Can't get mind around Fluoro

[Bud Kennedy]

Let me start by saying that I have never used fluoro line.  Not even as a leader material.  The reason is that there seems to be just too many negatives surrounding its performance that makes me wonder if it is worth the hype.

While I do understand the chemistry and the performance claims, I wonder does it really improve the catch rate?  All I hear about is the negative things like being extra careful with the knots or the line will be subject to breakage.  I also hear some say it is like casting bailing wire indicating it is not the most pliable product out there.  Then there is the common comments about line memory.

I acknowledge that the claims for abrasion resistance and the sensitivity of the product may be appealing but just can't grasp how that would help me.  Maybe it is just worth it for the stealth qualities.

Many folks I know just use it for leaders only and do not spool up a reel with the product.  Just saying for the casual fisherman like me, Is it really worth all the trouble?  I don't fish in clear water and seldom use a leader at all. My history has been to use either mono or braid and tie directly to the lure without a leader.

[cojab]

I've used a lot of flouro but that was during fly fishing and just for tippets. You really needed it for the stealth factor on finicky trout.
To be honest I never really had a problem with knots or memory but again, that was just on ~18" leaders  (tippets) and it was tied to mono and then to the fly.

I am getting ready to set up a jig/frog rod and was considering a flouro leader. I think I will try braid first and if it seems I am missing fish I will try some flouro leader on it.

So end result, I don't have a direct answer for you. I guess if what your doing now is working for you, I'm not sure I would change.

[LgMouthGambler]

I think for heavier weight you would be OK. I am contemplating some for pitching with 1/2-1 oz lures and jigs. Either that or a tough mono line.

[rockchalk06]

I have never seen an increase or decrease in catch ratio when using it or not. Partially due to water clarity around here. If you want gin clear water in Oklahoma, you need to drink gin and fish the mud hole.

I use it mainly for two reasons:

1st. I like the low stretch and abrasion resistance. I fish some rocky areas that will kill braid in one trip. Fluoro will cut this way down. Mono will do for the most part, but the stretch is like fishing with rubber bands.

2nd. It comes off the spool well, goes through the guides well and deflects wind well. When I fish moving baits like my swims, I prefer fluoro. Low stretch gives me better hook sets at distance. It gives me more distance than braid. It also its not affected near as bad by wind as braid is. A lot of times I am casting for accuracy around brush or objects. Its Oklahoma and blows it all the time I am more accurate with Fluoro.

[Bud Kennedy]

rock, you are the first person that has ever mentioned a wind advantage. 

[LgMouthGambler]

rock, you are the first person that has ever mentioned a wind advantage.

I can see the advantage as the wind wont take the line sailing as it bows and creates excessive slack line.

[Bud Kennedy]

I would view that as more of an impact on the lure itself and not the line.

[Ron Fogelson]

I don't even use mono anymore,,,, haven't for years.  When I 1st started using floro I tried a bunch of different lines and like the knots, line management & price point of Stren's Floro the best.  At this time I hadn't tried Seaguar but within a few years Stren was bought out by pure fishing and their floro at the time was discontinued in favor of another well known brand Berkley Vanish and I absolutely hated vanish. 

So on the hunt for a new floro brought me into an in-depth conversation with my local tackle guy who has been in the biz forever.  He educated me that Seaguar invented floro and brought it to market, suggested I give carbon pro a try.  I was much better then anything out there for me now that I couldn't get the Stren.  The price was a bit more, the line management wasn't as friendly but the strength and lack of stretch was amazing.  Add in a bit of KVD spry and line management was no longer an issue until the very end of the spool.  Kept the spool full or mostly full and use a bit of KVD and I became a fast fan of Seaguar 

Fast forward a few more years and Seaguar stopped making carbon pro and has created lines to fit a few different needs.  The Seaguar Red Label 100% Fluorocarbon is the best price point, fairly manageable but has the most stretch almost as much as any average mono line by my feel.  It is the line I've settled on for most everything moving,,,, cranks, spinnerbaits, vibrashocks, and lightweight flipping/pitching--- 14 ounce or less to include weightless plastics but wish they left carbon pro on the market.

Next is Seaguar InvizX Fluorocarbon Line price point a bit more, great knots and line management not as much line stretch as the Red but still noticeable to me and for me the price point wasn't good enough to step up past the Red Label so I don't use it.  The Seaguar ABRAZX Fluorocarbon has a higher price point, isn't as manageable but not unruly, good knots and a freaking great low stretch floro line. I use this for flipping/pitching. from 1/4 to 3/4 ounce weights and only in brush or average vegetation.  If I'm in very thick vegetation and or heavier weights I'm looking for a reaction bite and only use braid.


Seaguar Tatsu is the top of the line floro,,,, they are proud of it and the price point shows it.  It is better then the old carbon pro, has the lack of stretch of AbraXand strong as hell the best in abrasion resistance, has the line management & knots of InvizX but I just don't want to pay that much.  If I fished more and bigger tournaments this would be the line I used for most everything.

