How well do bass see braid?

[arul]

I am wanting to use braid for fishing worms in fairly clear water.  I have some 65 lb test which seems very noticable in the water.  I could do a leader, but I hate having that not tick through my guides.

I can easily downsize to only 12 lb test, to get a very thin diameter.  Do you think bass can see the braid?  And if so, won't it affect the bite?  What kind of braid is less noticable in the water?  Light green, moss green, black, red, yellow,....who knows!???  

thanks!

[MarauderYak]

No one is going to be able to give you an exact answer because there are a ton of variables such as...  how deep the lure is, how bright the sun is shining, how stained the water is, how good is the eyesight on the particular fish, etc.

In general, the less visible your line is, the more bites you're going to get.  In clear water, there's no way I could use braid without a fluoro leader.  If I can see the line 10 feet or more down into the water I have zero confidence.  In fact, I chose not to use braid at all in clear water (but that's just me).

[The_Natural]

As said, you can't get a definitive answer. However, as I often do....look at the best bass fishermen in the world. Braid is the strongest, thinnest, and most sensitive line in the world. If the pros thought bass didn't care about it's visibility....they would use it for more than just grass. 9/10 Elite pros use heavy fluorocarbon for pitching and flipping....hell, every 'tip-up' bait for that matter.

[andamtoft]

I used only 30# braid last year, and fished only clear water. I did most of my fishing in a pond. And when the bass were spawning they would come up to about 3 feet of water that was crystal clear. I fished a tube or senko on braided line 100% of the time and caught many fish. i dont know if the bass could see it or not, or if they even cared, the only thing i know is that i caught fish... would I have more success using a leader or straight fluoro, i cant say. But i caught fish and that is that fact of the matter.

[islandbass]

Braid is opaque. Chances are they probably see it, but I think for many cases, they could care less. If the want the lure bad enough, they'll strike, braid or not. Use it. If you noticed a reduction in hits and strikes, add an FC leader. Case closed.  ;D

[Muddy]

I don't know how much difference it would make if they do. Consider that they hit pieces of wood and plastics with treble hooks hanging all over them, I really don't think it makes that much difference. I tried braid, but decided to stick with mono.

[Marty]

I use braid a lot, including in clear water. There's no doubt in my mind that they see it well, as wild creatures that aren't on their way to extinction have to be aware of things in their environment.

The more important question is how does braid's visibility affect bites. I don't know and probably never will, but I fish it confidently without leaders based on nothing more than my gut feelings.

[Fish Chris]

Sure bass can see braid..... more or less, depending on conditions of course, but will it affect your number of bites ? Maybe. Sometimes.

I use to tie my braid straight to my hook or lure, and I caught a lot of fish that way. But after a year or two, I decided to try a fluorocarbon, or regular mono leader, to see if it would increase my number of bites. Well, I can't really say that it did. However, I found that it gave me more abrasion resistence around rocks + with the fact that braid has almost zero stretch, it gave me just a bit of a shock absorber. You have to figure that if mono can stretch up to 20%, then a 3ft leader will give you an additional 7 inches of stretch (maybe as much as the entire 50 feet of braid you just casted out).

So, for these reasons, I've stuck with a fluoro or mono leader for the last 12 or 13 years. My blood knot never fails BTW. Sure, I tie a crappy one now and then, but I "always" recognize it as such, and retie it before it ever touches the water.

Peace,

Fish

[lubina]

I found that it gave me more abrasion resistence around rocks + with the fact that braid has almost zero stretch, it gave me just a bit of a shock absorber. You have to figure that if mono can stretch up to 20%, then a 3ft leader will give you an additional 7 inches of stretch (maybe as much as the entire 50 feet of braid you just casted out).

I have been doing the same, give me also some peace of mind that my rod is protected.

[Muddy]

With all the rods you have posted, they are so fine and expensive, why would you need to protect them. I am glad I have cheap rods, so I can fish and not worry about them breaking.Funny thing is they don't break! ;D

[Jeff H]

With all the rods you have posted, they are so fine and expensive, why would you need to protect them. I am glad I have cheap rods, so I can fish and not worry about them breaking.Funny thing is they don't break! ;D

Muddy,

A $80 Fish Eagle II rod only seems cheap among the expensive tastes of this forum.  I do not consider a $80 rod to be cheap!!  A good many people can't justify spending even $50 for a fishing rod.  Lots of folks here would probably not consider a $100 rod to be expensive, but to me it is.  I have several rods that I've spent over $200 on, paired with reels that cost $150 or more and it's nice but at the same time seems a bit insane to be holding a $400 investment to pull fish out of a lake.

What cracks me up about the braid thing is some guys will adamantly swear it makes no difference to the fish, yet tie on a flouro leader so they can't see it.  I am one who does believe it makes a difference in clear water, so I stick with XT clear since I only fish clear water lakes. However, it doesn't seem to matter to shallow, clear water dinks where the competition factor abounds.

[David P]

With all the rods you have posted, they are so fine and expensive, why would you need to protect them. I am glad I have cheap rods, so I can fish and not worry about them breaking.Funny thing is they don't break! ;D

Muddy,

A $80 Fish Eagle II rod only seems cheap among the expensive tastes of this forum. I do not consider a $80 rod to be cheap!! A good many people can't justify spending even $50 for a fishing rod. Lots of folks here would probably not consider a $100 rod to be expensive, but to me it is. I have several rods that I've spent over $200 on, paired with reels that cost $150 or more and it's nice but at the same time seems a bit insane to be holding a $400 investment to pull fish out of a lake.

What cracks me up about the braid thing is some guys will adamantly swear it makes no difference to the fish, yet tie on a flouro leader so they can't see it. I am one who does believe it makes a difference in clear water, so I stick with XT clear since I only fish clear water lakes. However, it doesn't seem to matter to shallow, clear water dinks where the competition factor abounds.

It's too true, reading the first paragraph, you reminded me of how I thought 2 years ago. I spent $40 on a just a rod, and thought HOLY #$(% , now $250 rods and $250 reels just seems average and normal. Crazy how things change.

Fish can see braid, whether or not it matters, probably less then 10% of the time, more on some bodies of water. I use a leader anyway for abrasion resistance and a little bit of give. Line diameter can play a bigger role then line visibility.

[Long Mike]

I use braid on every reel I own.  I also use a flouro leader on every one of them.  Fish Chris uses a Blood Knot.  I use a Stren Knot.  Neither of us has ever had the knot fail when tied correctly, and neither of us has had any problems with the knot going through the guides.  So, if bass can see braid under certain conditions, why give them the opportunity of shying away from the bite?  Use a leader.

[Muddy]

Hey Jeff: I waited for them in Cabelas Bargain Basement, when they upgraded ( they changed the handles0 I got all my Fish Eagle II for 30 bucks, and I had them sent to the Cabelas near me and did not pay shipping. Man I am cheap!!!!!!! ;D

[South FLA]

I use braid all just about all my setups, other than my frog rod, all have a flouro leader. I think it makes a difference, can I prove it with bass NO!  

Nevertheless, I can tell you that if you go snook fishing with braided line without a flouro or mono leader you chances of catching one are rare....

very rare, regardless of water clarity or depth.