Fluorocarbon Leaders

[TennesseeGuy]

"garry2rs, on 02 January 2011 - 04:27 AM, said:

 

"If you tell a lie that's big enough, and you tell it often enough, people will believe you are telling the truth, even when what you are saying is total crap." [/b][/i]

In fishing terms I think that's sort of like the benefits of fluorocarbon..."

 

 

"Solopaddler: So far you are the only person I know of who's even hinted at that.

 

That's exactly how I feel about fluorocarbon and I've had many a heated discussion about it with friends."

 

 

 

What are your thoughts on using fluorocarbon leaders? I use them, however mine stayed dry all but 9 days this past fishing season. My sample is short.

TG

[lew]

I use 130# Seagar fluoro for muskies because it doesn't kink like wire leaders.

 

I used wire for years and the best I ever found were Stringeze, but they would often kink when a musky thrashed and at around $6.00 each it would get expensive, cause once a wire leader is kinked I won't use it again. If you have a good day and catch several fish and each one ruins a leader it gets kinda spendy.

 

I think the softer fluoro is easier on a musky too when she rolls in the line as it doesn't cut into the flesh the way wire does sometimes.

 

Thats just my opinion though....

[Raf]

What Lew said re: muskie.

 

To add, we also use them for trolling trout in the spring. After dozens of fish the lines take a beating, we'll also bang bottom with dipsys and that takes a toll on leaders too. Fluoro takes the beating much better than mono. Less time retying = more fish in the boat.

[MCTFisher9120]

This is on the lite side of leaders for toothy fish but my 15lb Trilene Fluoro seems to hold fine to average size pike. I use it as a main line, useually for spinnerbaits and spoons and never break off. Might up to 17lb Fluoro this season but I'm fine with straight fluoro rather than braid/fluoro lead.

[outllaw]

over priced and overrated. enuff said from a musky troller

[Mike Pike]

I use Seaguar's 6lb flurocarbon leader material when fishing trout on the Niagara. I'm just amazed the way this stuff can be raked along the teeth of a bow or brown during the fight and still not break.

 

The invisability of the line is incredible too cuz even with my glasses on, it's still hard to see! lol

 

I hate fishing without it now cuz I feel it puts me at a disadvantage. It seems like I never have enough time to fish so when I DO get out, I want all the odds in my favour.

[asdve23rveavwa]

I agree with the facts that they kink less, and, definitely stand up to alot of abuse. As for the invisibility factor, didn't notice a huge advantage this past season, but, still doing my own comparisons.

[solopaddler]

My thoughts are more based on the use of fluoro tippet for steelhead, and as tippet in conjunction with braid for walleye and bass.

 

I have found absolutely no difference in the amount of hookups using fluoro compared to a similar diameter (that's the key) clear mono.

 

In some instances where the water has a green tinge a green coloured mono like maxima ultragreen seems to work much better than either fluoro or clear mono.

 

As far as musky/pike leaders go I like using them only 'cause they're easier on the fish and give many lures better action easpecially when casting.

 

IMO the hype over fluoro drives its sales and use, not what it can actually do.

[mercman]

Keep em comin` guys.I`m learning from every post One question. Is flouro really invisible to the fish,and are they really smart enough to figure it out.

[Roy]

My thoughts are more based on the use of fluoro tippet for steelhead, and as tippet in conjunction with braid for walleye and bass.

 

I have found absolutely no difference in the amount of hookups using fluoro compared to a similar diameter (that's the key) clear mono.

 

In some instances where the water has a green tinge a green coloured mono like maxima ultragreen seems to work much better than either fluoro or clear mono.

 

As far as musky/pike leaders go I like using them only 'cause they're easier on the fish and give many lures better action easpecially when casting.

 

IMO the hype over fluoro drives its sales and use, not what it can actually do.

 

Almost verbatim what I would have answered. I could go further but it might cause trouble.

[cwpowell]

Went trout fishing this past summer with two rods. One loaded with 4lb mono the other loaded with 4lb fluoro. The fluoro rod definitely outfished the mono rod. I don't know if this was just coincidence or if the fluoro helped. But Iknow I definitely won't be trout fishing without fluoro anymore...

[aplumma]

Thanks Solopaddler for the info. down here it is very rare that we use any type of leaders. We have very few clear water places around here and the only time I put a leader on is when I am fishing braid and then it is only a piece of mono. Up North I use Braid and tied directly to my pike lures and I do not see any sign of shying away from the lure. I however find my bass catch seems to go up with a mono leader. Is the aggressive bite of the Pike enough to over ride need for stealth leaders? Are the eyes of the Bass better than the Pikes or is their attack cautious enough to make a difference?

