10 hours ago, WRB said:

Trout are so line wary they strike cowbells...

Tom

I use 5# copoly and 7# FC line finesse fishing small soft plastic because using anything larger diameter results in being skunked at our local lakes. Fishing jigs in lower light conditions 12# FC works decently, 10# is higher % strike ratio however.

If you don’t think line diameters you are welcome to try fishing our local lakes.

Tom

^what he said. Our water isn’t nearly as clear as California and when they have a winter smallmouth tournament on a highland reservoir, you’ll see 200 pros using 6-8 lb line. Maybe 10. You can throw 25 lb floro or 65 braid or umbrella rig wire if you like coming in last place with no fish. 

 

I think it’s more about the bite you are after. If you are trying to get a reaction bite with a rattle trap or dropping a 5/8 oz jig on their head, line diameter isn’t as important as when you are fishing a 1/16 oz hair jig slowly pendulum down to 20-30 feet 

5 hours ago, WRB said:

Trout are so line wary they strike cowbells...

Tom

I use 5# copoly and 7# FC line finesse fishing small soft plastic because using anything larger diameter results in being skunked at our local lakes. Fishing jigs in lower light conditions 12# FC works decently, 10# is higher % strike ratio however.

If you don’t think line diameters matters you are welcome to try fishing our local lakes.

Tom

I hate that Southern California has become this. But it is a fact.

12 hours ago, king fisher said:

I am certain for saltwater fish, line diameter maters greatly because of bait movement, lure action, and visibility.

 

I fished sailfish tournaments out of Miami for many years.  This was mostly live bait fishing under a kite rig.  Fluorocarbon leader made a huge difference in our standings.  The only live bait bass fishing I have done was using giant shiners.  Line size made no difference.  We once fished a private pit in Central Florida.  We took 7 dozen 8-10" gold shiners with us in the live well. We ran out of bait by 11:00 AM!

 

 

15 hours ago, TnRiver46 said:

Spooled up my new reel since they aren’t line shy 

LOL. Remind me to take you green sticking for tuna some time...

I can’t say that I’ve ever seen solid evidence that largemouth are line shy.  The truth is I will never know why the thousands if not millions of fish that have refused my bait over the years  did so.  So I still think about line visibility.  If I was 100% certain that all bass are not line shy, then I would use high visibility line for everything.  I suspect that I’m not the only person that feels this way.

2 hours ago, Deleted account said:

LOL. Remind me to take you green sticking for tuna some time...

Get em turnt and yuk em green? 

Don’t listen to anyone who says LMB are absolutely not line shy…they have no way of knowing.  THERE ARE NO ABSOLUTES IN BASS FISHING.  I can’t tell you whether some bass may be line shy in certain situations and nobody else can tell you either.  Personally, I think some bass are line shy in certain conditions but the only evidence I have is anecdotal.

I use bright green flourescent Varivas mono in 3-8 lb test and bright orange 10 lb. Sunline Super mono for all my fishing, including saltwater. Catch plenty of fish. Don't think fish are line shy much, if any. I do agree that thicker line can have an adverse effect on lure action, including sink rate. Several JDM light line trout monos come in high vis colors also.

 

Lots of factors to consider.  Is the water clear or stained?  Are you fishing a fast moving reaction bait or a slow moving finesse bait?  Are the bass active or passive?  How's the fishing pressure?

 

In my lakes, I prefer braid most of the time because I can use a smaller diameter line that's also limper, so I get better action.  But if I'm fishing something slow, like a drop shot, I'll tie on a FC leader.  It seems to work best for me.  

 

 

I dunno what I think about this topic anymore and not sure that I care. I’m pretty set in my ways. 12 or 15lb trilene big game depending on a bunch of factors if baitcasting. Braid to 8lb-15lb trilene big game on spinning depending on a bunch of factors. 
 

There are a few exceptions but that’s it for me. Roll the credits