Is fluorocarbon good as main line on a baitcaster?

[Fisher0517]

I looked this up and it said it backlashes is this true? Or is it like every other line you just have to set your brakes and stuff right? It’s 15 pound flouro also if your wondering why I’m asking I got the Abu Garcia black max combo

[Str8BraidPowa]

I would suggest use braid as a main line. Learn a simple connection knot and you can fish braid, mono, or flouro.

I will tie a 6-10' leader most of the time and with a quick retie I can go from mono on a top water bait to flouro on a jig or or similar slow moving presentation that flouro is beneficial for.

[WRB]

For general bass fishing a premium monofilament line like Berkley Big Game 12# is good line. Learning to cast no reason to use anything else. 

I don’t use braid with a leader for the simple reason 2 knots to fail. Why bass anglers today use braid with a FC leader that has poor knot strength is beyond reason.

Tom

[the reel ess]

I really dislike Fluoro. Even if I used it, which I don't, I would only use a leader of it, with a braid mainline. It's stiff with a lot of memory. I have braid on all my combos except for my spinnerbait/buzzbait rod. But I'm reconsidering that one as well.

[MickD]

A lot of fishermen use FC on baitcasters and make it work.  A lot of fishermen, like I am, cannot make it work satisfactorily.  I don't like it because it is not nearly as manageable as mono or braid, and I don't like its stretch.  It doesn't work well on surface lures because it screws up their action when it sinks.  If you use braid, use about 40 pound test even though you don't need it that strong.  It's about getting the right diameter, not about the strength.  Braid too thin might dig into itself on the spool, and that can be a disaster.  I use braid and use a leader with it so I'm not always cutting off the main line and because it eliminates any doubt I may have about fish being line shy from the thick braid.

 

[galyonj]

1 minute ago, WRB said:

For general bass fishing a premium monofilament line like Berkley Big Game 12# is good line. Learning to cast no reason to use anything else. 

Tom

 

I agree. Big game's pretty good line that's caught a whole mess of fish for a bunch of people, but the real beauty of it for you, OP, is that it's cheap. Fluoro's just like any other line -- there are good and bad brands -- but it really hurts to ruin $20 worth of line when you blow it up.

 

Learn on cheap line. Then just keep using cheap line, because Big Game or Yo-Zuri Hybrid will do just fine even after you've learned to set your brakes and use your thumb.

[E-rude dude]

I use all 3 but flouro is my main line for almost everything. It depends on the bait and where you use it. You can’t buy the cheap stuff though. FC sniper is what I use. 
Braid has no stretch. Top water and heavy cover. 

Monofilament has a lot of stretch. Top water, buzz baits. medium to deep crank baits

Flouro falls in between them. For almost everything else.

[Str8BraidPowa]

13 minutes ago, WRB said:

For general bass fishing a premium monofilament line like Berkley Big Game 12# is good line. Learning to cast no reason to use anything else. 

I don’t use braid with a leader for the simple reason 2 knots to fail. Why bass anglers today use braid with a FC leader that has poor knot strength is beyond reason.

Tom

Ever feel like the smartest guy in the room called you stupid.....

 

I Listen to your advice on here quite a bit Tom, and will continue in my mistaken ways until I learn better. ? However OP listen to this guy he has more clues than most of us.

[roadwarrior]

21 minutes ago, WRB said:

Why bass anglers today use braid with a FC leader that has poor knot strength is beyond reason.

Visibility, abrasion resistance and the ability to break-off when necessary.  If tied properly, an

additional knot is not an issue.

 

[FishTank]

If you are just starting out,  I would go with a good quality cheap mono..... Big Game like mentioned above, Trilene XL,  Stren, or Sufix Elite.  For me, I personally like FC better but I am partial to Tatsu and Invizx and maybe Daiwa's new version.   I don't have any issues with backlashes, casting or line digging into the reel but I also like to think I have an educated thumb. 

[FryDog62]

Most fluorocarbons have improved, but it does help to use a quality line that isn't too stiff. I like Sniper and Tatsu best. Also buy some KVD line conditioner and practice, practice, practice - and prepare to fail occasionally. That's how you learn...

 

I will add this - learn how to unravel a bird's nest with fluorocarbon. Take your time and learn how it can tighten down on itself, and how to reverse and pick out. If need be, put a small piece of electrician's tape on your spool at about 5 feet past typical casting length to keep the line from totally lashing up.

 

Lastly, DO NOT watch videos on how to fix bird's nests by tightening down the drag, pressing your thumb against the spool and reeling. You may eventually get the line freed up - but you will cause little fractures in the brittle fluorocarbon in the process that have a tendency to break off later on when fighting a fish, snag, etc.  Seen it happen many times. This method works on braid but not on fluorocarbon! 

[dodgeguy]

It's ok until you backlash and kink it. Then that part of it is done.

[MN Fisher]

I've got FC as mainline on 3 of my BC rigs. As people have said, get a quality FC (I've got InvizX and Tatsu), use KVD L&L, and learn how to undo bird's nests carefully.

 

The 'crank down the drag, hold your thumb on the spool and reel it in' method is great for braid, lousy for FC and even Mono as it'll put kinks in the line - and a kink on FC is a 'death sentence'.

[gunsinger]

1 hour ago, Fisher0517 said:

I looked this up and it said it backlashes is this true? Or is it like every other line you just have to set your brakes and stuff right? It’s 15 pound flouro also if your wondering why I’m asking I got the Abu Garcia black max combo

I use 15lb FC on most of my BC reels and don't really see any particular issues with backlash that weren't attributable to my occasional bad casting technique.  However, if you're just getting started, I'd say a quality mono may be the better choice.  I do fish braid with a FC leader on my frog/jig setup.

