Calling Dodgeguy!

[roadwarrior]

Well, now that it's November 1, how 'bout a summary review of you 2007 fluorocarbon experiment?

[dodgeguy]

here we go.i'm still not convinced flouro is as good as everybody says.that said i really like the seguar invizx flouro line.it was way more sensative than mono and handled good for a flouro line.my biggest problem with it is the cost.i didn't catch any more fish over a year than i did with cajun red cast.i did catch more fish than i did with braid.i don't know if the cost justifies the amount of fish caught since i actually did better with red cast mono.the mono also casts better and furthur than the flouro.at this point i am undecided about using flouro again.

[roadwarrior]

Thanks for the post.

So, comparing the logs of your last few years fishing braid verses this year fishing fluorocarbon or Cajun Red, the braid resulted in fewer fish? If so, are the numbers significant? Did you feel like you lost fish or missed bites using something other than braid? What do plan to fish (mostly) next year?

[Jimzee]

It's funny you said that you started catching more fish on Fluoro. About 1.5 - 2 months ago I was having lots of problems with my favorite braid (Sufix) breaking on hooksets when using jigs in HEAVY cover. RW suggested I use the Yozuri Hybrid 12 lb. I took his suggestion one step further and used Fluoro for the first time. I picked up a pack on sale at Gander Mountain of 12 lb. P-line 100% flurocarbon. Right away I noticed it is just about as sensitive as braid, doesn't stretch that much on hooksets, and has a really high tolerance to abraison. :-?

Guess what, I started getting more hits, catching more fish, and have yet to snap another jig off on hookset. I know Fluoro has been around a while and this is really old news to some of you, but if you haven't tried it, give it a shot. No matter what brand name you prefer, and I realize some are better than others, this stuff is great.

[senile1]

I've never had any issues with Sufix Performance Braid breaking.  I recommend it for braid users.  Having said that I was interested in seeing the results of dodgeguy's "experiment" and his conclusions.  

[Chris at Tech]

i did catch more fish than i did with braid.

Was this straight braid, or braid with a leader?

[dodgeguy]

STRAIGHT BRAID. ;D

[dodgeguy]

Thanks for the post.

So, comparing the logs of your last few years fishing braid verses this year fishing fluorocarbon or Cajun Red, the braid resulted in fewer fish? If so, are the numbers significant? Did you feel like you lost fish or missed bites using something other than braid? What do plan to fish (mostly) next year?

i have to say the bites almost double with cajun red and came close with flouro but then again there are a lot of varibles.low vis lines do get more bites.

[Davis]

Dodgerguy I'm looking to by one more spool of line to try this year.

I already have Invizx, BPS XPS Fluoro, Yo-Zuri Ultra Soft, and I also want to give this red line a go.

Is it the Cajun Red "Advantage" brand? I thought I saw a couple different cajun lines.

[lubina]

I've never had any issues with Sufix Performance Braid breaking.  I recommend it for braid users.  

Same here. I switched from Power Pro and I will never go back.

[dodgeguy]

Dodgerguy I'm looking to by one more spool of line to try this year.

I already have Invizx, BPS XPS Fluoro, Yo-Zuri Ultra Soft, and I also want to give this red line a go.

Is it the Cajun Red "Advantage" brand? I thought I saw a couple different cajun lines.

i used red cast.red lightning sucks.never tried the advantage.

[Lucky Craft Man]

I have come to the realization that there is no "one" line for all applications (much like there is no "one" rod for all applications).  I use flouro on my crankbait rod and jerkbait rod only.  I think by using flouro over mono for these applications has greatly increased my catch percentage on those lures.  For lures that I haven't noticed a difference between the mono and flouro (such as senkos), I stick with the cheaper option (i.e., mono).  I use braid on my flipping stick, carolina rod, pitching rod, and frog rod only.  So to make a long post short, every line has it's place (except for Gorilla Braid.  That crap sucks!)  

[roadwarrior]

I have come to the realization that there is no "one" line for all applications (much like there is no "one" rod for all applications). I use flouro on my crankbait rod and jerkbait rod only. I think by using flouro over mono for these applications has greatly increased my catch percentage on those lures. For lures that I haven't noticed a difference between the mono and flouro (such as senkos), I stick with the cheaper option (i.e., mono). I use braid on my flipping stick, carolina rod, pitching rod, and frog rod only. So to make a long post short, every line has it's place (except for Gorilla Braid. That crap sucks!)

Well, that isn't the point. Dodgeguy has been Mr. Braid for a number of years. Independently (not as a challenge), he decided to test fluorocarbon line. He has kept METICULOUS records for a number of years. Maybe you can say that this is not a "very broadly tested experiment", but it is one man's very well documented trial.

The basic conclusion of this test would suggest that LINE VISIBILITY is an important factor in bass fishing.

