Hey,

 

I see guys using the phrase “slack line” when it comes to bite detection conversations often. My question is, what techniques do you consider to be “slack line”? Basically, what lures are fished with slack in the line? 
 

Most of the time, there is at least some tension between my rod and the lure I’m fishing.  The only real exception I can think of are things meant to be bitten on the fall, like a wacky rig and certain other weightless plastics… but I’m sure there’s more. What am I missing? 
 

I ask this because I’m getting ready to re-spool some reels and I’m trying to talk myself into not giving up on fluorocarbon line, which has given me lots of trouble in the past. The consensus seems to be that it’s better for “slack line techniques”… and I want to know what that means to everyone here. Thanks! 

It's a misnomer, it refers to lures that are fished still or nearly so or lures that are moved and stopped, and are or can be bitten while stopped, jigs and t-rigs primarily, but pretty much everything (soft and hard) that can be fished as such.

I never fish with so much slack that I lose feel. And if I did I use high vis yellow braid with the last 6 feet colored black so I can see a strike. I hate flourocarbon line and have given it up permanently. I fish straight braid for everything.

Any technique where you use the rod to move the bait generally has a "slack line" period after you move the bait and before you reel up the slack to move the bait again. The amount of time the line is slack depends on how fast you're fishing a bait and your fishing style.

Slack line you can’t feel the lure at all.

If you feel the lure movements, resistance, weight the line isn’t slack, it’s what we call controlled slack.

Weightless Senko/sinking stick baits/ wacky rig nose weigh soft plastic were you pull off extra line and let it sink on slack line watching the surface line for movement is a slack line presentation.

Casting a jig or T-ringed weight and lifting the rod straight up to pull off extra line so the lure falls straight down with line on the surface is another slack line presentation where strikes are detected by slack line movements only.

Tom

I use controlled snack to give the uttermost erratic swim on my twitch and jerkbaits.

I keep a certain amount of tension on my line while at the same time keeping a certain amount of slackness in my line.

 

My line is never 100% slack...period!

28 minutes ago, Catt said:

I keep a certain amount of tension on my line while at the same time keeping a certain amount of slackness in my line.

 

My line is never 100% slack...period!

X2