A different opinion on hi-vis

Most of us believe that crappie are not line shy. That being said, we choose hi-vis line for its good visibility above water without spooking the fish.

Pro crappie guide and tournament contestant Jeff Larch takes this a step further. His opinion is that sometimes hi-vis line IMPROVES your hook up rate!

His theory:
The crappie can see the line above them. They watch it for a bit. Then comes the lure behind it. The sudden appearance triggers a reaction strike.
True? False? Who knows! [emoji848]

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Switched to hi-vis braid this year Suffix 832 10lb. I have people telling me hi-vis don't matter to crappie and others telling me to use a fluro leader versus straight to your hi-vis due to line shyness. I'm new to hi-vis this year so I'm not sure........

I've been using hi-vis for about 10 years. Have not noticed a change in catch rate in either direction.

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I have used hi-vis for 10+ years. I don’t think it makes much difference either. I have caught more than my father in law at times with him using same jig but him with clear line and vise versa, there have been times he has caught more.


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I use it to make tying jigs easier and to see where my line enters the water. Not concerned about the fish being able to see it.

I mostly fish stained water and I use hi-vis line. Been using it or years. I switched from hi-vis yellow to hi-vis orange ( I see this better) a couple years ago and the fish hasnt reacted differently at all. Im no expert at all but my belief is either the fish doesnt see the line or it doesnt bother them at all.

My take, does it make a difference? Depends on water clarity. I've been using it (hiviz) for over 30 years. The first time I saw anyone use it was in the mid 80's, a friend of my fishing partner offered to show us how to catch crappie in the winter. When I looked in his boat and saw his all reels had hiviz yellow line on them, my first thought was that we were going on a sightseeing trip. At the end of the day, he had out fished my buddy and I by about 8-1.

I mainly fish braid now, only have one reel that has mono on it, yes it's hiviz yellow. I've tried using fluro leaders with the braid but have experienced a lot of break offs, I no longer use leaders.

I grew up crappie fishing with a " texas toothpick" you take a welding rod , scrape off the flux , flatten each end and drill a small hole.
split ring , snap swivel with crappie hook. You can fish this in the heaviest cover and rarely get hung up. We always used minnows.
If they will bite a bait attached to a welding rod, I don't think they are very line shy. ultra clear water may be different results

I wonder it it would work with a jig ?

MO

Interesting concept

I know they say line color doesn't matter but usually I don't risk it and fish clear. I do have hi-vis line and like it for dock shooting or anywhere I let the lure slowly sink.

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Originally Posted by gabowman

I mostly fish stained water and I use hi-vis line. Been using it or years. I switched from hi-vis yellow to hi-vis orange ( I see this better) a couple years ago and the fish hasnt reacted differently at all. Im no expert at all but my belief is either the fish doesnt see the line or it doesnt bother them at all.

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Same for me. Our water is always stained and I love the tangerine orange Sufix line for visibility. I am positive the crappie don't care one way or the other. I also use it to dock shoot because you can really see that orange line jump when they hit.

Never used hi-vis . Tried braid when fishing with others . But with livescope the jig is put right on fish so can't see any difference . Funny how Trout can be line shy but Crappie don't seem to care . Could be water clarity or maybe Trout just see better or just plain finicky ? Colors don't seem to matter for me. I really wonder if Crappie just not color blind .

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Originally Posted by Grainraiser

Same for me. Our water is always stained and I love the tangerine orange Sufix line for visibility. I am positive the crappie don't care one way or the other. I also use it to dock shoot because you can really see that orange line jump when they hit.

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I was never a line watcher but use heavier jigs to maintain contact with my hook. These days with livescope hard to believe many fishermen could be line watching!:twocents

At my age I have to use hi viz or I wouldn’t be able to tie a knot. I have been using it for some years now and still catch plenty of fish. Trout in clear water might be another story….
Bob

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Originally Posted by NIMROD

I was never a line watcher but use heavier jigs to maintain contact with my hook. These days with livescope hard to believe many fishermen could be line watching!:twocents

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Don't get me wrong but I like braid also. What line I use depends on how I am fishing. I will always have hi-vis line if I am shooting docks because watching your line is most important. I will always have braid when fishing 15 feet or deeper because sensitivity is most important. Hi-vis line is a must if fishing minnows at night. Many times the only time you know you have a fish on is when your line moves vertically in the water. I use braid when fishing thick brush. I would rather straighten the hook on a stuck jig over having to retie over and over. Both lines serve a purpose for me.

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Originally Posted by NIMROD

I was never a line watcher but use heavier jigs to maintain contact with my hook. These days with livescope hard to believe many fishermen could be line watching!:twocents

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I just got Active Target this year and have only been using it a few weeks, so it's entirely possible, even probable, that I don't have it tuned in yet and that I'm not getting the best picture and response from it, but yeah, I'm still very much a line watcher most of the time. I look at the screen to see where the cover or fish are located, make my cast, if I'm able to see my jig fall (sometimes I can, sometimes I can't), then I watch until I know I'm in the area and at the right depth, and then I watch my line, NOT the screen. There are lots of times where it looks like a fish MAY have inhaled your jig on the Active Target, but set the hook based on that info alone and 90% of the time you're going to be pulling your jig away from them. If the line jumps or you feel the thump though, you KNOW that the fish actually hit.

And, to get back to the original topic, yeah, I use hi-vis line on all of my Crappie rods and I fish both turbid and very clear water, haven't really noticed any propensity for the Crappie to avoid it.

