Does Line Color Really Matter? 2024
RMcDuffee726 reply :
I'm fairly new to fishing and I always have this question on my mind, does line color really matter? I usually fish with a fluorescent blue line out of personal preference, and I can spot it easily in the water. In one scenario I was in ultra clear water spotting a bass and throwing everything I had and every technique I knew at the bass, but he just wouldn't hit my bait, which got myself wondering if my color of my line effected the outcome. I mean I personally didn't think bass were THAT smart not to hit the bait just because of the line color, and I would really appreciate it if some of you guys cleared this up for me! Thanks and good luck on the water this year. 
coots reply :
This should be fun! *grabs popcorn and a coke*
I've done a lot of reading on this as well, from braided line to coloring the last 3 feet with a marker, to I fish straight yellow braid, to red braid to camo copoly, to invisible flurocarbon is the way to go, brad with fluro leaders..... it's endless friend.
I am personally at the point in my fishing experience that I am going straight braid in a green color (PowerPro). Why? It's what matches the water for the most part on Lake Guntersville and I am tired of snapping Fluro in mid-cast.
So get ready, because it's about to get real up in this thread! 
Jar11591 reply :
It's tough to tell. Personally I always use low-vis line but I can't really say if it affects whether or not the bass hit a bait. I would think using low-vis line increases your ODDS of getting bit and vise-versa, even if it is a fraction of a percentage point. I use low-vis line because worst-case scenario, I get bit just as much as with high-vis line. Best case scenario, I catch more fish.
Todd2 reply :
I prefer clear blue fluorescent for it's visibility day or night (with black light of course). I seriously doubt it had anything to do with your line.
coots reply :
I forgot to mention, do a quick search for a thread around here that mentions, or asks a question rather, to the effect of "Well if a fish isn't scared of an Alabama Rig with all those 5 wires and weighted hooks and things flying around, surely it isn't scared of line. Right?"
There is a whole theory about why a fish would hit an A-rig and be scared of line in it that I found interesting. Anyway, have fun!
BassWhole! reply :
On 2/20/2014 at 6:12 AM, coots said:I forgot to mention, do a quick search for a thread around here that mentions, or asks a question rather, to the effect of "Well if a fish isn't scared of an Alabama Rig with all those 5 wires and weighted hooks and things flying around, surely it isn't scared of line. Right?"
There is a whole theory about why a fish would hit an A-rig and be scared of line in it that I found interesting. Anyway, have fun!
Yeah, theories they got...
drodriguez reply :
Yes. Line color matters. If may not matter in every lake, every river, every pond, but line color matters most when the water you are fishing is clear. I use either 15pld mono (berkly big game) or braid with 6-8 pound flourocarbon line when fishing clear water. Now, when considering muddy lakes, my favorite grass lake Agate Lake (realized I have to fix that...) is highly to mildly stained year round. I've fished straight dark green spider wire 10pld test here with no leader tied to a Senko and caught tons of fish. So line color matters in clear water lakes. I hope this makes sense.
JeziHogg reply :
On 2/20/2014 at 5:55 AM, coots said:This should be fun! *grabs popcorn and a coke*
I've done a lot of reading on this as well, from braided line to coloring the last 3 feet with a marker, to I fish straight yellow braid, to red braid to camo copoly, to invisible flurocarbon is the way to go, brad with fluro leaders..... it's endless friend.
I am personally at the point in my fishing experience that I am going straight braid in a green color (PowerPro). Why? It's what matches the water for the most part on Lake Guntersville and I am tired of snapping Fluro in mid-cast.
So get ready, because it's about to get real up in this thread!
On a side note, What kind of Fluro are you using lol....
gripnrip reply :
On 2/20/2014 at 6:45 AM, JeziHogg said:On a side note, What kind of Fluro are you using lol....
Surely Vicious! LOL
gripnrip reply :
I don't know if "color" matters. But based on my observance, diameter or type of line does.
WRB reply :
When bass are active the line size and color mean little, when active feeding they are not line shy most of the time. However.......when bass are not active and more neutral in behavior line color and size can be the difference of catching and fishing.
