Fluorocarbon

Fluorocarbon line seems to be one of those tackle innovations that has become standard equipment, and with its growth in popularity has come a number of different versions with differing prices. Like many anglers, I've been wary of buying some for fear of it ending up a tangled mess to the tune of $30. I found out that a lot of the negative rumors about fluoro are just rumors, at least to my inexperienced eye. I bought 15# Vicious fluoro, mostly because of its price but also due to its USA roots, and so far I am one of the fluoro converted. I haven't had very many chances to put it to use, as we're still pretty cold in New Hampshire. There are a few small ponds already iced out, and I couldn't resist trying the stuff out. All the news about its sensitivity is 100% true. Fishing a jig with fluoro is proof of its worth, especially in sensing changes in bottom composition. Weeds feel smooth to the touch, where rocks or other hard surfaces feel like tiny snags. I haven't caught a fish on it yet (remember, it is still the second week of March and I am in New Hampshire), but I am certain that detecting strikes with this line will be much easier than it is with mono. Another thing I'm surprised about is memory. I'm using it on a baitcaster, which makes it more managable than it would be on a spinning reel. But despite a few nasty overruns I can say that the line is MORE managable than mono. It seems like mono has the advantage of being very supple and long in stretch, which makes it a better line for hard strikes that require a certain forgiveness. But because of its stretch I get the feeling that it holds its shape longer than fluoro, which means a more slinky-like coil over extended periods of time. Given that it is pretty cheap, anglers, especially casual anglers, are more likely to leave it on their reels, which means more memory and more fouled casts, translating into weaker line. As for fluoro, all I can find as a mark against it is its price, which is too bad considering that its performance is so much better. If it is, as some say, too stiff to stay on a reel for a prolonged period of time then it would seem that a cheaper fluorocarbon, like Vicious, would be the obvious choice. Fluoro also has a reputation for being a bit more brittle than mono, which means anglers should check and re-tie as often as possible. With all that re-tying and stripping of old line it makes sense to replace the line more frequently, which means a cheaper line is more beneficial. The more involved I get with fishing the more I find that being good at it depends on one's attention to detail, and I think that fluoro affords you that kind of advantage. If you're fishing anything on or near the bottom, fluoro is the best bet since it transmits the vibrations from the lure best. Yet considering the long-standing popularity and affordability of mono I find it ironic that the best all-purpose line might not be mono. A lot of anglers are now resorting to mono for a single, simple application: topwaters. Mono doesn't sink, stretches well and absorbs hard hits well, and isn't as visible as braid. It also isn't as tough as braid, which is why anglers like Dean Rojas use braid in weed-choked areas where topwater frogs are successful. But mono is a cheap, managable line for most. It holds knots better than any line, including fluoro. Knot strength seems to be the only disadvantage to fluorocarbon.