fluorocarbon vs. mono: Does it really matter?

[ivanputski]

Does a fluorocarbon leader REALLY make any significant difference when it comes to bass? When surf casting, I tend to get hung up quite a bit, and end up cutting the line at times (frustrating and expensive!) but it happens... I just use 50# Ande mono as a leader because its cheaper... I can bring myself to pay 15 dollars for 25 yards when I'm losing rigs... But if I knew that it REALLY made that much of a difference, I would just get it... is it a gimmick or is it that much less noticeable in the water? And if stripers are so line-shy, why the hell do they hit an umbrella with a wire frame?

[Swede]

The only time I use Flouro is on Yellowfin Tuna trips. Don't know if it works any better, but I'll take any edge I can get then. Boat or beach chunking I use 40-80 mono.

[Mike P]

No Not unless you're sight casting in crystal clear flats water.

[JohnR]

A lot of people swear by it during the day... Don't think it makes as much difference (if it does at all) when surfcasting at night...

Hi Swede

[Flaptail]

Originally Posted by Mike P

No Not unless you're sight casting in crystal clear flats water.

Bingo!

[Mr. Sandman]

For years I used flouro thinking it gives you a little edge but IMO it really doesn't. The costs for 50-80# flouro has gotten WAY outta hand IMO. I started fishing with ANDE clear leader material for 4.95 a spool and it seems to work fine. I have some other leader material too and it works well. Even used some Big Game mono off my bulk spool (60 and 80#) and while softer then then leader material it also works. IMO there is NO avantage. However if you think there is and it gives you that mental edge then by all means go for it. But when the price approaced a buck a yard I said...I think this is insane for line and started using other materials.
That said I still use it on my fly rod and light spin gear for bonito for two reasons, one it gives me that mental edge when bonito fishing and two the lighter stuff is MUCH cheaper per yard.

I don't know why the price of FLoro is so high, you know they produce that stuff by the mile, I would love to know what the margins are on floro and regular line.

[Back Beach]

Ivan,

You still throwing chairs?

[ivanputski]

The polish hammer is thrown every now and then...
As far as leader material goes, I use 50# mono...

now for a second question, is it overkill to use a snap swivel to attach plugs to the leader if I already have a barrel swivel connecting my line to the leader? I dont like direct tying because I switch plugs quite often when things are slow (seems like always)... should I use a duo-lock?

[JohnR]

Originally Posted by ivanputski

The polish hammer is thrown every now and then...
As far as leader material goes, I use 50# mono...

now for a second question, is it overkill to use a snap swivel to attach plugs to the leader if I already have a barrel swivel connecting my line to the leader? I dont like direct tying because I switch plugs quite often when things are slow (seems like always)... should I use a duo-lock?

Most will agree - use the breakaway clip - you can get these in a lot of the better shops...

[basswipe]

50lb Ande mono.Spro swivel on one end and Breakaway clip on the other.

[gone fishin]

Originally Posted by ivanputski

Does a fluorocarbon leader REALLY make any significant difference when it comes to bass? When surf casting, I tend to get hung up quite a bit, and end up cutting the line at times (frustrating and expensive!) but it happens... I just use 50# Ande mono as a leader because its cheaper... I can bring myself to pay 15 dollars for 25 yards when I'm losing rigs... But if I knew that it REALLY made that much of a difference, I would just get it... is it a gimmick or is it that much less noticeable in the water? And if stripers are so line-shy, why the hell do they hit an umbrella with a wire frame?

Never cut the line - break off! If you are using braid use a leader with less strength than the main line and pull straight back, breaking free at the knot. When you cut free you leave a long hunk of line for others to tangle on or for someone to trip on when walking in the dark. This is a problem on the rocks at the ditch.

[Goose]

I like the qualities of a good fluro carbon, Mirage has a small diameter and good abrasion, I use it targeting bass night and day...gives me a little more confidence too. If you don't spend your money on fluro you might buy more plugs or reels to collect dust.

[Tattoo]

I was once a believer in Floro, but after seeing some underwater shots of plugs in action, you can see it just as well as mono.

[NIB]

IMO the abrasion resistance of flouro is far better than Mono.
I have been a flouro user for yrs.After reading last winter bout how it is no different I made a switch on some leaders.Well u know what came next right.Yup lost a good fish.Back to flouro for me..

[Vogt]

Originally Posted by basswipe

50lb Ande mono.Spro swivel on one end and Breakaway clip on the other.

Bingo

[Mike P]

Originally Posted by NIB

IMO the abrasion resistance of flouro is far better than Mono.
I have been a flouro user for yrs.After reading last winter bout how it is no different I made a switch on some leaders.Well u know what came next right.Yup lost a good fish.Back to flouro for me..

