Looking for a concensus, IF there is one on line test...

[GKramer]

What is the most common pound test used when sight fishing in clear water--more than 4-foot visibility? I presume fluoro, but the boys do what the boys do. Have you got a standard?

gk

www.kramergonefishing.com

[littlebailey]

I dont have a standard George. Its what the bait your throwing calls for i think. Yesterday in a tourny it was super clear here up at Clearlake. I threw on a sight fish with 65 lb braid and a sweet beaver, i broke it off on the hook set. I proceeded to pick up the drop shot on 8lb fluoro pitched it in there and 3 casts later she ate again and i got her in the boat. Doesnt make sense but i think it all comes down to the bait not the clairity of the water. Just my opinion though.

[kopper_bass]

George,
I would say that if your sight fishing, it doesnt matter and its not relevant. i have never changed up lines for bed fishing; i throw whatever i usually have tied on for that bait - flouro, mono, or braid.

The fish eat that bait even if its tied to a dock line because they dont eat it for food, they eat it to move it or kill it out of instinct.

As well, it also depends on the fish you are sight fishing for. If its just small spots or smallies, you can use spinning rods and lighter line, in the 10lb range.

But i wouldn't recommend that for larger smallies, or LMB. Due to excitement and usually the short distance, your hook setting pretty hard and fast, so i would stay with 15 or 17lb min.

Kopper

[Andrew Jackson]

Hi George, I normally use 8lb Mcoy for most site fishing, however I will be using a heavier line around heavier, quagga infested wood. Just recently ran into the scenerio at Havasu where Glenda finally hooked a good 3 to 4 lber after I failed at it. Fish ran under the big part of lay down twice with no problem coaxing it back out and then just ready to bring it into open water the line grazed the smaller branch and that was that.

[GKramer]

Hey, I'm listening and learning here. You guys tell me what's up.

gk

www.kramergonefishing.com

[DanO]

I won't use fluoro anymore George for flipping or sight fishing, I have broken it too many times on short line hooksets.

The last one was two years ago at Clear Lake, I was working a 6 to 7 pound female with a flipping stick and 20 pound fluoro. After 20 minutes the male left to circle the nest, and it obviously triggered her defenses as she rushed in to take over. He saw it and tried to beat her to it, but she grabbed my Baby Brush Hog in a hurry. I set to my left (my weak side) and POW! the line snapped leaving her with a 3/0 Owner Wide Gap Plus as a lip piercing.

She swam away and didn't return, at least for the next two hours, as I went back to check her multiple times.

With that in mind, it's tough to beat good old Trilene Big Game in 10, 15, 20 and 25 depending on the bait. If I had to chose one size it would probalbly be 15# green in color.

Sometimes braid will actually increase the agitation of the fish but I tend to stick with mono for shock absorption on short line, excited hooksets.

DanO

[Murph]

*NM*

[Smitty]

As heavy as I can get away with. When sight fishing I have alot of rods on the deck. 20lb fluro, 15lb fluro, 10 lb fluro and even 8. I will also use 65lb braid. The majority of my fish are caught on 20lb. Occassionally a bed fish will get line shy but I dont think that is the norm. With 4ft visibility as you described, I am pretty sure most of the fish can be caught with heavy line. Baits...well that is another story.
Smitty

[sker13]

I prefer 12 lb. Max. Has some stretch for close combat but is pretty tough stuff! I am not the sight fishing expert in this group thats for sure.

[Oldschool]

