Fluorocarbon

[Summer Steel]

what is the best knot for tying fluoro onto a swivel and/or hook??

Palomar, same as with braid. Just make sure you wet it when pulling it tight.

 

[Westcap19]

...will never buy fluorocarbon for salmon leaders again....lost too many to broken leaders this season....not at the knot!

 

[Dave S]

I tried Maxima fluoro for some leaders and switched back to green soon after. Fluorocarbon sucks!

 

[Lipripper]

I tried Maxima fluoro for some leaders and switched back to green soon after. Fluorocarbon sucks!

Don't tell everyone that man.... Its the next best thing to catch you more fish...

P.S. How is the peanut doing?

 

[Seafever]

Salmon leader shy?........hmmm..

There exists a report on another site (BC Fishing Reports) where a guy up in Port Hardy was fishing for salmon using mini-Brad's.

He fishes all the time.....

And he does very well.......

Now the interesting thing here is:- He said he did very well using leader that was PINK in color.....

Pink is high-vis........so the salmon can see that.

 

[Falcon]

I guess I should have read this earlier I bought some 50lb Seaguar yesterday. Wonder if they'll take it back?

 

[Sharphooks]

I'm with the Flourocarbon NaySayers on this one---flourocarbon in salt (in my opinion) will cost you fish---flouro does not seem to hold up to the abuse of salt water fishing the way good ole' mono does. It's expensive and for salt application, I don't think you'll get the extra added value you'd expect from a piece of equipment you're paying mo' money for.

Fluorocarbon has nearly the same light refraction rate as water, which explains how it "disappears" once beneath the surface---that's one its main advantages--you can use higher breaking strain and maintain the "stealth" approach. But do you need "stealth" for salmon in the chuck? That hasn't been my experience. For mainline, I get the same results using 20 lb test Mono as when I use 50 lb test. The only difference is that with 20 lb test mono I have to re-tie my knots more frequently. Leader material? Generally, the same results although I probably wouldn't mooch with 50 lb test Mono because I'd need more weight

Now for steelies in fresh water, Flouro does seem to have its place, especially when you have low clear water and spooky fish as High Five mentioned When I use it (sparingly) , I NEVER go under 15 lb test, I test my knots continually, and I re-tie continually.


Why? If you go about your business fishing like you would with Maxima Chameleon or any other burly monofilament line, you'll start popping off fish. Flouro is some delicate stuff---knots weaken it and you have to take greater care when tying it

But I have had some specific positive experience with Flouro that got my attention---a few years ago I fished through a steelhead hole that I knew held lots of fish using 10 lb Maxima Chameleon leader under a bright sun (fishing a fly)---no soap. But at the tail-out I snagged someone else's gear---a fly with about 3 feet of Flouro leader attached to it.

I tied on the rig, went back through the same hole and hooked two fish. That at least got me thinking. The next year I showed up with Seaguar Flouro (10 lb test) , hooked fish, and promptly broke them off. That's not something I normally do so the next year I showed up with 15 lb test and had better results putting fish on the beach.

Flouro definitely has its place in the fishing arsenal but IMHO, the salt chuck is probably not the best place for it

 

[mr killer]

a lot of fluoro haters on here, I've been using it for 5-6 years. I've never had a leader break and I always have heavy tension on the line. I just use a regular knot and I believe the knot strength is stronger with fluoro. a little more difficult to tie with than mono but you get used to it. I like it because it doesn't stretch and it's stiff so it puts a really nice action on hootchies, spoons and chovies. I used 50lb ande for a few years which is a really good product and now I buy Seagar locally it seems really good too. It's more expensive but once you start liking and trusting something you know how it is. just been reading this thread and wanted to comment.

 

[Derby]

I'm with the Flourocarbon NaySayers on this one---flourocarbon in salt (in my opinion) will cost you fish---flouro does not seem to hold up to the abuse of salt water fishing the way good ole' mono does. It's expensive and for salt application, I don't think you'll get the extra added value you'd expect from a piece of equipment you're paying mo' money for.

Fluorocarbon has nearly the same light refraction rate as water, which explains how it "disappears" once beneath the surface---that's one its main advantages--you can use higher breaking strain and maintain the "stealth" approach. But do you need "stealth" for salmon in the chuck? That hasn't been my experience. For mainline, I get the same results using 20 lb test Mono as when I use 50 lb test. The only difference is that with 20 lb test mono I have to re-tie my knots more frequently. Leader material? Generally, the same results although I probably wouldn't mooch with 50 lb test Mono because I'd need more weight

Now for steelies in fresh water, Flouro does seem to have its place, especially when you have low clear water and spooky fish as High Five mentioned When I use it (sparingly) , I NEVER go under 15 lb test, I test my knots continually, and I re-tie continually.


