Flourocarbon line for walleyes?

[coyotekiller]

Thinking of using Flourocarbon line for walleyes this year, what are the pros/cons of it? Is it better to use braid or mono line with a Flourocarbon leader?

[Icehole]

The only time I have noticed a huge difference was early in the season when we slip bobber for lethargic fish.I've never had any problem catching with braid and snap swivel the rest of the time.We usually drift,bottom bounce or jig so the baits are moving and their strikes come instinctively and I don't think they sit and study the lure or bait much.

[EZM]

I run braided line to a fluorocarbon leader for 100% of my walleye fishing. The low stretch of the braid provides superior sensitivity and the fluorocarbon allows the presentation to be invisible and bite resistant or that occasional "pike surprise" while walleye fishing.

[RavYak]

Flourocarbon is low stretch compared to Mono, it has higher abrasive resistance and is less visible. However it is stiffer and has more memory which is why I use braided line for all my mainline and then tie on a fluorocarbon leader instead(or titanium if pike fishing).

[old dog]

I do the same as EZM. Seems to work great

[TUFFBUFF]

I've been running 6lb floro on my light/ultralight rig ups for the last couple years, I'm a bit old school and upgraded from super mono and can't seem to give braid a try yet.
We fished walleye quite a bit last year and I had no issues, mostly casting and jigging drop offs. Line tied direct to hook, don't remember getting broke off, maybe once by a pike. I might feel a bit handicapped with this line vertical jigging over 18ft deep though.
I like fluorocarbon but haven't tried any other fancy lines yet.

[dwedmon]

I find that it is harder to tie terminal knots using the flouro, that's the only disadvantage I've found with it.

[Wild&Free]

Originally Posted by RavYak

Flourocarbon is low stretch compared to Mono, it has higher abrasive resistance and is less visible. However it is stiffer and has more memory which is why I use braided line for all my mainline and then tie on a fluorocarbon leader instead(or titanium if pike fishing).

I've found flourocarbon to not be very abrasion resistant when I've used it. I find it quiet brittle to be honest. It makes good leaders though.

[RigPig]

I have gone 100% floro then braid to floro now back to mono. I do like floro but it just wasn't worth the tangles or the re tying of leaders to braid. I do Tie all my spinners with floro and my pike leaders are 60 lb floro. Never been bitten off.

[cube]

Originally Posted by coyotekiller

Thinking of using Flourocarbon line for walleyes this year, what are the pros/cons of it? Is it better to use braid or mono line with a Flourocarbon leader?

Flouro is some what less visible than mono.

Flouro leader material is more abrasion resistant than mono or braid

That being said any time you connect 2 things together you create a possible failure point. Wes David (tournament angler who was at the sportsman show just uses braid with out mono or flouro leader for this reason.)

Some say that braid is noisier under water than straight mono or flouro and can spook fish but you loose sensitivity.

I use straight flouro and braid to flouro leader.

At the end of the day you just need to give it a try and decide for your self.

[clarki]

I use 10 Lb Fireline to a swivel then a couple of feet of 10 Lb fluorocarbon leader material. Use plenty of saliva when tying knots and no issues. This is the most sensitive and effective set up ive found for Walleyes in my experience

[DOGFISH]

I just use Flourocarbon for Walleye, 8 lb works well on my bait casters, have tried braided but found it liked to dig into itself on the spool. Maybe just the size or type I used. As far as abrasion have not lost any, I run my finger down the line after catching a pike who may have come in contact with it and re-tie if needed.

[Poppa]

Interesting thread..thanks for the info guys.

I bought myself a new rod specifically for walleye and finesse fishing. I got a 5'9" Fenwick Eagle and a new Pflueger Trion reel. Extremely light weight and sensitive for jigging and still fishing. Found I was missing too many taps with my Medium Action Ugly Stik, so I made that my Pike rod (and for trolling, too...).

As for line, I'd always gone with 8lb Spider Wire before, but I've been doing so much reading about those nano superlines, and was told they're the best for jigging because there's no give to them. You feel EVERYTHING....so I kinda figured that's what I'd rig up on my new reel.

Interesting stuff about tying leaders, too....I've never used anything but a steel leader with the swivel on one end, and the clasp on the other. Usually a 6"-er...

[DOGFISH]

Originally Posted by Poppa

Interesting thread..thanks for the info guys.

I bought myself a new rod specifically for walleye and finesse fishing. I got a 5'9" Fenwick Eagle and a new Pflueger Trion reel. Extremely light weight and sensitive for jigging and still fishing. Found I was missing too many taps with my Medium Action Ugly Stik, so I made that my Pike rod (and for trolling, too...).

As for line, I'd always gone with 8lb Spider Wire before, but I've been doing so much reading about those nano superlines, and was told they're the best for jigging because there's no give to them. You feel EVERYTHING....so I kinda figured that's what I'd rig up on my new reel.

