Does Line Color Really Matter?

[Bankbeater]

All I know is that years ago we used yellow line.  Caught bass then, and I'm guessing that if I had some spooled on now I would probably still catch some bass.

[bostonsox2904]

I'd say that since you were fishing in ultra clear waters, the bass didn't bite because the bass also spotted you. I think it's possible the line color had an effect but that it was more pronounced because the fish knew you were there.

[0119]

I fish saltwater flats and have scared snook from just the line flying over their heads.  With clear mono and with chart. fly line.   O.P. instead of removing perfectly good line, have you tried using a leader?  A simple surgeons knot makes it easy.  I get beat often by a guy who ties hi-vis mono directly to his lures.  I dont have faith in that for myself, and always us a simple clear mono leader.  But I'll stick to a clear 4 or 5ft. mono leader.

[McAlpine]

The best answer anyone can give you is..."it depends".  Bad answer huh?  But the best answer.

 

Confused yet?

 

So, I grew up in northern Indiana, almost Michigan.  All natural lakes, mostly glacial some pot lakes.  Regardless, water clarity ran the gamut from gin clear to stained.  Rarely if ever muddy.  I grew up fishing nothing heavier than 8lb mono.  And RARELY 10lb.  6lb mono was pretty standard.  When I go back home now I rarely go heavier than 10lb flouro.  That may be 10lb flouro leader on braid, but trust me it matters.  Even then, alot of times I downsize to 8lb FC as a leader.

 

I now live near Louisville, KY and all the lakes here are dammed up rivers/creeks and seem like pure mud to me.  Even after being here for 7 years, it's still hard to change my mindset.  When the fish are active I can direct tie braid and it really wont matter but i'm still getting used to that.  I've moved to 10lb and 12lb FC as a standard, started using lots of braid and even 15lb co-poly for fast moving baits.  Absolutly unheard of for the first 35 years of my fishing carrer in a different place with different conditions.

 

So, the responses get here may be from people that have spent most of their time fishing in their location on a certain type of lake.  Answers will spread the gamut from, "yeah you have to watch line diameter and visibility" to "it doesn't matter, I dont understand why everyone doesn't use braid for everything".  That may be someone that lives in Minnesota and someone that lives in Texas but it's not a definite standard everywhere.

 

So, "it depends".  Look at your water clarity, season, how active are the fish, what style of bait are you using, etc?

 

Good luck!

[Fishes in trees]

Guys, lets get this straight - everything matters, therefore line size & color matter.   To deny this truth would be to deprive every marketer who works for any fishing tackle company a powerful marketing tool.

 

Don't do that.  Don't deprive fishing tackle marketers of their tools.  Especially now, in these times of a very slowly recovering economy.  Our job is to spend money on fishing tackle, up to the limits of our disposable income.

[daiwaguy]

I don't know, I've tried Big Game Trilene (mono), Vicious flourocarbon, Spiderwire (braided) green, havent noticed much in the ways of the bite. I noticed 8lbtest trilene sucks, 10lb is decent, and 14lb is better.... Why? I have no idea. I guess the thicker it gets the less likely it is to have memory issues? I don't know.

 

I do want to try Cajun 12lb (red) line but everytime I look for it its always sold out. I guess the red is really popular. I don't think fish care about the light spectrum of line.....I'll still try it anyways. 

I use 12 pound Cajun on one of my Zillion set ups and I love it. Have had no memory issues and have had it on for almost a whole season. Only put L&L conditioner on it once. Can not remember any breaks or much abbrasion on it either. It really impressed me for being a farily cheap line that i picked up at Wally World.

[RoLo]

Whether or not they have good eye sight or if they see the line, bass lack the ability to logically think and and decipher that if I bite that lure with fishing line I will be in trouble. Bass react on only on reaction and feeding. Very Small brains and very stupid fish. 

 

A bass is not going to follow the line back to the boat. I think we give a very small brained creature that is lacking a lobe in the brain needed for logical thinking to much credit. 

 

I concur.

 

I've fished early oligotrophic lakes in Ontario & Quebec, mesotrophic lakes in NJ, NY, PA & GA and late eutrophic lakes in FL

On slow days, when bass are few and far between, I can lay blame on any one of a long list of variables.

Although line color and lure color are most obvious to humans, they're the last variables that I'll suspect or change.

The solution typically comes from a lure change, a change in location, an adjustment in lure depth or a change in retrieve speed.

