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Guy here at work tells me he uses this fluorocarbon as a leader and pike can't bite through it. Anyone else have experience with this before I take a chance on losing lures?

There are many differing opinions about florocarbon leaders, here's mine. Our local waters are mostly stained with limited visability. Unless you are really trying to achieve a finesse presentation in clear water I would recommend using a 7 strand wire leader while trolling. If your preference is to tie direct to your lure for jigging or a crank bait presentation without a split ring then you could be safe using heavier strength florocarbon. I emphasize "could" for a couple of reasons. Combine razor sharp teeth with weight and the resulting bite off possibilty skyrockets.

There is much hype about fishing with line that is invisible and I for one don't buy into the theory. A fish is poised to eat your offering not study it. They don't have a clue what line is, so govern your technique accordingly. At times fish are credited with intelligence they just don't have in their pea sized brain.

McQ is right on with his answer.

I fish the St. Lawrence where the river bottom is clearly visible to depths of 25 feet or better. I doubt there is clearer water anywhere else in Ontario.

I fish 14 and 17 pound test Trilene XT and Fireline of different tests. A friend of mine who guides every day on the river fishes 40 lb. Power Pro. These lines are far from "invisible", but the fish don't care at all.

I can't understand guys using fluoro leaders on the Ottawa and other stained or muddy waters. It must be a confidence thing.

I agree with McQ in that we often give the fish too much credit for being able to interpret what they see and make a judgement call, or use logic to decide that- "Hey, there's something stringy attached to the food item I'm about to chow down on".

The only time I use a leader (steel) is when I'm targetting pike, or light mono when C-rigging bass.

And I doubt fluorocarbon holds up to pike and muskie teeth any better than heavy mono or braid. Has to be steel...

CCB

I have to disagree, I never used to use fluorocarbon until two years ago. It put more fish in the boat on the Bay Quinte than others in the boat using braided or mono. It made me a believer and my partners have converted too. Any edge you can use helps! I do agree that in muddy or tea stained waters it is less important. As for whether Pike and Muskie can bite through it, I have no first hand experience but I have seen a few episodes of Fishful thinking where Charlie Wray uses flourocarbon leaders for muskie (40lb test) and swears by it. Of course he is sponsored so you never know! Give it a try and experiment for yourself!!!

water clairity would be the deciding factor as to weather or not I would use the flouracarbon or not. As for pike and muskie I would not risk the 20 + dollar lure I'm throwing to flouracarbon, it's just not in my buget. Not that I don't trust it's strengh, but if the fish did manage to bite through it you would not be a happy camper because the odds are that it was a good sized fish! If a Pike or muskie have made up there minds to eat your lure, they will smash into the side of your boat chasing it, so I dont think the flouracarbon would make a difference. So the moral of my story is that I don't leave myself open to line failure, I use at least 65lb test power pro, and leader's that are rated for at least 100 lb.

I have been using Stren's Super Braid with good success this year. I do not use a mono or fluro leader and tie directly to a snap swivel. I agree with McQ and others that the whole invisible thing is over rated.

Also IMO most fish strikes are reactionary and the fish makes a split second decision to hit the bait the second they see it. Yes some species are reknown for following bait ie. Muskie and Lake Trout, but even those I think do not equate seeing line with being hooked. Fish are just that fish, they do not have the capacity to think like humans.

Just got back from a trip for lakers. Fishing with willilams and a live bait trailer, tied with 10 lb vanish leader. Had 3 break offs, 2 on snag and one I wasn't sure if it was a hit or a snag. The bottom was rocky, so could have been cut offs on rocks. Regardless, i switched to 14 lb maixma and was fine after that. As for fish catching ability, hard to judge because we destroyed them with anything we tied on. Nice problem to have.

I agree with CCB and McQ...
I use fluoro leaders on my high-vis yellow power pro when trolling in gin clear water like Bay of Quinte and have never had a bite off or line break... I have found it has increased the number of strikes when open water trolling.

