Thread: Line Question.

Originally Posted by jay the baptist

This question is for vertical jigging and float & jig rigs.
I see many of you guys use fluorocarbon line for leaders on hi vis braid because its invisible to the fish.
What if I use braid only and strike about 2 ft with a black magic marker? Can they see that black braid?

They can see ALL lines in clear to semi-clear water, but the depth and clarity of water you're fishing in can "hide" the color of the line.

I use (or have used) hi-vis line, red line, green line (high & low vis), clear/blue line, & hi-vis braid ... sometimes alone & sometimes in combination ... and have caught fish on them all. And in most cases I have tied the line directly to the bait/hook. The waters I fish are lightly stained to moderately stained (1-3ft visibility depth). I've used the "colored" lines so that I can see them, regardless of whether the fish can or not. I don't believe the fish are as interested in the line color as much as they are what's on the end of it. I'm not even sure they can comprehend what "line" is, or that they are ever actually "line shy". But, that's just my opinion.

Fish have no reasoning power, so go figure. I have always wondered about that. I broke off a jigging line one day and all I had was 70# green braid. so I used it single poling, tied directly to it. Worked fine. I use 8# stren gold with the same line for a leader. I use made up leaders and can change them out easily. You will get a lot of different answers on this question.

Originally Posted by trypman1

. You will get a lot of different answers on this question.

Indeed you will, and most replies will be a reference to that person's experiences.

I once saw a TV Angler fishing show, advertising "near invisible line". They put a diver down in crystal clear water, holding a square frame with four or five different lines strung across it ... then proceeded to comment on the fact that their new "near invisible line" couldn't be seen as clearly as the other lines. BUT ... I could see ALL the lines, very clearly ... and reasoned that, if I could see them on my TV, then surely the fish could see them at close range. That was back in the day when clear/blu mono was "the" thing. But, since I had started fishing as a kid ... back when we used black nylon & multi-colored nylon lines in those days (& caught fish) ... I didn't take the "test results" of this show to be anything more than advertising hype.

I've nenever had a problem in most lakes I fish but a few I fish that are clear it make a big difference. One lake I fish you will not get a bite unless you're fishing low vis. Green 4lb or smaller.

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Like already mentioned, you can and will get a million different opinions on the subject of fishing lines. In my opinion it's largely dependent on the body of water you are fishing. If the water is stained, it probably won't make much of a difference. If its clear water, you may notice a huge difference. I typically use a fluorocarbon leader attached to 10/2 braid on my vertical jigging poles. I'm certain that many days I could do away with the leader and have the same success, but it's just what I prefer and what I'm confident in.

I have seen the day when fishing with 4 lb test mono would not get nearly as many bites as 2 lb test mono. IMO when that happens it may be more about the fall rate of your bait and the depth your fishing more so that the fish being line shy from the larger diameter line. I've also fished along someone in clear water that was using regular clear mono while I used high vis. Same set-up on both rods and same bait. He wore me out in that clear water. I do think the color of my line was playing into that result.

Best thing to do is try it and see what kind of results you get. You might find that it works just fine for you on your body of water!!

It is one of those things that doesn't matter much until it does like jig head color, scents, and a host of other things alot of guys like to say doesn't matter.

But the biggest advantage to a fluoro leader with braid when vertical jigging is abrasion resistance in/around cover and the ability to use a slightly lighter test leader to break off when hung instead of wasting a bunch of expensive braid.

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Some faded Sunline sx1 braid on one of my rods that I let the leader get too short on last trip out. Braid doesn't hold up well rubbing around in stakes, limbs, and stumps. The main reason for the leader.


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Fish have no reasoning power, so go figure.

Fish have sense(s) - that's it - and not the kind that involves decision making. Fish brains don't have the abilities so many have compared to mammal brains such as fear, anger, gluttony, a sense of danger or threat avoidance, object identification such as comparing a lure to a live animal and especially not line avoidance. Seeing as how fish senses are honed to detect, track and target moving objects in a less than clear environment, anglers IMO need only do a few things to overload those senses and trigger the other thing we depend on - aggression:

1. tailor the object to what a fish will strike which includes size, shape and most important - the right action. If the line distracts attention from the lure or doesn't allow it to move exactly the way you want it to move, the line is too heavy. Lures must always be the center of attention and attention holding.

2.Line that has too much bow when using light lures, reduces subtle strike detection. Braid and large diameter mono are notorious for line bow the longer the line retrieved below the surface, making fluorocarbon leaders almost a must.

3.Line must have the least stretch (braid) for long distance hook sets. Mono falls short unless a medium action rod and high speed retrieve reel allows it but then makes working ultra-light lures much more difficult because of line bow.

4.Not much more to add except that smaller diameter lines in my experience do better on average, whether braid for the main line or fluorocarbon leaders. Once you find the pound test combination that works, always use it. I rarely use less than 6# test fc or a greater pound test than 10# for braid and I average over 40 fish per outing.