Sometimes it's the simple matter of bass going on the feed, when all lure colors & line colors automagically work

 

Bottom Line: If you believe that 'line color' matters, than it does

 

Roger

[Raul]

Matters and doesn´t matter, matters the days it does and doesn´t the day it doesn´t, and in my personal experience the days it doesn´t matter are a lot more than the days it does matter.

 

There are days that the commotion created by a grain of polen touching the surface of the wáter sends bass into a parallel universo never to be seen again and there are days that the commotion created by a cow landing on the lake after falling from a 10,000 ft height doesn´t even bother the bass, on the contrary, it attracts them.

 

So you really never know when it does and when it doesn´t, personally one of the things I don´t like fluoro is because I´m short sighted and I´m not very good at detecting the line against the water background, line may be invisible for the fish but most importantly, it´s invisible for me. On the other hand, I have a hard time to believe the line color will matter unless the water is extremely clear, and I´ve fished in super cristal clear water and most of the times the fish don´t seem to care.

 

If you want to keep your peace of mind my suggestion is to fish with clear line.

[shimmy]

I know i am seeing a lot of responses with clear water being an indicator of going thin line and the opposite for dark and night. But one factor to keep in mind, even in California with many clear lakes, some fisherman swear that a thin line finesse setup is essential to catching fish; however, swimbait fisherman are using 20-25 pound mono line and rest assured there is nothing thin about that. And it seems to me, more monster bass are being caught on a consistent basis in these very clear waters with 20-25 pound mono on a swimbait than on finesse. Like some have said, maybe it does matter on certain days and particular lures. Be willing to experiment on the water. 

[0119]

I wonder how many of these guys who say line color doesnt matter, have drank the flourocarbon kool-aid?  Or red hooks entice a fish but red line is invisible to them......

[WRB]

Rolo I believe you may know what Doug Hannon's thoughts were on the topic of bass line awareness.

Animals that have survived over decades of hunting pressure learn to avoid hazards that are fatal, the ones that don't are eliminated from the gene pool. It's about intelligent brain memory or critical thinking skills they do not poses.

If your fishing goals are aimed at catching young adult bass, there is a big population of bass to target.

When you target the big bass the populations drops to less than 1%, the bass that have learned to survive fishing pressure by avoiding anglers and there lures.

I referenced Bill Murphy, Bob Crupi and Danny Kadota because these anglers were legendary giant bass anglers who fished with live bait. I could add ChrisFish, I don't recall his name, however he is another live bait bass angler who learned the importance of using light line with live bait. Why use live bait as a bench mark? To eliminate lure variables. These anglers didn't start out using light line, they changed because of better strike ratio per man hour fishing, they had to use light line to catch these wary giant bass.

I had to do the same and it made a big difference. You can put the percentages in your favor or not, it's your choice.

Tom

[bigbill]

Remember Dr. LOREN HILL of Ok unv. During his tests on the development of the color & combo "c" lector proved the bass can see certain colors sometimes and all the colors sometimes depending on the hues in the water, the sunlite and time of day that influences the water conditions. He used different colored buckets. One color had feed where the other bucket had nothing. When he dropped the feed colored bucket

the came to feed. When he dropped the empty colored bucket they didn't come. Then he dropped the feed colored bucket they came. This told him under lab tests and conditions the bass can see different colors.

 

I use either clear or green copolymer line. But I do use a Cajun red line for my leaders on my Carolina rigs.

Yes I know in deeper depths the red line doesn't disappear. But I'm shore fishing at 10' of water.

 

The best fishing times for me is in the early mornings,  midday, and evenings. But I did my tests in the mid morning in the same exact spot at that the same exact time. On blueberry days I got lucky I had the same test conditions for a few days.

 

The combo c lector chose red only red cranks worked. I through every color then went back to red and caught fish again. Another day only Brown worked, another day green only worked. Inbetween those days I had days were the brown, the green and the red all caught fish at the same time and day. This proves Dr Loren Hill was correct. The bass can see certain colors on certain days and more colors on other days.

But when the colors are limited or when all colors  that are seen one color could out produce the other colors.  It's figuring out that sweet spot color for that time of day and water conditions.

All I can add is take notes in your log book.

 

Remember on a tough day, an overcast day, a light rain day that a chartreuse color is your friend. Try a inline spinner like joesfly in firetiger apache or glo-tiger. Then ask me if color matters.

 

Now we covered lure color and what influences the colors that bass can see. We established that bass can see different colors at certain times and sometimes not.

