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Fluorocarbon

2K views 7 replies 7 participants last post by  FishHawk 
#1 ·
Do you use fluorocarbon and what brand? Do you think it has made a difference in your catch rate? I have used it in fresh water and it seemed to make a difference on fussy fish. I also use it on North Monomoy and it worked what are your opinions?
fishHawk
 
#2 ·
I use nothing but fluorocarbon. It is near impossible to see in the water (at least for humans) and resists abrasion very well (this is probably more important than fish not seeing it). I really don't know if it has increased my hookups, but it does provide a psycological boost. I have been using the Orvis Mirage 13.5 lb test for the stripers.

On another not, I might be getting close to a "maybe" from the boss for an Islander no. 2! keep your fingers crossed for me.

Billy
 
#3 ·
I use exclusivly fluorocarbon and the Orvis Mirage various pound tests for saltwater. I really can not determine if it has increased my catch rate. I have had some difficulty with the "Vanish" brand (I forget the manufacturer) Maybe my knots were not good but it seemed to break off on me several times early in the season at Big Girl bar where I losted several good stripers. I noticed that the break offs were either at the but section or before the hook and it was Streatched out broken. My first impression was that because of the streatch it was my knot but I am not sure because of the breaks at different locations on the leader. This will be an informative thread since I am also interested in what others seem to think is the best in their mind.. Climax, SA, Etc.? I have heard only good things about Mirage and have had good results with it.. But is there one or two manufacturers supplying different retailers?
 
#4 ·
I always use it for tippet and just use standard mono leaders. Ever so often in July August when I think the fish are getting pickl I will but out a fluro Leader. I do think they help some but I think the psycological boost is the most important part.
 
#5 ·
Count me in the "tippet, sometimes tippet and taper" crowd. For standard leader mono I always use Maxima ultragreen, unless fishing in tannin-stained water - in which case Chameleon is the best.

The reason I choose Maxima is two-fold: right in the middle between too stiff and too soft; comes in sizes that graduate easily without getting into diameter calculations:

Here are the Pound Test ratings for the little pocket spools:

40, 35, 30, 25, 20, 15, 12, 10, 8, 6, 5, 4, 2, etc...

What are the diameters? Heck if I know. I just buy a spool of each and do the 60/20/20 (percentage) method with compound butt/taper and solid tippet. (see leader discussions).

Most days I use maxima all the way. On stealth days I use a full 20% of leader as flouro, on ultra stealth days (rare) I use bot taper and tippet flouro. This requires at least three different spools of flouro because I tie my tapers in two or three parts before transitioning to the tippet. That's forty bucks!

Even on sneaky flats days, the subtlety of the flyline color, length of leader and presentation relative to the approach angle of the fish is what counts most IMHO.

It's not the fish you target that you spook at the end of a leader - it's the unanticipated ones that appear between you and the targeted fish that you spook with your flyline, and that gets the other ones nervous and the whole thing falls apart! Oh well, that's why they call it fishing and not catching.

Juro
 
#6 ·
Not an expert in this, but I think you have to be careful between using the flourocarbon leader material and what started coming out last year--all flouro lines for spinfishing, like the Berkley Vanish mentioned above. The full line flouro is apparently much more supple than the traditional stiff leader material, hence it is very prone to slippage (i.e. that "stretched out" look on you line may have been a knot slipping rather than breaking). many of the reports I have read from people loading up spinning reels with this line all say it is very difficult to knot.

As for leader material, the Orvis stuff is great. I tried to save a little money last season and bought a bunch of diameters of the Cabelas flouro leader material made by Seaguer. I have found it to be very good, very stiff and abrasion resistent (key for the rocky fishing I typically do), tough to break and knots well. I got 40#, 30# and 20# tests to make all flouro leaders, but am completely unconvinced that made a difference in my fishing last season versus just a flouro tippet in 12# or 16#.

I think a slightly softer butt section of 40# berkley big game may actually turn over easier than the stiffer flouro, but could be wrong.
I will continue to use it just for confidence. It really is tough stuff and can leave a mean burn on your fingers trying to stretch it out...
 
#7 ·
Jeff,
If you want the butt section not as stiff as 40#, start with 30# or 25# instead. This way, you maintain all Fluorocarbon. The key with getting the leader to turn over flys properly, is matching the stiffness of the butt section to the stiffness of the fly line.
Greg
 
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