Monofilament line

[Brad Reid]

13 hours ago, Boomstick said:

On my spinning reels, I almost always run braid to leader. On casting reels, I will run mono for topwater, braid for the reel I use for hollow body frogs and and usually fluorocarbon for cranks, spinnerbaits, jerkbaits, soft plastics, jigs and everything else.

 

I did consider using primarily mono last year as I find that I was often fishing rather shallow water and with fluorocarbon I found I was literally dragging by bait off of the bottom where with mono, it would bounce off the bottom. I used mono for these baits in 2017 without issue.

 

I would highly recommend Sufix Siege mono line. It's strong, abrasion resistant and has a much lower memory than other mono lines that I have used.

Glenn makes your exact point in his fine primer today on split shot Senko finesse fishing, that he wants the Senko which is dragging behind the lead sinker (up the line about 18") to bounce or float up each time he lifts the rod tip in his retrieve. Glenn is, in essence, recommending re-creating the dropping sensation the Senko is famous for several times after its original fall through the water column on a cast. In his video, he is using a copolymer line over fluorocarbon but generally recommending a line that is lighter than the latter, more invisible in clear water than braid.

 

A top monofilament would work great for this presentation.

 

Brad

[new2BC4bass]

Vast majority of my reels have a mono or co-polymer spooled.  I like Siege, AN40, Mean Green, Big Game and XXX.  Long ways from trying them all. 

 

I use a lot of 8# and 12#.

[Oregon Native]

Like Tom I'm doing the full circle of lines.  Still like the braid on my spinning but for other than frogging it's mono for me.  And leaders on the spinning I'm still using up my fluro.  The straw that broke the camels back was the ol fluro getting a kink in a backlash and "tink...."  there goes a spool of fluro.....

[Boomstick]

5 hours ago, Brad Reid said:

Glenn makes your exact point in his fine primer today on split shot Senko finesse fishing, that he wants the Senko which is dragging behind the lead sinker (up the line about 18") to bounce or float up each time he lifts the rod tip in his retrieve. Glenn is, in essence, recommending re-creating the dropping sensation the Senko is famous for several times after its original fall through the water column on a cast. In his video, he is using a copolymer line over fluorocarbon but generally recommending a line that is lighter than the latter, more invisible in clear water than braid.

 

A top monofilament would work great for this presentation.

 

Brad

That's a little bit different than what I meant. With a Senko it effects the action but I'm always hopping it of the bottom. A mono might drop a little faster, and they tend to hit it on the fall. So that is an advantage with mono.

Where I was running into issues is fishing with say a spinnerbait or a crankbait, which would drag along the bottom, stir up dirt, get caught inbetween rocks etc. In the same water with mono, it wouldn't sit quite as big of a deal because it runs higher in the water column, but would still hit the bottom but hop back up -- and at times hitting a rock on a bottom can trigger a bite.

[Team9nine]

Don't think I have any mono spooled on any outfit...except 1 crappie stick I rarely use. If it works for you, great! ?

[Tennessee Boy]

On 11/25/2018 at 6:45 AM, Mobasser said:

I also like the way mono lines handle and cast. 

Me too.

On 11/25/2018 at 6:45 AM, Mobasser said:

The last thing I want to fool with is constant line issues.

I've never caught a fish while messing with my line.

On 11/25/2018 at 6:45 AM, Mobasser said:

I personally think the sensitivity issue is over rated on flouro, braid lines, etc. Good jig and plastics fisherman develop a sense of what's going on with their baits, and it's much more than simply rod, reel, and line. This comes with practice and experience and takes time to learn, regardless of what line your using. I'm not trying to start another line debate here- we've had plenty of those. 

A-men.. Preach it brother!!!

On 11/25/2018 at 6:45 AM, Mobasser said:

Do you like, and/or prefer mono lines? 

I try something new every now and then but I've always come back to mono.  Braid has it's place but not so much in the fishing I do 90% of the time.

[Team9nine]

On 11/25/2018 at 6:45 AM, Mobasser said:

And lastly, I personally think the sensitivity issue is over rated on flouro, braid lines, etc. Good jig and plastics fisherman develop a sense of what's going on with their baits, and it's much more than simply rod, reel, and line. This comes with practice and experience and takes time to learn, regardless of what line your using.

Yes, but even after you develop "the sense" that comes with experience, you still can't get around the physical properties that make braid and fluoro more sensitive in many situations.

[Mobasser]

41 minutes ago, Tennessee Boy said:

Me too.

I've never caught a fish while messing with my line.

A-men.. Preach it brother!!!

