Todd2

Yeah, I put it on one reel and spent 15 mins trying to put on a lure. I thought that it was headed for the trash. I tied a Eugene Bend and I couldn't break it off by hand. After I landed the Carp and a big Drum, I had confidence in the knot and I found my self wanting to use that rod all night because I liked the line so much. One night though. Bass fishing was somewhat slow.

No leader. I tried my normal two knots and they slipped or broke which was weird. I went to Eugene Bend and it held like a champ.

I guess I never tried Nanofil before because I used mono for so many years. In the last few years I've tried a few braids, Fireline, and even Gliss. But last night was my first night out with Nanofil and after one night, I really like the stuff, so I'm trying to figure out why it doesn't have a better following. I landed a 8lb Carp that was wrapped up for a bit in what ended up taking about 5 mins to get in and I couldn't find a fray anywhere. So I'm assuming durability down the road is the issue? I have the slippery knot thing solved, so that's not an issue. I had a hard time breaking off (12lb) when I wanted to. Does it self destruct in two weeks...lol?

I almost pulled the trigger on that but went with InvisiBraid..how does it compare to the Original fireline or Nanofil (If you've tried those?)

I hear "Go Fishing"....?

I jumped on the Ned wagon this Spring and it's been my #1 producer of fish in all sizes. It is not just a small fish lure as some say. However, last weekend, I couldn't get a whiff on it after fishing it for a while. I pull out a crankbait and they are on fire. The difference? We had a lot of rain last week and our lake was stained more, plus I fished about 12 miles down from my normal areas (away from the dam toward the river) so the water was even more stained...not muddy, but stained pretty good. But in clear to medium stained, the Ned has been a beast for me.

I heard Bill Dance say one time, if you can ask one question at the dock/ramp..ask what depth you caught em at? Speed, lures, colors would all come after that. That advice has served me well more than a few times. Like mentioned above, thermoclines will setup in warm weather on lakes without much current. The clearer the water, the deeper the thermocline. My main lake is fairly stained so the thermocline is rarely more than about 12 feet. So without anything else to go on, I focus on that depth first in the summer. Turning your sensitivity up on high for a few seconds should show the actual layer. (Depth)

I'm right handed and switched to LH reels about a decade ago...literally took me one full day of fishing to get used to it and I've never looked back.

Spiderwire, Power Pro, Sufix 832 are popular choices. I've finally committed to braid this year..straight braid with no leaders. To me, one of the benefits of braid is its strength..adding a leader only weakens it. I like Yellow line and I darken the last 10 feet or so with green. Still trying to find one with a little body. The yellow one I have is too limp and I get tip wraps some. I've got Spiderwire Invisibraid on one, it seems pretty good. I'm sure some long time braid guys will chime in.

This...except I use the Blue one (Shad).

I'm starting to believe this..lol I'm sold on the feel of braid/superlines but there are differences between the few that I've tried. I like a braid with a little body (not too limp) that won't break the bank..lol. To the OP, Spiderwire Invisbraid is the one Ive been using for a few weeks and it's pretty tough stuff, but way too early for me to give it my weekend warrior endorsement, and it's a little pricey but I have haven't lost one lure on it yet after quite a bit of casting. Those saved lures help me justify the price, if only in my head...lol

X3 on the Fish N Fool, works great for everything, been using it for about 8 years.

Somewhere along the way it seems like they became just a clear water SM bait, but that's a mistake. For some reason, they're back in my rotation too but they work. This thread makes me want to fish them more though.

I used to just lift and drop them until several years ago. I was fishing with my non-fishing brother in law and he started reeling it back at warp speed. I think I was mid sentence in correcting his retrieve when I saw him connect with the biggest bass I'd ever seen in that pond. I stopped talking...and made a mental note...lol Hop, Drag, Swim them at different speeds.

Measurable or perceived...most of the fluorocarbon advantages we use to read about have been busted. Braid beats Fluoro in low stretch, sensitivity, abrasion, knot strength. Fluoro wins the visibility and quiet awards if those are important to you. My debate has been braid vs mono for a while, but that's my take on it..all 3 will catch fish.

Ya got me...different lines, different rods, that far back? Have both spools of line been stored properly..out of heat and sun?

I agree for the most part...in larger lb test. The problem I've ran into is trying to fish finesse lures (neds and sliders for me) in places I probably shouldn't have. So the first day I caught a bunch of nice fish when other guys were struggling. The downside was I got my heart broken twice when wrapped around some brush. It happens, but when using 8lb mono, I shouldn't have been surprised. Braid ( at least on a spinning reel) has been the answer. It allows me to fish finesse in questionable areas.

Just curious, what did you not like about straight braid, I'm trying that out now and its really growing on me more and more.

I didn't realize how big they are...just off the top of my head I bet that makes up 75% of my fishing purchases..or more.

I hear that about mussels, don't have them at my normal places. I have tons of rock and wood and the braid holds up as good as anything I've tried.

There have been several line topics that have come up recently, one with a video which I can't find now, talking about line abrasion. I've always heard that one of the reasons for a leader is because of braid's bad line abrasion qualities. It never made sense to me, they make special scissors just to cut the stuff, but I figured it was a diameter thing. So I decided to do my own "experiment". I put a file in my vice in my garage and took out all of the lines that I had in my cooler and ran them over the file mutliple times, two at time. Every time, my 20lb braid (6lb diameter) was the winner and it was never close. It lasted longer than even my thickest line, 17lb Stren Original. It also beat 14lb Stren, an old spool of 10lb Fluoro, and some 8lb mono which wasnt even close. Even though it was the smallest line, it won ever time, so I don't get the whole braid abrasion thing. Anybody else?

I feel the same way. I have gone to a lot of spinning gear but have broke off 2 really nice fish and 1 not so big in the last 3 weeks after being wrapped around some wood using light mono. So now I have a mixture of straight mono, straight braid, and braid with a mono leader. I haven't noticed a difference in bites in any of the 3. I'm using about a 10 turn albright knot and have tried the FG knot too but am really close to going straight braid, but most of the pros use a leader right?...so there has to be a reason. On a side note, I landed two 3lbers wrapped in timber with 20lb straight braid since so thats why I'm very close to going all braid on spinning gear. Even if it costs me a bite or two because of line visibility (which is still up in the air for me) I don't like putting a weak link in the chain anymore.

12 - 15lb Mono of your choice

It was an article on here that got me thinking a while back.....https://www.bassresource.com/fish_biology/ambush_bass.html A quote at the beginning "When largemouth bass feed actively, they move. Underwater observers, scientific experimenters, and electronic trackers all report the same things: black bass hold inside or near to cover when they are inactive and resting. When they are actively feeding, they move outside thick cover and usually travel along edges." It's a good read, and talks about the importance of repeated casts to activate these fish. Now don't get me wrong, I hit laydowns a lot, but seems like I have to make a lot of pitches before connecting. The pressure at my lake could be part of that.

Things I've read and witnessed on the water tells me Bass are more flushers than ambushers. When they are buried up in cover they are not actively feeding. Thats why for me, it seems to be a low percentage deal..... But just like when your stuffed from eating and grandma used to keep trying to force feed you pie...you eventually take it. If it's a laydown located on prime structure make several pitches from different angles after you get bored...move on.