Mono Fluoro or braid?

[FLTENNHUNTER1]

What do you guys prefer using with crank baits and why?

[DennyB]

I use mono on all my reels. I tried fluoro on my lightweight river rig, but went back to Trilene XL. I can't tell you why other than I'm old and have used XL for years and years. I never had a problem with XL so couldn't think of a good reason to change. I never tried braid. I have started Trying Big Game on my baitcasters because it's so cheap. I had a 4-4 1/2 ft. musky break off on 15# Big game Tuesday, but that was my fault not the line. Fluorocarbon is expensive.

[Dr. Dickel]

Nothing but mono for me on everything.

[ImThere]

I use braid in all all my open faces.

[CrowT]

I throw crankbaits and hard baits the majority of the time and I am back to using mono. Almost every pro will say use fluoro for crankbaits but I saw no benefits to it. Actually I found weaknesses because it’s not as abrasion resistant as mono. And for topwater, it causes the plugs to sink. I use 10 lb mono for my crankbaits.

Now for trout and such, I am a fluoro believer. I think it has a big impact in ultra clear water. I’ve experimented and fished against myself using the same bait in the same spots on trout...only difference being the line fluoro vs mono and have never had an occurrence when I caught more with mono. Actually it’s lopsidedly the opposite.

[FLTENNHUNTER1]

I use mono on all my reels. I tried fluoro on my lightweight river rig, but went back to Trilene XL. I can't tell you why other than I'm old and have used XL for years and years. I never had a problem with XL so couldn't think of a good reason to change. I never tried braid. I have started Trying Big Game on my baitcasters because it's so cheap. I had a 4-4 1/2 ft. musky break off on 15# Big game Tuesday, but that was my fault not the line. Fluorocarbon is expensive.

I ordered Trilene XL a couple days ago and will string up a couple of rods when it comes in. I want to use it on my dedicated top water bait casters. It seems to me I can make a spook react better using mono than the other two. If you have never tried braid you should give it a whirl. The sensitivity is night and day different than Fluoro or Mono. I prefer it on my crankbait bait casters. Also, if you use 50 pound or better, you can yank 95% of lures stuck in trees, bushes, etc. Heck, it will flat out straighten out hooks most of the time before it breaks.

[FLTENNHUNTER1]

Nothing but mono for me on everything.

That's probably not a bad approach. Lord knows it would keep things simpler. Any particular brand you prefer?

[WG Taxidermist]

I prefer braid because of the sensitivity factor but when you get a birds nest with braid you might as well cut it out and start over! Lol!

[FLTENNHUNTER1]

I throw crankbaits and hard baits the majority of the time and I am back to using mono. Almost every pro will say use fluoro for crankbaits but I saw no benefits to it. Actually I found weaknesses because it’s not as abrasion resistant as mono. And for topwater, it causes the plugs to sink. I use 10 lb mono for my crankbaits.

Now for trout and such, I am a fluoro believer. I think it has a big impact in ultra clear water. I’ve experimented and fished against myself using the same bait in the same spots on trout...only difference being the line fluoro vs mono and have never had an occurrence when I caught more with mono. Actually it’s lopsidedly the opposite.

I also tried fluoro on crankbait bait casters. A couple backlashes later, I sent several crankbaits to crankbait heaven due to weak spots in the line from the kinks and/or melted spots from the backlashes. I changed at least one of my crankbait rods to 12 pound Yo-Zuri hybrid line and so far have been very pleased.

Thanks for the feedback on trout lines. I'll give it a whirl on the Hiwassee this winter.

[FLTENNHUNTER1]

I prefer braid because of the sensitivity factor but when you get a birds nest with braid you might as well cut it out and start over! Lol!

I hear ya. I have become a pretty good knot picker outer on my cheaper bait cast reels. My Lews and Abu Garcia's rarely backlash unless I make a bonehead cast into a 30 MPH wind, cast into a tree, etc. I learned a technique years ago on youtube of a way that works well to assist with bird nests. You tightened the drag and crank the handle while keeping your thumb on the line spool. You do that for several cranks of the handle, then pull the line off the spool. Keep doing that until the knot(s) pull out. It works well the majority of the time with very minimal picking at the line.