Interesting stuff about tying leaders, too....I've never used anything but a steel leader with the swivel on one end, and the clasp on the other. Usually a 6"-er...

I have a Fenwick as well, I swear I can feel their gills move if they get close enough.lol Let us know how the new line works. DogFish

[ontario gunner]

If your using that rod for strictly jig fishing.. Use power pro or fire line in a highly visible colour, then directly tie 3' flourocarbon leader directly to the braid with back to back uni-knots.. Make sure that flourocarbon is 2lb lighter breaking strength than the braid minimum.

If you get a snag,, don't use the rod to get it free,, point the rod directly at the snag,, put your hand tight over the spool so it doesn't spin, and then pull in a straight line from the snag,, with no arch in the rod(if you try and use the rod too pull a snagged super line free, you will be buying a lot of fishing rods).

I've been fishing with fire line for around 20 years,, you can feel a fish fart with it,, but there is also a learning curve with it.

[Dom4]

Originally Posted by ontario gunner

If your using that rod for strictly jig fishing.. Use power pro or fire line in a highly visible colour, then directly tie 3' flourocarbon leader directly to the braid with back to back uni-knots.. Make sure that flourocarbon is 2lb lighter breaking strength than the braid minimum.



If you get a snag,, don't use the rod to get it free,, point the rod directly at the snag,, put your hand tight over the spool so it doesn't spin, and then pull in a straight line from the snag,, with no arch in the rod(if you try and use the rod too pull a snagged super line free, you will be buying a lot of fishing rods).



I've been fishing with fire line for around 20 years,, you can feel a fish fart with it,, but there is also a learning curve with it.

I've found the same thing with the learning curve but I've found that you don't need to set the hook as hard with the no stretch line

[PlayDoh]

Originally Posted by EZM

I run braided line to a fluorocarbon leader for 100% of my walleye fishing. The low stretch of the braid provides superior sensitivity and the fluorocarbon allows the presentation to be invisible and bite resistant or that occasional "pike surprise" while walleye fishing.

Ditto. I will catch double with braid line with a fluorocarbon leader compared to others using just fluro or mono, mostly while jigging. You feel everything with Braid. The only downside to braid is if it tangles, yet if you don't cinch a tangle its possible to undo it. Once you get used to tying Uni knots cutting off tangles isn't an issue anymore than other line.

I use a small swivel to tie on the fluro leader, and I usually go with a 3-4' leader, yet if its murky I'll go down to 2'. Swivel helps with line twist, and if you replace the Fluro leader its just a quick cinch knot. Check your Leader often, especially after a pike and you'll almost never break off.

Power Pro or Suffix is what I like of braid, and usually Berkley Fluro.

[DiabeticKripple]

I just use straight braid to a snap swivel, when like fishing I use a fluro leader on the end that EZM made and gave to to me.

[EZM]

After trying many braided lines - I keep coming back to Power Pro.

As far as fluorocarbon, this is the worlds best fluorocarbon ... Shimano Aspire made in Japan - can't find it here but ordered some from Europe. Super thin, super strong, invisible and abrasion resistance.

http://www.shimano-eu.com/content/eu...2f4c6561646572

Domestically - I use Seagar and Berkley fluorocarbon.

[coyotekiller]

Originally Posted by EZM

I run braided line to a fluorocarbon leader for 100% of my walleye fishing. The low stretch of the braid provides superior sensitivity and the fluorocarbon allows the presentation to be invisible and bite resistant or that occasional "pike surprise" while walleye fishing.

That's what I ended up going with. I'm going to use power pro line then going to tie my own Flourocarbon leaders

[topgear]

Take two rods with you next time you go out. One with your favorite mono, and one spooled with braid. Use the same bait and technique with both and see for yourself which set up you reach for most. Last year on Cold lake, jigging at 100 feet, the difference was apparent very quickly. The rod with mono was soon left in the rod locker...

[EZM]

Originally Posted by topgear

Take two rods with you next time you go out. One with your favorite mono, and one spooled with braid. Use the same bait and technique with both and see for yourself which set up you reach for most. Last year on Cold lake, jigging at 100 feet, the difference was apparent very quickly. The rod with mono was soon left in the rod locker...

100% agree - this is precisely why I use braided line when you need to feel the tiniest of nibbles.

Not to derail .... but this is the same reason I have been getting into more sensitive (and unfortunately more expensive) rods for walleye and trout over the last few years.

Sometimes better gear equals more hook ups.

Braid / Fluoro are a part of that equation.

[Poppa]

I do a lot of fishing for Walleye, Perch, White Bass, Silver Bass (Freshwater Drum/Sheepshead), etc....during trips home to Manitoba......and this is where I'm really hopeful the Power Pro or Suffix 832 will really compliment the new Fenwick Fast-Action, Extra Light.....

Better response, more hook-ups.....