 

So line color does it matter. I try to use a natural colored line as I can get. I have noticed when I switched from 8# test to a stronger 12# test my bite slowed up. The lines were both clear. I think since I'm fishing smaller very quiet places the fish are very aware and sensitive to changes in vibrations and harmonics of the larger line. It's the only thing that I could think of why my bite was off. The smaller lighter test line is more shuttle. I had a cheap noisy spinning reel. I'm fishing a three acre pond that's deep in the woods. There is no outside noises. I casted my lure to the center. As I'm reeling it in a sunfish was tilted sideways at the point where my line entered the water. I'm thinking he is feeling the vibration from my worn out reel.

This tells me in quiet eco systems anything out of the ordinary can trigger a warning to the fish. My line is like a guitar string as it sends vibrations into the water. In the smaller unfished quiet ponds. We must be very stealthy.

 

Ok they can see colors. They can feel the vibrations from the heavier test lines. Does line color and line size matter?

 

I'm no pro nor will ever be. I just wanted to know why a fishing spot can be hot one minute and ice cold the next. I think it's all about color.  

 

If it was easy it wouldn't be called fishing. It's skill in fishing not luck. We are in charge of our success in fishing by using our skills. Do not leave your skills at home. On a tough day "think" about your next move.

Never give up.   Bigbill

 

Remember I fish from shore at the small ponds where it's all quiet

 The slightest noise spooks fish or let's them know we're there. Walk softly, be quiet when handling your tackle, be stealthy. For you little guys and gals practice putting your tackle boxes down quietly at home. Remember to keep your tackle box organized so you can find lures easily when your fishing in the dark

 Keep the glare of your flash lite low too. Do not sound any alarm that your there be very quiet and stealthy.

[WRB]

Bass have such a small brain and too stupid to avoid danger you should be able to catch them using 50 braid without a leader. Why would any bass angler use Fluorocarbon line? FC stretches about equal to premium mono, braid doesn't stretch. FC line has low knot strength and problematic breakage, braid doesn't.

FC line is stiff compared to mono, braid is soft and extremely flexible and doesn't impact lure action.

If bass are too stupid to recognize line every pro bass angler would use braid and nothing else.

The reason I don't use braid is because strike ratio to man hour has proven to me that bass where I fish aviod lures when using braid under good light conditions.

I do not know one trophy bass angler who fishes with braid tied direct to lures. You must get bit first before catching these stupid big bass.

Tom

[mod479]

Bass have such a small brain and too stupid to avoid danger you should be able to catch them using 50 braid without a leader. Why would any bass angler use Fluorocarbon line? FC stretches about equal to premium mono, braid doesn't stretch. FC line has low knot strength and problematic breakage, braid doesn't.

FC line is stiff compared to mono, braid is soft and extremely flexible and doesn't impact lute action.

If bass are too stupid to recognize line every pro bass angler would use braid and nothing else.

The reason I don't use braid is because strike ratio to man hour has proven to me that bass where I fish aviod lures when using braid under good light conditions.

I do not know one trophy bass angler who fishes with braid tied direct to lures. You must get bit first before catching big bass.

Tom

 

Agreed, it matter in clear water. Seen it firsthand with my partner during a team tournament. We dragged tubes in deep gin clear water with straight braid. He was swapping between rods spooled with 30lb and 50lb power pro that had couple seasons on it, all color faded. I had spooled one reel up that same morning with new 10/2 p.p. in green. He caught some, but we both agreed I was getting more strikes per drift, from the back of the boat using the same color tube and same 1/2oz internal jigheads. I weighed in 4 of our 5 fish and our biggest. Partner uses 10/2 braid now and colors with a marker when it gets faded, sometimes ties a fluoro leader when he's not rushing. Also got him using sniper fluoro for dropshotting, he was an all braid guy until he started using a decent FC.

[0119]

The reason I don't use braid is because strike ratio to man hour has proven to me that bass where I fish aviod lures when using braid under good light conditions.

I do not know one trophy bass angler who fishes with braid tied direct to lures. You must get bit first before catching these stupid big bass.

Tom

 

Agreed

[Raul]

I think we have deviated from the subject gentlemen, were are not discussing heavy vs light line, but if line color matters or not.

 

My thoughts on heavier line are

 

1.- that it´s more "seeable" and more "feelable" to the fish, specially "seeable"  ( visible ) in higher visibility environment, more "feelable" regardless of the water clarity, we know that bass are able to feel with their lateral a lot more than what they are able to see, and there are days that it matters and there are days that it doesn´t matter.

