# fluoro vs. Mono



## Thrash44047 (Oct 10, 2008)

My queston is I hear a lot of talk on Mono line with Fluor leaders. Is this a cost savings issue or is there more to it than that? 

Now I know that fluor is invisible under water and expensive, sinks better due to boyancy. Mono is cheaper floats on the surface of the water. I can see where the float of the mono line would be useful but was wondering what the experianced group here have to say on the topic. Im thinking of re spooing my spinning rod to all 6# flouro to go after some steelies this weekend. The other thought was Cajun line, I got some cheap and well it states that its invisible to fish. NOt sure on that. Any help would be great. I realize that there is no information like going out and trying it but I hate to waste my time to find out that "Dooh i was wrong!"


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## CRAPPIE LOVER (Feb 11, 2007)

The choice is up to the individual...I fish with nothing but Fire Line with a 6 ft. leader of Fluoro...In my opinion Fire Line is expensive but it takes a beating but holds up....I used Mono than switched to Fluoro for a leader and made a big difference....Im sure you will get all kind of suggestions...This is mine...
GOOD FISHING GUY...:G


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## ryosapien (Jul 5, 2008)

i think it is a toss up. It also depends on how you fish. FLouro is less light refactive supposedly making it less visible to fish. (maybe), it also sinks faster than mono so it is ideal for nymphing . However, flouro is also stiffer meaning it does not stretch as much (i have experienced more breakoffs on same test) and in my opinion does not allow a fly to move as freely. Mono (which alot of guys swear by) is flexible, inexpensive and hardly more visible to fish. I think mono gives the beginner the advantage with it's elastic property allowing for more error when playing a fish with less chance of a break off. I use Mono when i think i might have trouble with breakoffs or i can get away with a more visible line. Like in fast or off color water. If you have low clear water better stick to the flouro.


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## Name No Creeks (Oct 22, 2008)

Stick with the flouro. Buy Phantom stay away for Vanish.


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## jojopro (Oct 9, 2007)

The main reason steelheaders use fluoro leaders is because of it having nearly the same light refractory properties as water, thus making it nearly invisible to fish underwater. Steelhead have extremely keen eyesight, spook easily, and are highly pressured by anglers this time of year, so you should look to any possible advantage to increase your chances of catching steel...As in, use fluorocarbon leaders! Spend the little extra money and buy the smaller spools of fluorocarbon that are made specifically as leader material, (stronger and more abrasion resistant). I prefer Raven Invisible http://www.anglersinternational.com/leader_line.html or Red Wing Phantom http://www.redwingtackle.com/, which can be found at quality steelhead outfitters such as Erie Outfitters http://www.erieoutfitters.com/. In the big box stores you can get P-Line Fluoroclear or the Seaguar brand. I'd suggest having at least 2 different pound test fluoro leaders with you, a stronger one to be used in dirty/heavily stained water or for fish that aren't line shy, and a lighter line for clear water or heavily pressured fish. I go as high as 6.5# test and as low as 4.4# test (those are the actual breaking strengths).

When using the fluorocarbon leaders tied at least 3' long, the visibilty of your mainline should not be an issue. In fact most float fishermen use very bright colored high visibility monofilament mainlines. I'd highly recommend using mono for your mainline since it has the most stretch of all line types. Line stretch equal shock absorption which is needed to counteract the explosive runs that steelies are known to make. If using braid which has no stretch (not recommended for steelies) make sure that your drag is set very loose and it would help to have a longer more limber rod (noodle rod) or else you will lose a lot more fish.

As for that Cajun Line or any other red lines being invisible to fish...I remember hearing of an underwater color study being done to determine the depths at which certain colors become invisible. I believe red was the first to vanish (which is why they make these red lines) but it was at quite a substantial depth, way deeper than the very deepest depths of any of the rivers you'd find steelies in. Reguardless, if using the fluorocarbon leader, the Cajun Line would work just fine as your mainline, but definitely not leader material. 

John


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## archman (Apr 30, 2004)

You don't want to use fluoro as your main line. It sinks too fast and you don't get a natural drift. It's also very hard to mend your line. Mono doesn't float on the surface either, but it's a little better. Ideally, you would want to go with a floating line, such as Siglon F, and tie a fluoro leader to it like Jojo said. You will be fine buying the refillable spools for around $16 and 250 yards. It works for for me.


