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.

 

 

4 minutes ago, Bazoo said:

I picked up a spool fo Berkley Big Game Fluoro in 10 pound.

I tried it once............gave it an honest try..........never again.....

I think your observations are largely accurate.  Couple things if you're going to keep using it:

 

- you have to wet the knots.  lot of saliva.  then add more.  I often cinch down my knots while they are still in my mouth/lips.  

 

- cinch the knots down while they are still loose.  You didn't mention which knots you use, but most knots have some type of cinch and some amount of line to pull through the cinch back to the rod.  Do all of the pulling and snugging before the knot is really cinched down.  That's good practice for mono too, but critical on fluoro.  If you're using a palomar, make sure that the loop that goes over the lure and gets cinched down isn't splitting the wraps already on the hook.  Again, good with mono too but critical with fluoro.

 

- I learned the wiry/memory/jump off the spool during a cast.  I've added a little more spool tension to tame it a little (I run none or minimal with mono and braid).  

 

- If you're going to break off a snag with any line, don't use the rod or reel.  Grab your pliers or a stick, wrap the line around that, and pull.  

1 hour ago, Bazoo said:

I can't say I hate it. But I will say this, I'm putting mono back on my texas rig/fluke rod.

I'd recommend keeping an open mind on this subject and would suggest not using this experience with bottom of the barrel line to scare others off of the prospect of trying fluoro. Fluorocarbon is definitely an item where it's very true that you get what you pay for. Perhaps to a higher degree than most other things in fishing. The gulf in performance between the top and bottom is vast, especially when used as mainline.

Took me a while to find this but  a few years back, 

(a site I can't mention or link here)

summed up my own experience with these lines nicely.

I will admit I'm not totally sold on the FC has far less stretch deal. Rest of seems good though. 

 

Fluorocarbon vs Monofilament fishing lines

Most anglers can fish the vast majority of bass fishing techniques with just these two line types, though there are some things you simply cannot do without braided line and others still that braid is more efficient with. But that conversation is for another day. Let’s look at fluorocarbon versus monofilament.

THE BASICS OF LINES

Monofilament fishing line, often referred to as “mono”, is typically made of nylon pellets extruded into a single strand of nylon. Fluorocarbon line, or “fluoro”, is made from polyvinylidene fluoride pellets that are melted down and made into a single strand. So both lines are single strands of material, but those two materials have very different attributes.

SITUATIONAL ATTRIBUTES

You’ll notice that a few of the same attributes of these lines are listed in both the pros and cons lists, like the fact that monofilament line floats. That’s because some of these pros and cons are situational. For instance, when wanting to fish a bait along the bottom, the fact that mono floats is a bad thing and will work against your presentation. But when fishing with a topwater bait, this attribute of mono is a good thing and will help keep your bait on top of the water.

The adverse is true for fluorocarbon. Because it sinks, this is a much better line for fishing baits along the bottom. But also because it sinks, you won’t want to use this line with a topwater.

It is also situational as to whether or not the stretchiness of each of these lines is a good thing. Fluoro has less stretch, so it’s better for setting the hook on single hook baits and on long casts with treble hooked baits. But the stretch of mono is acutely beneficial when fishing close quarters with a treble hook bait, as it absorbs the shock of a sudden hookset and allows the fish to fight without running the risk of tearing the hooks free.

WHEN TO USE MONO

Beginners

Monofilament is a great entry level line for anglers getting into bass fishing because it’s considerably more affordable than most fluorocarbon lines (though there are recent fluoro offerings like Basix from Seaguar that offer a quality fluoro for a more competitive price when compared to monofilament).

This line is also a little easier to cast, though the casting range is more limited because of the larger line diameters. Knots are also a little easier to tie with mono, and the knot strength is better. This takes a little more of the need for experience out of the equation, again making mono often the better selection for newcomers to the sport.

Topwaters

Mono is the better option for topwater baits primarily because it floats. If you were to try to fish a topwater bait like a Spook on fluoro, you’d have to work the bait with your rod tip up and constantly put in effort to keep the line from sinking and pulling the nose of your bait down.

The stretch of mono is also again a good thing with topwaters like poppers, when fishing them close to the boat. These baits have small hooks and the fish are often full of energy when they bite. So, the stretch of mono is very beneficial when hooking into a hard-fighting fish close the boat with small hooks.

