The Maestro Posted February 1, 2019 Posted February 1, 2019 Personally I run braid on all my rigs. I just prefer it from a line management perspective as well as sensitivity + it's just more fun to set hook and fight the fish with no stretch in the line. I do sometimes wonder if I'm potentially spooking some fish with it though. I mostly fish in pretty heavy weeds so I doubt it makes any difference there, but sometimes I'll fish more open/clear water situations.
Super User Sam Posted February 1, 2019 Super User Posted February 1, 2019 No, but using different line-test levels did. Different line-tests gives your moving and plastic baits different looks and depths. 3 1
The Maestro Posted February 1, 2019 Author Posted February 1, 2019 1 minute ago, Sam said: No, but using different line-test levels did. Different line-tests gives your moving and plastic baits different looks and depths. What type of line are you talking about? Braid is pretty limp until you get into really high strength.
Super User WRB Posted February 1, 2019 Super User Posted February 1, 2019 I haven't caught a single giant bass on FC line but broke a few. Started using Sunline Shooter FC line in 1995 or 24 years ago and haven't noticed any difference in catch rates per man hour fished verses mono line. Strike detection is slightly better for bottom bumping lures like jigs and worms but random knot failures off sets any advantage in putting bass in the boat. Tom 5 1
Super User Sam Posted February 1, 2019 Super User Posted February 1, 2019 Hi Joe. You asked if switching to fluorocarbon gets you more bites. I have no idea. All I know is that by using different line test levels for different presentations and baits can produce more bites or at least put your bait in the strike zone. Braid is limp and is a great line to use for so many applications. Many pros are switching to braid with and without a fluorocarbon leader. I use braid almost exclusively other than for my YoZuri, my fluorocarbon and my monofilament lines for specific baits, like frogs, crankbaits, buzzbaits, spinnerbaits, and plastics, etc. But I use braid for these baits, too. Each line has its own properties and they all perform as advertised. It is up to you to decide how deep you want your bait to go; how fast it falls; will it withstand hitting and sliding across structure; is it limp or heavy; any backlash problems; any line spinning off your spinning reels as the test is too low (4 pound test for example); how it performs for specific applications (shaky head, drop shot, Carolina rig, Ned rig, etc.) and any other factors that impact how and where you fish. I was brought up with the understanding you throw mono for treble hook baits; fluoro for all other baits; and braid on special occasions when fishing grass and pads. In today's world, you can use any line you wish as long as the test matches your rod's line-test parameters. I am going with braid most of the time now and have not seen any decline in hits. To determine the most effective line test, take the low and high parameters as illustrated on your rod, add them together, and divide by 2. You will have an idea of the best performance of the line, reel and rod based on your average line test. The fun part of bass fishing is experimenting with your tackle. So please hit the water with different lines and tests to find the line type and test levels you have the most confidence. No go watch those Flyers tear up the conference and win it. Then again......... 1
The Maestro Posted February 1, 2019 Author Posted February 1, 2019 4 minutes ago, WRB said: I haven't caught a single giant bass on FC line but broke a few. Started using Sunline Shooter FC line in 1995 or 24 years ago and haven't noticed any difference in catch rates per man hour fished verses mono line. Strike detection is slightly better for bottom bumping lures like jigs and worms but random knot failures off sets any advantage in putting bass in the boat. Tom Thanks for the reply. I guess I should have specified switching from braid to flouro. I'm guessing the difference in visibility from mono to flouro would be less than from braid to flouro.