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## jojopro (Oct 9, 2007)

archman said:


> You will be fine buying the refillable spools for around $16 and 250 yards.


Wow, man you are paying too much for that line! Erie Outfitters sells the Siglon F for I think $10 or $11 and they still had it in the chartreuse last time I was there, which has become more difficult to find. Also, the Sheffield Gander Mtn. had Siglon F on clearance for $10, not sure if they have any left by now. The Siglon F has been discontinued, so to all you guys that love that line so much you better get it while you still can.

John


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## archman (Apr 30, 2004)

John, you are right, the Siglon F is around $10. But the fluoro I use (Seaguar or P-line) is around $16.


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## Thrash44047 (Oct 10, 2008)

Thanks Guys! I appreciate all the information, im spinning right now becuase of money being tight and I have all that equipment. I live in Jefferson so getting to erie outfitters will be quite a haul but we have a Gander in Mentor ,30 min away or so, Ill be making a trip out there at some point to get the leader fluoro since i bought some vanish to get thru till then( bought before I posted the thread).


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## kernal83 (Mar 25, 2005)

I have been fishing just straight mono, but I think I am going to start using a flouro leader. What pound test do you guys use for your main line? I will probably be using a 6 pound leader most of the time, would you go with 8 or 10 lb mainline? 

Also, do you guys use flouro leaders or flouro designed to be used as a mainline for your leaders? Is there any significant difference?


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## archman (Apr 30, 2004)

If you know how to fight them and have a good drag, you will be perfectly fine with 6 lb.


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## MuskieJim (Apr 11, 2007)

I use 8 or 10 pound Siglon floating line for my main, and I use 6 or smaller flouro depending on the conditions. A good all around flourocarbon is 5 pound ashima. You can use that in basically all conditions.


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## Fishaholic69 (Apr 6, 2007)

I fly fish using a 7wt or 8wt rod. I make a 9ft leader blood knotted together for steelies.. 2ft 25lb mono, 1 1/2 20 lb mono, 1 1/2 15 lb mono, 1 1/2 10 lb mono then I use a small barrel swivel and 8lb vanish flourocarbon for the last 2 feet. it comes out to about 
9ft and casts great with streamer patterns. I caught a steel today using this leader. never lost a steel on it yet but 1! I have got a snag with it and straightened a size 10 hook on before snapping the leader! lost the one fish using this leader when flytyer tried to net my 1st ever steel and it swam around his leg and snapped off. lol! flytyer was po'd!! other than that not a loss yet!


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## ryosapien (Jul 5, 2008)

i guess i don't understand your logic. if you are talking about your mainline and i believe you are what is the need to use 6 lb. I would probably use 15 lb after all isn't the idea that the fish never sees your mainline. I flyfish with a bright orange floating line as thick as pencil lead and do fine. I fly fish high sticking em using 8 ft of 17 lb straight drop from the indicator 2ft of 6-8 lb mono or flouro from it and another foot from the hook bend for my dropper fly. went 6 for 9 this saturday using this method .am i missing something here? . fishaholic your recipe is good for streamers but not necessary for nymphs.


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## archman (Apr 30, 2004)

> I use 8 or 10 pound Siglon floating line for my main, and I use 6 or smaller flouro depending on the conditions. A good all around flourocarbon is 5 pound ashima. You can use that in basically all conditions.


When talking about Siglon, you would want higher lb test. It's diameter is different than mono. But with mono, you'd be fine with 6.


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## Fishaholic69 (Apr 6, 2007)

(fishaholic your recipe is good for streamers but not necessary for nymphs.)

I have used my recipe while nymphing. I usually add a split 6 to 10 inches above the fly and adjust my indicator accordingly. I have never gotten a steel on a egg yet but have caught plenty of chubs on it but I am not sure I knew what i was doing last year. I also use some indicators that tell you when you are dead drifting and you can achieve a dead drift using this leader. I doubt if its the best for the situation but you can get by on it. I am not a fan of nymphing or eggs sor steelies cause it seems like I drift the egg into the zone then they don't bite it and I end up snagging them or catching the hook on um. I am C&R guy and hate to hook a fin or something and hurt the fish. while the steel are active I am using streamers.


