Does braid color matter?

[skekoam]

I just ordered some Sufix 832  in neon lime 40# braid for my new reel.  It looks really cool but wondering if the brightness will have any affect on my fishing.  I do plan to do a fluoro leader fwiw.

 

thanks!!

[Grim_Reaver]

If you're concerned about the fish seeing it, the answer is no. You could probably go straight braid and they wouldn't care. The bright green will make detecting bites on bottom bouncing baits much easier.

[Chris at Tech]

If it concerns you, two easy fixes to give you confidence.

 

First, color the last ~10 ft of braid with a black marker.  Secondly, use a leader of decent length.

[LCG]

I use hi viz yellow all the time with a leader. Best of both worlds. 

[papajoe222]

I teach kids how to detect bites by watching their line and a high visibility braid is what I have for them to use. I tie on a shorter leader than most guys use, I'm getting back to using it for my own fishing as my eyesight isn't as good as it once was.

[soflabasser]

I use straight green braid for frog fishing and catch lots of nice bass that way. 

[MN Fisher]

Fish in my profile pic? Spinnerbait on green braid...no leader.

[basser27]

Line visibility is one of the last things I’d be concerned about. I use leaders mainly for ease of breaking off and abrasion resistance. Fishing around lots of grass never use a leader 

[Cgrinder]

Put me in the "sometimes, yeah" camp. I think some fish in certain situations may be line shy. Does it matter all that much? Probably not. Do I run straight fluorocarbon unless I'm frogging or in veg? Probably yes. Can fish see 17-20 lb fluorocarbon as well as say 50 lb dark green braid? Maybe? Paging WRB.

 

Also put me in the "run a leader with braid when possible" camp. Breaking off a snag is gnarly otherwise.

[roadwarrior]

I like my gear to be color coordinated or contrast, but the fish don't care.

 

 

[waymont]

I only use yellow Power Pro and tie a leader of 5-6'. You can use a Sharpie to color the last few feet too.

Seems like it's about 50/50 on here about straight braid, and bass not caring about it.

I go straight with some presentations too.

[michaelb]

20 hours ago, Chris at Tech said:

If it concerns you, two easy fixes to give you confidence.

 

First, color the last ~10 ft of braid with a black marker.  Secondly, use a leader of decent length.

I have no idea if bass can see lines or if line color matters. I do worry about this too. It seems like light thin line will at times catch more fish, but that may be how it impacts the motion of the worm more than being invisible.

 

But, in terms of coloring the braid. How do we have any idea this is better? doesn't that just make the last 10 ft "black" and wouldn't that potentially make that line more visible, or at least possibly more visible? 

[The Bassman]

FWIW that cool green becomes a washed out chartreuse in no time anyhow.

[Vilas15]

I dont think so. And even if it did, you've got a leader. Go for it, I use white braid since I like the look and I dont need to worry about the color fading since all braid starts out white.

[Dens228]

26 minutes ago, Vilas15 said:

I dont think so. And even if it did, you've got a leader. Go for it, I use white braid since I like the look and I dont need to worry about the color fading since all braid starts out white.

And ends up white!  LOL

 

[Vilas15]

11 minutes ago, Dens228 said:

And ends up white!  LOL

 

Exactly! Thats more what I meant since the dye washes out.

[ATA]

On 4/30/2020 at 2:17 PM, skekoam said:

I just ordered some Sufix 832  in neon lime 40# braid for my new reel.  It looks really cool but wondering if the brightness will have any affect on my fishing.  I do plan to do a fluoro leader fwiw.

 

thanks!!

ive seen a video that test the color of braid under water in clear water and in my surprise, white was almost invisible under water, so if you don't want to see your line use white, but if there is application that you need to watch your line to detect A bite, then use high vis yellow.

[CrankFate]

Yes, the fish can see the line. But they don’t always care. I’ve seen them look at the line watch it go by and then roll their eyes at me when they see the fluorocarbon leader followed by the bait. Other times they just attack. I like line I can see for several applications. Especially when I’ll be fishing stop and go or let it fall. Plus, you can make your gear look cool with colors.

[Armtx77]

I have been fishing some small rivers lately and have been using 10lbs Coastal Camo 832 on my spinning gear and relatively clean water. I have watched spotted bass eyeball up a YUM craw and when a twitched it...LIGHTS OUT! 

 

Thanks for the reminder, I need to order some more 3" craws.

[Ogandrews]

If you are worried about it than do what I do and fish with 15-20ft mono/floro leaders. If you haven’t already, play around with using mono instead of floro for your leader material. The only time I will use floro is if I am using a jerkbait or if I’m using 60-200lbs floro as a musky/ pike leader. Everything else is mono because it holds knots better, has better shock resistance, and gives that little bit more stretch to help them stay pinned. The benefits of floro is vastly overrated In my opinion, people just assume they need to use it because that’s what pros and tackle companies tell them to buy.

[evo2s197]

On 4/30/2020 at 2:17 PM, skekoam said:

I just ordered some Sufix 832  in neon lime 40# braid for my new reel.  It looks really cool but wondering if the brightness will have any affect on my fishing.  I do plan to do a fluoro leader fwiw.

 

thanks!!

I have had one instance a few years ago when it was clear as day the hi-vis braid was negatively affecting my fishing.

 

Me and a buddy were fishing a flat that was about 10 feet deep, I was dragging a split shot roboworm, he was fishing a light weight texas worm through sparse brush.

 

We both know that this particular body of water is killer when employing a split shot in shallow water and Carolina rig in the deep areas.

 

Both of us had braid with a flourocarbon leader, his braid was typical dark green and mine was a hi-vis yellow, in 1 hour he caught 5 to my 1, I immediately switched rods with the same setup but with dark green braid and a flourocarbon  leader and proceeded to out fish his texas rig in the same area we just went through, both of us were surprised that the braid color inhibited my catch rates.

 

We repeated this test throughout the day with the same results.

 

This was the first time I have used this particular braid in shallow water I usually use it for deep water dropshot with no negative affect on catch ratio.

 

After this incident I'm sticking to Low- Vis braid.