Backing

Because of it’s affordability, mono is also a great line to use for backing on your reel. Even if you do have a presentation that fluorocarbon is better for, you’ll never need a full spool of it on a baitcaster. You can use mono to fill your reel about halfway and then use a double-uni knot (or some other line-to-line knot) to connect your monofilament backing to your fluorocarbon. Then finish spooling the reel with fluoro. In doing this, you’ll significantly cut the cost of spooling the reel as opposed to what it would have cost to use only fluoro.

Pros:

Floats

Higher knot strength

More affordable

Beginner friendly

More stretch

Easier to handle

Cons:

Floats

Less sensitivity

Larger line diameter

More stretch

More prone to damage from UV light

More memory

WHEN TO USE FLUORO

Impact Hooksets

Because of fluorocarbon’s lower stretch, higher strength with a smaller diameter, abrasion resistance, sinking characteristic and sensitivity, it’s a great line for many single hook baits like football jigs, swim jigs and Texas rigs. Mono is sufficient for setting small and thin treble hooks, but when trying to generate enough force for an impact hookset, the stretchiness of mono makes it hard to hook fish with bigger, bolder hooks.

These baits are also often fished around cover, so the more abrasion resistant fluoro wins out here too. And because many of these baits are fished several feet beneath the water’s surface, the fact that fluoro sinks allows the bait to get down deeper faster and stay there. The thinner diameter helps with this as well, as the line can cut through the water quicker than the larger diameter, equivalent pound test in mono would be able to.

Fluoro’s thinner diameter and ability to sink also helps decrease the bow in your line beneath the water, creating a more direct point of contact with the bait. In addition to fluoro already being more sensitive than mono, this vastly increases the sensitivity of your presentation as a whole, giving you the ability to maintain bottom contact better, as well as feel the differences in bottom composition and detect bites more easily.

Cranking

These same attributes also make fluoro better for mid-depth and deep-diving crankbaits. Fluoro’s thinner diameter and innate ability to sink work in favor of the presentation where the thicker mono that floats would work against it.

Using a 12-pound fluoro with a deep-diving crankbait versus a 12-pound mono adds multiple feet to the bait’s depth range, helps it reach the bottom quicker, and allows for a much longer cast. All of this means the bait will be in the strikezone longer. And because of fluoro’s better abrasion resistance, it’s less likely to be damaged as it moves through rock, wood and other cover along the bottom.

Mono can be better for some shallow cranking and small wake baits. With a wake bait, you’ll want the lure to stay right along the surface. So using a larger diameter mono that floats will help here. In the same way, a 20-pound-test mono with its larger diameter will allow you to crank a square bill through a shallow area easier than 15-pound-test fluoro would, by taking away a bit of the bait’s ability to dive.

High-pressure situations 

Fluoro has less memory than monofilament and a smaller diameter, which makes it easier to use on spinning reels. And because fluoro nearly disappears beneath the water’s surface, it is a much better line for finesse techniques in high-pressure situations.

The smaller diameter for the equivalent pound test and fluoro’s added abrasion resistance also allow you to use a smaller pound test than you could with mono, making the line even harder to detect in high-visibility, high-pressure situations, such as fishing a Damiki rig or dropshot in ultra-clear water.

These high-pressure situations aren’t relegated to finesse fishing with spinning gear alone either; this is another reason why fluoro is better for flipping and bed fishing when impact hooksets already make fluoro the clear choice.

Pros:

Less stretch

More sensitivity

Lower visibility

Sinks

More abrasion resistant

Less prone to damage from UV light

Smaller line diameters

Less memory

Cons:

Sinks

Lower knot strength

Harder to tie knots

More expensive

ROUNDING OUT LINE CHOICES

Though fluorocarbon lines are becoming increasingly affordable and monofilament lines are more transparent than ever before, there are still plenty of stark differences to note when discussing fluorocarbon versus monofilament lines. Abrasion resistance, smaller line diameter and lower stretch are among key aspects that make fluorocarbon the better choice for a wide variety of baits. But the ease of use, stretch and ability to float of mono make it the better choice at times as well.

The key is to not get too bogged down in this conversation and instead perfect your craft overtime. At the end of the day, each of these lines are serviceable in many of the same situations. So don’t think you need to have 10 reels spooled up with a variety of line sizes in each line type to start with. You can do a lot with one reel spooled with either 15-pound test mono or 15-pound test fluoro, and you can fish the majority of bass fishing techniques fairly well with a combination of these two.

 

A-Jay

 

I have said this before, and will say it again...

 

If you are trying floro for the first time, please start with invisix or sniper for your first experience. These lines give a solid baseline for floro and you can decide if you want to upgrade or downgrade based on your experience. 

