Seaguar Invisx x2

bill boettcher Wrote:
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> Why not just go braid with a mono leader ??

Why not? Choose a reliable knot to make the connection then go for it! C2

Charlie Smoote Wrote:
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> bill boettcher Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Why not just go braid with a mono leader ??
>
> Why not? Choose a reliable knot to make the
> connection then go for it! C2

Yup, that's one way, but it has it's downsides.

_________________________________________
"Angling is extremely time consuming.
That's sort of the whole point." - Thomas McGuane

I once had the opportunity to try mono vs. floro leaders in an actual visible fishing situation. My buddy and I came across a huge pod of trout living in a pool beside a bridge support in the middle of the Pequannock river. After agreeing on strict catch and release, we decided to screw around and experiment with various baits, colors, leaders etc. I used 4 lb. Seaguar floro ice fishing leader vs. Trilene 4 lb. mono leader. There was no difference one way or the other in the trout's interest as it pertained to leader material. The trout were keying in on depth of drift, speed of drift, and the effects of light and shadow on the water as far as what and when they bit was concerned. It seemed to us the leaders were not a factor at all on that particular day. Clear stream, ultralight spinning equipment, drifting worms, eggs, and running some spinners. The trout there seem to key in on one spinner , though. A PM in black or yellow in 1/16-1/8 oz. is pretty effective there. None bit on any other spinner.

I have read a while ago that fish do see certain colors or shades of them

Bill - willierods.com

There is one brand of floro that friends and I have used that just can't seem to keep the fish from VANISHING.

I use many other brands all the time and have had no problems with breaking, even with short line strikes from king salmon. Their strikes are a lot like snagging a passing pickup truck. If using a braid to mono connection that goes through the guides, change that knot (double uni or albright) every few days, but no need to change the whole leader. You must use the right knots and as mentioned above, lots of spit and tighten the knot slowly. Braid with mono works well, especially with surface lures where you don't want the leader to sink. Floro is supposed to be less visible in the water- whether it is a significant difference, I don't know, but being a sort of "perfectionist," I use it for that reason.

The comment above about checking the condition of your guides, especially the tiptop, is very important. If a broken ring is involved you should see a different kind of break than a break at the knot or in the line. It will usually have a scuffed appearance where the sharp edge scuffs the line before actually cutting it. A broken ring is a GUARANTEED effective line cutter.

I have also found floro to be tougher than many brands of mono. I have found it to last longer than mono, being over all, more reliable. I've never found a floro that works really well on a baitcaster, but a lot of people have. Everything is a tradeoff, you just have to understand them and go with the best solution for your priorities.

here are several knots you may want to look at

[www.youtube.com]

Bill - willierods.com

I threw away all of my Berkley floro. I have no problem saying it. I HATE their floro. I still like their 8lb XT mono for my spinning rods though.

I absolutely love Segaur Red Label. There may be a better one on the market, but I'm extremely happy with it and I've had reels spooled up with it for a long time without having ill effects. I feel like the 15lb floro has less stretch and more sensitivity than comparable strength mono. I'll use braid for topwater applications, but you can't fish as deep as I fish with braid. I have to have a sinking line for dragging jigs or worms in deep water.

I have had an issue with light floro disagreeing with a spinning rod and microguides. The rod handles light mono great, but the floro doesn't seem to get through the choke guide very well for some reason. I'd love to use floro on that rod since I built it for sight-fishing to mega carp with 1/16 oz jigs, but I stick with 6lb mono for castability. Most of the time I only get one shot at these fish and I'm doing it standing up in a canoe, so when I do hook one and I'm drifting down riffles with him on, things can get interesting. I trust mono more in that situation.

But I do love that 15lb red lable floro. Great jig line and great line for that rogue that doesn't quite suspend like it should.

if it was berkley vanish - that's probably the issue. I use a lot of berkley 100% floro (gold packaging) and found it to be very good.

key things with floro - if you don't wet the knot, it will break and it will not be the lines fault. i get a few weeks out of each spooling usually on any floro. Don't leave it out in direct sunlight as that will cause the line to break down as well.

Regards,
-Justin

I have been using the Bass Pro Shops XPS Fluorocarbon for quite some time with excellent results. I use it on my lipless crankbait rod as well spinnerbait and on one of my 'finesse' flipping stick's because the sensitivity is great (MHX HM-MB874-MHX blank and Fuji Titanium "K" Concept SiC Guides)
Never had a fish break off (knock on wood!!) and I change line once each year which works out to a line change every 40-50 fishing trips. Boated a 10lb. 9 oz. Guntersville largemouth on the lipless crankbait rod. Oh, for all the applications listed I use 14 lb test.

The type and construction of knots in flurocarbon is critical when compared to nylon monofilament. If you're a clinch knot/blood knot guy I would avoid flurocarbon line. As Lefty Kreh observed, a fish does not swim up the line to inspect its visibility before taking the fly - I imagine that goes for lures and bait too. Why pay for 300 yards of flurocarbon line when you only need an 18" leader?