 

2.- that it can have a significant impact on the action of what it´s tied to it, in many baits and techniques the difference can be quite noticeable, for example jerkbaits like the Rapala Original Minnow, the Megabass Vision, Rapala´s Shad Raps, etc. the difference is noticeable, the higher the diameter the lesser the action of the bait; I asume that the same thing must happen with live bait, the bait ( like minnows, shiners, crayfish ) have to fight the drag the line creates.

[RMcDuffee726]

I think we have deviated from the subject gentlemen, were are not discussing heavy vs light line, but if line color matters or not.

Agreed, I am strictly talking about line color.  I do appreciate everyone's responses though because I am learning about much more than I was asking for.  Personally I will probably stick with the blue line I use because I can spot it easily, and see what it does.  I'm most certainly going to try and mix up line color and experiment though and see if I can get different results.

[WRB]

We may be whipping a dead horse on this topic by now.

Bringing braid into " does color really matter" topic is on topic.

Braid is a solid color and 50 lb braid is .013 +_.001diameter, same as 12lb mono/ FC, thus comparing apples to apples regarding size. The majority believe FC is the lowest visible of all fishing line, lower refraction of light, therefor the hardest line to see underwater for fish. Braid comes several colors from black, green, yellow and white, FC/ mono colors are similar with blue and red tones added.

Just for fun lets keep track of the Elite anglers fishing this years Classic at Gunthersville*. Gunthersville is representative of the majority of bass reservoirs in regards to water clarity. What do you all think the pros will spool up and compete with; braid, FC, mono or braid w/FC leaders? What colors and line size?

My perdiction is: Swimbaits, Crankbait, Jerkbaits, jigs and worms using 12- 15 lb clear FC, no braid or mono.

If the bite is tough they will drop shot using 6-10 clear FC on spinning gear, no braid , possible braid w/leaders.

Tom

PS, the lateral line is used to detect distant underwater sound vibrations, early warning system. Bass are primarily sight feeders, big well developed eyes to determine what the prey is. Hearing is used for close proximity sounds. I don't believe line plays into any of the senses, except sight.

* late Feb, winter to pre spawn transition, few weed beds.

[bigbill]

Bass can see colors, which certain colors can be limited at times with lure colors. Yet I have seen bass on a frenzy so bad any color works but even a large bare hook might work too.

Seeing and understanding the colors of lures why not having the line color influence the bass too? It seems correct to me between Dr Loren hills tests with different colors with bass why not line color too?

[FrankW]

I live in central Florida and fish a spring fed river that is renowned for its clarity.  It is a relative small river and has a lot of boat traffic and tubers.  There are lots of bass and you can see them easily in shallow areas.  One section I fish is about 40' wide and 2' to 3' deep.  I started fishing this section with a spinning rod with 20lb PP braid and a three inch Senko.  The fish line up facing up stream  in a long string of fish with 10 to 20 fish.  If I park on the same side of the river that they are on and cast forward the fish all move over so the line is not on top of them.  If I move my boat over and cast forward again they will move back to the same spot.  If a boat or tuber goes by they move over just like the do with the line.  My line is old and so is a white color and I can see it from boat to lure.

 

I found if I got to the side of the fish and drifted my bait to the fish and not line them that they would bite.  Much like fishing for trout in a river.  So I was able to catch these wary fish with braid and no leader as long as the line wasn't over top of them.  In later years I switched to a drop shot setup with FC.  Unless the line got right on top of them they didn't mind the FC line floating around them.  I found with the FC I could catch fish with not near as much fuss as to what my line was doing.

 

So there are circumstances that the line and not necessarily the color, will make a difference.  I fish hydrilla with braid all the time and the fish could care less about the line, if they can even tell it is there in the weeds. 

 

Frank

[bigbill]

But what I'm trying to say if bass can see lure colors than line color matters too. If I'm fishing a small unfished pond which I have. My fishing foot print on the water needs to be very small. The more I blend in to the natural surroundings the better off I am. I use clear, green or Cajun red for a reason it blends into the water conditions. The fish aren't spooked by it.

My cats are predators like the bass are if I add one thing New inside the house my cats will pick it out right away. Now your invading the basses home don't you think it knows your there.

Think about it. The more invisible we are the better.

Heavy test line.

I was catching bass like a pro on 6#, 8#, test. From shore? When I bumped up to 12#, 14# & 17# test I caught less fish. Seeing this I switched back and the bite was on again. The fish are line test sensitive.

The big bass aren't dumb or stupid. If they weren't smart they would never be that big.