DOES FLOUORCARBON REALLY MAKE THE DIFFERENCE

[Phil]

LIKE MOST NEW PRODUCTS AND LINES, BAITS ETC. DOES FLORO REALLY MAKE THE DIFFERENCE, OR IS IT JUST A CONFIDENCE THING ?

I HAVE LOST MORE FISH ON FLORO THAN ANY OTHER LINE I CAN THINK OF . SEEMS IF I JUST DOWN SIZE MY TRILENE SIZE OF LINE, I STILL GET THE SAME BITES AND YET STILL HAVE THE STRENGTH AND CONFIDENCE IN MY LINE ?

[Ricky-S]

YES...

Is there any reason that you keep your CAPS on. In typing terms it MEANS THAT YOU ARE YELLING....

[mac (Doyle McEwen)]

I was not a big fan of flouro, mostly because of cost, but after listening to Cooch and others talk about the benefits, I decided to try it on my jig rod because I was having some difficulty determining hits/bites..I am still not an expert with jigs by any stretch of anyones imagination, but since switching to flouro my catch rate has increased dramatically..It has allowed me much greater feel for the subtle bites and a greater sense of feel for the bottom characteristics..So far it seems to suffer less damage while fishing than regular mono, so I don't need to change near as often..Now keep in mind Jigs, this is just a rookies opinion, so take it for what you think it is worth..

mac

[Mike Phua]

Jigs,

To me Sunline Fluorocarbon gives me a huge confidence boost. Like you had mentioned in your post I too at first had alot of issues with flouro. My problems were I kept breaking off at the hookset. With the advice of a good friend I changed Knots and have more confidence than ever. I switched from a palomar knot to a Uni knot.

Fluorocarbon is very abbrasion resistant but if you don't tie a palomar knot flat so that the two lines don't cross they will cut into eachother. I've eliminated all hookset break offs by making the simple switch.

I'm not really sure if those were the same problems you were having but typically when someone tells me they are having issues with fluorocarbon its usually breaking off at the hookset. MP

[Norv]

Phil,

How are you losing the fish? Is it line breakage? If it's line breakage is it occuring at the knot as mentioned in Mike Phua's note perhaps changing to the uni knot will help. I just started using florocarbon line and have limited experience with it. However, when I was fishing at McClure w/10# test floro and a 3/8 Toad Thumper Bass Baits jig in 60 feet of water I was able to detect very subtle bites. I'm not sure if that's the result of the sensitivity of the ESOX Rods I'm using or the florocarbon line. But, the combination of the sensitivity of the rods and the line probably is to my advantage.

How is your 2x2 JIGS tournament for McClure and Don Pedro in April coming along? It was great seeing you at the CBAF tournament a few weeks ago.

[mark poulson]

Flourocarbon is the only line that lets you detect those tick pickups on a slack line.

[Phil]

1ST. THE REASON FOR THE CAPS IS THAT I AM WORKING SELING CATERPILLAR HEAVY EQUIP PARTS AND COMPANIES DO IT ALL IN CAPS NO OFFENSE...SECOND, YES IT SEEMS TO BE KNOT BREAKAGE AND I HAVE BEEN TYING A DOUBLE PALOMAR KNOT AT JIG HEAD AND REG PALOMAR AT WORM HOOK OR DARTHEAD......

THANK YOU ALL

JIGS W/CAPS

[MaddMaggs]

Jigs

I am a true believer in Floro. I dont like the way mono floats and have a tough time "feeling" hits and I dont like the way mono coils. I tie a polomar on all (wet the line with spit prior to cinching the knot down) and with the darterheads and shakey heads I use the traditional tie (4-5 coils around the main line through the hole-dont really know the name of this knot). I have only lost one fish in over a year on floro.

I currently run pline revolution on all reels except my crankin reel. If you want a really good line go with Transition (gold color but clear in water). Transition is some tough stuff--fished Oro a few weeks back (4#) on a darter head, got hung up and actually had to cut the line, it would not break.

[straitline]

I went and put it on all my rods last week.. To give it A try. I was pre fishing with A buddy last week, and he was catching about 3 to 1 on me. I asked him how are these fish biting? His answer was just alittle tick. After he had 3 more fish I asked him to trade rods with me for awile. We did, and what do you know I was up on him! everything was the same except he had flourocarbon on his rod.
I always used big game 20lbs I hit my fish pretty hard on the hook set! This saturday in A tournament I had A flip fish hit I set the hook and pulled A 6.70 A foot out of the water with flourocarbon I have never done that with mono.

