The, "Line-Shy" debate

[Kenny Yi]

It doesn't really matter to me, I switch line for cover and not line-shyness.  Fluorocarbon for rocks or tough cover and braid for grass. 

 

Who knows?

[Catt]

1 hour ago, N Florida Mike said:

The clearer the water= yes

The more stained water= no.

 

 

Depends on what's in the water, I fish crystal clear water here that's full of vegetation. 

 

Highly doubt a bass can pick out Power Pro in Coontail.

[CrankFate]

I don’t know. I have to think in crystal clear water it makes a difference. Because I see the fish looking at the braid and not biting what’s attached to it.

[RDB]

I really don’t see why this is controversial.  Personally I have no doubt that fish have the ability to see line (especially static line).  Just look at how often sunfish peck at your line a few feet below the water.  I also don’t think it’s controversial to say fish adapt to their environments and experiences.  Just like everything else in nature, why is it hard to believe individual fish may act individually.  Relate it to hunting.  Ever had a buck come in without a care in the world but another who can’t take a step without looking around for 10 minutes.  I’ve had numerous bucks duck an arrow over the years.  Sometimes they may come in the same way the next day, others might hang up or completely change their route, and others I may never see again.  Are all fish line shy...I highly doubt it.  But I think it is reasonable to believe that some bass may be line shy, not because it’s Power Pro v. Smackdown but because some are more wary by nature.  We do our best to limit our footprint when we are hunting, why wouldn’t we do the same when we are fishing.

 

Edit:  Sorry...I’m not very good at following instructions.  I think I might have gone slightly over a 1 word answer.

[Scott F]

No. I fish clear water all the time, always with braid, never with a leader. Never had any reason to believe bass are line shy.

[scaleface]

They can be . Yes .

[gim]

Yes

 

Color or type of line is a factor I can control, so I will control it whether or not a bass can see it and is line shy.

[the reel ess]

They'll bite an Alabama rig and it's a wire umbrella. I use a 15# mono leader most of the time. But my jig rod is straight 30# braid. My frog rod is straight 50# braid. I still get bites on them, even out in open water sometimes. It's important to note that the water is rarely "clear" here, usually at least stained, often green.

[ironbjorn]

I will never wrap my head around people who claim line shyness is a fact but ignore the wires, hooks, blades, weights, etc of a bait. If line shyness was true bass would only bite weightless soft plastics with small buried hooks.

[Deleted account]

Line shy, No.

Less bites from using too large a line because it changes the action or behavior of a particular bait, Yes.

[Bankbeater]

In the pressured ponds and small lakes I fish, yes.

[TnRiver46]

24 minutes ago, ironbjorn said:

I will never wrap my head around people who claim line shyness is a fact but ignore the wires, hooks, blades, weights, etc of a bait. If line shyness was true bass would only bite weightless soft plastics with small buried hooks.

From what I understand that’s all they bite in Southern California . Which is where people started finesse fishing........ with you guessed it, light line! 

[Black Hawk Basser]

I don't think so.  Too much credit for a tiny brain.

[GreenPig]

Yes when crawling a Ned/Micro Jig but No when gliding a 10.5" swimbait.

[scaleface]

I asked Randy Blaukat this very question on his Youtube channel . He said definitely yes .  I have personally witnessed line shy and lure shy bass .  

[soflabasser]

I have learned that bass do whatever they want, whenever they want. Have caught bass on 100 pound test mono while fishing for other species, on brightly colored braid, cutbait, hotdogs, bread, and on a bare hook to give some examples.

[RDB]

Bass bite for multiple reasons.  I am not as concerned about line for moving baits because I am generally looking for a reaction strike.  Who knows...maybe the naysayers are right and bass are the only creatures in the animal kingdom that are never wary and are incapable of learning from their environments.  Maybe every single bass reacts the exact same way and there are really no differences.  Maybe I should always choose a spinnerbait on dead slick day and everyone that says they are not as effective without a little chop are just morons.  Maybe I need to be less concerned with boat noise or getting too close as there have been times when I drifted over a bass in 3ft of water and they didn’t move.

 

If rational for not believing that it’s possible is you have caught fish with XYZ, then so be it.  I once shot a deer in camp standing in my boxers but that doesn’t mean I hung a stand there.

28 minutes ago, soflabasser said:

I have learned that bass do whatever they want, whenever they want. Have caught bass on 100 pound test mono while fishing for other species, on brightly colored braid, cutbait, hotdogs, bread, and on a bare hook to give some examples.

Then why not save a ton of money and just fish with a bare hook?

[MickD]

7 hours ago, Jigsaw 2/8 said:

 

 

 

[RDB]

12 minutes ago, MickD said:

And you asked for a simple yes or no answer?  Jeez!

This is just one of those discussions where people think they have the one size fits all answer and it bugs me.  I’m always amazed when people can agonize over having 4 strands of blue in their jig but can’t “wrap their head” around the possibility that their method of delivery could influence some bass.

[king fisher]

Bass I don't know.  Some other species of fish, definite yes.

[soflabasser]

This is a typical winter time thread, always fun to see people's answers on subjects like this. Bass do whatever they want, whenever they want. Funny how the Alabama rig is outlawed in some bass tournaments since it is so effective yet some swear that finesse fishing is the only way to catch a bass.

[CrankFate]

I’ll just throw this factor that’s not always considered out there. They use a lot of different senses. Vision, color, smell, taste, sound, lateral line (which feels all kinds of things). I think that water conditions affect the other senses. So heat, cold, sun, darkness, stainedness, substances in the water (bacteria, chemicals, etc), oxygen levels, water and air pressure all have certain effects on certain senses. I’m not pretending to know which thing affects what, but I think all of these things have an affect on how the fish respond to things like fishing line.

[Catt]

Do I believe bass can see our lines?

 

Yes!

 

Do I believe they know what it is?

 

No!

[Bird]

Yes or no, does it effect your confidence ?

I disagree with as many posts that I agree with but remain anonymous. Lol

[JustJames]

Line shy no line awareness yes.