Fishing Line Color

WallStreetAmigo · 10-09-06, 01:32 PM

A quick question. With so many different colors available for fishing line, can you explain what the difference is between colors and under what conditions you would use these different colors?

I don't know how much difference the color of the line makes so any input is appreciated.

JB · 10-09-06, 01:39 PM

I used to use the low vis green before switching to green braid, and also use some red line, but to me the charastics of strength and stretch and weight are the most important make up of any line.

WallStreetAmigo · 10-09-06, 01:51 PM

Thanks JB. I currently have Powerpro 20lb green braid, low vis green 14lb Trilene Ironsilk, and clear Trilene XL both 8lb and 10lb spooled up. I have not noticed a definitive pattern on which is best.

JB · 10-09-06, 01:56 PM

all pretty good choices, you'll notice theres a dif. with crankbaits on how deep one will go with heavier or lighter line, plus dif. applications, for instance you may want to single out the braid for worm fishing verses the lighter line is good for throwing lighter baits..alot depends on how abrasive
the structure is in your lake, like rip rap rocks make tears in mono. line, a braid may be your better choice. (just an example)

CarpMan · 10-09-06, 03:38 PM

Also, I don’t like to use mono or floro leaders on my braid, I carry with me a pack of perm magic markers and run about five ft of braid under the marker (color of my choice) for the conditions I’m fishing in. I use 50# P Pro that is equivalent to 12# mono for fishing trashy cover, and have no problems with it.

WallStreetAmigo · 10-09-06, 03:49 PM

CarpMan, how do you go about choosing which color to use for which conditions?

Rebbasser · 10-09-06, 07:38 PM

WSA, keep a REAL close watch on the Ironsilk-it breaks if you look at it wrong-worst line I ever tried. Hopefully you got a good batch, but apparently there were a lot of bad batches of this line.

To the original question, I use 3 lines: Moss colored Powerpro braid, green Trilene XL, and Seguar Carbon Pro Fluorocarbon. The application determines which line I use-braid for worms, jigs, and Carolina rigging, the fluor0carbon line for smaller worms, finesse jigs, and weightless soft plastics, and the Trilene for spinnerbaits and treble hook baits. The only time I consider the line is using braid in gin-clear water, which isn't all that common in Texas, although we get some 4-foot visibility in some lakes.

To give you some some additional line info, braid is my preferred line for fishing heavy cover-the lakes I fish have a lot of standing timber, so it gets a workout. Year before last I pulled a 20 lb flathead catfish through a flooded treetop that would have shredded mono.

Mono I use for spinnerbaits and crankbaits for the shock value. Mono has a lot of stretch, and when a fish really slams a spinnerbait or crankbait the stretch acts as a shock absorber.

Fluorocarbon has quickly become a favorite of mine-it has the low stretch and abrasion resistance of braid but none of the visibility. A downside to fluoro is it is stiff, so it is difficult to use on a spinning rod. For that I use a fluoroclear line-mono with a fluorocarbon coating. Limp like mono but better abrasion resistance.

Hope I haven't confused you worse

.

WallStreetAmigo · 10-09-06, 11:57 PM

Thanks Reb. I have yet to have a problem with the Ironsilk line, although I have pretty much abandoned it in favor of the XL and the braid. It was the first line I got but I find I prefer lighter line that can be cast easier and further, at least until I get better at casting. The lakes I have been fishing are shallow and clear, usually a maximum of 15 feet deep - but usually between 5 and 10 feet deep (at least where I can reach from shore) and you can see clear to the weed cover on the bottom. Any tips on what color/type of line would be most effective under these conditions? I am using a spinning setup, a 7' Shimano Medium Rod and a Quantum reel. I am using mostly topwater lures (a Skitter Pop, a Hula Popper, etc.) because they seem to work better for me (I catch almost all my fish this way) and also because the small town where I live has a very limited selection of quality lures (let's put it this way, most of the lures/baits you guys mention on here are nowhere to be found anywhere in my area...). Enlighten me on how to make the most of clear water shore fishing.

zooker · 10-10-06, 04:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rebbasser

WSA, keep a REAL close watch on the Ironsilk-it breaks if you look at it wrong-worst line I ever tried.

i have to agree with this..

as to line color it rarely matters.. i use a hiviz green -envy-for my t-rigging i can see the slightest tic even when the wind blows a 30 foot loop in the line.. unless you are fishing an ultra clear lake with 20+ foot vizability i would not worry about it..

i ue clear,back country-blue-,envy-bright green-,pink-peach-,and certified -dark green..

zooker

skeeter944 · 10-10-06, 10:49 AM

yeah,i have to agree with zooker,line color with soft plastics really doesnt matter unless you are fishing REALLY clear water. i use low vis green for my soft plastics ,and the reason is that i fish weeds and it just blends in to the weeds and also the bottom of the lake,i think that i might try flouro some time,but what i am using is working,why fix what aint broke? see yah!