 

Art

[splashhopper]

This is a timely topic for me as I have just been thinking about using flouro leaders for next season.

 

Are we getting any kind of consensus yet?

 

I think I am more confused now, more than I usually am.

 

I am hooked on bass and pike fishing now.

 

Am still fishing for rainbows too, but losing interest in chasing ( and time) them all over hells half acres to get them lately.

Edited January 2, 2011 by splashhopper

[Gregoire]

I think the debate here , as some other people have hinted at, is whether fluoro is superior to mono as a line. In general fluoro is a bit smaller in diameter than mono, which may be a reason why it seems to be preferred by trout anglers, as diameter seems to make a difference to the fish. I would suggest that fishing in gin clear water would also see benefits of fluoro over mono. I remember watching a facts of fishing show where Dave Mercer was fishing with a guy who was using a smaller diameter line and was having way more success drop shotting bass. I would guess that while finesse fishing the lower the diameter the better, and in this case fluoro would be ideal. When using heavier leaders for musky fishing I would think that diameter would have less of an impact. I use fluoro leaders because I believe they are better for the fish and will cause less harm than a wire leader. I would try mono leaders, but I do not tie my own, and have not found any pre-tied mono leaders.

The other debate about fluro is that it is more abrasion resistant and is nearly invisible underwater as compared to mono. From what I have read this is more of a myth than reality.

Why than do people swear by fluorocarbon? I would guess for a few reasons:

1. Advertising. We are definitely swayed by the constant claims that fluoro is better than mono. Also fluoro is more expensive than mono so it must be better.

2. I would also guess that people have swapped out their old mono line for fluoro lines and noticed a difference in performance. As we all know new line will perform better than old line.

3. In addition I believe their are only 2 or 3 suppliers of fluoro line in the world. As a result the quality of fluro is quite consistent. Contrast this to the various different typed of mono, that can vary quite considerably in quality.

4. I think that a mono line that was on a shelf for a few years would degrade much more that a fluoro line that had been sitting around for the same period. You must make sure that the mono line that you use is brand new.

To sum up: Fluoro seems to be a better choice for finesse presentations due to it's lower diameter. In terms of performace and invisibility the difference between the two is debatable, and some would say (myself included) that there is no noticeable difference, especially when considering the cost.

Edited January 2, 2011 by fishgreg

[ChrisK]

This is another steelhead fluoro tidbit,

Theres a time and a place for everything so I like to keep all my options open so I use all the tools available to me. The key to success is to keep an open mind and adapt to the elements placed before you. Like Solo said above,its all about tippet diameter and sometimes a little color so how you go about achieving this is all up to you,fluoro or no fluoro or maybe a combination there of...Unfortunately for steelheaders this only the tip of the iceburg but its a good way to put the odds in your favour if your a novice steelheader just starting out on your journey of information overload.

Heres my take on this subject.

I like to use fluoro in certain conditions and other conditions I may run maxima green and other times main line straight to the hook.Fluoro carbon is just another tool given to us by the fishing gods just as braided lines to some. You can carry all these tools in one pocket so why not take full advantage of a good thing. The trick is being able to read the water when you approach the river and tie your rig accordingly,its just that simple right

[solopaddler]

Almost verbatim what I would have answered. I could go further but it might cause trouble.

 

Great minds think alike.

[ChrisK]

I think the debate here , as some other people have hinted at, is whether fluoro is superior to mono as a line. In general fluoro is a bit smaller in diameter than mono, which may be a reason why it seems to be preferred by trout anglers, as diameter seems to make a difference to the fish. I would suggest that fishing in gin clear water would also see benefits of fluoro over mono. I remember watching a facts of fishing show where Dave Mercer was fishing with a guy who was using a smaller diameter line and was having way more success drop shotting bass. I would guess that while finesse fishing the lower the diameter the better, and in this case fluoro would be ideal. When using heavier leaders for musky fishing I would think that diameter would have less of an impact. I use fluoro leaders because I believe they are better for the fish and will cause less harm than a wire leader. I would try mono leaders, but I do not tie my own, and have not found any pre-tied mono leaders.

The other debate about fluro is that it is more abrasion resistant and is nearly invisible underwater as compared to mono. From what I have read this is more of a myth than reality.

Why than do people swear by fluorocarbon? I would guess for a few reasons:

1. Advertising. We are definitely swayed by the constant claims that fluoro is better than mono. Also fluoro is more expensive than mono so it must be better.

2. I would also guess that people have swapped out their old mono line for fluoro lines and noticed a difference in performance. As we all know new line will perform better than old line.

