HELP-Braid OR Fluorocarbon OR ?

[FlyLie]

Need Help, so I always want to check with you guys. Based upon YOUR PERSONAL experience, what do you recommend I put on my new rig (Santa was GOOD)? It's a 7'-6' M rod and I'll be using it casting 1/16 to 1/4 oz jigs into deep water; 30 - 50' in an effort to get some nice SM into the boat long enough to give them a FLASH BURN with my digital cam. Thinking of setting it up with 8# line. Question is; what type of line OR do I use a combo with a leader?

I know there are a lot of different possibilities, just looking for a rig set up that:
*Cast Well
*Gets the jig down
*Let's you feel the bottom and or the fish
*Not a lot of stretch in the line.
* Low memory


Well, if I can get all that, them I just might have the perfect line. O, if it makes a difference, I fish LC and DH (clear water lakes).

Please give me your comments.

Good Fishing to All,

Gary

[WacoWildcat]

Maybe try both and see which one you like. I see advantages to both setups. I do use straight flourocarbon sometimes but I personally like the combo with a leader. Mono reel backing, with braid down to an 8lb. flourocarbon leader. With this setup I will feel everything. The only disadvantage I could see of this rig is maybe not sinking as fast as straight flourocarbon. If you're fishing 50ft. that's something to think about. The braid line will last you a long time, casts well, very sensitive, and zero stretch. According to the experts at Tackletour, most flourocarbon lines actually have about the same stretch as trilene xl (some had more stretch). This doesn't keep me from using it but it's interesting to know.

http://www.tackletour.com/reviewfluorocarbon2.html

BTW, this is a great website for general knots and joining lines.

http://www.animatedknots.com/indexfishing.php?LogoImage=LogoGrog.jpg

But I like this one for joining braid to flourocarbon/mono.

http://www.powerpro.com/using/uniuni.asp

[wkerber]

The only thing I'll add to what Waco said is consider spooling one spool with the braid/leaqder setup for your heavier jigs and then I would probably go with 6# mono or fluoro on the other spool to throw the lighter jigs, but be sure to lighten that drag.

I've always used Trilene XL and having been trying to switch to fluorocarbon. It takes some getting use to as the fluoro has a lot of memory/line twist. But the upside is that it does get that lure down faster and I can feel lighter hits on this line. One tip I've learned is to not fill the spool completely with fluoro like I would do with mono. I leave a little more lip.

It just comes down to what pros and cons of the different lines that you personally want to deal with. You just can't have all the pros, at least not today.

[Swift1]

I have to say that Gama fluorocarbon is the most impressive line Ive used in a while . With those ultra light jigs I would go with 6 pound Gama fluorocarbon, its expensive but in my opinion worth every penny. One question for you is what lake are you going to be fishing those little jigs 30' deep? Are you fnf. Jarrod

[UYKY]

i would go with flourocarbon - extremely sensitive and nearly invisible. handles better than braid in my opinion also. PLEASE note you need to tie the proper knot for flourocarbon or it will "cut" itself and break off like mad. i prefer sunline flourocarbon - expensive but worth every penny in my opinion. i would also suggest that if fishing that deep you may want to exchange (if possible) for a MH action - it will really give you more backbone to set the hook in that deep of water. i would also suggest the 8# line size. small diameter will get you more bites and the FC is very tough stuff.

[LarryG]

maybe you should try both. My 10/2 braid, with a 10lb flouro leader will cast a mile, has little stretch, but the down side is wind knots.Sure it may sink slower than flouro, but I always figured, feeding fish are looking up, inactive fish are bottom hugging, and too much trouble to target.Or you can go 15/4 on the braid, and a heavier flouro leader. Braid will last at least three years with moderate use, in the long run is cheaper.But thats only my opionion.

[RC5]

It won't matter which one you use cause you'll only get to make 3 casts all day fishing a 1/16 oz. jig in 50 ft. of water... Either way with a medium rod fishing in 30 - 50 ft of water, you won't be getting very good hook penitration unless your using some really, really sharp hooks. The only thing I think that could save u would be the braid with the floro leader.

[EZGO]

If you do decide to use braid, make sure the reel you use has like a line twist reduction or like my diawas it has the twist buster on it, for the line since I have switched to these reels birds nests coming off of my spinning tackle are few far and inbetween. If it was me and fishing braid in that deep of water I would use 8/1. one thing to remember is that if the temps drop below freezing the braid will ice up more than flouro or mono. This is based on the luck ive had with braid. If you do choose braid power pro makes a good product.

[FlyLie]

THANKS GUYS FOR ALL YOUR INPUT! With so-so--so---many choices, fishing decisions can be difficult; to say the least. So, based upon your comments and my (questionable) freedom of choice, I visited a couple of our local supply shops today and decided/purchased based upon the following:

Like some of you, I could not decide which would be the best choice; Braid or Fluorocarbon. And as some of you have suggested, why not try both (Great Suggestion), so that's what I decided to do.

So, for spool # 1, I decided to go with a combo lineup. I purchased some cheap 12# Mono which I will use for back-up. To this I will add approximatley 75 yards of Power Pro (10/2), followed by about 20' of Fluorocarbon (P-Line, 8#) as the leader.

For spool #2, I'll go with just straight fluorocarbon 8# P-Line.

So now, I expect both will cast great, have little to no memory, sink within a reasonable time, have great sensitivity, create no problems with birds nest, etc,.

Now that I have the PERFECT RIG, and all things being equal with my two setups, I suspect I'll find the little lady on the bank will be catching most all of the fish with her cane pole using a bobber shinner combination, and there I'll be just be sitting there in my boat throwing those little jigs into the water and freezing my things off. Ha-Ha....

Good Fishing to All,
Gary

[billm_usa1]

Tackletour.com did 2 showdown tests on FC lines. Good reading.

http://www.tackletour.com/menulines.html

[FlyLie]

Waco/billm,

Interesting articles from tackeltour on the fluorocarbon. Thanks,

Gary