Interesting question and Iwill add my 2C.
There isn't a standard for line test strength when it comes to monofilament, fluorocarbon or superbraids. Some manufactures will use line having 0.0015 to 0.0030 larger diameter for the line test to insure better knot performance or abrasion resistance. Example; 10 lb test line should be close to 0.0010 in (.260mm) diameter for monofilament and fluorocarbon line, if breaking strength is the factor. Take a look at your line labels, the diameter is usually listed.
If you are fishing a line that is .014D and labeled 10 lbs test, it is actually 14 lb test line and should be treated like 14 lb line.
Back to the question; I use the line diameter that performs the best with the hook size or lure weight I'm using for the structure and or cover that I plan to fish. Most of the water in SoCal lakes is going to have good water clarity, at least down to 6 to 8 feet of light penetration.
I have fished jigs for example in most of our lakes, including the gin clear lakes and use 10 to 14 lb mono or flurocarbon line, where the cover is sparsh. In heavy cover or heavier swimbaits, I use 25 lb mono/fluoro or 65 lb braid, however rarely get to fish heavy cover. Caught a few hundred DD bass over the years using the "light" 10 to 12 lb test mono, a few more since going to 14 lb Fluoro. The deal is; you need to get bit before you have the chance of catching the bass.
Bed bass will eat nearly anything, line diameter isn't a factor, IMO. Same with night fishing, use heavier line, so you don't need to retie as often.
Fishing deep water, over 25 feet; line visibility isn't as important as how the line diameter affects the lure action and your ability to detect strikes. One reason I use smaller diameter line when jig fishing deep water, to feel bites better.
Tom

[GKramer]

I get it. No consensus. But a leaning toward security on a short line. Sooooo, next time I write something about sight fishing, you can say, "I told him that!" Thanks.

gk

www.kramergonefishing.com

[stan vanderburg]

George
Sight fishing isn't rocket science. Its a short pitch to a fish locked in to protect a small area in a lake. Most times next to some sort of structure or brush. The fish will let you know what it will eat real quick. As you can see ...they are saying use anything from 6 lb to 25 lb, from floro to rope. Most of the time you can use what ever you think that you can get the fish in the boat with. Mono works best because it has a little strech for the shock on the set and the knot strength is better. There have been thousands of fish caught on the stuff over the years with going to braid or floro to put them in the boat. The fish will react to what is placed infront of him, and your job is to figure what pound test to use to put him in the net with. Use a little comon sense while doing this style of fishing. Most of the fish are small males, 1 to 3 or 4 lbs. You can throw them into the boat on 8 or 10 lb with ease. I know a lot of guys that use 6 lb to get them to go in gin clear water. If they are sitting next to brush you might go to 12 or 15 or higher. If you have Big Moma down at the base of the tree it becomes a different story, or if your using a very large bait, you have to adjust. Use what you think you can get her out of there with. She will tell you what that is by the way. Just a note..sometimes the fish wins. I use Maxima Green all of the time, because it is the toughest stuff in the market. Most of the best Big fish guys use it also. If your bed fishin just put on fresh line and use a little common sense in the presentation. You will catch your share.
Best Wishes for Big Fishes
Stan Vanderburg
1 800 BASSBOAT

[tunaman]

George,
I would say that if your sight fishing, it doesnt matter and its not relevant. i have never changed up lines for bed fishing; i throw whatever i usually have tied on for that bait - flouro, mono, or braid.

Ditto here... I don't gear up or down for sight fishing, I just use what I would normally be using for the bait rig.

The second DD I got this year was on 6# on the dropshot, and the first one was on 8# (dropshot also). Both were sight fish.

Typically, if I'm sight fishing I'll usually have a beaver rigged up either on a texas rig or shakey head, and will usually be running a baitcaster with 12#, but now that I'm up here I may have to adjust my methodology... then again, maybe not! I'm making the fish make me change up...

Take care George!
Roger

[Marc]

George, I use a variety of lines depending on the technique, water, and cover.

In the cobble of the Pacific Northwest, there are times when 4 pound test fluorocarbon outfishes all other line when sight fishing, and has produced 20+ pound limits of smallies for myself and some friends in the know to win tournaments.

It also works well in Havasu and even Clear Lake for highly pressured bass.

ciao,
Marc Marcantonio

[BassManDan]

I think that the most important line characteristic in sight fishing is castability...I know everyone thinks they can cast perfectly everytime, but really having the smoothest possible cast is gonna give you the absolute perfect accuracy and the most subtle entry.

As for the water clarity part, if the water is "clear" but still that green tint, go with a light green line, like P-Line CX Moss Green or maybe that new Mist Green Fluoroclear (still need to try that stuff).

Just my 2 cents,

[Oldschool]

I get it. No consensus. But a leaning toward security on a short line. Sooooo, next time I write something about sight fishing, you can say, "I told him that!" Thanks.

gk

www.kramergonefishing.com

George; sight fishing or bed fishing?
Tom