While some people have positive experiences with cheaper lines, few will dispute the consistent, user friendly qualities of these lines. I'm not saying they are the best, or that you will love them, just that they give a solid baseline floro experience. 

 

Having said all of that, thank you for your review. It was was well written and leaves me with the impression that big game floro behaves similar to other budget floro I have tried. 

I use mono for topwaters. Straight braid for frogs and punching. Straight braid or braid to floro leader for spinning. Everything else gets floro. I can honestly say, I've just not had issues with it on casting gear. Spinning gear is a different story. The biggest thing I've had to do, is tighten up spool tension slightly. I've only used Seaguar Red Label and InvizX. 

Sooo much misinformation regarding both mono and FC line regarding “stretch”  both “stretch” about the same under pulling force; about 1/3rd there lb test. 12 lb test mono or FC it requires 4 lbs of pulling force to begin “stretching” 4 lbs of pulling force is about the lifting power of MH bass rods!

What the angers “feels” as stretching is actually coefficient of line drag going through water, not line stretch. It feels like stretch so it must be stretching like a rubber band…false.

What FC does is cut through water with less resistance and sinks vs floating like mono line does. 
Less line bow in the water is a more direct connection to underwater lures, advantage FC line. The other factor is most FC lines are smaller in diameter vs Mono line per pound test that also increases less line drag going through water.

The issues with FC is lower line strength for equal diameter mono line and lower abrasion strength then mono combining to the perception of weaker line per pound test. &nbsp
FC line use equal line diameter to mono line.

I prefer FC line for bottom bumping lures like jigs and T-rigged w/weight worms. Otherwise a premium mono gets used.

Tom

PS, 12# avg FC = .011 D, 12# avg  mono= .014 D.

 

 

I appreciate all the responses. Gives me a lot to chew on.

If you are looking for a less expensive fluorocarbon line I like McCoy. Not as much as I like YGK G-Soul or Sufix Advance or Spro Gouken, but I've tried a few spools of it and it's pretty good. It's also about as low as I'll go for fluorocarbon price wise and generally speaking I've found you tend to get what you pay for and not sure I'd base your entire opinion on fluorocarbon on a spool of Big Game.

I will have to try a better brand of fluoro.

 

The only reason I am interested in fluoro is because of a heavily pressured city lake I fish. Will fluoro help entice pressured fish into biting? Or, is it not going to contribute to getting bit under those circumstances?

3 minutes ago, Bazoo said:

I will have to try a better brand of fluoro.

 

The only reason I am interested in fluoro is because of a heavily pressured city lake I fish. Will fluoro help entice pressured fish into biting? Or, is it not going to contribute to getting bit under those circumstances?

It'll help by being less likely to be seen by the fish

 

Fresh water has an index of refraction (IoR) of 1.33 - plus or minus depending on suspended particulates.

Mono's IoR ranges from 1.52-1.63

Flouro's IoR is around 1.42

 

So being closer to water's IoR, Flouro is harder to see, which makes the lure stand out a bit more.

Welp everyone beat me to the good advice lol. @A-Jay man that was some killer insight!!! I will say I have played with flouro some this year for the first time other than using it for inshore fishing leaders. I really do like invizx. It casts well and is managable to work with. I will end up getting a spool of 15 pound for sure. I didn’t care for 12 pound. As far as knots go a nail knot,trilene  knot, palomar. They all work. Just have to live it up very wel before sinching it down 

Thanks everyone. I figured out that it needs a lot of slobber to get the knot to work right.

Just now, Bazoo said:

Thanks everyone. I figured out that it need a lot of slobber to get the knot to work right.

And you don't want to have it cross itself - Palomar knot, you need to make sure the two bights in the loop don't cross each other...otherwise you weaken the knot significantly.

Every First Thought on Fluoro should be Seaguar.  

Knot strength is their first priority.  

When it comes to casting gear, I prefer FC on everything, but dedicated topwater outfits.  When getting into FC, I implore you to start with a quality mid level line, InvizX comes to mind first, especially if you like mono.  It has give, more than adequate knot strength and handles really well even in cold water. (as long as you stay under 15lb)  Red Label is ok, in 10lb, but as soon as the water gets cold it hardens.  Normally Sniper is good, but there has been quite a few people who claim that there have been some QC issues lately.  I heard Spros Gouken is really good and so is P Line Tactical, might need to try them out myself.

Agree on starting with Invisx. From time to time it is pretty inexpensive (vs normal price) on Amazon. 

That's the thing, I'm quite happy with mono. I just am looking for an edge for pressured fish. They probably see fluorocarbon less often than mono.