A good freind of mine uses high visibility yellow braid and jokes the bass can follow it to his lure and he catches bass. I use low visibility FC line the smallest diameter practical and usually catch bigger bass.
Take your pick, only the bass know for sure.
Tom
RMcDuffee726 reply :
I always thought that most line no matter what the color would be almost nearly impossible for the bass to see, but I guess I am wrong. I am really appreciating the answers!
bartdude186 reply :
i have no clue what the bass think, but fishing next to my friend that is set in his was with 30lb hi vis mono and a zebco 808 i can tell you that he never leaves happy. he rarely cathes a fish even when the bite is on.
coots reply :
On 2/20/2014 at 6:53 AM, gripnrip said:Surely Vicious! LOL
Actually if you'll go to the Line section of this forum, you'll see a post labeled "What is wrong with me and Flouro" where it was talked out quite a bit.
And yes, I tried Vicious line, along with what would consider some really great lines from Seagaur, etc. The way we fish and where we fish, flouro isn't for me. Others have different opinions, like I said, see the thread.
Bassguytom reply :
I use 10 lb green power pro slick to a 6 to 8 lb floro leader when drop shot, t-rigging or shakey head fishing. I like the sensitivity of Braid and using a 4 foot floro leader helps hide the braid. I use 30 lb. green power pro on my jig rod with 17lb floro leader. I use 12 to 6lb all floro when throwing cranks, jerkbaits, swimbaits and flukes. I use 10 lb. mono when throwing top water. This covers it for me and I am kind of a braid junkie. I still hear from a lot of guys that they never used braid and I always think to myself man you don't know what you are missing. I fish mainly clear lakes and never fish straight braid. Hope this helps.
Tom
BassnChris reply :
I use 20# tuf-line on everything and tie on fluorocarbon to everything except jigs.
I think the fluorocarbon leader just disappears in the water.
Todd2 reply :
I had to pull out a book that I read a few years ago. "Knowing Bass" by Dr. Keith Jones. In the vision chapter there was a sentence that always stuck with me. "Transparent blue--the color we normally associate with cheap monofilaments--might be the least visible". I used CBF long before I read the book, but that sentence adds a little science for you analytical types. 
RoLo reply :
gripnrip reply :
On 2/20/2014 at 8:23 AM, coots said:Actually if you'll go to the Line section of this forum, you'll see a post labeled "What is wrong with me and Flouro" where it was talked out quite a bit.
And yes, I tried Vicious line, along with what would consider some really great lines from Seagaur, etc. The way we fish and where we fish, flouro isn't for me. Others have different opinions, like I said, see the thread.
Ah man. I didn't mean anything by that comment. That was an interesting read. I like what Felix said best. Learn to control your backlash and Flouro is awesome. I like flouro for cranking. Other than that it is a braid to flouro leader. Straight braid on my heavy flipping stick, unless I'm around a lot of wood. Then it's 25lb flouro. Braid catches on wood and I lost a huge fish in a tourney last year. It wrapped me around a branch and shook off. Sickening!
Bassintheweeds reply :
I look at it this way
How many fish have you not caught because they couldn't see the line?
Cast_And_Blast reply :
On 2/20/2014 at 10:35 AM, RoLo said:
Is 'line color' and 'line visibility' the same thing, or are they two separate issues?Do humans overestimate the cognizance of a small-brained, cold-blooded creature?It is well-known that the thinner the 'line diameter', the greater the 'lure action'.For this reason, a fair comparison of line color can only be made by using fishing lines of the like diameter.Florida-strain bass are tough customers which makes them a good proving ground (KVD stated a similar comment).That said, I've yet to experience an instance where I can confidently say that 'line color', in and of itselfhad any effect on the size or number of bass.Bottom Line: If you believe that 'line color' matters, than it does ;-)Roger
That hit the nail on the head in my opinion. I think line diameter plays a bigger factor. Unless you're in super clear water I really don't think color matters, but we all have opinios. I do believe 30 lb. mono will stick out more than a 40 lb. braid ( considering the diameter is smaller ), but hey, what do I know.
WRB reply :
Bill Murphy was a one of the best bass anglers that I knew. Bill was a detailed analytical thinker and didn't believe anything without a lot of field experience to support his techniques. Bill believed that line diameter and color is a very important factor to being successful at catching giant bass, it's hard to argue with success.