[J Francho]

Been using it for decades. 

[the reel ess]

1 hour ago, galyonj said:

 

I agree. Big game's pretty good line that's caught a whole mess of fish for a bunch of people, but the real beauty of it for you, OP, is that it's cheap. Fluoro's just like any other line -- there are good and bad brands -- but it really hurts to ruin $20 worth of line when you blow it up.

 

Learn on cheap line. Then just keep using cheap line, because Big Game or Yo-Zuri Hybrid will do just fine even after you've learned to set your brakes and use your thumb.

Big Game is also a good, cheap backing for braid or fluoro if you want to use those. It's what I use as backing for my braid. I also keep a spool of it in my bag. It has saved the day for me when I hopelessly backlashed a reel full of braid. It'll do for most techniques I use in a pinch.

[Mike L]

Other than for 2 presentations that I use braid for, all other combo are flouro. 
 

I never use leaders or mono for anything. 
 

 

 

 

Mike

[Kenny Yi]

I use straight fluorocarbon on baitcasters just for it's abrasion resistance and manageability.  It does have memory, but I don't use lures that are light enough for it to matter.  I also dont like tying connection knots or casting them through casting rod guides, so veeerrrryyy rarely braid to FC leader for baitcasters.

 

However, it takes some decent experience with a baitcaster to use FC as a mainline.  I started out with mono, then mono/braid, and now some mono/braid and lots of fluoro.  I think this progression is best. 

[TnRiver46]

2 hours ago, WRB said:

For general bass fishing a premium monofilament line like Berkley Big Game 12# is good line. Learning to cast no reason to use anything else. 

I don’t use braid with a leader for the simple reason 2 knots to fail. Why bass anglers today use braid with a FC leader that has poor knot strength is beyond reason.

Tom

It’s all about the dollar! Hard to make money on cheap mono. You sure do see a lot of line snapping on the pro tours tho......

[WRB]

2 hours ago, Str8BraidPowa said:

Ever feel like the smartest guy in the room called you stupid.....

 

I Listen to your advice on here quite a bit Tom, and will continue in my mistaken ways until I learn better. ? However OP listen to this guy he has more clues than most of us.

The OP is a entry level bass angler learning to use a Black Max casting reel.

Deep backlash with braid is a major problem, ends your day unless you cut it out and have line to respool.

FC knot strength issues are legendary along with random line failures and it’s a minimum of 3X higher cost then premium mono.

I use FC for my jig & Worms because it offers a more direct contact with the bottom contact lures and have for 25+ years. Strike detection is improved do to smaller diameter with lower coefficient of water drag resulting is less line belly underwater.

Braid floats creating a big line belly on slack line eliminating touch line movements increasing visual line movements where it enters the water. Add a FC leader to braid has zero advantage over a 7’ length of mono line, however has lower knot strength and abrasion resistance.

Angler believe FC lower refraction of light makes it invisible to bass. Bass are not line shy fish. My thinking is braid with FC gives anglers more confidence the bass will strike lure more often and that is important.

Apologize for my engineering direct commits.

Tom  

[Deephaven]

Since you are asking the question, my answer would be no way no how.  It is expensive, doesn't deal with backlashes well, and you are at a stage where you will be respooling many times in the upcoming months.  Save yourself the headache and expense and use Big Game.  Most will recommend something like 12lb, but to start I would upsize.  Thicker line is easier to keep from getting completely jacked when you mess up a cast.  Big Game is cheap enough you can start with 20 and then move to 15 and not feel like you wasted any money.

[Dens228]

I use straight FC for crankbaits, jerkbaits, topwater like poppers.  This year is my second time trying it after trying a few years ago with cheap stuff.  This year I tried much better quality and love it for what I use it for. 

Straight braid or braid to mono leader for everything else though. 

[Deleted account]

9 hours ago, Dens228 said:

I use straight FC for... topwater like poppers. 

I just almost threw up my breakfast...

[Str8BraidPowa]

20 hours ago, WRB said:

The OP is a entry level bass angler learning to use a Black Max casting reel.

Deep backlash with braid is a major problem, ends your day unless you cut it out and have line to respool.

FC knot strength issues are legendary along with random line failures and it’s a minimum of 3X higher cost then premium mono.

I use FC for my jig & Worms because it offers a more direct contact with the bottom contact lures and have for 25+ years. Strike detection is improved do to smaller diameter with lower coefficient of water drag resulting is less line belly underwater.

Braid floats creating a big line belly on slack line eliminating touch line movements increasing visual line movements where it enters the water. Add a FC leader to braid has zero advantage over a 7’ length of mono line, however has lower knot strength and abrasion resistance.

Angler believe FC lower refraction of light makes it invisible to bass. Bass are not line shy fish. My thinking is braid with FC gives anglers more confidence the bass will strike lure more often and that is important.

Apologize for my engineering direct commits.

Tom  

No offense taken by either your first comment or the response after that (I tend to have similar responses on things I am more confident about). I enjoy the lessons of guys with countless hours on the water. My fishing partner has switched to FC on his jig and worm rods as well, after this schooling and his good results I maybe spooling up some FC in the near future. Thanks for the more detailed lesson.

[Fisher0517]

18 hours ago, Dens228 said:

I use straight FC for crankbaits, jerkbaits, topwater like poppers.  This year is my second time trying it after trying a few years ago with cheap stuff.  This year I tried much better quality and love it for what I use it for. 

Straight braid or braid to mono leader for everything else though. 

Top water?!