, 10, or 12lb mono equivalent. They are easier to handle and will cause far less line digging issues. Its more about the diameter of line then its rated strength for me. I dont feel like I am going to catch a 65# bass while frogging, but the line serves its justice.

[0119]

One of the things I enjoy about In Fisherman magazine is its sprinkling of scientific data quibs.  But, for me at least, fishing is my joy, my escape from humanity.  The older I get the simpler I like it. And frankly, the more success I find in it.  After all it is just hunting for an adversary with a brain the size of a pea.

 

To that end and back to the subject, braid can make your fishing simpler especially using spinning gear.

[OkobojiEagle]

What color braid is the least visible overall? Thanks y'all!

 

 

The thinnest diameter is the least visible... that is one of a braided line's greatest advantages over a monofilament line... thin diameter to strength ratio.

 

oe

[BrettD]

I use either the dark green power pro or the timber brown slick 8. It really doesnt matter what color you get because it all fades to a light color anyways. I have never used a leader with braid. I think people give bass to much credit sure the might see the line but they dont say to themselves oh look a line lets not eat that bait. If treble hooks and split rings dont scare them away I dont think a little line will. I have always believed this but after seeing the success they have had with and umbrella rig further proves it. A-rigs have 5 big wires coming of them and the fish still nail them.

[BradGuenette]

I use either the dark green power pro or the timber brown slick 8. It really doesnt matter what color you get because it all fades to a light color anyways. I have never used a leader with braid. I think people give bass to much credit sure the might see the line but they dont say to themselves oh look a line lets not eat that bait. If treble hooks and split rings dont scare them away I dont think a little line will. I have always believed this but after seeing the success they have had with and umbrella rig further proves it. A-rigs have 5 big wires coming of them and the fish still nail them.

 

Leaders are not just used for visibility, the main reason i use a leader (either mono or fluoro) tied to my braid is to provide some kind of shock absorber. the x-fast rods they have out these days, paired with braid there is no give, and beileve me something is going to give. ive seen way to many guys snap rods and tear big holes in mouths that has resulted in lost fish from using straight braid

[tubeman]

I use straight moss green Power Pro in the lower Jackson River because the water is stained. If I am going somewhere the water is clear, I use 10lb Seaguar AbrazX fluoro attached to tubes. I went to the Cowpasture River last year, which is up the road about 30 miles with very clear water, and didn't use a leader. Caught alot of fish, lucky day.

[craww]

My reason for leaders is it saves line...I have several heavy used reels with 3-4 years of use with a single spooling of braid. The non tangling of trebles, less visibility, and abrasion resistance are icing on the cake.

[J Francho]

Personally, I pick the MOST VISIBLE braid over all else, since line watching is a big part of my fishing. I either use a leader, or color the last few feet of line with a black sharpie marker.

[BrettD]

Leaders are not just used for visibility, the main reason i use a leader (either mono or fluoro) tied to my braid is to provide some kind of shock absorber. the x-fast rods they have out these days, paired with braid there is no give, and beileve me something is going to give. ive seen way to many guys snap rods and tear big holes in mouths that has resulted in lost fish from using straight braid

I have been using straight braid for 5yrs atleast and have never snapped a rod but I dont swing for the fences on a hookset its not needed with braid. I also only own one extra fast rod I dont like the way they cast and when using braid there is no need for an extra fast rod.

 

Your also not going to get any shock absorbtion from a 2' piece of flourocarbon the mono might give enough stretch to make difference. Its all about what works for you. There is alot of people out there that use straight braid with zero problems.

[J Francho]

Yep, if you're snapping rods, your drag is set too high.

[thehooligan]

What pound braid and leader do you use?

 

Well i only use braid for spinning gear, ive got down to 10lb power pro for everything. Straight braid for topwater, and 6-10lb flouro leaders for other styles of fishing.

 

6lb for dropshot/shakeyhead

8lb for jerkbaits/cranks

10lb if im fishing lakes with alot of pickerel

[PABASS]

Personally I like white with a leader, simply because I like to watch the line, I know of guys that fish the susky river which is gin clear and they use a florescent yellow, with leader material of course.  For me white is still easy to see and isn't as stand out as a yellow..

[J Francho]

White braid looks pimp, too.

[flyfisher]

I like hi vis for any bottom contact or weightless applications.  I also don't use a leader and color the last 4-6 feet with a sharpie.  To me the fish i catch by being able to see the line outweighs the fish i may miss with a less visible line.

 

For any other type of application, frogs, spinnerbaits etc....i just whatever tickles my fancy at the time i buy it.  Currently i am using the PP super slick in brown and the aqua green colors.

[NBR]

The color red does indeed disapear in realitively shallow water. Then it looks sort of black. For my eyes green seems to blend in better but then I'm not a bass nor any kind of a fish. The lakes I fish are very clear- ofter you can see bottom in 10 or more feet. I use flouro or green mono and when I use braid I use either a fluoro or mono leader. I am not sure it makes any difference to the bass but it does to my confidence level.

[craww]

What I dont get is why guys color the last few feet a solid color? I have taken a sharpie and "striped" the spool to break the line up. I could see a green sharpie to match grass for example, but why draw a straight black line to your lure?

[J Francho]

Because after a few feet, any color turns black.  So, it's not a stretch to color the brighter neon colors black to begin with.  To assume that what you see is the same as what the bass sees is BIG mistake, if you ask me.  A cool thing to do with bright colors is color half the spool.  Then you get an alternating pattern that you can easily see when line watching.

[Hoppysjignpig]

The problem I have with braid is when flippin I can't see the line! I fish a very clear lake! Will a high visable braid hurt my chances?