When you are trying to get a wary bass to eat a live bait, you want that bait to appear as natural as possible, hooks and line are not natural so you want to minimize the impact they have. Bil Murphy, Bob Crupi, Danny Kadota are names who all believed that both line color and diameter have a major impact when fishing live bait. Bill went as far as camouflaging the hook and line by adding random marks on the line to break up the silhouette and painting hooks the color of the bait. Bill fished mostly with 8 lb mono dyed with coffee.
Butch Brown is another believer in line color and size, even using big swimbaits, Butch paints his hooks.
It's been my experience that line color and size can have a major impact fishing jigs for giant bass, most of my bass were caught using 10 lb olive green mono. Today I use clear FC in 10 lb or 12 lb depending on several factors like depth and light. If I could use heavier stronger line I would and do at night.
Big bass have big highly developed eyes and good eye sight, they see our line, we hope they will strike anyway.
Tom
Basswhippa reply :
Using small and clear line matters when the water is clear. When the water is stained, it's strength, visibility to you as a fisherman and diameter in terms of how it affects the lure presentation are what matters most. That is my story and I'm sticking to it. I do believe bass can be very curious and attacted to high vis lines from time to time, as has bene mentioned by WRB. If I fished the deep clear highland lakes of CA, I would use Flouro. Glad I don't. I may not catch a 20 pounder from 60 feet of depth but I'm OK with 7 to 9's with with a real shot at a 10 or 12 in shallow grass of the Tennessee River. Braid gets the nod most of the time.
Fish'N Impossible reply :
to me easiest way to explain this is two things.
1) research the colors that fall in the bass' vision spectrum.
2) look at a white wall in your house (simulates clear water), and stretch out line if you can see it so can they.
If a bass can see your line it can look at the lure, as most bass do before biting, see the line and follow that line all the way to the boat with their eyes, and bass can see above the surface of the water so they see you or the boat and dart away. A Bass has amazing vision in clear water too, it has been awhile but I think in clear water they can see upto 100' in a 270 degree arc around them. So in clear water i use transparent lines, or maybe a cool blue nothing bright. These are my opinions and what I believe and may be right or wrong but it wirks for me.
Pz3 reply :
I don't know, I've tried Big Game Trilene (mono), Vicious flourocarbon, Spiderwire (braided) green, havent noticed much in the ways of the bite. I noticed 8lbtest trilene sucks, 10lb is decent, and 14lb is better.... Why? I have no idea. I guess the thicker it gets the less likely it is to have memory issues? I don't know.
I do want to try Cajun 12lb (red) line but everytime I look for it its always sold out. I guess the red is really popular. I don't think fish care about the light spectrum of line.....I'll still try it anyways.
Bankbeater reply :
All I know is that years ago we used yellow line. Caught bass then, and I'm guessing that if I had some spooled on now I would probably still catch some bass.
bostonsox2904 reply :
I'd say that since you were fishing in ultra clear waters, the bass didn't bite because the bass also spotted you. I think it's possible the line color had an effect but that it was more pronounced because the fish knew you were there.
0119 reply :
I fish saltwater flats and have scared snook from just the line flying over their heads. With clear mono and with chart. fly line. O.P. instead of removing perfectly good line, have you tried using a leader? A simple surgeons knot makes it easy. I get beat often by a guy who ties hi-vis mono directly to his lures. I dont have faith in that for myself, and always us a simple clear mono leader. But I'll stick to a clear 4 or 5ft. mono leader.
McAlpine reply :
The best answer anyone can give you is..."it depends". Bad answer huh? But the best answer.
Confused yet?
So, I grew up in northern Indiana, almost Michigan. All natural lakes, mostly glacial some pot lakes. Regardless, water clarity ran the gamut from gin clear to stained. Rarely if ever muddy. I grew up fishing nothing heavier than 8lb mono. And RARELY 10lb. 6lb mono was pretty standard. When I go back home now I rarely go heavier than 10lb flouro. That may be 10lb flouro leader on braid, but trust me it matters. Even then, alot of times I downsize to 8lb FC as a leader.