For me, it's a question of cost vs benefit. You know how many yards of leader you go though in a night, jigging the Canal

Do I spend $100 a year for a few spools of Seaguar, or $8 every 2 years for a 1/4# spool of clear Ande 40?

[Mr. Sandman]

Speaking of breakaway clips (slightly off topic) I picked up some "new and improved" fastlinks recently at a local buzzards bay shop and they are indeed better IMO! The bend goes outward so it is MUCH easier to attach a lure with a split ring or even a bucktail without damaging the clip, using a light or going insane. I have landed a few good fish on them with no sign of strain. So far so good.

[Vogt]

Originally Posted by Mr. Sandman

Speaking of breakaway clips (slightly off topic) I picked up some "new and improved" fastlinks recently at a local buzzards bay shop and they are indeed better IMO! The bend goes outward so it is MUCH easier to attach a lure with a split ring or even a bucktail without damaging the clip, using a light or going insane. I have landed a few good fish on them with no sign of strain. So far so good.

That sounds awesome, as much as I love the regular fastlinks they do drive me crazzy sometimes, like when you need to change lures right away because theres fish in front of you, and you cant get something off of it......

[Canalman]

Originally Posted by Mr. Sandman

For years I used flouro thinking it gives you a little edge but IMO it really doesn't. The costs for 50-80# flouro has gotten WAY outta hand IMO. I started fishing with ANDE clear leader material for 4.95 a spool and it seems to work fine. I have some other leader material too and it works well. Even used some Big Game mono off my bulk spool (60 and 80#) and while softer then then leader material it also works. IMO there is NO avantage. However if you think there is and it gives you that mental edge then by all means go for it. But when the price approaced a buck a yard I said...I think this is insane for line and started using other materials.
That said I still use it on my fly rod and light spin gear for bonito for two reasons, one it gives me that mental edge when bonito fishing and two the lighter stuff is MUCH cheaper per yard.

I don't know why the price of FLoro is so high, you know they produce that stuff by the mile, I would love to know what the margins are on floro and regular line.

Yup

[NIB]

Originally Posted by Mike P

For me, it's a question of cost vs benefit. You know how many yards of leader you go though in a night, jigging the Canal

Do I spend $100 a year for a few spools of Seaguar, or $8 every 2 years for a 1/4# spool of clear Ande 40?

My canal leaders are 18 inches long.I was buying triple fish flouro from cabela's @ 27.99 per 100 yd spools.One of the only things I buy from the mail order walmart type stores.100 yds should last most fisherman a season..
It's funny how guys fish with gear that will total over 1500 with waders an they won't spend 30 dollars a yr on leader,..
If it saves me one custom plug I am ahead of the game..
I had over 700 lbs of fish in a mad frenzy on 7-5..I had all of the fish on one plug an one leader.Draggin 25-30 lbers around rocks the whole time.I don't need any convincing..Seems everytime I go away from what has worked well for me in the past few years it was thru something I read on the internet an it cost me..I have total confidence in my gear from my reels thru the clips I use.I now it's limitations.I think this is as important as anything..U can use what u like just don't ask it to do something it cannot..

[Mike P]

How many leaders do you leave on the bottom fishing from the jetties down your way? It's not just the leaders that get chewed up that adds to the cost--it's the ones that break at the barrell when you hang the bottom. Last year I went thru four 50 yard wheels of mono leader, and probably $500 worth of lead. Seaguar is like $15 for 25 yards. Even the 50 yard wheels got too rich for my blood, so I went for the 1/4# spool of Ande. The $225 1209 and the $565 Saltiga (direct from Japan) are forever. Buy 'em once and they're yours unless they break or some a-hole clips them. Jigs, braid and leader are recurring expenses. You save where you can. I would guess I lose two fish a year to a leader breaking from abrasion. The added cost just isn't worth it for me. Flouro isn't wire--it still chafes, and when my leader chafes, I don't trust it any longer. I cut it and retie my clip if the leader's still long enough, or replace it if what's left is too short. I like a 30" to 36" leader, and a swivel big enough to use as a grab handle. That way I can lift a schoolie or small keeper up by hand without slipping on the low rocks or bubble weed.

[Guyver]

Originally Posted by NIB

IMO the abrasion resistance of flouro is far better than Mono.
I have been a flouro user for yrs.After reading last winter bout how it is no different I made a switch on some leaders.Well u know what came next right.Yup lost a good fish.Back to flouro for me..