[Mike]

Flouorcarbon Breaks with a Palomar knot?????

[Nozmo King]

I have another fluoro-related question. For a while, I was using braid with a fluoro leader for flipping, ripping, etc. I love the feel with those presentations when using braid. I was using back-to-back uni knots, which were fine, but they frayed over time & I had problems with break-offs. Now, I’m using straight fluoro (Invizix or whatever that Seaguar line is called). Although I don’t like it as well as the braid with the fluoro leader, I’m not having the breakoff problems.

So, to make a short story long – any of you guys use braid with the fluoro leader &, if so, what knot are you using to join the lines? If I go back to using it, do I just need to retie more often?

[Fishin' Dave]

No,

Just don't erase it this time

It comes undone it you leave too short of a tag end.

[Mike]

wrong again Dave! Read Mike Phua's response, He nailed it!

[Fishin' Dave]

He did not mention erasing???

[not4un]

Jigs,

I use yo-zuri 10lb floro and I have never had a fish break the line yet. Have to make sure to use spit on your knots before tighting it down floro will build up heat otherwise on the line and make it weak.

[kopper_bass]

Nozmo,
The uni-to-uni knot is a common one to tie, but it can have its issues with breaking off. Re-tying once in a while will help. I only use this knot when i am tying a different line into backing and i intend to spool up 20 yards or more of the flouro.

Its also important to note that you have to be careful with the diameter of lines your tying together too because too much difference and the knot may just come apart and you think its breaking. ex - 30lb braid is like 8lb mono, so if you try and tie that up to 17lb flouro, its a problem.

Since your tying on a leader and its 5 ft or so, try using the "Surgeon's Knot". Its essentially just 1 uni knot, but with both lines together. to do it, you align the tag ends opposite each other like a uni-to-uni. Then you make a loop with both lines, and then pass them thru the loop; pulling all 5ft of the leader line thru. do this 4 times, wet it and pull tight. cut off the ends.
You can see the drawing of this knot and others at this site:
http://www.netknots.com/html/fishing_knots.html
I use this knot as well when the 2 diameter lines are so different.

Give it a try and good luck.

Fish_On,

Kopper_Bass

[kopper_bass]

MaddMaggs,
Your origional knot is called a "Clinch" knot.
There is also the "Improved Clinch" knot.
Check it out and other knots here"
http://www.netknots.com/html/fishing_knots.html

Kopper_Bass

[Hollywood]

We use all caps in the military and yet I can hit the caps lock key to type on this fishing forum, well its more of a forum, not much fishing is going on. lol... Taking off the caps makes it a lot easier to read especially if your an old geezer like old man jim..... Were not selling cats here just talking fishin...

1ST. THE REASON FOR THE CAPS IS THAT I AM WORKING SELING CATERPILLAR HEAVY EQUIP PARTS AND COMPANIES DO IT ALL IN CAPS NO OFFENSE...SECOND, YES IT SEEMS TO BE KNOT BREAKAGE AND I HAVE BEEN TYING A DOUBLE PALOMAR KNOT AT JIG HEAD AND REG PALOMAR AT WORM HOOK OR DARTHEAD......

THANK YOU ALL

JIGS W/CAPS

[Wally]

I see where some people think that flourocarbon is very abbrasion resistant? Its it just me? but I think flourocarbon is about the worse line there is for abbrasion. Fish it in the rocks and you better retie after every fish.

[Fishin' Dave]

Wally, that's not true with all brands. Mike will probably say different, but that's why guys switched from Braid to Floro. Rocks eat Braid.

Now in your defense, I do not have experiance with 8lbs or less of Floro and rocks so what you say may be true for light line applications.

[kopper_bass]

Wally,
I tend to agree. Some people confuse the term "abbrasion resistent".

I think that fluoro is resistent to getting abrasions, but once it gets the slightest nick or abrasion, it easily breaks. Whereas, mono may get abrased easily, but due to its stretch properties, is less likely to fail with only a little nick.

It also depends on the type of fishing and line size your using. I dont have nearly the same problems with 17lb flouro leaders getting abrassions on the delta, as i do with 6lb flouro getting abbrasions constantly with every spotted bass fish you catch. i gotta re-tie almost every time.

Kopper_Bass

[Hollywood]

i through 3 kinds of line,

fluoro, nylon and braid.

fluoro is from 2.5lb to 30lb and I fish it in the heavest of cover!!! With no problems... If your having problems with it not holding up to rocks or heavy cover, you might want to try switching to a different brand......You get what you pay for in life and the same thing goes for fishing line.

