Braid Colors......??

[Crow Horse]

With all the choices of color, is this just marketing or does it make a significant difference to the bass. Obviously hi vis line makes it easier for us, but what happens underwater and more importantly, what do the bass see (or not see) ?.......

[new2BC4bass]

Can't speak for the bass, but I like the different colored braids.  I doubt it makes a difference in fish caught as I am fishing in slop...most of the time...if I am using braid.

 

I am pretty sure a search will turn up many articles on this subject.

[JT Bagwell]

I don't know if fish can see it or not but I don't use braid in clear water. With that said, when I am throwing braid, most of the time I got for Yellow Cortland Master braid. I can see the line so much better and it allows me to more easily detect that strikes visually, long before I could feel them.

[Scott F]

I’m sure fish can see ALL fishing lines, even those that are supposed to be invisible. The question is, does it matter?  Do they have the mental ability to reason? To reason that because there is something attached to what is food, Then they shouldn’t eat it? If they are that smart, then they should also be smart enough not to eat hunks of plastic with hooks hanging from it. 

If YOU think it matters, and don’t have confidence that a visible line will still catch fish, stick with what you THINK will work best. 

[LCG]

Some say yes. Some say no. Personally caught them both straight braid and with a leader. Personally I still have more confidence with a leader, it might be in my head though. 

[Yumeya]

Hi-vis for me, fluorocarbon leader for the fish

[Lottabass]

I'm with Scott F.  YOUR confidence in what you're doing is the most important.  Moving your lure at the correct speed and depth is what catches fish.  I use bright yellow braid so I can see the strikes.

[ChrisD46]

4 hours ago, Yumeya said:

Hi-vis for me, fluorocarbon leader for the fish

*Nicely stated ! ... Straight green color braid though for Frogs on top of the salad or flipping / punching into the spinach .

[Hulkster]

doesn't all braid fade eventually? i have always thought that because of this, the color is there for marketing/attract us fishermen/women, not necessarily for its benefits since after a while its all pale anyway?

 

or have they finally figured out how to make a braid which color doesn't leach out?

[waymont]

I only use yellow original recipe Power Pro in 8,10,15,30, green in 50lb for frogging.

[YaknBassn]

I use bright colors on bottom contact lures.  I go back and forth on leaders matter for visibility.

 

Just last weekend I landed a 5lber using bright yellow braid in clear spring water.  

 

I dont know if it matters to the fish or not.  I enjoy using braid because it's easy to manage.  I'll use a leader when fishing rocks and timber, but straight braid most of the time.

 

[hwright38]

On 4/1/2019 at 6:55 PM, Scott F said:

Do they have the mental ability to reason? To reason that because there is something attached to what is food, Then they shouldn’t eat it?

That's not really the argument though. Obviously a fish isn't thinking there's something trying to trick it into thinking this is food. Visible line would make a wary fish uncomfortable though, and may spook it into not biting. There's definitely squirrelly enough fish that line choice matters in terms of visibility.

 

However, a leader all but eliminates that worry in all but the clearest of waters (and even then, a 20ft+ leader is probably going to get your hi-vis braid out of the way). 

 

To answer OP, bass have a very keen eye, and can see color very well. They're not particularly observant however, and usually (except in the above mentioned cases of clear water and/or spooky fish), the bass don't really care about line. I personally only use yellow braid (sufix performance 40# for casting, PowerPro 15# for spinning) with a fluoro leader, EXCEPT in a frogging/heavy pitching scenario where it's straight 50# green. I don't want to drag a highly visible, suspicious material right in front of a fish if he has a clear sight line to it. I've noticed I have a lot more success bed-fishing with a longer leader than I do with a shorter or even straight braid set-up.

[Yumeya]

14 hours ago, Hulkster said:

doesn't all braid fade eventually? i have always thought that because of this, the color is there for marketing/attract us fishermen/women, not necessarily for its benefits since after a while its all pale anyway?

 

or have they finally figured out how to make a braid which color doesn't leach out?

The only braid I have found that does not fade at all is the Vicious brand no-fade braid, I have been using it on a couple of bait casters for two years now and it looks new.

 

If Vicious would make a no-fade braid in Yellow and in 10lb that would be amazing.

[SJex]

On 4/2/2019 at 12:47 AM, Yumeya said:

Hi-vis for me, fluorocarbon leader for the fish

Fully agree with this.

[Deleted account]

I have not seen any indication that LMB are line shy in the least.

[smr913]

I was just fishing some really dirty water last week and had some hi vis yellow braid on one of my reels. I was surprised how well I could see my line in that mucky water. I had originally put the yellow line on because I thought it looked cool. Will probably get another spool of it next time I need one.

 

[Maggiesmaster]

On 4/1/2019 at 7:55 PM, Scott F said:

I’m sure fish can see ALL fishing lines, even those that are supposed to be invisible. The question is, does it matter?  Do they have the mental ability to reason? To reason that because there is something attached to what is food, Then they shouldn’t eat it? If they are that smart, then they should also be smart enough not to eat hunks of plastic with hooks hanging from it. 

If YOU think it matters, and don’t have confidence that a visible line will still catch fish, stick with what you THINK will work best. 

This may be true for bass, but line visibility DEFINITELY affects trout.  I have fished side by side with anglers using hi- is line, using the same lure, and they didn’t catch anything. Bass, bream and crappie May not be this line-shy. 

[dodgeguy]

Get your high vis and just permanent marker the last 10 feet black. You're good to go.

[OkobojiEagle]

Another variable to consider when trying to make the line less visible is line diameter.  Greater diameter = more visibility.

 

oe