I try something new every now and then but I've always come back to mono.  Braid has it's place but not so much in the fishing I do 90% of the time.

Tennessee Boy, this is my take on it. Many will disagree

[Mobasser]

40 minutes ago, Team9nine said:

Yes, but even after you develop "the sense" that comes with experience, you still can't get around the physical properties that make braid and fluoro more sensitive in many situations.

What really made me gunshy with this was FC on a spinning reel. Bad move for me. Spent the. better part of an afternoon jacking around with line issues. No fun! And very few bass! I've been tempted to try a light braid on spinning reels- with no leader. I can tie good knots, no problem there. It's the leader part that I don't like. I'm good to go on casting reels with Trilene Big Game. Affordable good qaulity

[Team9nine]

24 minutes ago, Mobasser said:

What really made me gunshy with this was FC on a spinning reel. Bad move for me. Spent the. better part of an afternoon jacking around with line issues. No fun! And very few bass! I've been tempted to try a light braid on spinning reels- with no leader. I can tie good knots, no problem there. It's the leader part that I don't like. I'm good to go on casting reels with Trilene Big Game. Affordable good qaulity

Sensitivity is just one aspect.  Fluoro can be touchy on spinning reels if not paired up well (spool size to line diameter). I'm about 80-90% braid on spinning reels myself, and ~90% fluoro on baitcasters.

[Mobasser]

34 minutes ago, Team9nine said:

Sensitivity is just one aspect.  Fluoro can be touchy on spinning reels if not paired up well (spool size to line diameter). I'm about 80-90% braid on spinning reels myself, and ~90% fluoro on baitcasters.

Are you always using a leader with braid?

[Team9nine]

1 hour ago, Mobasser said:

Are you always using a leader with braid?

Almost always, but almost never due to visibility issues.

[Bankbeater]

I use mono for almost everything now. Big Game on all my bc reels. I’m still trying out different types of mono for my spinning reels. 

[Brad Reid]

7 hours ago, Boomstick said:

That's a little bit different than what I meant. With a Senko it effects the action but I'm always hopping it of the bottom. A mono might drop a little faster, and they tend to hit it on the fall. So that is an advantage with mono.

Where I was running into issues is fishing with say a spinnerbait or a crankbait, which would drag along the bottom, stir up dirt, get caught inbetween rocks etc. In the same water with mono, it wouldn't sit quite as big of a deal because it runs higher in the water column, but would still hit the bottom but hop back up -- and at times hitting a rock on a bottom can trigger a bite.

"A mono might drop a little faster, and they tend to hit it on the fall." No, with mono, it (a Senko) would drop a little slower than with fluorocarbon. And, it (mono) would create more lift on any actions where an angler lifts or scoots a lure along the bottom to attract a fish's attention.

 

Still, not a huge difference. Glenn acknowledges this in his video and goes on to say that some will be more comfortable using something other than a copolymer, that it is just one of those slight adjustments that help.

 

Brad 

[Catt]

8 hours ago, Team9nine said:

, you still can't get around the physical properties that make braid and fluoro more sensitive in many situations

 

Sure I can!

 

I walk straight down aisle passed both to the Big Game!

[Team9nine]

11 hours ago, Catt said:

 

Sure I can!

 

I walk straight down aisle passed both to the Big Game!

No, that's just selecting your line of choice, not the more sensitive line. We all make a similar decision with each line purchase, preferring some characteristics or qualities over others. I just passed on the Big Game yesterday (Cyber Monday sale) and went with Tatsu myself ?

[WRB]

FC does have less coeffient of drag going through water then equal diameter Nylon monofilament fishing line creating less belly or sag in the line detween the rod tip and lure. The enhanced FC line movements we can detect as sensitivity. The thing is vibrations are damped by the water so only line movement that reaches the rod tip an be felt by touching the rod blank or line.

A skilled angler doesn't totally rely on line movements alone to detect strikes and that is why strike detection takes time on the water to develop regardless of line types being used. 

The only advantage braid has is it's smaller diameter, not the very low stretch factor.

Tom

[Hulkster]

I like Big Game on baitcasting, but i find it too stiff for spinning gear.

 

Sufix Siege is the only 'tough' mono I have found that is still limp enough to be using on spinning gear and still cast well.

 

for 8 and 10 pound test, it casts very well. I have also used heavier pound tests on a 4000 size reel for casting heavy spoons for salmon also. it casts great. 

[Catt]

1 hour ago, Team9nine said:

No, that's just selecting your line of choice

 

Exactly! 