I now live near Louisville, KY and all the lakes here are dammed up rivers/creeks and seem like pure mud to me. Even after being here for 7 years, it's still hard to change my mindset. When the fish are active I can direct tie braid and it really wont matter but i'm still getting used to that. I've moved to 10lb and 12lb FC as a standard, started using lots of braid and even 15lb co-poly for fast moving baits. Absolutly unheard of for the first 35 years of my fishing carrer in a different place with different conditions.
So, the responses get here may be from people that have spent most of their time fishing in their location on a certain type of lake. Answers will spread the gamut from, "yeah you have to watch line diameter and visibility" to "it doesn't matter, I dont understand why everyone doesn't use braid for everything". That may be someone that lives in Minnesota and someone that lives in Texas but it's not a definite standard everywhere.
So, "it depends". Look at your water clarity, season, how active are the fish, what style of bait are you using, etc?
Good luck!
Fishes in trees reply :
Guys, lets get this straight - everything matters, therefore line size & color matter. To deny this truth would be to deprive every marketer who works for any fishing tackle company a powerful marketing tool.
Don't do that. Don't deprive fishing tackle marketers of their tools. Especially now, in these times of a very slowly recovering economy. Our job is to spend money on fishing tackle, up to the limits of our disposable income.
daiwaguy reply :
On 2/20/2014 at 2:15 PM, Pz3 said:I don't know, I've tried Big Game Trilene (mono), Vicious flourocarbon, Spiderwire (braided) green, havent noticed much in the ways of the bite. I noticed 8lbtest trilene sucks, 10lb is decent, and 14lb is better.... Why? I have no idea. I guess the thicker it gets the less likely it is to have memory issues? I don't know.
I do want to try Cajun 12lb (red) line but everytime I look for it its always sold out. I guess the red is really popular. I don't think fish care about the light spectrum of line.....I'll still try it anyways.
I use 12 pound Cajun on one of my Zillion set ups and I love it. Have had no memory issues and have had it on for almost a whole season. Only put L&L conditioner on it once. Can not remember any breaks or much abbrasion on it either. It really impressed me for being a farily cheap line that i picked up at Wally World.
RoLo reply :
On 2/20/2014 at 11:01 PM, eddieg said:Whether or not they have good eye sight or if they see the line, bass lack the ability to logically think and and decipher that if I bite that lure with fishing line I will be in trouble. Bass react on only on reaction and feeding. Very Small brains and very stupid fish.
A bass is not going to follow the line back to the boat. I think we give a very small brained creature that is lacking a lobe in the brain needed for logical thinking to much credit.
I concur.
I've fished early oligotrophic lakes in Ontario & Quebec, mesotrophic lakes in NJ, NY, PA & GA and late eutrophic lakes in FL
On slow days, when bass are few and far between, I can lay blame on any one of a long list of variables.
Although line color and lure color are most obvious to humans, they're the last variables that I'll suspect or change.
The solution typically comes from a lure change, a change in location, an adjustment in lure depth or a change in retrieve speed.
Sometimes it's the simple matter of bass going on the feed, when all lure colors & line colors automagically work 
Bottom Line: If you believe that 'line color' matters, than it does
Roger
Raul reply :
Matters and doesn´t matter, matters the days it does and doesn´t the day it doesn´t, and in my personal experience the days it doesn´t matter are a lot more than the days it does matter.
There are days that the commotion created by a grain of polen touching the surface of the wáter sends bass into a parallel universo never to be seen again and there are days that the commotion created by a cow landing on the lake after falling from a 10,000 ft height doesn´t even bother the bass, on the contrary, it attracts them.
So you really never know when it does and when it doesn´t, personally one of the things I don´t like fluoro is because I´m short sighted and I´m not very good at detecting the line against the water background, line may be invisible for the fish but most importantly, it´s invisible for me. On the other hand, I have a hard time to believe the line color will matter unless the water is extremely clear, and I´ve fished in super cristal clear water and most of the times the fish don´t seem to care.
