Mono Vs Fluro vs Braid

[AlanIRL]

Hi all,

Just been getting back into fishing the last wee while and as far as I know I've only ever fished mono. However been reading a lot about other line types such as flurocarbon and braid. At the moment I'm mainly just looking for mackerel (or at least only catching mackerel) but really I would send them back as live bait in the hopes of catching literally anything else (I don't like the taste too much). Would you guys recommended getting into Fluro and would ye be able to recommend a particular brand?

[shortcircuit]

As with everything, it depends.

The one thing is that you wouldn't use Flourocarbon as a mainline- it would cost you a fortune to spool up a reel and you get no benefit.
Flourocarbon is typically used as a trace / end tackle material. It has a refraction index very close to that of water which allegedly makes it invisible underwater. Some people might use a flouro trace or leader if the day was very bright and the water very clear.
The main advantage is that it is more abrasion resistant than mono of similar diameter, hence a bit less likely to be frayed by rocks etc.
It also is heavier than mono which means it sinks faster. This doesn't make much odds in conventional fishing but is of benefit when fly fishing sub surface. I guess if you were fly fishing for bass using streamers, you might use a flouro leader.

For general shore fishing with bait, most people are using mono because it gives less trouble than braid and is able to take more abuse in terms of abrasion resistance. If you have a multiplier reel, you don't want to put braid on it or you will be asking for trouble.
However there is a growing body of people fishing braid from fixed spool reels from the shore due to the fact that it is a way thinner than mono which means it casts farther. It also has zero stretch which means great bite detection.

The one area where braid is really streets ahead is in lure fishing (spinning) . Using a good quality braid means that you can cast your lures a lot further and you have a way more sensitivity. I found that when I switched to braid for spinning, I started losing a lot less tackle, because the sensitivity would let me know if I was snagging on a rock and I could try and lift the lure clear

[DAMIEN]

Have been thinking of going to braid on my spinning reels myself as its thinner so casts further and more sensitive as will feel rocks kelp be able to lift rod and react sooner than mono,have been useing fluro carbon hook lenghts/leaders for last while myself find them less likey to tangle on taces anyways cant comment as running leader other than it seemed to much more sensitive and more abrasion reistant than mono hook lenghts and leaders

[ihaveissues]

How long of a leader do you use if you're using floro leader on a braid main line?

[shortcircuit]

How long of a leader do you use if you're using floro leader on a braid main line?

Is this for spinning or for bait fishing?

[ihaveissues]

How long of a leader do you use if you're using floro leader on a braid main line?

Is this for spinning or for bait fishing?

Spinning. I'm new to fishing. I got a spinning rod and a baitcaster but I haven't used the baitcaster yet as I don't really know where to use!
For now I'm using the line that I got in the shop on the reel and I'm wondering if I should be changing to braided with small leader.

Only fished Belssington (boat and from shore) so far.

[shortcircuit]

For spinning I normally have maybe 2-3 feet of a leader, no more than that

[ihaveissues]

For spinning I normally have maybe 2-3 feet of a leader, no more than that

How is that leader tied? Which know do you use?

[DAMIEN]

For spinning I normally have maybe 2-3 feet of a leader, no more than that

Bingo what i was about to say myself

[ihaveissues]

Can I ask how you attached the leader to the main line

[shortcircuit]

For spinning I normally have maybe 2-3 feet of a leader, no more than that

How is that leader tied? Which know do you use?

I have a fairly detailed post on mainline to leader knots here :

viewtopic.php?f=6&t=50481&p=383676#p383676

[JimC]

In terms of ease of tying I'm still using the Yucatan knot for tying my leader to my braid. (It may be more accurate to describe it as a tippet.) It strikes a balance with being strong and easy to tie when you are on the water.
I don't bring my knot through my rod eyes while fishing.Although that said, I have used this knot to attached a shock leader proper on some of my boat rods. I don't often use a leader but sometimes I do!

https://youtu.be/VbgVO0sWhP8

[ihaveissues]

Thanks for input guys. Am hoping to head out this weekend for some sea and lake fishing so I'll try these out.