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Finesse line


mozy

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I recently purchased a rod for shakey head/weightless/finesse applications for bass and jigging for walleye. I'm trying to figure out what kind of line I should put on it. I want something with great sensitivity (braid), but plan on using it in clear and stained waters (flouro). Can I achieve great sensitivity with flourocarbon or should I go with braid and tie on a flouro leader?

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I can honestly say that I have yet to find a situation where flourocarbon line provides an edge over braids and mono. Crankbait and jerkbait fishing might be the most likely to benefit from flouro because of its density and ability to get a bait deeper. In regards to a shakey head setup: Flouro frays, is stiff and often unmanageable on spinning reels.(especially in cold weather) Infisherman published some tests on flouro in regards to stretch and abrasion resistance. Surprisingly, most flouro lines did not fair any better than quality mono or copolymer lines in either category. Flouro's light refraction index is close to that of water, and therefore should be less visible. Up to you to decide if the negatives are worth this advantage. I honestly don't think bass are all that line shy anyway. If it gives you a mental edge, then go for it.

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I have been using 8 lbs Trilene 100% Flouro on a 2500 Stradic without problems. I used this line and reel on P4 this spring and it worked fine in cold weather. I will also use 10 lbs Invisabraid with a Flouro leader at times.

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What I'm most concerned about is stretch. I've heard different things about flouro, everything from it stretchs more than mono, to it's pretty similar to braid. I'm sure every brand is different, but is there some general consensus as to how it compares to braid sensitivity?

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Hiya -

Except for casting grubs for smallies, where I still use mono, I'm almost totally converted over to fluoro these days. I use 8# for jigworms and tubes, and have one rod with 6# fluoro for small grubs and jigworms when it's cold fronty and fishing stinks. I'd probably get more bites overall if I used 6 all the time, but 6 isn't quite enough to root a 4-pounder out of the coontail sometimes.

As far as fluoro vs. braid vs. mono... You're right in that all brands differ slightly. Overall though fluoro is more sensitive than mono just because it's more dense. But it does stretch, just not as much as mono does. It's nowhere close to zero stretch braid in that regard. There's a trade off with low stretch though - lower stretch fluoro tends to be stiffer, which can be a pain on spinning gear. You might have to try a couple different brands until you find a happy medium you like.

Cheers,

Rob Kimm

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Hiya -

You're right in that all brands differ slightly. There's a trade off with low stretch though - lower stretch fluoro tends to be stiffer, which can be a pain on spinning gear. You might have to try a couple different brands until you find a happy medium you like.

Cheers,

Rob Kimm

RK or Dietz - What brand flouro would you guys recomend? Or are you under contract not to say. I'm looking at getting some 6 lb. flouro for the same reasons as the original person listed, but I don't like the idea of it uncoiling off my spinning reel. (My fishing partner is only 10 years old and we share fishing equipment.) I don't really want to buy a bunch of different brands just to experiment. Money is tight.

Thanks,

Nels

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Nels Bells-- I am under contract by a line company.. but I would use their line no matter what. So, take my opinion for what its worth.. For floro and copoly lines I use Gamma.. In my opinion its the best, hands down. I will warn you.. the florocarbon version of Gamma is not cheap, probably the most expensive of the floros.. but worth it to me. So if your on a budget, I would look at maybe seagar or berkley..

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Hiya -

I use Triple Fish. Love the stuff, and it's at the other end of the spectrum from Gamma price-wise (200yds of 12# TripleFish is @ $13.00. 120yds of 12# Gamma is @ $23.00). It's pretty comparable in terms of cost to premium mono. I tried many brands of fluoro before settling on Triple Fish. I did like Gamma a lot too, especially on casting gear. I like how TripleFish handles, and it's pretty durable.

Really, the best thing to do is narrow it down to 2-3 brands, and try them side by side for a couple days. Spool on 100 feet or so is all, and try it out for a weekend. Then decide which works best with your setup. Rod/reel combos can make a fairly large difference in what works best.

cheers,

Rob Kimm

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I just started using Seaguar Abrazx... and it is pretty stiff stuff. Doesn't sit on my casting reel too well. I'm getting use to it.. but definitely not the easiest to cast. I may try Gamma next.

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Last fall I started using P-Line Floroclear. It's a co-poly with a floro coating. Handles alot like mono yet gives the benefits of floro. Very nice to use on a spinning outfit but haven't tried it on a baitcaster yet. I fish in the murky waters of southern Minnesota most of the time and really don't feel like the floro gives me that much of an advantage over any other line. I catch just as many fish with a braided line in the same situations where others may use floro. Just my opinion.

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I am definately in the minority here, but I still can't believe all the flourocarbon craze.

I dare all the flouro people to try testing it out in the backyard side by side with your favorite mono, I think your flouro will dissapoint. Breaks way lighter, pops and frays really funny, etc. etc. etc.

By the way there is always the "stretch" argument for "feel" with flouro vs. mono. Try tying it to something solid and have a measuring tape right under it. Mono stretches and then returns back to the same postition it started at. Flouro stretches (about the same for me in my tests) and then returns back only part way to the original start....Weird if you ask me.......Also if you pull way hard before it breaks it gets all funny white color to it too.

If you ask me you pay way more for flouro and get a way less reliable line....but if it gives you confidence to fish $20 line over $6 line cause the pros say its awesome and its the latest craze go for it....

My bass finesse line is pretty much 8lb xt because its consistent and reliable unlike flouro in my experience. I have confidence in pressuring fish with the xt if needed, but 8lb is still light for a stealthier presentation.

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It gives me confidence because I have seen it work better than other lines as far as getting bites. It has more feel and better hooksets due to the density of it. You dont get the "loop" that you get with mono. You also get more depth out of your crankbaits.

I will agree it does not handle as well on reels, but I know that I get more bites because of it, and that is tough to say no to.

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