[bassrogue]

"The basic conclusion of this test would suggest that LINE VISIBILITY is an important factor in bass fishing."-RW

I have to agree. I haven't done any scientific experiments but I have noticed a difference in the number of strikes and bass caught this year. This year I started trying floro and copolymer leaders with my braid reels. My success rate has increased. While my fishing buddies that use straight braid have stayed the same.   So far after a year of using a leader with my braid I have nothing negative to say about it.

Well it could be the line or all the advice I get from this forum ;D

BR

Will

[sodaksker]

I too am buying into the theory that the low viz lines get you more bites over the braid lines, but maybe it has nothing to do with visibilty at all.  Maybe it has something to do with the way the lines travel through the water.  Maybe the braid is noiser or creates more disturbance in the water ahead of the bait.  I notice on occasion that my braid lines when laying in the boat and the wind hits them just right, they start to whistle..more so than mono or flouro.  Just thinking out loud here but, maybe it has to do with vibration more that visibility.

[flechero]

The basic conclusion of this test would suggest that LINE VISIBILITY is an important factor in bass fishing.

Yes sir, certainly has been my experience over the past 20 years.

[bass109]

I  have about 4  years of experience.

[dodgeguy]

in conclusion i would say line visibility matters at times.i would also say flouro is the least visible in ultra clear water.flouro becomes less visisible as light increases. it loses it's advantages as the water becomes stained.in stained water i feel red cast is just as good visibilty wise if not better imho.i find myself using less and less braid these days.i found seguar invizx to be a good flouro line but it still doesn't cast as good as red cast.being that i almost never fish ultra clear water i can't justify the cost in my mind of the flouro over red cast.others may like it for other reasons such as sensitivty and abrasion resistance.now we start decreasing my line diameters this year.instead of using 20 i will use 17 ,instead of 12 i'll use 10 etc...

[Guest avid]

Excellent report and follow up commentary Dodge guy.  

I take no exception with anything you said.

I too am a braid guy, but will use Fluorocarbon as a leader when conditions or technique require maximum stealth.

One comment I do question is this from Jimzee79:

12 lb. P-line 100% fluorocarbon.  Right away I noticed it is just about as sensitive as braid, doesn't stretch that much on hooksets,

It is my experience that braid is significantly more sensitive than Fluorocarbon and that F/C has alot of stretch whereas braid has virtually none.

This was the main reason I switched to braid.  My shoulder issues weakened my hook sets.  This was nicely overcome by switching to braid.

[Jimzee]

Excellent report and follow up commentary Dodge guy.

I take no exception with anything you said.

I too am a braid guy, but will use Fluorocarbon as a leader when conditions or technique require maximum stealth.

One comment I do question is this from Jimzee79:

12 lb. P-line 100% fluorocarbon. Right away I noticed it is just about as sensitive as braid, doesn't stretch that much on hooksets,

It is my experience that braid is significantly more sensitive than Fluorocarbon and that F/C has alot of stretch whereas braid has virtually none.

This was the main reason I switched to braid. My shoulder issues weakened my hook sets. This was nicely overcome by switching to braid.

That is why I said it is just about as sensitive at least IMHO. Yeah, there is a little stretch on a hookset, but I'm not snapping it either. Maybe it would be less confusing if I explained the type of braid I was using. :-? I was using Sufix 20 lb. / 6 lb. diam. I found that this line is better suited for spinning tackle and not heavy cover fishing. It ended up having lots of nicks and rough places which is the reason for the snapping on hooksets. (At least this is the only logical reason I can come up with.) I still fish with braid on my flippin' rod, it's not 20 lb. though. I now use 50 lb. and I think the larger line diam. resists abrasions and cuts better. I have never used fluoro until recently and was blown away how resistant it is to abrasion. Fluoro will have a place on my jigging rod from now on.

[kbkindle]

in conclusion i would say line visibility matters at times.i would also say flouro is the least visible in ultra clear water.flouro becomes less visisible as light increases. it loses it's advantages as the water becomes stained.in stained water i feel red cast is just as good visibilty wise if not better imho.i find myself using less and less braid these days.i found seguar invizx to be a good flouro line but it still doesn't cast as good as red cast.being that i almost never fish ultra clear water i can't justify the cost in my mind of the flouro over red cast.others may like it for other reasons such as sensitivty and abrasion resistance.now we start decreasing my line diameters this year.instead of using 20 i will use 17 ,instead of 12 i'll use 10 etc...

dodeguy    kb here a great report on fishing lines   iam a power pro line user on everthing.   one of the main reasons was the sensitivty  of braid.   if i were to use cajun red and was looking for the best sensitivty  i would buy the flouro ?  above the cajun red?    thanks   kb

[dodgeguy]

the flouro is way more sensitive than the cajun red.braid is the most sensitive.flouro sensitvity is one reason i can understand people using it.