Why? If you go about your business fishing like you would with Maxima Chameleon or any other burly monofilament line, you'll start popping off fish. Flouro is some delicate stuff---knots weaken it and you have to take greater care when tying it

But I have had some specific positive experience with Flouro that got my attention---a few years ago I fished through a steelhead hole that I knew held lots of fish using 10 lb Maxima Chameleon leader under a bright sun (fishing a fly)---no soap. But at the tail-out I snagged someone else's gear---a fly with about 3 feet of Flouro leader attached to it.

I tied on the rig, went back through the same hole and hooked two fish. That at least got me thinking. The next year I showed up with Seaguar Flouro (10 lb test) , hooked fish, and promptly broke them off. That's not something I normally do so the next year I showed up with 15 lb test and had better results putting fish on the beach.

Flouro definitely has its place in the fishing arsenal but IMHO, the salt chuck is probably not the best place for it

Agree with most of what is said... Been using Sea Guar 40lb for 3 year not a problem...tried lotsa of other manufacturs samples no so good........Fishing with one other type right now that looks promising.... For me personal the Flourcarbon stands up... on anchovy leaders I can run the same leader up to 9 10 fish before changing up.... hoochies had one leader in a day stand up to over 5o coho and spring before it cames off..... Less leader tieing and changing gear up in middle of the fun.... .... just my 2 bits

 

[GLG]

Tried P-line and gave up on the stuff due to break offs on the leader.
Not at the knot as one would think from a bad knot.
Went back to mono and problem solved.

 

[searun]

a lot of fluoro haters on here, I've been using it for 5-6 years. I've never had a leader break and I always have heavy tension on the line. I just use a regular knot and I believe the knot strength is stronger with fluoro. a little more difficult to tie with than mono but you get used to it. I like it because it doesn't stretch and it's stiff so it puts a really nice action on hootchies, spoons and chovies. I used 50lb ande for a few years which is a really good product and now I buy Seagar locally it seems really good too. It's more expensive but once you start liking and trusting something you know how it is. just been reading this thread and wanted to comment.

Same experience, in fact with chovie leaders I usually had to change leaders out every fish because the trailer hook would jam in the trebble hook bend. With Floro no problem. I have been using 40# Suffix which is simply awesome.

 

[fshnfnatic]

Good call,searun! I run trailers in my chovies as well and have had the same experience. I've only used Floro for
winter steel,but I think I'll give it a try next summer in the chuck. Should save me alot of time and money in preties.
Some days I can go through 6 to 8 or more leaders. I've only used seagar Floro,but I'll give the Suffix 40# a try as well.

 

[searun]

Trust me on this....you will spend a lot less time re-tying leaders with floro. It is hard to believe, but is one of those things that are not too good to be true. As a guide, down time is your enemy during the bite. I cannot afford to be playing around with gear when the bite is on. Especially this year when we had to work so hard to be on the fish.

 

[Englishman]

Wow,

I don't think I have seen a topic that seems to split forum members into two such diametrically opposed groups; fluorocarbon won't stand the abuse of saltwater, you never have to retie as much with flourocarbon; it breaks all the time, it does not break especially if you use 40/50lb leaders; you need special knots. you can use the same knots as with mono; it is great because it is stiff and the fish can't see it, it is crap and waay too expensive and salmon are not leader shy anyway.

How can a group of people have such vastly different experiences and come to the opposite conclusions??

I think I will sit in the weeds on this one and stick with what I am using.......

 

[searun]

Well, you get what you pay for. Buy cheap crap and the result is predictable. You can't judge floro on the basis of some random guys fishing the cheaper brands a little bit. I fish a lot of days and no intentions of going back. I even run Suffix 832 super braid for mainline with a 40 foot section of floro so I can clip into it successfully with my scotty clips. Fished the entire season with the same tag lines, no issues.

So I guess the lesson there is to buy the big name brand quality floro.

 

[Fishinnut]

I used to buy Seagar fhave luorocarbon all of the time for leaders. A friend showed me the Maxima and I run 40 pound fluoro for three years now with kings up to mid thirties. Very good leader and abrasion resistant. Have not broken a single leader yet. Great stuff.