Hi-vis or invis?

[Blue Raider Bob]

I know I'm burning you guys up with questions lately but you guys are making me a much better angler and I'm having a ball chasing these Smallies!

I'm a life long pan-fisherman who has fallen for the Smallies over the past few years. I've used for some time a hi-vis yellow for the Crappie because I like to see my line. I also sometimes use a hi-vis yellow 8 lb. on my medium light spinning outfits for smallies. My question is........am I hurting my chances with the hi-vis or would I be better off loosing some of the ability to view my line in order to present a low-vis line on my offerings, or does it matter?

Thanks everyone!

[NHBull]

I am a hi-vis guy for DS, Ned, NEKO, 

 

When I was using it for jigs, I went dark colors….and I use my rod to move the bait, and slack in the line was a rarity.

 

[Dwight Hottle]

I would recommend switching to low vis copoly line for smallmouth. Or braid with low vis leader. 

[Fat Ika]

I fish gin clear water with hi-vis. I don't notice a difference with generating bites between low and hi-vis. I retie copolymer or flouro leaders when they get less than 6 feet long. Just a confidence thing. Not sure if it matters. Definitely matters if you're fishing straight hi-vis braid. I'm assuming you were not implying that. 

[Blue Raider Bob]

25 minutes ago, Fat Ika said:

I fish gin clear water with hi-vis. I don't notice a difference with generating bites between low and hi-vis. I retie copolymer or flouro leaders when they get less than 6 feet long. Just a confidence thing. Not sure if it matters. Definitely matters if you're fishing straight hi-vis braid. I'm assuming you were not implying that. 

So I'm understanding you fish clear leaders with hi-vis braid. Thanks, that's something I'm not doing but must begin to consider.

[TnRiver46]

So you’re tossing hi vis mono @Blue Raider Bob? Like mR crappie? 

[MickD]

I've used both, and have not seen an advantage for hi-vis.  Maybe it's my technique, but I feel them or see low-viz line twitch, no need for hi-viz.  Maybe a wasted worry, but I make the leader longer than I want with hi-viz thinking the bright line might turn fish off.  

 

I reason that a long string of something green would just look like algae or a weed and not concern a fish.  But a long yellow one. . . maybe.

[GaryH]

Hi Vis Suffix 832 with Seaguar gold leader for DS, Ned, Neko. I like the Hi Vis for visual of the smallest tap.

[MN Fisher]

6 minutes ago, GaryH said:

Hi Vis Suffix 832 with Seaguar gold leader for DS, Ned, Neko. I like the Hi Vis for visual of the smallest tap.

Swap the Gold Label for InvizX and that's my DS, Ned, Neko and light Shakey rigging.

[Smokinal]

Hi Vis yellow to fluoro leader on almost all my rigs

[Bluebasser86]

8 minutes ago, Smokinal said:

Hi Vis yellow to fluoro leader on almost all my rigs

Best of both worlds and also how I roll on most of my spinning setups. 

[Blue Raider Bob]

16 hours ago, TnRiver46 said:

So you’re tossing hi vis mono @Blue Raider Bob? Like mR crappie? 

yes

[TnRiver46]

1 minute ago, Blue Raider Bob said:

yes

Gotcha. I’ve never used that before, but it’s a lot easier to attach a leader to mono line than it is braided line if you want to experiment with a leader. The reason people like the hi vis braid is for strike detection via line watching, and the sensitivity of the zero stretch braid. If you can see and feel bites ok, maybe add a leader of clear line just to see if it helps. I wouldn’t imagine smallies where you fish care about line color, pretty murky down there ain’t it? 

[Steveo-1969]

On my spinning rods it’s hi-vis braid with some type of clear leader (mono, fluoro or co-poly). The hi-vis braid is so I can see my line, it drives me crazy when I can’t see it. The clear leader is not for invisibility but for abrasion resistance and so I can break off snags more easily. But if I was worried about my hi-vis braid being a negative trigger for the fish then adding a leader eases my worry.

[Blue Raider Bob]

4 hours ago, TnRiver46 said:

Gotcha. I’ve never used that before, but it’s a lot easier to attach a leader to mono line than it is braided line if you want to experiment with a leader. The reason people like the hi vis braid is for strike detection via line watching, and the sensitivity of the zero stretch braid. If you can see and feel bites ok, maybe add a leader of clear line just to see if it helps. I wouldn’t imagine smallies where you fish care about line color, pretty murky down there ain’t it? 

No the tailwaters or Nickajack and Old Hickory have really good water clarity. What is the point of using a leader when you are using mono? I have been trying braid with a floro leader and it works for me but I don't like three knots between me and the fish and I don't like retying leaders when the rocks eat my jigs. With straight mono I eliminate those issues.

[TnRiver46]

47 minutes ago, Blue Raider Bob said:

No the tailwaters or Nickajack and Old Hickory have really good water clarity. What is the point of using a leader when you are using mono? I have been trying braid with a floro leader and it works for me but I don't like three knots between me and the fish and I don't like retying leaders when the rocks eat my jigs. With straight mono I eliminate those issues.

In your case, the only point of the leader would be reduced visibly from the neon mister crappie to something clear. With braid it’s for abrasion resistance like others posted (with the dual purpose of reduced visibility)

 

my favorite is full spool of 6 lb clear mono, makes everything quicker and easier. And I can see it just fine