You pay 10 bucks or youpay 20 bucks for line, you get what you pay for, you can have an ugly stick for 30$ or you can have a nice st. croix for 75$
Which one would you choose?

Why sacrafice your line? After all, thats the only thing between you and the fish!

[Wally]

Geee Hollywood, I'm so tight I make my own rods and line. Never thought about buying the good stuff, Har

[Hollywood]

what kinda thread you using for your line??? Nothing about being tight but if you can spend 15 on a lucky craft, 100 on a rod, 100 or more on a reel, 15k on a boat then why do people choose to spend 6bucks on line?

[Nozmo King]

Thanks, Kopper Bass! I'll give it a try. Great website, too.

[lionkiller]

I have another fluoro-related question. For a while, I was using braid with a fluoro leader for flipping, ripping, etc. I love the feel with those presentations when using braid. I was using back-to-back uni knots, which were fine, but they frayed over time & I had problems with break-offs.

I use the double uni, but as with anything, it has to be retied. It'll only rip through the guides so many times. Take a minute when you're loading your rods up & change that leader. I only had to see one Staysee fly away to learn that.

I like the feel of braid with fluoro leader for rippin & shakey, Im trying to trace my hookset breakoffs down...& my #1 theory is plain stress. There's not the stretch of mono, so I believe the knot takes the brunt of my fall-out-of-the-boat hooksets... I'm going to retie more often. The only time that's a real PITA is at night anyway.

[MrSkeeter]

LIKE MOST NEW PRODUCTS AND LINES, BAITS ETC. DOES FLORO REALLY MAKE THE DIFFERENCE, OR IS IT JUST A CONFIDENCE THING ?

I HAVE LOST MORE FISH ON FLORO THAN ANY OTHER LINE I CAN THINK OF . SEEMS IF I JUST DOWN SIZE MY TRILENE SIZE OF LINE, I STILL GET THE SAME BITES AND YET STILL HAVE THE STRENGTH AND CONFIDENCE IN MY LINE ?

Jigs,

First, it depends on what season you're fishing. I believe in the tough winter months, it does help a little. For example, I was fishing Nacimiento in December. I was using 8# fluoro on a darthead. My partner was using 6# nylon mono. I had over 40 fish, my partner barely scratched out a limit. I even gave him my darthead and worm. He still cannot catch them.

However, in the spring time, when all the fish are hungry and crazy. I don't know if it makes as much of a difference.

Second, you need to abandon the use of Palomar and the double Palomar (better, but still weak for fluorocarbon) and use something like the San Diego knot. I've went through this same process and have concluded that the Palomar and double Palomar knot will break with fluorocarbon lines. I'm swinging in fish w/ 6# fluorocarbon line just this past weekend using the San Diego knot. And I was just testing out the 6# Vanish Transition.

[SethB]

Floro makes all the difference in the world. low vis. in clear water and super sensitive.

[Nozmo King]

Lionkiller, I didn’t want to admit to the Lucky Crafts I’ve thrown that are still in orbit because of my knot problems… Thanks.

[miklanderson]

what kinda thread you using for your line??? Nothing about being tight but if you can spend 15 on a lucky craft, 100 on a rod, 100 or more on a reel, 15k on a boat then why do people choose to spend 6bucks on line?

Where are you shopping? Try doubling that for the last 3...LOL. I'm pretty sure things arent that much cheaper in Japan.

[Hollywood]

i was using that as a cheap example, I could have easily said, you spend 40k on a truck 50k on a boat, 300 on a rod, and 300 on a reel.... I already know these things, I dont think rods come any more expensive then the ones I use.....

[lionkiller]

Lionkiller, I didn’t want to admit to the Lucky Crafts I’ve thrown that are still in orbit because of my knot problems… Thanks.

My last Staysee flew off with a mallard drake.....till he got it loose on a boathouse roof.....where it probably sits to this day.

[Tornado Dave]

Hi Jigs,

I noticed that you don't mention which flouorcarbon you use, and that makes a BIG difference. I see that you have a Purefishing link and if you are using Vanish, then that would explain your problems.

While Vanish has improved since it was introduced, it is the worst of the flouorcarbons on the market. A couple of things that I have learned is that you have to be very careful when picking out a backlash, if you just pull it, it will kink and make a weak spot. if you don't wet it when you tie a knot, it will weaken it. A nick in the line is a weak spot... And that is why they call it Vanish, if you have a flaw in the line, your fish are magically gone.

Personally, I use Seagar and don't have any of the issues that I spoke of. It is a bit stiff, but very strong and very effective.