Talk to Me About Line Color

[Chris Raymond]

I'm looking at stuffing a couple of baitcasters with PowerPro for DEEP water lakers.  I'll top off with a flourocarbon leader but what are your thoughts on line color.  They offer it in green, white, red, and maybe one other color that I'm CRSing on right now.  What are your preferences and why?

[jacksmelt71]

ive used moss green power pro ever since it came out and it works great on lakers and whitefish in deep water. i put a 10lb. 6ft. floro. leader in front of that and your ready to rock! good luck man!

[ChillerThriller]

Might as well go with green. if its really deep there cant be much light so a dark color in dark water makes sense. the white one would be different to them and may cause them to turn off.

[duck doctor]

I run mono on my laker rods.  I also run a Daiwa 17LC real on a 36" Heavy action Ice Blue rod.

[fishingonly2002]

cant go wrong with moss green.

~Neal

[IrishIce99]

I always go red, for some reason. I think it dissappears the best. I dont go for lakers though so dont go by me.

[IceholeFisherman]

Why not just spool the whole reel with fluorocarbon? Thats what I do instead of having to mess around with a leader. You get the low stretch of braided lines(well, almost. Far less stretch then mono) and lower "memory" then mono. Plus it is UV resistant. And you get very low visibility and much better sensitivity and hook sets then mono. I use Vanish 8# and 10# year around. If I ever fish very deep(rarely), then braided super line and a leader would probably be the way to go.

[deadsmelthead]

Why not just spool the whole reel with fluorocarbon? Thats what I do instead of having to mess around with a leader. You get the low stretch of braided lines(well, almost. Far less stretch then mono) and lower "memory" then mono. Plus it is UV resistant. And you get very low visibility and much better sensitivity and hook sets then mono. I use Vanish 8# and 10# year around. If I ever fish very deep(rarely), then braided super line and a leader would probably be the way to go.

All of this is true and one more thing I'd add is Fluoro sits on a spool like a slinky dink in my experience.I put some 8lb fluoro on a jigging rod 2 years ago,all I can say is what a rats nest. Maybe it gets better as you downsize line but how light do you really want to get with Lakers, your going to loose fish going lighter than 8lb test, its inevitable.  I have 15lb fire line with a 10ft ,10lb test fluoro leader. I'll add that Lake trout can be jigged up in as little as 5 FOW where I fish.

[billditrite]

take a look at the blue...(Power Pro Ice) it is supposed to hold less water and not freeze up as aesy as most braids...i used it last year and was very happy with it

[scavengerj]

Bought some of the PP ice in blue and am going to give it a try this year. Usually just use the thinest mono I can get away with and a fluro leader

[duck doctor]

I use 12# test when I am jigging for lakers and then 6# on my "everything else" rods that generally end up taking most of my lakers every year.

[anderson_dc]

Are you going to be hole hoping while fishing for lakers or in a heated house?  The reason i ask is because braided lines + water + cold = one really big frozen mess on your spool.  I think braid would be an excellent option to use for deep water lakers so long as it isnt subjected to being outside in the cold air for long periods of time.  As for color, i want to say that they offer moss green, red, yellow, and maybe white.  Of those colors and for what you are doing i would go with either the moss green or the red.  You should be able to watch your line a little bit better with the red as it would stand out a little better against the snow then the moss green.

[scavengerj]

If your asking about the color of the PP it won't matter, your leader is what is going to be seen most. And if your using clear fluro as the leader color doesn't matter since it has the same refraction as water and is therefor almost invisible

[buddah]

If you really want an advantage use Suffix Preformance Braid,it's the best braided line out to date.Much more abrasion resistant than PP,which is key when fighting heavy lakers.

