High-Vis vs. Low-Vis Braid

[conocean]

My poppin cork leaders are usually 18-24". My bait and/or lure leaders are about 30". I use a uni to uni line connection so I try to keep that knot just outside of the tip on every cast. 30# Yo-Zuri pink fluoro is what I use the most for every season except winter when I usually scale down to 20#.

[FunFlatsFishing]

I like the sharpee idea posted above. Now I'm going to try and find a brown sharpee to match the beautiful water of Tampa bay. 

[fishmanjj]

I use the "FG" knot for the mono to braid and it passes through the eyes a little smoother than uni to uni / JMO though...both are strong knots.

[FINCHASER]

I used to be concerned about how the braid looks in the water but ive come to the conclusion they don't relate it to being caught.  Sure maybe sometimes when they are picky it might spook them but ask yourself how do flyfisherman catch fish??  I run 3-4' leaders as it gives me more room to retie a bunch of times.... as to the braid to leader conn do yourself a favor and start using the FG knot.  No not is smaller and it reels thur the guide no EXPZ.  I typically don't use floro either... I have it but only break it out when the fishing is slow to see if it makes a diff... 9 times outta 10 it doesnt

[Capt. Troy]

38 minutes ago, FINCHASER said:

I used to be concerned about how the braid looks in the water but ive come to the conclusion they don't relate it to being caught.  Sure maybe sometimes when they are picky it might spook them but ask yourself how do flyfisherman catch fish??  I run 3-4' leaders as it gives me more room to retie a bunch of times.... as to the braid to leader conn do yourself a favor and start using the FG knot.  No not is smaller and it reels thur the guide no EXPZ.  I typically don't use floro either... I have it but only break it out when the fishing is slow to see if it makes a diff... 9 times outta 10 it doesnt

Fly guys are running 9 foot leaders and lining a fish will spook them. It takes a perfect presentation and if done right they never see the fly line.

Takes a perfect cast and the fly line never goes over the fish. Try throwing a piece of rope over a fish in 12 inches of water. Ain't gonna happen.Try lining or over casting a bone fish or tarpon on a skinny flat. Nope, it does not work no matter your line.

All of us fish differently and there is no right or wrong or those that can say do this here and this there. You have to adapt to what you are dealt.

 

All the variables is what makes fishing not catching the challenge. Billions of dollars are spent to out smart fish. I sometimes wonder who the real dummy is?

[FINCHASER]

I disagree both from personal exp and what ive seen.  Ive flyfished and run 4-6 leader and caught plenty... jus saw a show the other day they were tarpon fishing on big schools flyine line was cast right on top of the fish.  Granted its not ideal and in the interest of giving yourself the best chance you should run long leaders/  Ive alson run a plug many yards down a seawall and caught fish that were previously right under my white braid.  Ive trolled livies and lures offshore, bottom fished (for the notorious leader shy mutton sanpper and YT's)pitched livies and thrown lures on the braid and caught plenty of fish and sometimes out fished others with me running straight mono

[JEM]

Me.  I am old fashioned.   I still use nuttin' but mono.  Ain't had any problems catching yet.🐟

[Capt. Troy]

36 minutes ago, FINCHASER said:

I disagree both from personal exp and what ive seen.  Ive flyfished and run 4-6 leader and caught plenty... jus saw a show the other day they were tarpon fishing on big schools flyine line was cast right on top of the fish.  Granted its not ideal and in the interest of giving yourself the best chance you should run long leaders/  Ive alson run a plug many yards down a seawall and caught fish that were previously right under my white braid.  Ive trolled livies and lures offshore, bottom fished (for the notorious leader shy mutton sanpper and YT's)pitched livies and thrown lures on the braid and caught plenty of fish and sometimes out fished others with me running straight mono

Won't argue with that and you can disagree all you want until you get some place all that doesn't work. I'm good with that.

As I said earlier. It really depends on the local and the fish. Snook on the east coast of Florida are the biggest dumbest fish I have ever seen.

Tarpon over there are nut crazy during the mullet run and so are the many other fish. The east coast has a lot of current close to shore and all kinds of different factors.

 

What works in one place may not work so well in others. I have seen your posts and catches and you do well. I have also fished a lot around the globe and have learned what works in my home waters just doesn't work 200 miles or 5 thousand miles from here. Matter of fact, some will preach all kind of stuff and then I come to find out they fish at night most of the time. It all changes depending on local and many other factors.

I said earlier use what you have confidence in. That will produce the best results with that given gear. You may also be surprised that someone is out catching you 3 to 1 right next to you or vice versa. You never know.

 

You only need to see some tactics used in other places a few times to really open your mind. I have seen a version of the Greenstick in action, kite fishing before it was all the rage and now the advent of dredges for trolling. Never have even seen a kite or dredge in the Pacific until a few years ago. The same place I have watched the locals tie knots in 400 lb leader like it was 20 lb.

 

Heck, Half the fun of fishing is trying to get one up on the fish. I could care less what the other guy is doing.

 

UNTIL HE KICKS MY BUT.

[MPFit]

I used the FG for a long time. Had odd failures of the knot and eventually had it working. But it takes too ong to tie. I use a basic knot with the fluoro and braid tag ends (don't know what it's called but it like the first knot you put in a shoelace- done 3-5x). It takes seconds to tie, and I haven't had a failure. To me; knots are only useful if they can be tied quickly and reliably. I use a loop knot as my terminal and the aforementioned line to leader knot. Both take 5-10 seconds to tie and I'm back in the water.

[fishmanjj]

1 hour ago, MPFit said:

I used the FG for a long time. Had odd failures of the knot and eventually had it working. But it takes too ong to tie. I use a basic knot with the fluoro and braid tag ends (don't know what it's called but it like the first knot you put in a shoelace- done 3-5x). It takes seconds to tie, and I haven't had a failure. To me; knots are only useful if they can be tied quickly and reliably. I use a loop knot as my terminal and the aforementioned line to leader knot. Both take 5-10 seconds to tie and I'm back in the water.

Yep........the FG can be a challenge in the boat while fishing because we are always in a rush to get back in the water. After a few hundred times , you get better at the twist and tension...i do totally agree that the uni to uni is a great knot as well..........to me the best knot " is the one that doesn't fail" .  With artificial bait for trout and redfish, I'm using mostly 12 lb or 15 lb braid with a flouro leader of 15 lb.....and I typically use a "Rapala" knot ( also called a loop knot ) to attach the jig head or hard bait. It's all good brother, the main thing is to be out on the water.....JJ

[mulligan]

I think it was Pole Position or his guide buddy that had a video years ago on the FG knot, it was called the "Naples knot" or Sebile knot back then.  It was fast and easy to tie with his method.  You did not have to do all that crazy stuff I see people doing to tie it.

 

On another note, everyone must be getting rained out if the topic is line color and knots