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## ryosapien (Jul 5, 2008)

i said the same thing fishaholic till last weekend when i caught all of my fish on tiny caddis they wouldn't strike a streamer. I feel that streamers are effective early in the morning and at sundown but a nymph will take em as they hug the bottom into the afternoon. I have yet to "snag one" they are all well imbedded in their mouths one i hooked right in the tongue. I am saying sure you can use a tapered leader but the fat butt section causes water resistance you don't need and they are expensive/ time consuming to tie. YOu can just take your line with you and tie it streamside. save your tapered leaders for when you need them to cast streamers/ big bugs. when nymphing you have so much weight on there is no need for a tapered leader.


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## jojopro (Oct 9, 2007)

ryosapien said:


> i guess i don't understand your logic. if you are talking about your mainline and i believe you are what is the need to use 6 lb. I would probably use 15 lb after all isn't the idea that the fish never sees your mainline.


True, while float fishing for steelies the fish should never be seeing your mainline. Most float fisherman in fact use brightly colored high vis lines. The reason for using the lighter 10# or less mono mainlines is that the smaller diameter of the lines allows for more natural drift presentations. When drifting a bait below a float, you often end up with some of your mainline sittining atop the surface. Since different speed currents run side by side your line will most likely be sitting in or on a current that is running at a different speed than the one your bait is drifting through. The larger the diameter of line, the more the current may push or pull your bait/offering out of its natural drift pattern. Keeping as much line as possible off of the surface can help achieve a more natural drift. This is another reason for the extremely long rods (up to 15' long) used by float fishermen.

John


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## ryosapien (Jul 5, 2008)

right on we fly fisherman mend and high stick but is suppose without a floating line this would be difficult.


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## Zom B. (Apr 21, 2007)

By my own observations of fluorocarbon underwater, it is far from invisible, and no less visible than mono in all but one circumstance. That is when the line is oriented so that it does not reflect the primary light-source, such as when vertical. Even then, any difference is very slight. This is not to say fluoro doesn't work, as many people swear by it, and I would not presume to know more than they about what works for them. However, how much is perceived, and how much is real, is worth considering.

The stretch factor seems to be a myth, too. According to testing done by TackleTour, fluoro has quite a bit of stretch. However, it does not rebound. Rather it remains stretched: deformed, if you will. Another thing that their testing revealed is that the abrasion resistance drops when wet, and that the knot strength is poor when compared to high-quality mono. Things to be considered, for sure.

Again, I am not saying that fluoro doesn't work. Sometimes the most subtle of changes can trigger fish, and it does have slightly less visibility than mono when it is parallel to the primary light source (although it is still visible). Furthermore, the stiffness and density of the fluoro may affect the action in a positive way.

Red line is nowhere near invisible. While red light does not penetrate very far into water, this does not render red line invisible. Rather, the line becomes darker, first appearing grey, and finally black.

What this distills down to is that you should experiment for yourself. You don't need to go out an buy ultra-premium fluoro at a dollar a yard. Of course, you may find that it does work better for you. Even if it is merely a confidence thing, if it catches fish, use it.


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## jojopro (Oct 9, 2007)

EXCELLENT Article on fishing line types! http://www.riverrunsrods.com/line.html

John


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## Name No Creeks (Oct 22, 2008)

Zom B. said:


> By my own observations of fluorocarbon underwater, it is far from invisible, and no less visible than mono in all but one circumstance. That is when the line is oriented so that it does not reflect the primary light-source, such as when vertical. Even then, any difference is very slight. This is not to say fluoro doesn't work, as many people swear by it, and I would not presume to know more than they about what works for them. However, how much is perceived, and how much is real, is worth considering.
> 
> The stretch factor seems to be a myth, too. According to testing done by TackleTour, fluoro has quite a bit of stretch. However, it does not rebound. Rather it remains stretched: deformed, if you will. Another thing that their testing revealed is that the abrasion resistance drops when wet, and that the knot strength is poor when compared to high-quality mono. Things to be considered, for sure.
> 
> ...




Flouro will out perform mono any day of the week. Use Phantom flouro. You will catch fish if you know what you are doing.


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