[WG Taxidermist]

I prefer braid because of the sensitivity factor but when you get a birds nest with braid you might as well cut it out and start over! Lol!

I hear ya. I have become a pretty good knot picker outer on my cheaper bait cast reels. My Lews and Abu Garcia's rarely backlash unless I make a bonehead cast into a 30 MPH wind, cast into a tree, etc. I learned a technique years ago on youtube of a way that works well to assist with bird nests. You tightened the drag and crank the handle while keeping your thumb on the line spool. You do that for several cranks of the handle, then pull the line off the spool. Keep doing that until the knot(s) pull out. It works well the majority of the time with very minimal picking at the line.

I'll have to try that next time because nothing I've been doing works very well.

[FLTENNHUNTER1]

I prefer braid because of the sensitivity factor but when you get a birds nest with braid you might as well cut it out and start over! Lol!

I hear ya. I have become a pretty good knot picker outer on my cheaper bait cast reels. My Lews and Abu Garcia's rarely backlash unless I make a bonehead cast into a 30 MPH wind, cast into a tree, etc. I learned a technique years ago on youtube of a way that works well to assist with bird nests. You tightened the drag and crank the handle while keeping your thumb on the line spool. You do that for several cranks of the handle, then pull the line off the spool. Keep doing that until the knot(s) pull out. It works well the majority of the time with very minimal picking at the line.

I'll have to try that next time because nothing I've been doing works very well.

Here is what I was talking about. Different video than I watched years ago but same concept:

[CrowT]

The guide we went with Tuesday had 65# braid on his baitcasters for the frog fishing. I rarely get a bird’s nest on my reels. By the end of the day I was ready to throw his rod/reel in the water. It wouldn’t birds nest/overrun but would just kink on the cast, stopping the spool from rotating and zero line coming off it, and the lure only going like 20 feet. I would have to pull the rough/kinked places out and try again. He fishes with them every day and was having the same experience. He said 10 months out of the year he fishes with mono or fluoro, but during the 2 month frog season, it’s all braid. I think the issue was with whatever brand he had on them. I have some of the Berkley X5 braid on one of my baitcasters and it doesn’t do that at all. I really like it on spinning reels.

[Dr. Dickel]

Nothing but mono for me on everything.

That's probably not a bad approach. Lord knows it would keep things simpler. Any particular brand you prefer?

I have used Bass Pro Excel mono since they started making it probably close to 35 years ago. Best bang for the buck out there in my opinion and dang good line. I fish a lot.....a lot more than most, just got back from a trip today. I basically retired from the tournament scene about 10 years ago and just go when I want, where I want, and quit when my body tells me to. I used to fish 3-4 tournaments a week and put over 150 days a year on the water so I have a lot of time invested in using that line. If I were fishing the Elite series for a living I would use and trust that line.

I friggin' despise braid myself. I tried it for a while and wanted to make myself use it on a flipping rod for punching in heavy grass situations but I just do not like the limpness of it and how it wraps around your rod tip a lot. Most people love it......I guess I am just weird.

[FLTENNHUNTER1]

Nothing but mono for me on everything.

That's probably not a bad approach. Lord knows it would keep things simpler. Any particular brand you prefer?

I have used Bass Pro Excel mono since they started making it probably close to 35 years ago. Best bang for the buck out there in my opinion and dang good line. I fish a lot.....a lot more than most, just got back from a trip today. I basically retired from the tournament scene about 10 years ago and just go when I want, where I want, and quit when my body tells me to. I used to fish 3-4 tournaments a week and put over 150 days a year on the water so I have a lot of time invested in using that line. If I were fishing the Elite series for a living I would use and trust that line.

I friggin' despise braid myself. I tried it for a while and wanted to make myself use it on a flipping rod for punching in heavy grass situations but I just do not like the limpness of it and how it wraps around your rod tip a lot. Most people love it......I guess I am just weird.

Thanks for the feedback I’ll give the BP line a whirl!