If you want to keep your peace of mind my suggestion is to fish with clear line.
shimmy reply :
I know i am seeing a lot of responses with clear water being an indicator of going thin line and the opposite for dark and night. But one factor to keep in mind, even in California with many clear lakes, some fisherman swear that a thin line finesse setup is essential to catching fish; however, swimbait fisherman are using 20-25 pound mono line and rest assured there is nothing thin about that. And it seems to me, more monster bass are being caught on a consistent basis in these very clear waters with 20-25 pound mono on a swimbait than on finesse. Like some have said, maybe it does matter on certain days and particular lures. Be willing to experiment on the water.
0119 reply :
I wonder how many of these guys who say line color doesnt matter, have drank the flourocarbon kool-aid? Or red hooks entice a fish but red line is invisible to them......
WRB reply :
Rolo I believe you may know what Doug Hannon's thoughts were on the topic of bass line awareness.
Animals that have survived over decades of hunting pressure learn to avoid hazards that are fatal, the ones that don't are eliminated from the gene pool. It's about intelligent brain memory or critical thinking skills they do not poses.
If your fishing goals are aimed at catching young adult bass, there is a big population of bass to target.
When you target the big bass the populations drops to less than 1%, the bass that have learned to survive fishing pressure by avoiding anglers and there lures.
I referenced Bill Murphy, Bob Crupi and Danny Kadota because these anglers were legendary giant bass anglers who fished with live bait. I could add ChrisFish, I don't recall his name, however he is another live bait bass angler who learned the importance of using light line with live bait. Why use live bait as a bench mark? To eliminate lure variables. These anglers didn't start out using light line, they changed because of better strike ratio per man hour fishing, they had to use light line to catch these wary giant bass.
I had to do the same and it made a big difference. You can put the percentages in your favor or not, it's your choice.
Tom
bigbill reply :
Remember Dr. LOREN HILL of Ok unv. During his tests on the development of the color & combo "c" lector proved the bass can see certain colors sometimes and all the colors sometimes depending on the hues in the water, the sunlite and time of day that influences the water conditions. He used different colored buckets. One color had feed where the other bucket had nothing. When he dropped the feed colored bucket
the came to feed. When he dropped the empty colored bucket they didn't come. Then he dropped the feed colored bucket they came. This told him under lab tests and conditions the bass can see different colors.
I use either clear or green copolymer line. But I do use a Cajun red line for my leaders on my Carolina rigs.
Yes I know in deeper depths the red line doesn't disappear. But I'm shore fishing at 10' of water.
The best fishing times for me is in the early mornings, midday, and evenings. But I did my tests in the mid morning in the same exact spot at that the same exact time. On blueberry days I got lucky I had the same test conditions for a few days.
The combo c lector chose red only red cranks worked. I through every color then went back to red and caught fish again. Another day only Brown worked, another day green only worked. Inbetween those days I had days were the brown, the green and the red all caught fish at the same time and day. This proves Dr Loren Hill was correct. The bass can see certain colors on certain days and more colors on other days.
But when the colors are limited or when all colors that are seen one color could out produce the other colors. It's figuring out that sweet spot color for that time of day and water conditions.
All I can add is take notes in your log book.
Remember on a tough day, an overcast day, a light rain day that a chartreuse color is your friend. Try a inline spinner like joesfly in firetiger apache or glo-tiger. Then ask me if color matters.
Now we covered lure color and what influences the colors that bass can see. We established that bass can see different colors at certain times and sometimes not.
So line color does it matter. I try to use a natural colored line as I can get. I have noticed when I switched from 8# test to a stronger 12# test my bite slowed up. The lines were both clear. I think since I'm fishing smaller very quiet places the fish are very aware and sensitive to changes in vibrations and harmonics of the larger line. It's the only thing that I could think of why my bite was off. The smaller lighter test line is more shuttle. I had a cheap noisy spinning reel. I'm fishing a three acre pond that's deep in the woods. There is no outside noises. I casted my lure to the center. As I'm reeling it in a sunfish was tilted sideways at the point where my line entered the water. I'm thinking he is feeling the vibration from my worn out reel.
This tells me in quiet eco systems anything out of the ordinary can trigger a warning to the fish. My line is like a guitar string as it sends vibrations into the water. In the smaller unfished quiet ponds. We must be very stealthy.