Rebbasser · 10-10-06, 06:33 PM

WSA, I like low visibility line regardless. I fish with Flyrod a lot, and he likes high visibility braid but he uses a fluorocarbon leader on it for soft plastics. If you think the low visibility braid may be too visible go with the low visibility mono. The only baits where that may be a factor is slow movers-worms, jigs, weightless soft plastics. For a crank or spinnerbait the line really doesn't matter-it is moving too fast. Topwaters have treble hooks, so I throw them on mono. You'll need to experiment and see which line works for you, but that 20 lb Powerpro has the diameter of 6 lb mono(If I remember correctly) which is pretty thin-I think you will be OK with that even in clear water.

Vabass22 · 10-10-06, 06:36 PM

I use green braid-I think smoke would show up too much in gin clear water. Low vis green, and clear mono.

kbkindle · 10-12-06, 06:35 PM

kbkindle here man i dont know i use power pro about on every thing i would like to see it in a color like red if you are a line watcher watching a green line with the green grass as a background and the green trees to me it is harder to see when i was useing flo-clear in mono it is real easy to see so why not red power pro? kb

fishinfortune · 10-12-06, 08:56 PM

i use low vis green most of the time . u cant go wrong with it

WallStreetAmigo · 10-13-06, 11:46 PM

Thanks all. I am quickly learning that confidence in the equipment you use is very personal. I'm also learning after a very short time bass fishing that you start to get a feel for what you like and don't like fairly quickly. I can say that I would not have 1/10 of the knowledge I have if it wasn't for you guys...three months ago I would have thought a texas rig was an 18 wheeler with texas license plates........thanks all.

lizardsrule · 10-14-06, 06:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WallStreetAmigo

Thanks all. I am quickly learning that confidence in the equipment you use is very personal. I'm also learning after a very short time bass fishing that you start to get a feel for what you like and don't like fairly quickly.

You are a quick study

Lizards

10-09-06, 01:32 PM	#1
WallStreetAmigo BassFishin.Com Active Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: BC Canada Posts: 325	Fishing Line Color A quick question. With so many different colors available for fishing line, can you explain what the difference is between colors and under what conditions you would use these different colors? I don't know how much difference the color of the line makes so any input is appreciated.

10-09-06, 07:38 PM	#7
Rebbasser BassFishin.Com Premier Elite Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: San Antonio, TX Posts: 10,141	WSA, keep a REAL close watch on the Ironsilk-it breaks if you look at it wrong-worst line I ever tried. Hopefully you got a good batch, but apparently there were a lot of bad batches of this line. To the original question, I use 3 lines: Moss colored Powerpro braid, green Trilene XL, and Seguar Carbon Pro Fluorocarbon. The application determines which line I use-braid for worms, jigs, and Carolina rigging, the fluor0carbon line for smaller worms, finesse jigs, and weightless soft plastics, and the Trilene for spinnerbaits and treble hook baits. The only time I consider the line is using braid in gin-clear water, which isn't all that common in Texas, although we get some 4-foot visibility in some lakes. To give you some some additional line info, braid is my preferred line for fishing heavy cover-the lakes I fish have a lot of standing timber, so it gets a workout. Year before last I pulled a 20 lb flathead catfish through a flooded treetop that would have shredded mono. Mono I use for spinnerbaits and crankbaits for the shock value. Mono has a lot of stretch, and when a fish really slams a spinnerbait or crankbait the stretch acts as a shock absorber. Fluorocarbon has quickly become a favorite of mine-it has the low stretch and abrasion resistance of braid but none of the visibility. A downside to fluoro is it is stiff, so it is difficult to use on a spinning rod. For that I use a fluoroclear line-mono with a fluorocarbon coating. Limp like mono but better abrasion resistance. Hope I haven't confused you worse . __________________ It's happened to the best of them: John 21:3

10-10-06, 06:33 PM	#11
Rebbasser BassFishin.Com Premier Elite Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: San Antonio, TX Posts: 10,141	WSA, I like low visibility line regardless. I fish with Flyrod a lot, and he likes high visibility braid but he uses a fluorocarbon leader on it for soft plastics. If you think the low visibility braid may be too visible go with the low visibility mono. The only baits where that may be a factor is slow movers-worms, jigs, weightless soft plastics. For a crank or spinnerbait the line really doesn't matter-it is moving too fast. Topwaters have treble hooks, so I throw them on mono. You'll need to experiment and see which line works for you, but that 20 lb Powerpro has the diameter of 6 lb mono(If I remember correctly) which is pretty thin-I think you will be OK with that even in clear water. __________________ It's happened to the best of them: John 21:3

10-09-06, 01:39 PM	#2
JB BassFishin.Com Premier Elite Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 8,655	I used to use the low vis green before switching to green braid, and also use some red line, but to me the charastics of strength and stretch and weight are the most important make up of any line.

