fluorocarbon line???

[Tomas Daniel]

last spring i tried some of the fluorocarbon line on the market because of a few articles i'd read. while i did seem to catch more fish with it, it broke way too easy and tangled extremely bad. i know some of you use it.....i guess im asking for brand suggestions. this stuffis just too expensive to expiriment with. lol. any experience you guys have had will help!! thanks!!

[Bill "Musky" Modica]

Most of my rigging incorporates the use of Fluorocarbon line, but only in the form of leader material.....I use Berkley Vanish, and have never had the problems you describe....however I do not spool up with Fluorocarbon.....light braided superlines with Fluorocarbon leaders is my mode of operation.

[Leo Nguyen]

Never use the entire reel of flouro. That was my mistake when I first played with it years ago. Like Bill mentioned, only use the flouro as leader materials. I used mono, such as Spider, Red, or even some off brand for cost saving. However, this year, I went bold and tried braid. I have both the Power Pro and Spider braid, 2lbs, 3lbs, 5lbs, and 15lbs. For 2lbs and 3lbs braid (jigging and short distant casting for panfishes and trouts), I use mono spider 2lbs leader. 5lbs braid (use for baitcasting), I use 6lbs fluoro. 15lbs braid (basses, large cats, and carps), I use 10lbs flouro.

I can truly say, this setup caught me off guard on how sensitive it can be. I feel every little nibble and tug when I'm jigging, and when I'm using bobbers, my hookups is a lot more efficient. Casting on normal basis is much easier for me, and about 20ft further than the mono. Using braid improve my flycasting and presentation for floater. Man..can't believe the ability of the braid.

The weak thing about braid is that the wind can kill it real good. Wind can cause the line to really crinkle and ruffle, creating snagging during casts. On top of that, after a nice long day, let the reel unspool, and give a bit of pressure on the line with your fingers to reel the entire spool back up again to prevent snagging during cast next time around.

I would spend a few bucks more to get the braid with flouro leaders. Last a heck lot longer than mono.

[Tomas Daniel]

thanks guys! why didnt i think of that??? lol. gotta love this website. leo, im thinkin of how i could incorperate this braid/flyoro combo to my slip cork rig....what do you think about replacing the splitshot with a small barrel swivel and tying a fluoro leader from the swivel to the hook?

[Leo Nguyen]

Already thinking way ahead of you when I was thinking about your rig in the shower yesterday  LOL  Using your method of adding the sinker egg, rather than using a splitshot, the egg can be stopped with a #10 or #12 swivel terminal. The mono or braid line will be able to handle the abrasive sling of the egg, if any of the sliding occur. From the swivel, the flouro will act as the invisible line for your pop-up/blow-up baits, giving you the even greater chance to win the golden pot of "Look at my tanker of fishes I caught" trophy/award. Normally, in muddy or heavy stained water with the average bottom depth of 7ft and below, fish (not even trouts) can't see the mono line anyway. In clear water, flouro is definitely needed, or 5ft down below stained and muddy water from the surface.

Suggestion for braid to flouro and mono direct connection without swivels: always, and I mean always, use blood knots. Using other knots, the braid will cut the mono and flouro like a hot knife through butter. Blood know yield full tensile strength between the braid and other type. I learned that the hard way after loosing the precious epic battles with the carps and basses on my light and ultra light rigs used for casting.

[Lord of the Fly , Rods]

 My style of fishing lends itself to using fluorocarbon, a 10 lb. test , 6 1/2 feet long on the end of my fly line. With the flourocarbon being invisible , I really dont have to worry about the thickness of the line ,and with a #8 wire hook , if I get hung up ,all I  have to do is pull straight on the line to retrive the hook, that eliminates the fear of tossing into the thick stuff,and of coarse it is stout enought to pull in a big cat that might be prowling the beds. If  the bluegill cant see the line , it dosent matter how thick it is, and there are no problems with the use of a porcupine quill. this set up put lots of fish in my boat, and I've been doing it for years and dont see me changing any time soon

[dick tabbert]

Thomas I can tell you I use Berkley Vanish. Been using it for quit awhile now. The line has worked great for me, My only complaint is its so sensitive I find myself setting the hook quit often and I found out I'm not as fast as I once was. I know because I use it I catch more fish and I have never had a fish break off. I do tend to check my line often for nick at which time I will retie but even my nicked line is not as often using this flourocarbon. I use 4 and 6 pound test. You are right it is a little pricey but I think if you weigh all the goods and bad's it is worth the price difference. Now the only negitive I have is its still like mono and once and awhile when you cast it will give you a gob of line with is still irrtating. The best way to deal with it is to cut it out or you will be saying some word you won't be pleased with when it happen again and If you don't cut it out it will happen. There is a couple things that will help to prolong it from happening as often. When you make you cast close the bail by hand. If you hook a fish and it takes out drag don't reel until it stops taking out drag. These two things will help you with most of the line globs, but still no 100%. If someone tell you they never have line clumps with there spinning reel I think he may now be telling you the truth. I did hear of a reel manufactured by the Bass Professor that make that claim but never tried one. Maybe someone else has and can shed some light on it. I hope this helps you Thomas I like my flourocarbon but can only limit my opinion to the Berley Vanish that being the only flourocarbon I have ever used.

