Monofilament or Fluorocarbon Line?

[PABoy]

Hi Guys, I want to rereel my downrigger rods and was wondering what the best line is to use. I have been using 30# mono and wondering if there is any advantage or disadvantage of using fluorocarbon line. Any comments or suggestions are appreciated.

[GAMBLER]

Run a mono main line with a floro leader. Floro is more abrasion resistant and is less visable to fish. Make sure you buy quality floro. Also make sure it is floro leader material not the stuff made to spool rods with.

[PABoy]

Thanks Gambler for the advice. Is there any specific brand mono you would recommend?

[Sk8man]

I strongly second that advice. The fluoro is pretty stiff and doesn't spool very well when used as a main line.... much better to be used as just the leader. The Berkeley Big Game line is greatjust as Gambler stated and it is inexpensive as well.

[GAMBLER]

Berkely Big Game and Ande are two very popular monos used on Lake Ontario.

[TyeeTanic]

Gambler got it right. Use 20 to 30 lb fluoro leader. Seagar and PLine are good brands.

[ifishy]

cant go wrong with PLine i use it for leaders on my tip ups for pike without issue and have been using it since i got back into trolling and works great

[Mike M]

My persomal opinion is the whole florocarbon thing is a bunch of BS when your talking about trolling for salmon and trout on lake ontario.Florocarbon is for trout fishing in a three foot wide stream, trying to sneak up a a fish sitting behind a rock or log. On L.O. its whole different environment.These big fish are going to hit your bait because you've triggered there predater instincts by being in the right location with the right bait the right color at the right depth and most important your going the RIGHT SPEED!!! Yes I've bought my share of florocarbon but I honertly can't say it made a difference vs. my favorite brand mono which is big game 20# or 30# on flasher fly rods.Think about all the stuff you got down there.Rigger cables,wire diver lines,leadcore, copper line,rigger balls. Do you really think that King is stopping dead in his tracks cause he saw your fishing line??? IMHO after twenty something years fishing LO

[retsey]

You hit the nail right on the head Mike !

I to fish for steelhead in maybe 15' wide streams and maybe 2' deep and yes Fluoro makes a difference.

But not for great lakes fishing. I like others also do a lot of walleye fishing in Erie with the same hardware including dipseys hanging from the lines and riggers and we catch our share of walleye.

The temp probe swinging around 8-10' in front of a bait transmitting signals does not appear to effect the bite either.

[ifishy]

i can tell you fishing the finger lakes it matters espeically when the fish are up high down deep I could see the argument but even than how many times do fish follow for a time than swim off or bite dont you think seeing the line at that point might affect a fish? in the old days when i fished with my dad pre zebra muscle it didnt matter these days I think it can make a difference and the shallower the fish are the biggger the difference.

[rolmops]

Do not underestimate the fluorocarbon. Even for cod fishing at 300 feet down,my fluorocarbon leaders (everything else being equal) have better hookup rates than regular line

[TyeeTanic]

I think when salmon are aggressive maybe it doesn't matter so much, but when the bite slows and they start following your bait for a little while it matters a whole lot.

[bloodrun]

Outside of the visibility or lack thereof....the biggest benefit to fluorocarbon with the super hard leader variety is the extreme abrasion resistance. Nothing is better for flies and leaders in terms of toughness.

[ Post made via Android ]

[rolmops]

There is another pro for the fluorocarbon. When making fly leaders you will find that the fifty pound fluorocarbon gives the fly a much livelier action than mono,because it is much stiffer.

[BALLS DEEP]

I have been running 30lb big game on all my rods. Except the dipseys of course. I would like to give the flourocarbon leader a try but i had a couple questions. How long of a leader to you use and also what kind of knot or tackle to you use when you tie them together.

[rolmops]

I would use small ball bearing swivels.

If you use fluorocarbon,you should keep in mind that it has no stretch at all and you should set your slip accordingly

[BALLS DEEP]

Rolmops what do you mean by slip? As far as leader length, do you make is the same as your rod length?

[rolmops]

Sorry for being less than precise in using correct terminology. By slip I meant drag.

As far as leader length is concerned, it should be longer (I prefer longer)  or shorter than the rod. You do not want the swivel/knot to be on or near the guides of your rod  when you bring the fish to the net

Edited February 24, 2013 by rolmops

[Gator]

Although it seems like the fleas have only been bad for a week or two the past couple of years, we still use 20 lb Cortland Fleaflicker line on our main downrigger rods (with a FC leader). We've run this line successfully in heavy fleas, and there really isn't much blowback to it. However, the 30 lb doesn't handle nearly as well, knots and such are an issue, and the blowback is much more notable. 

[BALLS DEEP]

Thanks for the info guys. I'll have to do a little experimenting.

[Adk1]

I have been running 30lb big game on all my rods. Except the dipseys of course. I would like to give the flourocarbon leader a try but i had a couple questions. How long of a leader to you use and also what kind of knot or tackle to you use when you tie them together.

why is it that u do not use mono on dipsey setups? Edited April 25, 2013 by Adk1

[bandrus1]

why is it that u do not use mono on dipsey setups?

 

 

the line stretches

[Adk1]

What would u use in its place other than wire?

[Mortigan]

You can use braid until the fleas show up.