BassHawg2293 Posted February 1, 2019 Posted February 1, 2019 I mostly use copolymer. I decided to do this after fishing with a guy in a tournament that caught literally 30 bass to my 1. We were both using the same bait on a shakey head. I was using pure monofilament and he was using a braid to flurocarbon leader. Yes I was on the back of the boat, but that doesn't explain the difference and since I started using both floro and copolymer as leader material, my bites have increased. 1
Super User A-Jay Posted February 1, 2019 Super User Posted February 1, 2019 My introduction to braid occurred while I was still and mostly a saltwater angler. Loved it for just about everything I did; Surf casting, inshore & offshore. When I retired and made the switch to exclusively sweet water (insert moved away from the coast) I went with what I knew - braid & a leader. Just down sized as needed. Work well. When Fluorocarbon hit the scene, I tried that - my experience was not good - no knot strength at all. Went back to braid & leader for everything. Fast forward a few more years - while I had all but written it off, several anglers who I respect, (many of them BR members) were using fluorocarbon effectively and recording very good results. I gave it another try. It had improved. I had nearly none of the previous 'problems' I'd experienced in the past. So, I added it's use where applicable, in all my fishing. That includes but is not limited to, most all moving baits (except topwater), as well as light cover bottom contact baits. Presentations where I still use braid are anything in the slop, (frogs, pitching / flipping etc), all my spinning gear, and anything where I may need a super long distance hookset. Now to answer the OP question - Do I get More Bites ? Although I've never actually fished the two side by side and tabulated the results, my personal impression is while I may or may not get more bites, per se. I do believe that I put more fish in the net. Braid is loud, I jumped off & pulled more hooks with braid, and where needed, I'm spending less (or no) time re-rigging leaders. Finally, I never fished braid south of the border, ever - guides hated it. Always used 20 lb mono. I was very leery about trying fluorocarbon there just because if I lost the fish of a life time - I'd be very hurt. Took a flier this last trip - which as insanely great - I used 20 & 25 lb Tatsu - the entire trip. Never had a problem. Not one. So there's that. A-Jay PS - late edit. Although I use 'quality products', which are advertised as 'durable' and for the most part, they are - I still end for end & change out my line right before "I think I need to". So I'm rarely fishing - stressed line - and that goes for every type line I use. Seems to help quite a bit. If you prefer to fish your line for several seasons before changing it - stick with braid. 1 2
The Maestro Posted February 1, 2019 Author Posted February 1, 2019 I also recall reading about a study that was done to answer the question of whether or not bass can see line. They determined that bass have a hard time seeing anything that's less than the thickness of a nickel.
FCPhil Posted February 1, 2019 Posted February 1, 2019 Very little experience with Flourocarbon but when I have tried it I too have run into knot failure issues. I fish straight braid all the time, I like the comfort of knowing line failure is going to be a non issue. I fish a lot of reaction baits though. 1
Glaucus Posted February 1, 2019 Posted February 1, 2019 Nope. I used to be on the fluoro bandwagon to get any advantage I could. Didn't notice a difference and the line breaking sucked. And of course the idea that the line will scare the fish away but your shiny hook and weights and wires and all sorts of pieces to a lure won't is laughable. Total marketing gimmick. Line diameter matters more. 1
Super User MN Fisher Posted February 1, 2019 Super User Posted February 1, 2019 On my BCs I use nothing but braid. On my spinners it depends on the application. Deep running lures I use FC, but everything else I use Mono. As others have said, it's the diameter of the line that's the issue, not what type. Since braid is thinner per pound test, I use it for the heavier lines (20# and 50#) My FC is 12# (Trion), my mono is 8# (Avocet-finesse) and 4# (640-UL rig). Just for a change of pace, I'm putting 12# Fireline on my Cardinal this year as an 'all around' rig. 1
MAN Posted February 1, 2019 Posted February 1, 2019 I didn't notice a difference in the catch ratio. Didn't care for it either after about a year or so and went back to Berkley Big Game on all my spinning and baitcast reels. I tried to fix something that wasn't broke for me. 1 1
Dangerfield Posted February 1, 2019 Posted February 1, 2019 I tried FC (Sunline FC Sniper 18# & Maxima 12# FC leader) after the many glowing reviews and I ended up with more breakoffs than knot failures. I'm still a novice on the water and I may have stressed the line too much but I digress. All my reels, spin or cast, are braid to a leader (when necessary), except my cranking rig which I'm experimenting with YZH as a long leader (40 yards). I use a bloodknot for all my connections, zero confidence in the double uni, alberto etc. PP Maxcurato braid on my baitcasters and I'm experimenting with 12# Sufix Nanobraid on my spinning outfit. 1
