Reeling in fish with FC line, kind of weird

[michael1]

Trying a lot of new stuff this year, one of them is trying fluorocarbon line. I put 12# Sunline Sniper on my KVD Tour crank bait rod that I put a new Curado K 6.3 reel on. I am used to using strictly braid on all my reels and how that feels when fighting a fish. Anyway, this weekend I had a SK RES on and caught 2 over 3 pounds and it just felt so weird fighting the fish. I know that FC has a bit more "stretch" to it but it was just such a different experience. When reeling the fish in I felt like I could not really tell where the fish was or what it was doing. Drag was set correctly and I just never felt like I was "hauling" the fish in. I kept looking at reel and could tell it was bringing in line on my spool or I would have thought it was taking line on me. I have no reason to think there is anything wrong with the line or the reel and I got both fish in without a problem, though. It reminded me of earlier in the week when I got snagged on a limb. I couldn't tell if I had a fish or was hung up so I started pulling and reeling hard. With braid and reeling hard I quickly got to a point where you could tell you were not going to be able to reel anymore. But in this situation with FC it felt kind of "springy" an that the line had a lot more give and that it sort of dug into the line on the spool some. IDK, I guess I am just asking if this is how it is supposed to feel and I should stay with it or if I should change settings with the drag or something?

[Hammer 4]

Just my humble opinion, but I think everyone should fish with all 3 types of line, braid, fluro and mono. That way you get a feel of how each line works. One type isn't better than the other, each line has it's place. 

 

You may have your drag set to lightly, I never experienced that, so that's only a guess.

[michael1]

2 minutes ago, Hammer 4 said:

Just my humble opinion, but I think everyone should fish with all 3 types of line, braid, fluro and mono. That way you get a feel of how each line works. One type isn't better than the other, each line has it's place. 

 

You may have your drag set to lightly, I never experienced that, so that's only a guess.

I never heard, saw or felt line being taken from the spool, though, so IDK what to think.

[Ogandrews]

I fish 100% braid to a leader or straight braid and whenever I have tried out floro as a main line, usually once a year or so, I feel the same way. Feels like I don’t have control of the fish like I do with braid, and I just can’t get used to the loss of sensitivity without braid. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion but in my experience there is no situation where braid to a leader or straight braid is beat by straight floro or mono. I know talking about braid to a leader brings out some strong opinions on this forum so I’m not trying to start am argument, I’m just saying that for my fishing there is no reason to use straight floro or mono.

[Fishes in trees]

Most other lines stretch more than braid does, so there is probably a learning curve there.   My experience has been that fluorocarbon stretches less than mono, but I haven't tried all brands of fluorocarbon or mono either for that matter.

Crank bait rods are inherently more flexible than other technique specific rods, maybe that was it.  Maybe the drag was a little loose, I don't know. 

 

You are experimenting with new gear, so experiment, try different stuff and then decide.  Opinions of sensitivity don't translate into print real well.

[NHBull]

I got the same thing when I went from braid to FC for JB.  I have settled on Defier and it’s a great compromise.  Less stretch than many FC’s......

additionally, if your using the right rod, your drag can be snugged up a bit

[Cgrinder]

Sniper is also pretty stretchy. Definitely will take some getting used to swapping from braid.

[Team9nine]

Totally normal. That’s what happens when you start out with all braid. There’s a learning curve, and going backwards on it is more difficult than going forward. Braid doesn’t belong on a baitcaster, except for a few instances where it does (MHO), but you’re probably stuck using it for most everything now. In the end, you just have to go with what works for you.

[FryDog62]

2 hours ago, NHBull said:

I got the same thing when I went from braid to FC for JB.  I have settled on Defier and it’s a great compromise.  Less stretch than many FC’s......

additionally, if your using the right rod, your drag can be snugged up a bit

Curious which Defier you are using - the regular nylon or Armilo?  I started using Advance Mono last year in an effort to find the lowest stretch non-braid line.  Have liked it a lot so far, but always open to other ideas.  Thx

[Kletust]

Just keep using it for a bit.  So much of what we do and like as fishermen is based on feel.  With braid you will feel the movement every time line goes in or out of your rod.  With FC it's smooth so you don't get that sensation.  I was used to smooth lines the first time I tried braid.  I almost threw it out because it felt to me like I was running sandpaper through my guides.  It's not really that you have that much less control.  It's just that you are used to feeling the movement of the line while fighting a fish.  It just takes a bit to get used to the quiet.

[QUAKEnSHAKE]

One of the best qualities of braid that I mention over and over, enhanced feel of the fight. Braid gives much more feedback on what the fish is doing making the retrieval of the fish more enjoyable than with dead mono or FC lines. Sort of like the difference between an NRX(braid) and an Ugly Stick(FC).

[Armtx77]

I used FC on a week-long float on the Buffalo River  and it was not for me and I caught some fish on it. My brother started putting on the spare spools of 8lbs 832 on his rods...he really didn't like it.

 

I did like how well it held up. We got into a tight bend with a nice deep pool that I caught a bunch of smallies and hybrids out of, on a Rebel Wee Craw and I was really impressed how good that line looked and felt after about 10 or 11 fish in about 20 minutes.

 

My biggest issue is that it just doesn't have the feedback I'm looking for and it felt like a wet noodle when setting the hook.

[PhishLI]

On 4/28/2020 at 12:18 AM, michael1 said:

it just felt so weird fighting the fish

I use 15lb Trilene 100% Fluoro on the same reel and it feels less weird and far more connected than the 12lb. I didn't care for 12lb at all, but actually like fishing with the 15lb. I can feel bites rather well with it and the stretch compared to braid can be useful sometimes.

[OnthePotomac]

I have been using 15lb Invizx for so many years with pump and reel, pump and reel. that I am happy with my choice.  Anyway, they don't come off LOL

[JediAmoeba]

On 4/28/2020 at 8:47 AM, Team9nine said:

Braid doesn’t belong on a baitcaster, except for a few instances where it does

I started on braid with a baitcaster 25 years ago and have never looked back.  I have no problem using straight mono or fluoro but still prefer the feel and control of braid.  I employ leaders for the most part, anywhere from 6' to 30' depending on what I am doing. 

 

I have always felt braid was especially made for baitcasters as it is way easier to handle and you dont have to worry about random knots/loops forming like on spinning rigs...