Hi-Vis fluorescent monofilament line?

[Jeff Soto]

What are your thoughts and experiences with using the bright, highly visible monofilament fishing lines? Until recently, I would never use a hi visible, fluorescent monofilament fishing line because I thought that it would scare off the fish, even though the companies that manufacture these lines claim that the brightness caused by the ultraviolet light rays from the sun will disappear once the line is underwater a few feet. I recently bought some 1 & 2 lb. test fluorescent line to try on my ultralight panfish rods.  Since my vision is not as good as it used to be, I thought using a hi-vis line would help me with tying on jigs and hooks and also be easier to see the line as it goes into the water while fishing. After using this line   while crappie fishing recently, I found that the fish did not shy away from the bright line. Maybe crappie are just a dumb fish, so I tried it at a private lake and those Bluegill and small bass hit my lures tied directly to that line just fine.  In fact, I caught more fish than my buddy did and he was using green Maxima!

[Leo Nguyen]

I use hi-vis Power Pro braid line. I'm telling you, it' helps a lot knowing where my lines are, and the total distant from the passing boats or floats as I troll. Hi-vis truly is not invisible to the fishes Jeff, no matter what the light refraction and reflection index they put into the line. Unless the line color matches the water's background, the fish will see that line in the water. The reason I use a flouro leader because the fishes can indeed see the line in the water, all the way to 25ft. This is why I use a 32" to 40" of leader based on my rod's total length when jigging with the shorter 4'8" and 5'2" poles. I use a shorter leader with the casting pole.

I've fished the hi-vis braid over the same school, and tried for hours to land a fish. I was lucky to land 2 fishes in 3 hours with two poles. When I switched over to the flouro leader *WHAM!* instant bendo with mealworms and crickets. This is why I speak so much about the flouro leader when using braid. I have yet to use the mono hi-vis. Could it be the transparency of the plastic and the color used match near the same as the background color in the water? Would you mind provide us with the details? It could be interesting. I may switch to a spool of mono hi-vis for cheaper alternative during budgeting time.

[cal okeefe]

i have used it and still do .. im a fan of the red 4lb cajun line for panfish and 8lb cajun for bass... i have some poles that are lined with vicious mono hi vis and it works the same as any other line i use.. one day last spring my son was using the hi vis vicious on his pole , i had on red cajun and my father in law had on some clear line ..  we all caught crappies and bluegill  one after another. so my opinion is it dont matter.. but our lakes we fish have darker water. so if you guys fish crystal clear water maybe it could make a difference..

[David, aka, "McScruff"]

I have a high opinion of the hi-vis mono. My experience is with the Vicious products. I've closely observed the line in the water. It appears to my eyes that the UV reactive "glow" very nearly disappears, even after a short distance beneath the surface. Indeed the line itself, seems to "fade out." I'm no scientist, but my guess is that the portion of the light spectrum to which the line reacts dissipates fast in natural water.

When very shallow (which is all I have to go on), you CAN see the line. But it becomes a milky,  translucent yellow-green, and kind of "blends" with the background. Some of you may recall I often fish the dark, tannin stained waters of the Upper Edisto river in SC. As dark as that water is, the Vicious line doesn't stand out. If I were to guess again, it's that the fish aren't threatend by it, if they do see it.,

When I first used it, I was naturally a little skeptical. I got it off the promo rack at Walmart, 100yd/$1. My intent was to keep it as a back up. But the first thing I noticed when using it was the stark visual separation between the line, above and below the water. As mentioned before, it seems to fade into the background, as much as anything, once below the surface. I remain impressed by that.

Now, Im like Leo and some of the others, in that Im not keen on taking chances. So I continue to use a short hook leader of 1-2 lb ice fishing line. That stuff is gossamer-like and I can hardly see it to tie it. So, I feel it is best at the terminal end. But the I've also used the hi-vis yellow tied directly to the hook (4#), and didn't feel it was a deal breaker to have it there.

[B. Waldman]

Line color is like bait color - it only matters when it matters, and that is much less frequently than most anglers would think. I know in the waters around here, I can run direct and almost never see a difference in catches. The crappie have to be able to find your bait somehow in order to bite it. Being able to follow that bright line until it gets to your bait is the key :-)

OK, that might be going too far, but I almost always tie direct to start on a body of water until the fish show me otherwise. Since I do mostly jig fishing, being able to see a bite or slight twitch or stall in the line can be a big deal. Much easier with hi-vis line. If you need the mental confidence of low visibility, or are using a live bait/float presentation, go ahead and use a leader or just straight low vis line. No big deal, though that leader connection will become the weak link in the overall package. Usually not a problem with smaller panfish though.