Ok they can see colors. They can feel the vibrations from the heavier test lines. Does line color and line size matter?
I'm no pro nor will ever be. I just wanted to know why a fishing spot can be hot one minute and ice cold the next. I think it's all about color.
If it was easy it wouldn't be called fishing. It's skill in fishing not luck. We are in charge of our success in fishing by using our skills. Do not leave your skills at home. On a tough day "think" about your next move.
Never give up. Bigbill
Remember I fish from shore at the small ponds where it's all quiet
The slightest noise spooks fish or let's them know we're there. Walk softly, be quiet when handling your tackle, be stealthy. For you little guys and gals practice putting your tackle boxes down quietly at home. Remember to keep your tackle box organized so you can find lures easily when your fishing in the dark
Keep the glare of your flash lite low too. Do not sound any alarm that your there be very quiet and stealthy.
WRB reply :
Bass have such a small brain and too stupid to avoid danger you should be able to catch them using 50 braid without a leader. Why would any bass angler use Fluorocarbon line? FC stretches about equal to premium mono, braid doesn't stretch. FC line has low knot strength and problematic breakage, braid doesn't.
FC line is stiff compared to mono, braid is soft and extremely flexible and doesn't impact lure action.
If bass are too stupid to recognize line every pro bass angler would use braid and nothing else.
The reason I don't use braid is because strike ratio to man hour has proven to me that bass where I fish aviod lures when using braid under good light conditions.
I do not know one trophy bass angler who fishes with braid tied direct to lures. You must get bit first before catching these stupid big bass.
Tom
mod479 reply :
On 2/22/2014 at 1:24 AM, WRB said:Bass have such a small brain and too stupid to avoid danger you should be able to catch them using 50 braid without a leader. Why would any bass angler use Fluorocarbon line? FC stretches about equal to premium mono, braid doesn't stretch. FC line has low knot strength and problematic breakage, braid doesn't.
FC line is stiff compared to mono, braid is soft and extremely flexible and doesn't impact lute action.
If bass are too stupid to recognize line every pro bass angler would use braid and nothing else.
The reason I don't use braid is because strike ratio to man hour has proven to me that bass where I fish aviod lures when using braid under good light conditions.
I do not know one trophy bass angler who fishes with braid tied direct to lures. You must get bit first before catching big bass.
Tom
Agreed, it matter in clear water. Seen it firsthand with my partner during a team tournament. We dragged tubes in deep gin clear water with straight braid. He was swapping between rods spooled with 30lb and 50lb power pro that had couple seasons on it, all color faded. I had spooled one reel up that same morning with new 10/2 p.p. in green. He caught some, but we both agreed I was getting more strikes per drift, from the back of the boat using the same color tube and same 1/2oz internal jigheads. I weighed in 4 of our 5 fish and our biggest. Partner uses 10/2 braid now and colors with a marker when it gets faded, sometimes ties a fluoro leader when he's not rushing. Also got him using sniper fluoro for dropshotting, he was an all braid guy until he started using a decent FC.
0119 reply :
On 2/22/2014 at 1:24 AM, WRB said:The reason I don't use braid is because strike ratio to man hour has proven to me that bass where I fish aviod lures when using braid under good light conditions.
I do not know one trophy bass angler who fishes with braid tied direct to lures. You must get bit first before catching these stupid big bass.
Tom
Agreed
Raul reply :
I think we have deviated from the subject gentlemen, were are not discussing heavy vs light line, but if line color matters or not.
My thoughts on heavier line are
1.- that it´s more "seeable" and more "feelable" to the fish, specially "seeable" ( visible ) in higher visibility environment, more "feelable" regardless of the water clarity, we know that bass are able to feel with their lateral a lot more than what they are able to see, and there are days that it matters and there are days that it doesn´t matter.
2.- that it can have a significant impact on the action of what it´s tied to it, in many baits and techniques the difference can be quite noticeable, for example jerkbaits like the Rapala Original Minnow, the Megabass Vision, Rapala´s Shad Raps, etc. the difference is noticeable, the higher the diameter the lesser the action of the bait; I asume that the same thing must happen with live bait, the bait ( like minnows, shiners, crayfish ) have to fight the drag the line creates.