 

1 hour ago, Team9nine said:

not the more sensitive line

 

In my hands it is the more sensitive!

 

1 hour ago, Team9nine said:

went with Tatsu myself ?

 

Yes sir have some coming  ?

[Mobasser]

1 hour ago, WRB said:

1 hour ago, WRB said:

FC does have less coeffient of drag going through water then equal diameter Nylon monofilament fishing line creating less belly or sag in the line detween the rod tip and lure. The enhanced FC line movements we can detect as sensitivity. The thing is vibrations are damped by the water so only line movement that reaches the rod tip an be felt by touching the rod blank or line.

A skilled angler doesn't totally rely on line movements alone to detect strikes and that is why strike detection takes time on the water to develop regardless of line types being used. 

The only advantage braid has is it's smaller diameter, not the very low stretch factor.

Tom

 

This is my whole point WRB. A skilled jig fisherman with mono, will outfish a run of the mill fisherman using FC or braid. It takes time and practice. No other way around it

[Boomstick]

16 hours ago, Brad Reid said:

"A mono might drop a little faster, and they tend to hit it on the fall." No, with mono, it (a Senko) would drop a little slower than with fluorocarbon. And, it (mono) would create more lift on any actions where an angler lifts or scoots a lure along the bottom to attract a fish's attention.

 

Still, not a huge difference. Glenn acknowledges this in his video and goes on to say that some will be more comfortable using something other than a copolymer, that it is just one of those slight adjustments that help.

 

Brad 

I meant fluorocarbon might drop faster, sorry.

[WRB]

There are presentations where FC can be an advantage or disadvantage. Top water lures disadvantage, tends to pull the front of the lure down. Very slow or dead sticking like split or slip shot disadvantage having sinking line laying on the bottom increases snagging. Less drag in the water with less belly line is an advantage for jigs and rigs being retreived along the bottom. Disadvantage when snagged as FC gets deformed when high pulling forces.

Tom

[Team9nine]

16 minutes ago, Mobasser said:

This is my whole point WRB. A skilled jig fisherman with mono, will outfish a run of the mill fisherman using FC or braid. It takes time and practice. No other way around it

I agree totally. But a skilled angler with braid or fluorocarbon will have a sensitivity/bite detection advantage over his same outfit with mono (nylon) in many instances.

[Tennessee Boy]

Tom's points about line sag are very important and often overlooked.  Line stretch and line sag have the same dampening effect between the bait and the angler.  I don't think anyone can deny line sag has a much larger impact.  I can feel every rock and every stick when I'm fishing a 3/4 oz weight on a Carolina rig with 40 feet of mono between me and the weight.  It's much more difficult when I'm fishing a t-rig with a 1/8 oz weight even with much less line between me and the bait.  Why,  because I can keep a tighter line with the heavier weight.  When I'm fishing a weightless Trickworm,  I'm watching my line very closely because it's hard to feel anything.  The best way to improve your connection with your lure is to increase the weight you fish with.  Of course increasing your weight can have many undesirable effects. 

 

The smaller diameter of braid offers real advantages due to its reduced drag. 

 

The lower stretch/higher sensitivity argument for braid and FC, while undeniable,  is wildly overrated in my opinion.  

[Team9nine]

4 minutes ago, Tennessee Boy said:

Tom's points about line sag are very important and often overlooked.  Line stretch and line sag have the same dampening effect between the bait and the angler.  I don't think anyone can deny line sag has a much larger impact.  I can feel every rock and every stick when I'm fishing a 3/4 oz weight on a Carolina rig with 40 feet of mono between me and the weight.  It's much more difficult when I'm fishing a t-rig with a 1/8 oz weight even with much less line between me and the bait.  Why,  because I can keep a tighter line with the heavier weight.  When I'm fishing a weightless Trickworm,  I'm watching my line very closely because it's hard to feel anything.  The best way to improve your connection with your lure is to increase the weight you fish with.  Of course increasing your weight can have many undesirable effects. 

 

The smaller diameter of braid offers real advantages due to its reduced drag. 

 

The lower stretch/higher sensitivity argument for braid and FC, while undeniable,  is wildly overrated in my opinion.  

The problem is that most anglers end up trying to match diameters of their braid to what their equivalent mono would be, completely negating one of the largest potential benefits of braid. Very common to read this "advice" in threads on this board.

 

On your latter point, there are a lot of component changes that can be made to most every setup to increase sensitivity beyond whatever you currently experience. As you point out though, there are tradeoffs with all these options, and each angler has to prioritize what is most important to him/her for a given presentation.