I have used Hi-Vis for years. Helps me see my line to tie or untwist. Jeff is my son and we fish together a lot. Hi-Vis line definately does not slow him down any on catch rate. He is tied straight to the jig.

I must apologize. I think maybe I did not word my post quite correctly. The point I was trying to make was that he believes that hi-vis can help you catch more fish due to the line catching their attention before they see the lure. Sorry folks [emoji3]

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I think I would hedge my bet by using hi-viz with a flurocarbon leader. If the hi-viz attracts fish it would still be there for that purpose and for line watching. The leader would help if fish were line shy.

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Originally Posted by silverside

I must apologize. I think maybe I did not word my post quite correctly. The point I was trying to make was that he believes that hi-vis can help you catch more fish due to the line catching their attention before they see the lure. Sorry folks [emoji3]

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I'm a little skeptical about hi-viz line getting a fish's attention to that extent. Have you ever seen all the line wrapped & dangling from a tree or brushpile during very low water level times ?? That's not to mention all the strands of moss or aquatic plants that are present in many lakes. I'd think they'd be accustomed to seeing such things, or (since it's not "food") simply ignore it all together.
I'm not saying that in some circumstances it doesn't catch their attention, but since using Livescope I haven't noticed any fish move away from or towards the line .... until the jig is within their zone of attraction. Then they'll either move towards or away from the jig (or in some cases simply ignore it :Doh: ).

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Originally Posted by BobC

At my age I have to use hi viz or I wouldn’t be able to tie a knot...Bob

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I'm in the same boat as you about seeing how to thread the eye of a jig!:):):)

Been using hi- vis lines for all my fishing for 25 years now. Lines range from 2 pound test to 10 lb. test mono. Most of my fishing is in a very clear highland lake for spotted bass and crappie. Also fish the Tennessee River for smallmouth, white bass, crappie and sauger, and the coast for speckled trout, flounder and redfish. With various friends fishing with me over the years, we have had a few days with over a hundred spotted bass, several days with over a hundred white bass and several days with over a hundred speckled trout. I don't believe high vis line has hurt our results. Bass can see several pieces of wire on an AL rig, but still bite the swimbaits.

My catches over the last decade since braid hit the market has proven a few things to me :
1. line type and diameter is important as far as lure action is concerned - especially finesse lures and very light jigs + small lures. Too large a diameter and too stiff a line kills lure action, especially an action that is essential with slow-moving suspended lures.

2. braid allow strike sensitivity such that I no longer have to watch the line - ever. I feel the strike down the rod no matter where I looking.
3. if fish are line shy, why not hook shy? If I where a fish, that barbed, pointed piece of metal would make me think twice and send me to the other side of the lake! Even worse - lures with 2 or more treble hooks!

JMHO but a fish's attention is locked on lure action, size and shape from start to hookset; line not a distraction.

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Originally Posted by silverside

I must apologize. I think maybe I did not word my post quite correctly. The point I was trying to make was that he believes that hi-vis can help you catch more fish due to the line catching their attention before they see the lure. Sorry folks [emoji3]

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I too believe Hi-Vis can help catch crappie. Crappie guide Gary Mason swears Hi-Vis Chartreuse line consistently puts more slabs in his boat for clients when casting Slider Grubs on stakebeds and brush piles.
He feels the Hi-Vis line grabs their attention and they see the grub sooner and react quicker while it’s still in their strike zone.


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I am typically who believes fish can't seen the line and it does not matter what test line you throw. For the most part I still believe this with one big exception. Our white bass run has started and if you throw anything larger than 4lb test and any baits larger than 1.25 you will go home with 2 or 3 fish for the day. By throwing 2lb fluorocarbon and 1.25 plastics my catch rate goes up by 85%. This creek is not clear by any means but those fish certainly know the difference. Every year I see guys show up with 10lb best throwing 2 inch white curly tails and wonder why they can't catch fish. Those fish are as wary as clear water trout for whatever reason. The go back to being regular white bass once they return back to the lake.

For what it's worth, I fished the Big O a couple of weeks ago with a fellow that was using Mr. Crappie 6lb line that appeared to be green. I was using a 10lb Hi-Viz yellow Stren. We were using the exact same jig. He caught 3 fish to my one. It was his opinion that yellow line was my problem. I don't know. May have been the heavier pound test, not letting the jig perform as well as his on the lighter line. At any rate, I did change the line to a 6lb Trilene as that is all I could find. Did not get the chance to try it out in Fl but will here in KY to see how it does.

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Originally Posted by Quailtail

For what it's worth, I fished the Big O a couple of weeks ago with a fellow that was using Mr. Crappie 6lb line that appeared to be green. I was using a 10lb Hi-Viz yellow Stren. We were using the exact same jig. He caught 3 fish to my one. It was his opinion that yellow line was my problem. I don't know. May have been the heavier pound test, not letting the jig perform as well as his on the lighter line. At any rate, I did change the line to a 6lb Trilene as that is all I could find. Did not get the chance to try it out in Fl but will here in KY to see how it does.

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In your scenario, I'd be more inclined to think that it's the line diameter weight. It's not only what they see, but how the jig reacts and a jig reacts FAR differently on 4 or even 6 pound mono, versus 10 pound line. Could be strike detection or any number of other things. I think sometimes we downplay how important presentation is versus line, lure or color choice.

I like hi viz yellow line but in the clear water around here i absolutely believe you need a leader. In dirty water if i break off i never tie one back on.

Hi-viz line has scared many a crappie into my livewell.