3. In addition I believe their are only 2 or 3 suppliers of fluoro line in the world. As a result the quality of fluro is quite consistent. Contrast this to the various different typed of mono, that can vary quite considerably in quality.

4. I think that a mono line that was on a shelf for a few years would degrade much more that a fluoro line that had been sitting around for the same period. You must make sure that the mono line that you use is brand new.

To sum up: Fluoro seems to be a better choice for finesse presentations due to it's lower diameter. In terms of performace and invisibility the difference between the two is debatable, and some would say (myself included) that there is no noticeable difference, especially when considering the cost.

Well said fishgreg.

When I was a more avid muskie fisherman a few years back I used 80lb tripplefish mono to tie my leaders on the spot. Hand full of quality snap swivels and swivels kept in a container.Usually took no more than a few minutes to make a fresh leader using the trilene knot. I picked this up off a muskie guide one day while I was out on St Clair and have been using it ever since.

[cwpowell]

I had a reel loaded up with fluoro line and I noticed that it started to dry out and become a whitish colour and then everytime I'd tie a knot it would snap, and become frayed. It became very frail.

[Gregoire]

Well said fishgreg.

When I was a more avid muskie fisherman a few years back I used 80lb tripplefish mono to tie my leaders on the spot. Hand full of quality snap swivels and swivels kept in a container.Usually took no more than a few minutes to make a fresh leader using the trilene knot. I picked this up off a muskie guide one day while I was out on St Clair and have been using it ever since.

 

I've thought about tying my own leaders, the problem is that I am no master of the fishing knot. Until I gain more experience in that area I will stick with pre-tied leaders. I hate to loose 20$ lures or a fish of a lifetime due to my incompetence.

[ChrisK]

Great minds think alike.

Ok Solo,quit suckin up to the dwarf

[SRT8 smoker craft]

My thoughts are more based on the use of fluoro tippet for steelhead, and as tippet in conjunction with braid for walleye and bass.

 

I have found absolutely no difference in the amount of hookups using fluoro compared to a similar diameter (that's the key) clear mono.

 

In some instances where the water has a green tinge a green coloured mono like maxima ultragreen seems to work much better than either fluoro or clear mono.

 

As far as musky/pike leaders go I like using them only 'cause they're easier on the fish and give many lures better action easpecially when casting.

 

IMO the hype over fluoro drives its sales and use, not what it can actually do.

 

I agree with the no increase in hook ups, but don't you find that flouro will take abrasion way better than mono. thats why I use flouro, I find I can still horse a fish (sometimes) out of the wood with flouro which would never happen with mono, it basically snaps if it touches any wood or rocks and flouro will give you a chance to get out of the junk IMO it increases the amount of fish I land not hook ups. Might just be I have way more confidence in the flouro who Knows.

[ChrisK]

I agree with the no increase in hook ups, but don't you find that flouro will take abrasion way better than mono. thats why I use flouro, I find I can still horse a fish (sometimes) out of the wood with flouro which would never happen with mono, it basically snaps if it touches any wood or rocks and flouro will give you a chance to get out of the junk IMO it increases the amount of fish I land not hook ups. Might just be I have way more confidence in the flouro who Knows.

Float fishing is a hole different animal bud. You can't horse a freshly hooked steelhead on a float rod or you'll just end up snapping him off especially if your using a finer tippet. You just got to let them run there course and try to steer them out of the trouble areas like wood and huge boulders. I find when I'm fishing stained water and running main line with no tippet I can control them a little more but these fish are strong and will even brake you off when using heavier line. As for abrasion resistance,never an issue for the float fisherman cause we use the stealth from above method

[Garry2Rs]

Lots of good ideas on Fluorocarbon here!

In truth I was being a little flippant for the sake of humour in my post, but only a little...grin.

 

Okay, for better or worse these are my true thoughts on Fluorocarbon...

 

I think that for Pike and Musky leaders either mono or fluoro have the same benefits, in that they are easier on the fish and less obvious that a metal leader or tying directly to the 80 or 100 pound braid most guys are using.

 

I seriously doubt that there is any significant difference in abrasion resistance between a tough mono like XT and fluoro.

 

I believe that the invisibility angle is way over sold!

 

I'm fairly sure that on reaction baits, like cranks, fish respond to what they see as a fleeing prey and never consciously see the line.

 

I have said before that years ago fly fishermen used dental floss as a tippet to fool tough fish. The floss wasn't invisible, but it was small in diameter, and limp. Therefore, it was less effected by cross currents. Cross currents cause what is called "drag" on a bait. When drag is present, the fly, nymph, worm, roe bag etc. drifts in an unnatural way.