[1MOFISH]

If your asking about the color of the PP it won't matter, your leader is what is going to be seen most. And if your using clear fluro as the leader color doesn't matter since it has the same refraction as water and is therefor almost invisible

i agree i just couldnt buy a fish using the blue iceline ,clear is the way to go theres color 5 miles down its the amount of light that makes it visible to us even in the absence of light the color still exists .why would an animal need color in total darkness?   i wonder     mo

[BottomDweller]

Are you going to be hole hoping while fishing for lakers or in a heated house?  The reason i ask is because braided lines + water + cold = one really big frozen mess on your spool.  I think braid would be an excellent option to use for deep water lakers so long as it isnt subjected to being outside in the cold air for long periods of time.  As for color, i want to say that they offer moss green, red, yellow, and maybe white.  Of those colors and for what you are doing i would go with either the moss green or the red.  You should be able to watch your line a little bit better with the red as it would stand out a little better against the snow then the moss green.

does powerpro have a coating over it to make it less prone to freezing?

[ChillerThriller]

No it doesnt have an ice repelling coating. It has a coating on it but that just adds to its slickness and gives it its color. i have some PP from 4 seasons ago thats white but it was originally moss green. if you are actively jigging less ice forms on the line because its moving and the water has a harder time freezing to the line. even though ice forms on the line when you get a fish it pulls the line tight against your guides and when you reel it just gets busted off any way. also a thinner diameter line would get less ice on it because theres less surface area for it to stick to.

[Curley]

I've read dynameen, (aka fireline and one of the spiderwires) is the way to go. Doesn't obsorb water like other braids. I long line troll for stripers during the summer and the braids beat mono all day for no stretch. I do use a little softer rod though.

[BottomDweller]

yeah, one of my good buddies uses spiderwire and swears by it as he has perfect feel down past 100 ft and beyond, but i think i'll wait and see how it holds up under severe temperatures another year before i switch from staright-up fluorocarbon.  does spiderwire have the coating to keep the line from freezing or absorbing water?

[duck doctor]

I used fire line for one season.  I felt that it is difficult to handle because of the small dia and it seemed to freeze up quick.  Also, if you happen to get a knot in the stuff, it is not as easy to get out like normal tip up line.

[Chris Raymond]

Thanks for the input guys, you've given me a couple of better ideas in how to approach this. 

[duck doctor]

Thanks for the input guys, you've given me a couple of better ideas in how to approach this. 

Talk to Blaine on the Connecticut board.  He got me into using Flo Orange.  I think he uses Flo Orange and Chart. as well! 

[nosloed]

if you want your line to be invisable go with the red because As line descends below the surface, water absorbs the wavelengths of light selectively, one by one, as depth increases. Red is the first color to disappear, at a depth of 15 feet (which is why underwater photographers often use red filters to restore red colors in their pictures

[scavengerj]

Would tend to agree with ya' nosloed. I have often wondered what good it did to use red line, lures, or hooks if you are deeper then 15'? Red is the first color to disappear from the spectrum below that depth. From what I have read everything tends to turn to brown/black below 15', which is why dive tanks and the like are usually yellow. This color can be seen at depths below 15'. I'd still prefer the clear fluro with its refraction index close to that of water. As for the braids, you can't beat Suffix!

[mmb]

if you want your line to be invisable go with the red because As line descends below the surface, water absorbs the wavelengths of light selectively, one by one, as depth increases. Red is the first color to disappear, at a depth of 15 feet (which is why underwater photographers often use red filters to restore red colors in their pictures

I've always heard that, but then in the next breath everyone says that fish see the blood patterns on the Bleeding Gill rapalas and the red hooks induce strikes because of the likeness to blood.

Can't have it both ways.  I wish "they" would make up their minds already!

[scavengerj]

Well mmb...as they say, 10% of the fishermen catch 90% of the fish, and 90% of the lures are designed to catch 90% of the fishermen. Red on lures would seem to work if they aren't fished too deep. As for line color, it seems to be personal preference except when it comes to the leader. Not sure I can mention sites on here, but if you go and search, there are two surf fishing sites where line color and such have been discussed in great detail and depth. Two different worlds I know, but they share a common thread