 

 

 

 

[Leo Nguyen]

Dick, you hit things on the head quite well. I use Berkley Vanish myself. I also venture into other flouro when they're on sale. I hope I can share a bit of reel and poly-lines knowledge that I've learned from the masters/manufacturers:

1. When using a reel, as you cast, you control the line release manually anyway. But if you cast without control, let the line fly until leader lands. However, don't just start reeling in right away. Let the leader sinks, creating a bit of tensions between the leader, the line, and the spool. This way, the tension will give a taut, minimizing loose line within the spool, which results in minimal to no line overlapping. This is the problem with line snagging when you cast, which yield a similar baitcaster bird's nest effect. I hated it. Adding a bit of tension on the line as you reel in the first initial 5ft will prevent the remaining line from overlapping, and create the bundling/bird's nest effect. This is crucial when you use the entire holding spool of flouro. Mono and braid, not so much. Stiffer flouro..oh boy...

2. Manually engaging the bail enable to you dictate when the free line is taut enough for reeling. Auto engage the bail with the auto function on most reels today will cause a sudden slack in the line. Have you notice it? It's extremely common when you use braid. Even the slightest slack will cause that bundling/bird's nest effect in the spool later.

Scientifically sound, any tension on the line that's greater than 2lbs/square inch will yield optimal line spooling for mono and braid up to 10lbs. Anything greater than 10lbs, you need at least 4lbs/square inch (use one hand to gently pull one finger off the other hand..when you feel your joints start to stretch apart, that's 4lbs/square inch) Anything less, well, you'll know the outcome real soon. Flouro, you need at least 4lbs/sq-in or greater regardless of test poundage.

Okay..okay..sorry, I'm being way too geeky.

[federico del toro]

I also use fluorcarbon only as a leader I use nanofill line in the 4#

I use a drop shot rig for most of my fishing so it works really good

[dick tabbert]

Leo I defiantly have an open mind and want to learn all I can. I have used most reels and in doing so I have my favorite manufactures.

[Johnny wilkins]

Immediately I see the term Bass Professor and I am suspect of this information. We all know the top cichlid in the U.S. is the bluegill - not the bass. So when I read this I see Professor of Lessor Fish.

One thing you can try when casting - if you MUST cast for bluegills - I mean, the telescopic pole is a superior weapon and can not be beaten for catching and presenting the live bait to gills - I digress - when casting and yes, I find occasions where casting is the only option - wow run-on sentence - 

You can also cut down on your tangles. When you make a cast, get in the habit of "feathering" the spool with a finger. This can be done with the free hand and the front side of your open spool or with your trigger finger on the hand holding the rod (much harder). When you feather the landing you stop the line from spooling off after your bait lands on the water. When the bait stops the line still has momentum off the spool and in the air. This is where that slack line comes in and this is where a ton of problems occur. You can also use the feathering to be really accurate hitting your target.

As far as the Berkley these are really thick lines and I have not been pleased with their consistency. There are far better lines on the market but only stocked in spotty fashion. Most available Berkley  - best - not by far - worst, it is possible. Cheapest - yes.

[dick tabbert]

Johnny, Johnny, Johnny I wrote the information for educational purposes only. We all know we can use some bass reels for bluegills or I mean bluegill reels for bass. It came to me when we discussed line coming out in globs. The advertisement  came to me when I was remembering that the Bass professor, there is that word again said he had the only reel that would not birds nest off of a spinning reel something to that effect. Me myself I have almost  eliminated that problem but it is something you have to work at so every time you cast becomes second nature. Lets talk about the bass fisherman for a short It was really the bass industry that improved our equipment to where is is today.  Now a day we have bearings in our reel instead of bushings and we have our new fishing lines. The bass industry in the early seventies started the ball rolling on improving there equipment (big industry) which intern made  the fishing equipment of today with  continuing improvements. I am #1 a panfish fisherman wanting to learn all that I can about them little buggers and continually learning.  Johnny Marry Christmas to you and your family and may you catch lots of big ones. GOOD FISHIN..

[Johnny wilkins]

Dick- YES Merry Merry Christmas.

I wasn't nicking on you or the information. I just like the "Bass Professor" it tweaks my funny bone. I would say the bass industry has also antiquated our bluegill tackle more than it has advanced it. All the fishing lines for many years were no better than the gut or the braids, but now they are coming around. You don't need a ton of performance to tow a crank bait if you know what I am saying - us, fishing for our favorite cichlids - we need to perform at a higher level. Gills - unlike their bass counterparts don't always charge 15 feet over to smack a moving object.

- Love the ball rolling pun for sure too.

I think more than the equipment dominating the scene in the U.S. for bass and trout - I think the regulations also weigh heavily in favor of those apex predators as those are the masses' favorites. I should also - mostly because it is Christmas not forget our lessor Apex predator fish - for without them, our populations of bluegills would not be healthy and large. They serve a purpose - and that is being the shepherds for the most awesome fish -the BlueGill.

Thin that herd boys, thin the herd- 'tis the season even to my bucket-mouthed friends who get way too much attention.