If you are set on Mono check the Seaguar Senshi Monofilament Line they are proud of this line as well and the price point reflects it.  However you get all the benefits of mono yet the strength and less stretch of some floros, not as much as Red Label but close.

As far as casting in the wind I would say the benefits are  trade off for line management.  The more supple the line the less your notice.  The stiffer floro helps because in many cases the line diameter is less then mono so you get a smaller line = less wind drag - stiffer line = less bellowing or bowing cause by wind.

For fun fishing floro has it's place to help get cranks a bit deeper, to reduce line site on spinnerbaits / squarebills in the shallows and is more forgiving around docks/rocks and vegetation then some mono's but if what your doing isn't broke,,,,,,, :-)  Nothing wrong with trying new things just to see if you like the results and maybe you will find a new favorite line for one presentation or another

[LgMouthGambler]

I would view that as more of an impact on the lure itself and not the line.

Not when your reel has a spool that spins like crazy. Your reel will release line as the wind takes it.

[rockchalk06]

rock, you are the first person that has ever mentioned a wind advantage. 

That is what killed me from using it on Swim Jigs. I make pretty long casts around sticks trees etc (I'm shore bound) and have to be accurate. The braid just shanks around everything when its windy.

[Mike Bush]

Same here. Im a FC fan all the way. Wish they made braid a bit stiffer for frog and swimjig work.

[Russ199A]

Pretty much 2nd what Ron said above.
I've made an almost 75% transition to floro for flipp'n/pitch'n. Low stretch and very sensitive.
I still have a need for braid around heavy cover and punching but for normal work it's floro. I truly believe my bite ratio has doubled by going to floro (it disappears in water). I've compaired all three lines in my fish tank and floro won hands down.
As far as moving hard baits such as cranks and spinnerbaits, I primary use mono because I want the stretch and forgiveness of mono.

Specific's:
Normal pitching - 17 or 20 lb P-Line 100% floro (same size as other 12-14 lb floro brands)
Heavy cover applications - 50, 65 or 80 lb Sonic braid
Normal cranking - 15 lb P-line premium mono
small deep divers - 14 lb floro
Spinnerbaits - 17 lb Excel mono
Drop shot / shaky head - 12 lb floro

Lastly, I always back fill my spools with heavy mono. No floro is cheap.
At the end of the day I think it's all about what we have confidence in and prefer to use.
Tight lines.

[Bud Kennedy]

It seems like from of the posted comments that many of you spool up a full reel and work that way.  Aside from some obvious references to braid, it seems like a whole lot of preference for floro when throwing spinnerbaits and squarebils.  I would like a little more information about when do you just use a floor leader?  Are you tying it to braid or mono? in those situations.

[Fickman]

My history has been to use either mono or braid and tie directly to the lure without a leader.

I am almost exclusively braid direct to whatever I'm throwing too. I have tried Fluoro and mono leaders at times but other than not noticing any increase in bite numbers, both break too often for my liking. I was always a mono guy until my first introduction to braid and immediately got hooked on it. It definitely takes a little while to learn the tricks that go with it, but I think it's overall performance out weighs any of it's drawbacks by far. Zero stretch, zero memory and breaking fish off just doesn't happen!

[flowerjohn]

It seems like from of the posted comments that many of you spool up a full reel and work that way.  Aside from some obvious references to braid, it seems like a whole lot of preference for floro when throwing spinnerbaits and squarebils.  I would like a little more information about when do you just use a floor leader?  Are you tying it to braid or mono? in those situations.

Bud I don't often use a flouro leader for bass. I most often tie straight to my braid. I will use a flouro leader for bass when the water is clear. I will tie heavy flouro leaders when fishing for northern pike Muskie walleye salmon and the like. Cheers. J.

[caddyjoe77]

To me, having mostly used seaguar I am actually going back to mono for spinnerbaits at least. Initially I loved the red label for flipping.pitching the first year.  When I went to the new year I respooled and the stuff was like cable.  Went to braid after that.

I had both the invizix and Abrasx and have had nothing but trouble with spooling after casting.  I also find wind control to not be that great.  I must be casting wrong or something? 

Looking to try out a few different flouros this year.  Trilene flouro is on my list as well as some viscious. 

[Bud Kennedy]

For many years I have been a braid or mono guy.  I tend to use power pro 30 or suffix siege or elite.  Never had any trouble from either.  I do use heavier braid up to 50 but only for frogging.  Still not sold on floor but I am curious.

[Pferox]

I only use flouro as bite leaders, 20 and 40lbs  Red Label.  Only use it with braids 20 to 40 lbs.  I was using a double uni knot and found out that it was cutting through heavy mono leaders on the hard fights.  Flouro was a lot tougher and lasted a little longer.