On the other hand in stained water or when jig'n I go direct. 8lb Fluorocarbon breaks very easy if it has a knick from rocks, bad knot or sharp teeth. This past weekend I fished with a guy who lost three really nice fish while jigging with fluoro because of bite offs . At the end of the day he gave me the spool of vanish to keep...with a smile

It has everything to do with confidence... If the water is like mud then i see little need for consealing your line... in gin clear water perhaps there's something in it... Power pro looks like rope in the st. lawrence but i still use it on occasions.

I fish with 50lb fluro leaders have have had no trouble so far with pike biting me off. I still use wire leaders though as although the fluro line is nearly invisible they are stiff in comparison to say a 30lb wire leader.

If line in the water is so insignificant why is it that weed on the lure generally means no fish ? I think there is some significance in line visibility and i now try to avoid dark lines in clear water.

On Sunday was out on Mississippi jigging for Walleye. We caught over 15 hammer handles (I mean Pike). On top of that we had 7 bits off. Get this, 4 bits off were on 6 lb berkely vanish and 3 were on 20 lb Power Pro braided line. This goes to show, unless you are using a wire leader, Pike will and can break off almost anything if it is dragged across their teeth.

In terms of saying line visibility does not mean a thing. Shame on you. You probably could be putting more fish in the boat. But if you are happy with what you are catching, stay with that theory that line visibilty does not matter. Do you use scent? How about color, does that matter? What about the pattern on the bait or the action of the bait? Seems like a lot to pay attention too for something that isn't very smart. My point is simple, every little details can and will help you increase your odds. Sure you can catch a fish without scent, or a purple and pink walleye diver, or with 40 lb rip cord in crystal clear water. The question you have to ask yourself is what aren't you catching?

Cheers,

Mike

One reason to use the florocarbon is that it wont "kink-up". Steel leaders will kink and eventually break from the stress. I use 100lbs florocaron for muskies for this reason only. I think they have more life than steel leaders. The visability is not a factor when muskie fishing.

"In terms of saying line visibility does not mean a thing. Shame on you. You probably could be putting more fish in the boat. But if you are happy with what you are catching, stay with that theory that line visibilty does not matter."

I think line may be a factor when fishing trout in some circumstances, but not for the bass, crappie, pike, walleye and muskie fishing I do. I see many of the fish that take my bait in the St. Lawrence. Believe me- they are concentrating on the bait only. I don't have fish veering off after "spotting" my line and deciding something's fishy.

If anglers are more confident fishing fluorocarbon leaders, more power to them. Having confidence is half the battle.

CCB

I use Flouro for some applications, only as a leader with braid (spinning) or spooled directly on a flipping stick. I find it has a few more uses other than invisibility. It definitely acts as a shock absorber on your line, you don't really notice it at first, but when you have used it for a while and then don't use it I could feel a difference. As well when you are fishing tubes for example, it is easier to bite through, quicker to retie and easier to break off if hung up.

I think its all about the species and water...if i'm fishing largemouth i never nead to worry about consealing my line, smallmouth i try to match the colour of my line to the water, this is because i usually fish clear shield lakes for smallies, often slower presentations as well, this gives the fish time to spook after seeing something they dont like. This also depends if your fishing pressured lakes, fish are often more carefull. Muskie and Pike dont seem to care at all, even in the clear shield lakes i fish. Trout and Stealhead are probably the only time I truly try to disguise my line...they're alot more finicky.

I have tried flourocarbon before and cant say I like it at all. Its wirey stuff with lots of memory. On my smallmouth and trout spinning reel setup i've got 10LB(4LBdi. Spiderwire Fusion and/or Rapala Long Cast(dont under estimate))On my Muskie/Pike/LM/SM baitcasters i spool up with Berkeley Iron Silk 14LB, 17LB, or 24LB. Iron Silk is great stuff, strong, low stretch(but some so you still have a good hook set), and it casts great. I dont think i'll ever switch.

Yup, I have very strong opinions on this line.

An this time, I'm gonna make some friends and keep them to myself.

Good fishin: Jigs