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Mono, Fluoro, or Braid???

5.5K views 17 replies 14 participants last post by  BIGTCAT'N  
#1 ·
Is monofilament, fluorocarbon, or braided fishing line better for bass and walleye fishing???
 
#2 ·
Definitely fluorocarbon, it's invisible under water. Braid in the thick stuff. I use a braid with a fluorocarbon leader when I am fishing finicky fish and want the sensitivity of braid to feel light bites and want long cast ability. Really depends on what you are fishing, how and presentation you need. I never use mono anymore though. But it does still have good applications. Braid has 0 stretch and hardly any line memory, and very abrasion resistant, fliuro has very little stretch and little underwater visibility and mono has stretch, need thin diameter for low underwater visibility and has memory. Needs to be changed a lot. economically and most versatile is a braid fluorocarbon combo. Cost more but a spool of braid and fluorocarbon per rod will pretty much last the entire year and for me that is lots of days on the water.
 
#3 ·
Yes!
CF, they all have their place. Fluoro excels in clear water and it sinks. Braid has great durability and small diameter so it is easer to cast. Mono tends to float and some guys like it to give little stretch/forgiveness when trolling cranks.
I tried Fluoro on my spinning rods but didn't like the way it casted. 95% of my fishing anymore is a braid main line with a good fluoro leader. This year I plan on having one set up of braid with a mono leader for throwing top water.
 
#6 · (Edited)
I agree bassbully that fluorocarbon can get microfractures in it and can become brittle pretty quick. But they make some really good fluorocarbon now and I keep my leader spool in a cool dry place and it lasts. It is indispensable in clear water. I fish some gin clear lakes like Dale hollow. You have 30 ft visibility in that lake sometimes. I had a friend who fished small diameter braid and mono and fluorocarbon outperformed him by 8 to 1. I saw tons of fish flash on his lure and turn away. They were mine. Same lure fished the same way and I was in the back of the boat. Haha. By day 3 of that trip he changed and became a believer.
 
#7 ·
Personally... each has its' own time and place. My typical applications:
Clear mono for smaller, floating, suspending, and shallow running lures... Original Rapalas, X-Raps, walk-the-dog topwaters, buzzbaits, lighter spinnerbaits, etc.
Clear fluoro for sinking lures or deeper presentations... heavier jigs/craw trailers, deep diving cranks, Texas & Carolina rigged soft plastics, etc.
Braid for the heavy slop and weeds... Frogs, jigs, weedless spoons, etc.
 
#8 ·
when trolling on inland lakes for whatever bites I use trilene xl. but I tried suffix 832 20# a few yrs ago for pond fishing for bass and now use it all the time. I get just as many strikes as I did with mono. but I get more hook ups with the braid. for night fishing for eyes I've used 15# braid for yrs, but haven't used it much for day time fishing for them. but I don't do much day time fishing except trolling. I use braid main line with a fluro leader on erie.
sherman
 
#14 ·
A lot of pro's are changing to braid with a floro leader on almost all of their outfits except for a few specific set ups. Braid has an extremely small diameter for the lb test rating, it never coils like mono, lasts for ever, and casts extremely well. At the end of the season you can turn the braid around and fish another year. I have braid on some of my perch rods that is 4-5 years old and still strong enough to land those jumbo perch and bonus walleye not to mention some big, ugly sheephead.
 
#15 ·
I agree with posts about fluorocarbon, stuff is terrible for spinning reel, does not cast well, only use it as a leader.

Agree wholeheartedly with posts on P-line Floroclear, great stuff on spinning or baitcaster, casts well, few bird nests on baitcasters, and since it is a copolymer you get best of both worlds of flouro and mono.
Advantage over fluoro is increased knot strength and abrasion resistance.
Line has very low visiblility. Read the review of it on Tackle Tour.

For bass fishing I use both, like Braid for plastics such as worm fishing because of 0 stretch for excellent hook setting ability. U can add fluoro leader if you like. Spider wire has Invisi-braid which I am going to try so as to eliminate fluouro leader.

Have also use Berkely Fireline Fused Crystal which is different than braid for crappie and bass fishing, 3 times stronger than Mono, incredibly thin diameter, and low visibility, and excellent sensitivity. Casts like a bullet.
 
#16 ·
+1 for braid with flouro leader. I have been running that on almost all of my spinners for about 3 years and love it. I really only use baitcasters for big game fishing so those are usually braid with a wire leader. Muskies don't seem to care much about the line.