Bazoo

I've been considering trying fluoro for some time. I picked up a spool of Berkley Big Game Fluoro in 10 pound. It is .012 in diameter. Last night I spooled it on my backer of one of my casting reels. First thing, when tying on a spinnerbait to test in the yard, I noticed the knot didn't want to cinch down. Fluoro is real grabby at the knot. Casting that spinnerbait in the yard it seemed like I could cast farther than normal for the same effort. The fluoro wanted to unspool if given any slackness, but it was brand new. Today I fished it a while, texas rigs and flukes. I noticed that it takes more effort to get my fluke to glide, since fluoro is more stiff than mono. I researched some about knots and fluoro, and was able to get the knots to cinch down and be secure, but it's definitly slower to tie than with mono. It is more sensitive than mono. But not so much more sensitive that I'm in awe, as with braided line. I fished a familiar spot, and today I lost 3 texas rigs. The rig consisted of a baby brush hog, a 1/8oz lead weight, a Gamakatsu 2/0 worm hook, and a bobber stop. Normally I fish this spot without incident. Today I lost 3 rigs. It appears that because fluoro sinks, it gets tangled up in any sticks and rocks under the water that I normally don't have any problems with when using mono. When breaking off, I pull the line that is between my first eyelet and my reel, and wrap it around my rod blank so that there is no pressure on the reel. Then I pull straight back from the snag. All 3 times resulted in the fluoro breaking on the rod, I think, where it was wrapped. I had not backlashed or otherwise caused any previous stress to the line. I can't say I hate it. But I will say this, I'm putting mono back on my texas rig/fluke rod.

I'm happy enough with my Lews Hank Parker 6'10" M/F casting rod. Just caught a couple small ones on a fluke with it this morning. The largest of which was 2 1/4lbs.

I didn't know lead free fishing was a thing, thanks for sharing. I hate it for ya'll up there.

I do 15-30 minute trips here and there. Most of the time I keep a texas rig rigged up, and that'll be what I fish. I will though tie something else on if I feel that it'll be productive. While I can change lures in less than a minute, I don't change during the trip, just put a new lure on at the beginning if what's tied on isn't suitable. Most often I don't catch anything on the very short trips, but occasionally I will.

Very interesting discussion. The tips about snugging up from the tag end are helpful. I am just fixing to try fluoro and noticed it was hard to cinch down. I normally use the Trilene knot and I wet it and cinch with the mainline only when tying mono. I'll have to adjust that.

I'm familiar with VCI paper and tabs due to my other hobby, reloading. Reloading dies often are shipped with either a piece of VCI paper, or a cardboard VCI disc. There is no reason that this wouldn't protect lures in storage, but it only protects from moisture in the air. If the lures are wet when put back into the box, they would still rust until the water dispersed enough for the gas to cover the metal and slow down the rust.

I think they can see the color of it. I think it doesn't matter as much, because when they hit a topwater they are pretty active. I do think that a lure that looks like a fish will be more productive than some wild color.

Pretty scary. Especially when a younger person like that wants to take up fists against an older man over nothing. I'm glad it didn't end much worse for you.

I've been using the Kreh loop knot and I've not had any failures I know of because of the knot. It never breaks in the loop and I bring in the knot sans lure. Normally, my line will break above the lure a foot or two. I probably have abraded it on something in that area. I have mostly only used it with Big Game mono in the 8, 10, and 12 pound ranges. I have used it with braid too, but not very much yet. ---------------- Thanks for the table @AlabamaSpothunter. Shame it don't show the Kreh or the Rapala loop knots.

My mind hasn't changed, I still use monofilament 98% of the time. I do use braid occasionally, I have 20lb braid on a casting reelright now, on a backer. It'll probably come back off (this is the second time I've put that line on) and go back onto a spool when I change to something else. I haven't tried fluorocarbon yet, but I have a spool of Big Game to try, I'll try it on casting gear, for texas rigs and flukes before I make any judgements.

Interesting discussion, thanks all for sharing. I prefer a 6'6" for most applications as primarily a bank angler. For me it's all about casting ease and accuracy. Rod handling is very important to me.

Not to throw this off topic, but, I'd like to see some threads/pictures of the aliexpress reels with their branded counterparts. Which reel is the same as the Bass Pro Johnny Morris Platinum?

I am careful not to put wet lures back in my boxes. I let them dry either while fishing or I take them home and dry them before putting them away. If my boxes get wet from rain or splashing, I open the lid and dry the whole box in the sun or when I get home.

I thought I had one of those when I was a kid. Upon researching it, it turns out it was a color called Hot Frog. I never caught anything on it, but I wasn't a very good angler.

Thanks all, that's helpful information. My understanding is that all sunfish that are the size and shape of bluegill are bream; Bluegill, longear, pumkinseed, green sunfish, and warmouth. Black bass, rock bass, and crappie aren't included when one says "brim" normally around here.

I haven't had any issues or concerns because the BM has a graphite frame. I have caught bass up to 5 pounds on it. Now.. I don't catch a huge number of 4-5 pounders. I catch a lot of small ones and a handful of 3s, and an occasional 4-5. When I'm fighting the fish, I'm not able to tell that my reel is flexing because of the heat of battle.

He hasn't been on since January 31 - https://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-forums/profile/75-roadwarrior/

I'll bite. I don't buy reels from the "manufacturer" without the branding partly because I can't be sure that it's the same reel. All reels look the same to me. I can't look and say this reel is a rebranded x model from this maker. Also, if it's a different color... then I am doubly not sure. But the other reason is I don't want to deal with the resultant explanations when someone asks about my reel. So let's say I am fishing, and my buddy comes up and is like "what reel do you have?" Now, I am not in it to impress, I don't care what others think, but I don't want to have to explain "This is a brand x reel, it was made in china and I bought it for $5.99; It's the same reel as an Abu Garcia without the labeling." Not to mention any resultant questions. So it's not what they think, rather, I'd much rather not deal with all that extra that it entails. Not to mention, I have pride of ownership in my items, even though I don't show them off (not that anyone is showing off a Black Max reel). I enjoy using items with a brand on them more than with some x brand name.

That's great, thanks for sharing. I have been thinking about a Lews Tournament MP.

Thanks.

Do other bream bed in the same manner and at the same times, and same locations as bluegill? If the sparns are at different times, is there any that spawn way earlier or later than bluegill? The public lake I fish has a lot of green sunfish, which I sometimes catch as bycatch since they have large mouths. Do bass eat other bream just as often as they do bluegill? You hear about bass running through bluegill beds, but I assume they run through green sunfish beds the say way.

I think a more reasonable challenge would be 3 lures, one from each water column area. This not only would allow you to get good with 3 different lures, but it would allow you to learn to change depending on the conditions.

Howdy and welcome. Congratulations on that 5-9, that's a trophy, especially from shore. I love learning new techniques, and I love refining the established techniques.

So the spotted bass are patroling parallel to the bank, and when they attack they turn towards the bank in the same manner that the LMB does? Very interesting discussion, thanks for sharing.

Howdy and welcome. No advice on which reel to keep if getting rid of one.