I changed to the Alberto knot or the Slim Beauty knot and haven't had that problem with mono leaders so have moved away from fluoro.  I don't fish clear water, and haven't seen a difference in bite rates.

There are still times that I'll tie it on, usually when jigging around shell beds, but I have found a couple of mono lines that hold up almost as well as Fluoro does in those same weights.

[merc1997]

I have never seen an increase or decrease in catch ratio when using it or not. Partially due to water clarity around here. If you want gin clear water in Oklahoma, you need to drink gin and fish the mud hole.

I use it mainly for two reasons:

1st. I like the low stretch and abrasion resistance. I fish some rocky areas that will kill braid in one trip. Fluoro will cut this way down. Mono will do for the most part, but the stretch is like fishing with rubber bands.

2nd. It comes off the spool well, goes through the guides well and deflects wind well. When I fish moving baits like my swims, I prefer fluoro. Low stretch gives me better hook sets at distance. It gives me more distance than braid. It also its not affected near as bad by wind as braid is. A lot of times I am casting for accuracy around brush or objects. Its Oklahoma and blows it all the time I am more accurate with Fluoro.

i was reading your comments about fluoro and casting distance.  i have found that the old reels that the level wind travels back and forth during the cast are hands down the better reel for using braid.  the old 5500c's will throw braid a mile.  reels that disengage the level wind on the cast tend to make the braid catch as it is having to jump over itself to go out wherever the reels line guide has stopped.  almost all my friends have gone back to 5500c's for fishing with braid.  just something you might try.

bo

[Bud Kennedy]

Bo, What a great comment.  I have often wondered why and when the outbound level wind was discontinued.  It is obvious when re spooling a Lew's reel that there is some line bind when removing old line.  It sounds like most if not all modern reels have this same operating set up.  Is that true?

[Mike Bush]

It seems like from of the posted comments that many of you spool up a full reel and work that way.  Aside from some obvious references to braid, it seems like a whole lot of preference for floro when throwing spinnerbaits and squarebils.  I would like a little more information about when do you just use a floor leader?  Are you tying it to braid or mono? in those situations.

I always run a backer/filler on mine. Never ever a full spool. Not cost effective to me.

Flipping setups get about 30 yards max. Casting get about 75 or so.

Casting setups tend to last longer because they are being "stretched" so to speak when in use. Coiling isnt as much of a factor. And the line weights are lower than flipping.

Flipping setups get abused, so I dont use too much line....or wasted line in my opinion. I can change out this line more frequently if needed and still save money. I can use whatever line I choose on these.

As far as leaders....not a huge fan. I might on a drop shot or spinning setup. I dont like extra knots as I consider those failure points.

[merc1997]

Bo, What a great comment.  I have often wondered why and when the outbound level wind was discontinued.  It is obvious when re spooling a Lew's reel that there is some line bind when removing old line.  It sounds like most if not all modern reels have this same operating set up.  Is that true?

yep, but the good news is they still make 5500c's.

bo

[Scott F]

1st. I like the low stretch and abrasion resistance. I fish some rocky areas that will kill braid in one trip. Fluoro will cut this way down. Mono will do for the most part, but the stretch is like fishing with rubber bands.

The myth of low stretch fluoro just will not die. Fluoro stretches just as much as mono does. Some stretch a little bit less, (but not much) and some stretch a little more. Just like the other myth that the line is invisible under water. It isn't any less visible than mono.

[jakob1010]

The myth of low stretch fluoro just will not die. Fluoro stretches just as much as mono does. Some stretch a little bit less, (but not much) and some stretch a little more. Just like the other myth that the line is invisible under water. It isn't any less visible than mono.

Truth. Fluorocarbon and Nylon Lines usually have similar stretch. Actually, most Fluorocarbons have even more stretch. Only really high quality lines often have lower stretch. But the same can be said of a high quality monofilament. 

[merc1997]

i have to agree with the last two posts about the stretch factor of fluoro.  it seems to be just as stretchy as mono to me.  given that factor and the fact that it will not stand up to my hook set, i just never did become a fan.

but, fish with what you think will work for you.  i know many can not get along with braid and talk about how it does not take abrasion.  no line takes abrasion, and you still have to inspect and retie braid.  i see pros constantly inspecting and retying fluoro.  braid is not different.  the exception is you have to visually inspect braid rather than just feel.  frayed braid will still feel smooth.  you have to look for those very fine fuzzies sticking up, and for those of us that can not see up close anymore, put your cheeters on and take a look.

braid has a learning curve from using the right choice of reel, to the fact that you do not bow twang it to free a lure.  you point straight at the lure and gently pull.  the other thing is learning adjustments in either #test or lure weight to achieve the correct fall rate of your lure.

maybe i need to learn the learning curves of fluoro useage, but i would never be able to dampen my hookset.  guess that leaves fluoro out for me still .

bo