RMcDuffee726 reply :
On 2/22/2014 at 2:17 AM, Raul said:I think we have deviated from the subject gentlemen, were are not discussing heavy vs light line, but if line color matters or not.
Agreed, I am strictly talking about line color. I do appreciate everyone's responses though because I am learning about much more than I was asking for. Personally I will probably stick with the blue line I use because I can spot it easily, and see what it does. I'm most certainly going to try and mix up line color and experiment though and see if I can get different results. 
WRB reply :
We may be whipping a dead horse on this topic by now.
Bringing braid into " does color really matter" topic is on topic.
Braid is a solid color and 50 lb braid is .013 +_.001diameter, same as 12lb mono/ FC, thus comparing apples to apples regarding size. The majority believe FC is the lowest visible of all fishing line, lower refraction of light, therefor the hardest line to see underwater for fish. Braid comes several colors from black, green, yellow and white, FC/ mono colors are similar with blue and red tones added.
Just for fun lets keep track of the Elite anglers fishing this years Classic at Gunthersville*. Gunthersville is representative of the majority of bass reservoirs in regards to water clarity. What do you all think the pros will spool up and compete with; braid, FC, mono or braid w/FC leaders? What colors and line size?
My perdiction is: Swimbaits, Crankbait, Jerkbaits, jigs and worms using 12- 15 lb clear FC, no braid or mono.
If the bite is tough they will drop shot using 6-10 clear FC on spinning gear, no braid , possible braid w/leaders.
Tom
PS, the lateral line is used to detect distant underwater sound vibrations, early warning system. Bass are primarily sight feeders, big well developed eyes to determine what the prey is. Hearing is used for close proximity sounds. I don't believe line plays into any of the senses, except sight.
* late Feb, winter to pre spawn transition, few weed beds.
bigbill reply :
Bass can see colors, which certain colors can be limited at times with lure colors. Yet I have seen bass on a frenzy so bad any color works but even a large bare hook might work too.
Seeing and understanding the colors of lures why not having the line color influence the bass too? It seems correct to me between Dr Loren hills tests with different colors with bass why not line color too?
FrankW reply :
I live in central Florida and fish a spring fed river that is renowned for its clarity. It is a relative small river and has a lot of boat traffic and tubers. There are lots of bass and you can see them easily in shallow areas. One section I fish is about 40' wide and 2' to 3' deep. I started fishing this section with a spinning rod with 20lb PP braid and a three inch Senko. The fish line up facing up stream in a long string of fish with 10 to 20 fish. If I park on the same side of the river that they are on and cast forward the fish all move over so the line is not on top of them. If I move my boat over and cast forward again they will move back to the same spot. If a boat or tuber goes by they move over just like the do with the line. My line is old and so is a white color and I can see it from boat to lure.
I found if I got to the side of the fish and drifted my bait to the fish and not line them that they would bite. Much like fishing for trout in a river. So I was able to catch these wary fish with braid and no leader as long as the line wasn't over top of them. In later years I switched to a drop shot setup with FC. Unless the line got right on top of them they didn't mind the FC line floating around them. I found with the FC I could catch fish with not near as much fuss as to what my line was doing.
So there are circumstances that the line and not necessarily the color, will make a difference. I fish hydrilla with braid all the time and the fish could care less about the line, if they can even tell it is there in the weeds.
Frank
bigbill reply :
But what I'm trying to say if bass can see lure colors than line color matters too. If I'm fishing a small unfished pond which I have. My fishing foot print on the water needs to be very small. The more I blend in to the natural surroundings the better off I am. I use clear, green or Cajun red for a reason it blends into the water conditions. The fish aren't spooked by it.
My cats are predators like the bass are if I add one thing New inside the house my cats will pick it out right away. Now your invading the basses home don't you think it knows your there.
Think about it. The more invisible we are the better.
Heavy test line.
I was catching bass like a pro on 6#, 8#, test. From shore? When I bumped up to 12#, 14# & 17# test I caught less fish. Seeing this I switched back and the bite was on again. The fish are line test sensitive.
The big bass aren't dumb or stupid. If they weren't smart they would never be that big.
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