I hear a lot of well respected fisherman such as yourself say that but did you read Sportfishing magazines 20 pound line test they published? Their findings seem exactly opposite when it comes to fluorocarbon. Granted it was 20# but one would think the results would be similar using the higher pound tests also. In your opinion what is the reason behind the dismal test results of Fluorocarbon in the laboratory and your real world experience. Here's a small piece of the article:

"Fluorocarbon leader has become popular for its invisibility in the water. But fluoro enthusiasts may want to take particular note and, if concerned about abrasion resistance, at least get a much heavier (thicker) leader than you'd normally use. Even the toughest fluorocarbon leaders and lines, both made by Triplefish, offered only modest abrasion resistance (with an abrasion-resistance index of 162 vs. 730 for the best mono). Most fluorocarbons tested dismally, lasting just 20 to 60 or so cycles on the machine versus nearly 1,300 for Stren Original (which might be both the toughest and most economical choice for leader material)."


You can see most of the article here (There were a lot of charts and graphs that were left out from the original published article which I have):
http://www.sportfishingmag.com/techn...est-23589.html

[Little Round]

The only time I feel like having fluoro leader helps is for bones, and albies.

[NIB]

Originally Posted by Guyver

I hear a lot of well respected fisherman such as yourself say that but did you read Sportfishing magazines 20 pound line test they published? Their findings seem exactly opposite when it comes to fluorocarbon. Granted it was 20# but one would think the results would be similar using the higher pound tests also. In your opinion what is the reason behind the dismal test results of Fluorocarbon in the laboratory and your real world experience. Here's a small piece of the article:

"Fluorocarbon leader has become popular for its invisibility in the water. But fluoro enthusiasts may want to take particular note and, if concerned about abrasion resistance, at least get a much heavier (thicker) leader than you'd normally use. Even the toughest fluorocarbon leaders and lines, both made by Triplefish, offered only modest abrasion resistance (with an abrasion-resistance index of 162 vs. 730 for the best mono). Most fluorocarbons tested dismally, lasting just 20 to 60 or so cycles on the machine versus nearly 1,300 for Stren Original (which might be both the toughest and most economical choice for leader material)."


You can see most of the article here (There were a lot of charts and graphs that were left out from the original published article which I have):
http://www.sportfishingmag.com/techn...est-23589.html

Umm??
I can't esplain.

[In The Surf]

I definately notice improved abrasion resistance with Orvis Mirage fluoro. I love this stuff. Depending what # test I'm using (based on what kind of fish or location) it's $9.95 to $15.95 for 40 meters. To me it's worth it. Mono is nice and the price is right but this stuff is better. This stuff is tougher and last longer. For the spots I fish I mostly use 60-80 lb and the Mirage is easy to tie and knots well.
I agree with Tony, if it saves a plug or two or lands that fish of a lifetime it's worth it.

[jim sylvester]

Originally Posted by In The Surf

I definately notice improved abrasion resistance with Orvis Mirage fluoro. I love this stuff. Depending what # test I'm using (based on what kind of fish or location) it's $9.95 to $15.95 for 40 meters. To me it's worth it. Mono is nice and the price is right but this stuff is better. This stuff is tougher and last longer. For the spots I fish I mostly use 60-80 lb and the Mirage is easy to tie and knots well.
I agree with Tony, if it saves a plug or two or lands that fish of a lifetime it's worth it.

bingo

great stuff at a somwhat reasonable price

[cheferson]

Originally Posted by In The Surf

I definately notice improved abrasion resistance with Orvis Mirage fluoro. I love this stuff. Depending what # test I'm using (based on what kind of fish or location) it's $9.95 to $15.95 for 40 meters. To me it's worth it. Mono is nice and the price is right but this stuff is better. This stuff is tougher and last longer. For the spots I fish I mostly use 60-80 lb and the Mirage is easy to tie and knots well.
I agree with Tony, if it saves a plug or two or lands that fish of a lifetime it's worth it.

[animal]

I have fished side by side with a buddy(a buddy who always outfishes everyone),exact same lure,exact same presentation,me with mono,him with flouro.The flouro leader was tied direct,the mono used a snap.I was outfished badly.
After switching rods,the tables turned.
Flouro is also non-porous,and doesn't absorb water.Mono,on the other hand can lose up to 15 % of it's breaking strength when saturated.
The only time I don't think it matters is with live bait,however I still use it.The deal is,it's an advantage,not a gimmick.With all the time and money I put into fishing,I'll take every advantage I can get.

[Nebe]

I use a 12 foot flouro leader around rocks- its worth every penny.

[pbadad]

Giving Ande Back Country 50lb. a try this year. Abrasion resisitance qualities, lower price and supple for knot tying.