PLfishing Posted February 1, 2019 Posted February 1, 2019 I'm not sure that using flouro has caught me more fish but switching to flouro can be better when fished in pressured lakes or clear water as flouro is less visibile compared to mono or braid. Flouro also has less stretch than mono, but that's for another topic. 1
Super User Jig Man Posted February 1, 2019 Super User Posted February 1, 2019 Yes it did. I took a guy a few years ago. He beat me like a left handed, red headed, step child. I was using 10# mono and he was using 12# fluorocarbon. We went again. I just knew I could hold my own with him. I couldn't. I now have at least 10 setups with fluorocarbon. I took him last week and had 23 to his 12. I'll stick with it. 2 1
Global Moderator TnRiver46 Posted February 1, 2019 Global Moderator Posted February 1, 2019 I like floro for two applications: 1) leaders - although mono leaders work too 2) I always keep a rod spooled with 10 lb floro for suspending jerkbaits in winter. They just seem to suspend better with it (x rap). Also this must be a baitcaster, tried straight floro on a spinning rod once..... holy crap don’t do that 1 1
The Maestro Posted February 1, 2019 Author Posted February 1, 2019 8 minutes ago, Jig Man said: Yes it did. I took a guy a few years ago. He beat me like a left handed, red headed, step child. I was using 10# mono and he was using 12# fluorocarbon. We went again. I just knew I could hold my own with him. I couldn't. I now have at least 10 setups with fluorocarbon. I took him last week and had 23 to his 12. I'll stick with it. Interesting. In the early stages of getting serious about bass fishing I joined a club as a non-boater. For one tourney I drew a well known angler on the local scene (he went on to win a major event in FLW in the US) I asked him why he was using flouro and he recounted a similar story to yours. 8 minutes ago, Jig Man said: Yes it did. I took a guy a few years ago. He beat me like a left handed, red headed, step child. I was using 10# mono and he was using 12# fluorocarbon. We went again. I just knew I could hold my own with him. I couldn't. I now have at least 10 setups with fluorocarbon. I took him last week and had 23 to his 12. I'll stick with it. I tried straight flouro on a spinning reel once. Stripped it off and threw it out right in the boat first time out.
Super User MassYak85 Posted February 1, 2019 Super User Posted February 1, 2019 I have a spool of Sunline Sniper lying around but I've pretty much switched to all braid + mono (Maxima) leaders, and straight braid when fishing thick vegetation. I do run strait P-Line PF copoly for treble hook swimbaits though. As for more bites...I don't think line visibility itself is super important unless you're fishing clear water (I'm not about to switch to straight neon yellow braid though) but the slack line sensitivity of fluoro is impressive from my short time using it, which can make a difference in hooking and landing the bites you do get for sure.
Super User soflabasser Posted February 2, 2019 Super User Posted February 2, 2019 Have caught plenty of big bass on Berkeley big game mono or straight braid in both clear and murky water. I find the knot strength of flourocarbon to be below my expectations and less than the knot strength/ abrasion resistance of a quality mono line.
Super User Bankbeater Posted February 2, 2019 Super User Posted February 2, 2019 The only time I ever saw a difference between fluoro and braid was in clear water that saw heavy fishing pressure. The fluoro always seemed to do better.
Global Moderator Bluebasser86 Posted February 2, 2019 Global Moderator Posted February 2, 2019 When it was needed, yes it caught me fish. Did it catch me more fish? No way of telling but I wouldn't use it if I didn't believe it didn't give me an advantage at times.
Logan S Posted February 2, 2019 Posted February 2, 2019 I wouldn't use it if I didn't think it was the most effective choice...Same goes for the other lines, they all have a place. More bites is tough to say...Though I did have an experience once that seemed to suggest the flouro made all the difference. Fishing Lake Erie, dropshotting in 40 to 60' using braid/leader. First day we did very well on that setup...Second day not so much. Ran into a buddy who said he swapped to flouro and started catching. I swapped my spools over to one with straight 8lb flouro right there on the water and sure enough, the bites all returned. Same exact rod, reel, bait, weight, etc in the same areas...Only difference was swapping my spool to one with flouro. Not sure what difference really was, I suspect it was the way the bait moved with the chop on the lake and the drifts we were doing...But it was definitely better.
Super User geo g Posted February 2, 2019 Super User Posted February 2, 2019 Its. Hard to tell if I get more bites with Floro, but I think so. One thing I can tell you the hookup rate is better. I detect more Initial bites, the hook set is better, little line stretch, and I usually out fish those using other lines. Not all floro’s are the same quality. Trilene profession grade is what I use, love it. I have used it for 10 years. 1
mheichelbech Posted February 2, 2019 Posted February 2, 2019 Hopefully not too far of a tangent but I wonder why you see the pros throwing Fluoro so much? Are they just selling? Are there specific applications, such as jerkbaits, where it is a lot better?
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