I make my own mono leaders using 40# test. I have heard that fluorocarbon leaders work better than mono because it is less visible. What is everyone's thoughts on this, and which fluorocarbon do you recommend?

I've been using fluoro leaders for two years now and I believe in it. Its one of those deals where I don't think it matters much when fish are active and aggressive, but when things are slow and the fish a finiky for whatever reason, I think it helps get you more strikes.

And the main thing is that I believe in it and it gives me more confidence... if that's all it does, its worth its weight.

I've used seaguar, bps' extreme and stren... but I can't really compare them cause they are different lb. test. I know the stren 40lb. is really hard to work with (ties knots with), but I think most fluoro is pretty inflexible at higher lb. tests.

Seaguar works. It is extruded differently and doesn't refract light at an angle. It is worth the money.

I recently cut a piece of Seguar 40# fluorocarbon leader material, a piece of Yo-Zuri 40# clear Hybrid (fluorocarbon over nylon), a piece of Yo-Zuri 40# smoke Hybrid, and a piece of Stren 40# mono leader mateial. I put them all in a clear wine glass of water and viewed them in a shady background and also in a well lighted area. In both cases the fluorocarbon leader was much less visible than the others. Each of the others had a very discernible shine that the fluorocarbon leader did not.

The second less visible was the Yo-Zuri clear Hybrid. The Yo-Zuri smoke Hybrid was surprisingly competitive with the Stren mono leader, as it seemed to have picked up a translucence quality.

I use flouro for the past 3 years and love it!! I use it for everything, and I use seaguar. But let me tell you this, I make all my rigs up over the winter and they are all Flouro. I and a friend totaly by mistake forgot are rigs back at the truck :smash: But we had 2 rods each set up and had pleanty of hooks and other stuff, but no flouro. Well I will tell you this we used Berakley Big Game Green, and out performs flouro at NIGHT and only at night! We have tryed this everynight we go out and it out fishes flouro 3 to one easy!! Now this is in Vinyard sound and I pretty much don't fish anywhere else so I can't say in a different area.
But give it a try!! What can you lose! If itworks I will take 5% of your take:laughs: If it doesn't then I never said it :laughs:

Thanks guys for you input, you sold me I am going to give fluoro a try.

Do any of you guys have tips for making fluro a bit easier to work with? It works, but it is really a pain in the @$$ to tie knots with.

I use 40 lb Seaguar. I use an improved clinch knot but I only wrap 4 times around. Be sure to lubricate the knot well with saliva. You can pull the tag end with pliers to help snug up your knot. I can't seem to tie a neat palomar in flouro, but if something is going to break I'm just as happy to let it be the leader and not my braid. See you on the beach...longshot

True, the polomar knots seem to be a bit loose, but I haven't had one fail yet... but gimme a cow hooked on and I'll reverse that trend:rolleyes: :wall: I have not yet tried a 4 turn clinch knot but I will give it a shot with the pliers and see how it goes:musc:

To tell you the truth I just switched back to Ande 40 because I'm cheap. I put a piece of seaguar and a piece of ande in a glass of water and couldn't tell the difference, but I don't depend on my vision to eat like a striper does See you on the beach...longshot