10-09-06, 01:51 PM	#3
WallStreetAmigo BassFishin.Com Active Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: BC Canada Posts: 325	Thanks JB. I currently have Powerpro 20lb green braid, low vis green 14lb Trilene Ironsilk, and clear Trilene XL both 8lb and 10lb spooled up. I have not noticed a definitive pattern on which is best.

10-09-06, 01:56 PM	#4
JB BassFishin.Com Premier Elite Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 8,655	all pretty good choices, you'll notice theres a dif. with crankbaits on how deep one will go with heavier or lighter line, plus dif. applications, for instance you may want to single out the braid for worm fishing verses the lighter line is good for throwing lighter baits..alot depends on how abrasive the structure is in your lake, like rip rap rocks make tears in mono. line, a braid may be your better choice. (just an example)

10-09-06, 03:38 PM	#5
CarpMan BassFishin.Com Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 676	Also, I don’t like to use mono or floro leaders on my braid, I carry with me a pack of perm magic markers and run about five ft of braid under the marker (color of my choice) for the conditions I’m fishing in. I use 50# P Pro that is equivalent to 12# mono for fishing trashy cover, and have no problems with it.

10-09-06, 03:49 PM	#6
WallStreetAmigo BassFishin.Com Active Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: BC Canada Posts: 325	CarpMan, how do you go about choosing which color to use for which conditions?

10-09-06, 11:57 PM	#8
WallStreetAmigo BassFishin.Com Active Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: BC Canada Posts: 325	Thanks Reb. I have yet to have a problem with the Ironsilk line, although I have pretty much abandoned it in favor of the XL and the braid. It was the first line I got but I find I prefer lighter line that can be cast easier and further, at least until I get better at casting. The lakes I have been fishing are shallow and clear, usually a maximum of 15 feet deep - but usually between 5 and 10 feet deep (at least where I can reach from shore) and you can see clear to the weed cover on the bottom. Any tips on what color/type of line would be most effective under these conditions? I am using a spinning setup, a 7' Shimano Medium Rod and a Quantum reel. I am using mostly topwater lures (a Skitter Pop, a Hula Popper, etc.) because they seem to work better for me (I catch almost all my fish this way) and also because the small town where I live has a very limited selection of quality lures (let's put it this way, most of the lures/baits you guys mention on here are nowhere to be found anywhere in my area...). Enlighten me on how to make the most of clear water shore fishing.

10-10-06, 10:49 AM	#10
skeeter944 BassFishin.Com Super Veteran Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Somewhere in South Carolina Posts: 2,377	yeah,i have to agree with zooker,line color with soft plastics really doesnt matter unless you are fishing REALLY clear water. i use low vis green for my soft plastics ,and the reason is that i fish weeds and it just blends in to the weeds and also the bottom of the lake,i think that i might try flouro some time,but what i am using is working,why fix what aint broke? see yah!

10-10-06, 06:36 PM	#12
Vabass22 BassFishin.Com Super Veteran Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Northern Va Posts: 1,120	I use green braid-I think smoke would show up too much in gin clear water. Low vis green, and clear mono.

10-12-06, 06:35 PM	#13
kbkindle BassFishin.Com Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Monticello,Indiana Posts: 20	kbkindle here man i dont know i use power pro about on every thing i would like to see it in a color like red if you are a line watcher watching a green line with the green grass as a background and the green trees to me it is harder to see when i was useing flo-clear in mono it is real easy to see so why not red power pro? kb

10-12-06, 08:56 PM	#14
fishinfortune BassFishin.Com Active Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: texas Posts: 109	i use low vis green most of the time . u cant go wrong with it

10-13-06, 11:46 PM	#15
WallStreetAmigo BassFishin.Com Active Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: BC Canada Posts: 325	Thanks all. I am quickly learning that confidence in the equipment you use is very personal. I'm also learning after a very short time bass fishing that you start to get a feel for what you like and don't like fairly quickly. I can say that I would not have 1/10 of the knowledge I have if it wasn't for you guys...three months ago I would have thought a texas rig was an 18 wheeler with texas license plates........thanks all.

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