 

To bring this back to Fluoro, since it tends to be smaller in diameter, for a given pound-test, it might be less effected by drag than mono of the same strength.

 

On baits that suspend or free fall I now use Fluoro as a leader. In fact I use fluoro as a leader on any baits that I want to sink. It might not help, but what-the-hey, it can't hurt! I also use mono as a leader on top-waters and plastic toads, because I want them to float, and what-the-hey!

 

On casting reels I have used 20 pound fluoro as a running line. I also use 20 pound mono. It depends on whether I have a floating or sinking bait. However, over all I prefer braid.

 

As a running line on spinning rods, I have had poor results. Mono is definitely limper and might have it's place, but I prefer braid, because of line-twist issues. After Crappie season I only use my spinning gear for Senkos and drop shotting. I tie on a short fluoro leader...what-the-hey.

 

Trout, Steelhead and Walleye guys might have different opinions. But I can only tell you my thoughts.

 

In summary, I first spooled up with fluorocarbon back in 2000 and have tried it again several times, as each new generation of line claimed to have solved the problems of wiry line with bad memory.

 

If the definition of insanity is:

Doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result. I suppose that, as Billy Joel said, "That only proves that I'm insane"...HAHAHA!

[SRT8 smoker craft]

Float fishing is a hole different animal bud. You can't horse a freshly hooked steelhead on a float rod or you'll just end up snapping him off especially if your using a finer tippet. You just got to let them run there course and try to steer them out of the trouble areas like wood and huge boulders. I find when I'm fishing stained water and running main line with no tippet I can control them a little more but these fish are strong and will even brake you off when using heavier line. As for abrasion resistance,never an issue for the float fisherman cause we use the stealth from above method

 

I am talking about float fishing I horse fresh fish ALL the time it's the ONLY way to land big fish in my "Home" waters there's no "steering" the fish because there is wood every where you look .I can't coun't the amount of times I have though "I'm gonna lose this one)as I clamp down on the float reel and hold on ,I also don't use anything less than 6lb leader and have on many occasions out fished guys using lighter line than me .I think abrasion is very important for float fisherman rivers are full of abrasive crap.OH 1 more thing stop using tippets and use regular flouro line way cheaper and stronger but everyone has their own recipe for success.

[Gregoire]

Lots of good ideas on Fluorocarbon here!

In truth I was being a little flippant for the sake of humour in my post, but only a little...grin.

 

Okay, for better or worse these are my true thoughts on Fluorocarbon...

 

I think that for Pike and Musky leaders either mono or fluoro have the same benefits, in that they are easier on the fish and less obvious that a metal leader or tying directly to the 80 or 100 pound braid most guys are using.

 

I seriously doubt that there is any significant difference in abrasion resistance between a tough mono like XT and fluoro.

 

I believe that the invisibility angle is way over sold!

 

I'm fairly sure that on reaction baits, like cranks, fish respond to what they see as a fleeing prey and never consciously see the line.

 

I have said before that years ago fly fishermen used dental floss as a tippet to fool tough fish. The floss wasn't invisible, but it was small in diameter, and limp. Therefore, it was less effected by cross currents. Cross currents cause what is called "drag" on a bait. When drag is present, the fly, nymph, worm, roe bag etc. drifts in an unnatural way.

 

To bring this back to Fluoro, since it tends to be smaller in diameter, for a given pound-test, it might be less effected by drag than mono of the same strength.

 

On baits that suspend or free fall I now use Fluoro as a leader. In fact I use fluoro as a leader on any baits that I want to sink. It might not help, but what-the-hey, it can't hurt! I also use mono as a leader on top-waters and plastic toads, because I want them to float, and what-the-hey!

 

On casting reels I have used 20 pound fluoro as a running line. I also use 20 pound mono. It depends on whether I have a floating or sinking bait. However, over all I prefer braid.

 

As a running line on spinning rods, I have had poor results. Mono is definitely limper and might have it's place, but I prefer braid, because of line-twist issues. After Crappie season I only use my spinning gear for Senkos and drop shotting. I tie on a short fluoro leader...what-the-hey.

 

Trout, Steelhead and Walleye guys might have different opinions. But I can only tell you my thoughts.

 

In summary, I first spooled up with fluorocarbon back in 2000 and have tried it again several times, as each new generation of line claimed to have solved the problems of wiry line with bad memory.

 

If the definition of insanity is:

Doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result. I suppose that, as Billy Joel said, "That only proves that I'm insane"...HAHAHA!

 

I totally forgot abut the obvious fact that fluoro sinks and mono floats. I'll have to try using floss as a leader sometime, just for kicks.