Okay, for those that say a bass probably can't see the line in amongst all the vegetation; Have you not considered that a bass can see a bug on the surface amongst floating leaves?

 

What about... seeing a green pumpkin worm in leaves/grass while dead sticking it? Okay sure it might move subtly on its own, but if it's amongst some stuff that will hide it, and it's camouflaged in color, I'd surmise that it'd be pretty hard to see. At the very least, harder to see than a worm with a chartreuse tail.

 

I'm in no way saying that coloring your line is going to make it less visible, as I think bass can see it regardless.

28 minutes ago, Bazoo said:

Okay, for those that say a bass probably can't see the line in amongst all the vegetation; Have you not considered that a bass can see a bug on the surface amongst floating leaves?

 

What about... seeing a green pumpkin worm in leaves/grass while dead sticking it? Okay sure it might move subtly on its own, but if it's amongst some stuff that will hide it, and it's camouflaged in color, I'd surmise that it'd be pretty hard to see. At the very least, harder to see than a worm with a chartreuse tail.

 

I'm in no way saying that coloring your line is going to make it less visible, as I think bass can see it regardless.

I think some of it has to do with whether it's a reaction bite or a feeding bite.  If they're reacting on instinct, then maybe they don't have time to notice the line.  But if they're hunting prey, then maybe they do.  A stationary bait, like a drop shot, gives them time to inspect the prey before deciding how to capture it.  They can look for irregularities and single out the best and easiest meals.  Whereas a moving bait forces them to make and act on an immediate decision without all of the information.  If they blink (metaphorically), the opportunity has gone.  In other words, it's not just an issue of if it's possible that they can physically see the line, but if they can make sense of what the line is and what it means. 

 

I will also add that when fishing in stained or muddy water, I typically grab black or dark blue baits, specifically because they stand out better in the darker water.  So, to me, it would seem that darkening your line would be counter productive to hiding your line. 

But that's all just based on what I've been told and what I've experienced.  I haven't conducted nor heard of any extensive scientific tests that come to a firm conclusion on any of this.  So it's all just one man's opinion, which isn't worth squat.  Either way, if I'm concerned about bass seeing my line, I tie on a fluorocarbon leader.  That just seems like a better solution to me if you're trying to stay invisible.