fluorocarbon fishing line over-hyped?

[dmc575]

Another reason im not sold on the invisibility aspect is because I remeber watching a roland martin video where he gave the tip of using a black marker on braided line to make it more invisible in the water. Now I know he is fishing darker water in florida.....but he was using black marker! I dont know how black can become invisible...and if he really wanted invisibility why not mention FC instead?

Like I said...fishing is an art and not a science. If it works for you thats great cuz the most important thing in fishing is confidence...but I really dont think it is as scientific as you all may think. Again...just my 2 cents.

[dmc575]

Braid is worst for sensitivity on loose line presentations...tightline may be different...but I don't use braid for anything but topwater/frogs.

The post I quoted is talking about dragging football jigs.

[250bassFL]

I have went back to using Big Game for dang near everything. I do use Yo-Zuri Topknot on some crankbaits and when water cools and gets clearer jerkbaits. And have been trying FireLine some. But over the many many years Big Game has been my best overall.

[catch5]

just to ask, since you mention in invisibility having zero effect on why you use it. Why dont you use braid instead? isnt braid the clear winner in terms of line feel?

Fair question. My answer is I simply hate braid. I hate the way it casts. I hate hearing it go through guides. I hate the way it floats which is exactly the opposite of what I need when fishing deep. I hate the way it somehow finds a way to wrap around the rod tip in a knot that I couldn’t tie if I tried lol. I hate the way I always forget and grab the line when I swing a fish in and it slices my hand. I hate the way when I get hung up I almost have to start the big engine to break it off. I hate the way rocks seem to slice it like a hot knife through butter. I just hate it. Lol

Now I do think braid has a place. Heavy vegetation being that place. Outside of that though it isn’t for me.

[dmc575]

Fair question. My answer is I simply hate braid. I hate the way it casts. I hate hearing it go through guides. I hate the way it floats which is exactly the opposite of what I need when fishing deep. I hate the way it somehow finds a way to wrap around the rod tip in a knot that I couldn’t tie if I tried lol. I hate the way I always forget and grab the line when I swing a fish in and it slices my hand. I hate the way when I get hung up I almost have to start the big engine to break it off. I hate the way rocks seem to slice it like a hot knife through butter. I just hate it. Lol

Now I do think braid has a place. Heavy vegetation being that place. Outside of that though it isn’t for me.

tell us how you really feel!

I could go on that same rant and basically replace braid with FC. I do like it...but do think its overhyped too. But like Ive said....its all about confidence. We all put fish in the boat...and if it aint broke, dont fix it!

[skeeterator]

Greg, I don't use fluoro or braid and you know I never catch any.

[Mark Perry]

Fair question. My answer is I simply hate braid. I hate the way it casts. I hate hearing it go through guides. I hate the way it floats which is exactly the opposite of what I need when fishing deep. I hate the way it somehow finds a way to wrap around the rod tip in a knot that I couldn’t tie if I tried lol. I hate the way I always forget and grab the line when I swing a fish in and it slices my hand. I hate the way when I get hung up I almost have to start the big engine to break it off. I hate the way rocks seem to slice it like a hot knife through butter. I just hate it. Lol

Now I do think braid has a place. Heavy vegetation being that place. Outside of that though it isn’t for me.

I did a magazine article on deep cranking with a former Elite/FLW pro that has won a ton of money on deep cranks. He uses braid. Once its exposed to water it absorbs water and actually sinks. Really made me open eyes to it being an option.

[Milehibird]

As for the black coloring...that's a specific technique. I fish spinnerbaits, chatterbaits, buzzbaits, swim jigs, swimbaits, frogs, some texas rigs, whopper ploppers, sometimes walking baits, poppers and jerkbaits too, all on braid. Most of those are green braid but I use a short leader on just about all of them except frogs. Fluoro on all except treble hook topwaters. Only time I'd color braid black would be heavy braid pitching into heavy cover where the black blends in with the shadows. Only other time I've done it was when I had my son throwing a smaller frog on a spinning rod that had yellow braid on it.

[Dogfish_Jones]

I am mixed when throwing either mono or fluorocarbon. I will use braid when flipping a jig.Now back to mt opinion of mono verses floro. Fluorocarbon seems to break off a lot more than mono. Yes, I feel the bottom a little better using fluorocarbon but BAM! broke the line. Mono to me is my favorite to some degree. I like the feel of setting the hook on mono. I like that it seems to hold up and not break near as much as fluorocarbon.
The cost factor is becoming closer and the fluorocarbon might be $4 more a 300yard reel. Again I use both but I tend to trust my monofilament better.

[Mark Perry]

I don't care who is using what. I use what I have faith in. I was hesitant to try fluoro at first as I was a Big Game fan. Little by little I experimented with fluoro and I can say through my own fishing its proven itself too many times. It is more abrasion resistant, more durable, stronger, better performing and transmits better than mono. Other than mono for topwater and braid from buzzbaits, frogs and bladed jigs I use all fluoro. I could not imagine not using it. I settled in a value line that it is not even on the pricy side and still have been very happy.
I have some that has been on some reels since January. Still is easy to manage and performs great. Not hard to manage at all. The biggest tips with fluoro I have is good know tying and also to look at the line diameter when buying it. There are no industry standards in regards to line size. Also I give two rips about invisibility.That part is hype to me....if they could see the line and not bite then they damn sure can see the hooks, split rings, weights etc as well. Yet they still bite.

[jcdogfish]

FC lets me use 20-25 lb line in the same diameter or less than the 14-15 lb mono I was using. I do have issues when using 12-14 lb FC but really have no reason to.

