Line Diameter - Are Bass that Wary?

[TnRiver46]

10 hours ago, WRB said:

Trout are so line wary they strike cowbells...

Tom

I use 5# copoly and 7# FC line finesse fishing small soft plastic because using anything larger diameter results in being skunked at our local lakes. Fishing jigs in lower light conditions 12# FC works decently, 10# is higher % strike ratio however.

If you don’t think line diameters you are welcome to try fishing our local lakes.

Tom

^what he said. Our water isn’t nearly as clear as California and when they have a winter smallmouth tournament on a highland reservoir, you’ll see 200 pros using 6-8 lb line. Maybe 10. You can throw 25 lb floro or 65 braid or umbrella rig wire if you like coming in last place with no fish. 

 

I think it’s more about the bite you are after. If you are trying to get a reaction bite with a rattle trap or dropping a 5/8 oz jig on their head, line diameter isn’t as important as when you are fishing a 1/16 oz hair jig slowly pendulum down to 20-30 feet 

[contium]

5 hours ago, WRB said:

Trout are so line wary they strike cowbells...

Tom

I use 5# copoly and 7# FC line finesse fishing small soft plastic because using anything larger diameter results in being skunked at our local lakes. Fishing jigs in lower light conditions 12# FC works decently, 10# is higher % strike ratio however.

If you don’t think line diameters matters you are welcome to try fishing our local lakes.

Tom

I hate that Southern California has become this. But it is a fact.

[Captain Phil]

12 hours ago, king fisher said:

I am certain for saltwater fish, line diameter maters greatly because of bait movement, lure action, and visibility.

 

I fished sailfish tournaments out of Miami for many years.  This was mostly live bait fishing under a kite rig.  Fluorocarbon leader made a huge difference in our standings.  The only live bait bass fishing I have done was using giant shiners.  Line size made no difference.  We once fished a private pit in Central Florida.  We took 7 dozen 8-10" gold shiners with us in the live well. We ran out of bait by 11:00 AM!

 

 

[Deleted account]

15 hours ago, TnRiver46 said:

Spooled up my new reel since they aren’t line shy 

LOL. Remind me to take you green sticking for tuna some time...

[Tennessee Boy]

I can’t say that I’ve ever seen solid evidence that largemouth are line shy.  The truth is I will never know why the thousands if not millions of fish that have refused my bait over the years  did so.  So I still think about line visibility.  If I was 100% certain that all bass are not line shy, then I would use high visibility line for everything.  I suspect that I’m not the only person that feels this way.

[TnRiver46]

2 hours ago, Deleted account said:

LOL. Remind me to take you green sticking for tuna some time...

Get em turnt and yuk em green? 

[RDB]

Don’t listen to anyone who says LMB are absolutely not line shy…they have no way of knowing.  THERE ARE NO ABSOLUTES IN BASS FISHING.  I can’t tell you whether some bass may be line shy in certain situations and nobody else can tell you either.  Personally, I think some bass are line shy in certain conditions but the only evidence I have is anecdotal.

[SpinLight]

I use bright green flourescent Varivas mono in 3-8 lb test and bright orange 10 lb. Sunline Super mono for all my fishing, including saltwater. Catch plenty of fish. Don't think fish are line shy much, if any. I do agree that thicker line can have an adverse effect on lure action, including sink rate. Several JDM light line trout monos come in high vis colors also.

 

[Bankc]

Lots of factors to consider.  Is the water clear or stained?  Are you fishing a fast moving reaction bait or a slow moving finesse bait?  Are the bass active or passive?  How's the fishing pressure?

 

In my lakes, I prefer braid most of the time because I can use a smaller diameter line that's also limper, so I get better action.  But if I'm fishing something slow, like a drop shot, I'll tie on a FC leader.  It seems to work best for me.  

 

 

[LrgmouthShad]

I dunno what I think about this topic anymore and not sure that I care. I’m pretty set in my ways. 12 or 15lb trilene big game depending on a bunch of factors if baitcasting. Braid to 8lb-15lb trilene big game on spinning depending on a bunch of factors. 
 

There are a few exceptions but that’s it for me. Roll the credits