[PsuHntr]

I use floro because I don't like using Mono.....I hate the stretch or mono......I don't have any issues with my fluro regarding breaking it off or replacing it...I have picked out significant "professional overruns" and continued to use it....about the only time I replace my fluro is when I get a bad enough back lash that I can't get it out...I like red label and Invizix

[TableRock55]

Always felt the line market was a little bit of a racket. Lots of talk is geared to get fishermen to buy it. That's capitalism. All for it. But, for instance, "change line often cause it deteiriorates." Yet, "don't leave used fishing line lying around cause it doesn't breakdown." I remember when one company came out with a RED line cause it was "invisible." Then they introduced RED hooks cause they attract fish. Huh?? I agree, flourocarbon is a tool and I use it. I like it cause it sinks and I especially think it is important on jerkbaits in the winter. I use it on most bottom baits for sensitivity cause my motor skills aren't as sharp as they once were and I think it helps. On almost all my "moving" baits, I throw mono. Topwater baits, I'll use braid and mono. I match my line with the action of my rod, too. For instance, I have a heavy action rod I really like throwin a Whopper Plopper on. I use mono to give me a little forgiveness from the tip when I get a strike. Braid is something I like on topwaters that walk, but I always have a mono leader on my braid, just cause it's easier for me to change baits.
I pay a great deal off attention to line diameter in selecting line as well as price. My choice for flouro is one of the least expensive, but also the smallest in diameter.
With the introduction of the Alablama rig on this lake here, it kinda blows the thought of what the fish can see out of the tub.
The thing that I struggle with on the flourocarbon is the memory. I go thru a lot of line conditioner.
Personally, I enjoy this discussion. My buddy and I argue about it all the time. He won't go above 12# test. He also insists on throwin his A-rigs on braid. He buys a lot of em, too.

[dmc575]

I think I saw it posted here. Might have even been on that deep cranking tips video someone posted last week.

Whatever it was...the pro mentioned FC and how you tend to break off more often at the end of the day. Not sure how true it is....but it kinda made sense and reminded me of something swindle said too in his knot tying video. The pro said that each time you cast FC (pretty sure it was that cranking video, so keep that in mind) you are stretching it and that at the end of the day you see more breaks because of this. I guess the stretching lowers the line integrity in his observations....not sure how true it is but I can see that as a possibility.

I like having this discussion too. Reasonable discussions are how you learn little things here and there. Thats how I improve my fishing. hearing and thinking certain things making sense...and then trying them out for myself. So its a little bit of art and science...but art more than anything. Someone said it...but you use what you have faith in. If it was so simple there wouldnt be so many different baits on the market....how many versions of the senko are out there! lol and they all have caught fish! I wish I knew what these stupid green and brown fish wanted all the time!

[bdog7198]

I think I saw it posted here. Might have even been on that deep cranking tips video someone posted last week.

Whatever it was...the pro mentioned FC and how you tend to break off more often at the end of the day. Not sure how true it is....but it kinda made sense and reminded me of something swindle said too in his knot tying video. The pro said that each time you cast FC (pretty sure it was that cranking video, so keep that in mind) you are stretching it and that at the end of the day you see more breaks because of this. I guess the stretching lowers the line integrity in his observations....not sure how true it is but I can see that as a possibility.

I like having this discussion too. Reasonable discussions are how you learn little things here and there. Thats how I improve my fishing. hearing and thinking certain things making sense...and then trying them out for myself. So its a little bit of art and science...but art more than anything. Someone said it...but you use what you have faith in. If it was so simple there wouldnt be so many different baits on the market....how many versions of the senko are out there! lol and they all have caught fish! I wish I knew what these stupid green and brown fish wanted all the time!

Have a very hard time believing that premise that you break off with flouro more at the end of the day because of loss of line integrity. Have never seen anything close to this before, will go months on a heavy use rod and never have a breakage issue with flouro.

[TableRock55]

Personally, I take what all pro's say about line with a grain of salt because they got boocoo number of bulk spools to change daily, which they advocate and most have a line company as a sponsor. Not sayin they all BS about it, just listen with caution.

[dmc575]

Starts at 17:40

Personally, I take what all pro's say about line with a grain of salt because they got boocoo number of bulk spools to change daily, which they advocate and most have a line company as a sponsor. Not sayin they all BS about it, just listen with caution.

I fully agree, but he is saying it to explain why he doesnt use FC instead of telling you to respool often. Just reminded me how swindle mentioned not tugging and pulling when doing your FC knot cuz when you stretch it it weakens it. Theres a little consistency there regarding it...I dont fish enough to notice things like that, but thats what a fritts and Swindle both have mentioned. Fritts even says "dont use it itll cost you" which is pretty strong words.

Not sure how true it is...but its not helping the case with me to add it in to my next TW order! lol

[TableRock55]

Good video

[RFeyoMN]

Have a very hard time believing that premise that you break off with flouro more at the end of the day because of loss of line integrity. Have never seen anything close to this before, will go months on a heavy use rod and never have a breakage issue with flouro.

There may be something to that with inferior lines. I couldn't get Berkley 100% or Sniper to last more than two weeks without showing signs of deterioration, loss of abrasion resistance, and loss of knot strength. It literally turned to garbage with moderate use. The line I use now, i'm going on summer #3 with the line spooled on 4 reels.

[250bassFL]

Starts at 17:40




I fully agree, but he is saying it to explain why he doesnt use FC instead of telling you to respool often. Just reminded me how swindle mentioned not tugging and pulling when doing your FC knot cuz when you stretch it it weakens it. Theres a little consistency there regarding it...I dont fish enough to notice things like that, but thats what a fritts and Swindle both have mentioned. Fritts even says "dont use it itll cost you" which is pretty strong words.

Not sure how true it is...but its not helping the case with me to add it in to my next TW order! lol