I'm still not sold on fluoro. It dawned on me, I bet a lot of pros either started on fluoro, or switched early on.

Do pro fishermen use fluorocarbon line because it's just what pros use? Or does it actually help them to catch more fish?

I guess what I mean is, when you're an aspiring pro you hear that you need to use fluoro line. So you change to fluoro from mono, but the change happens as your skill level increases, so you then say "I catch more on fluoro."

I guess I'm asking is, if you took a pro fisherman and gave them only mono, would they be hindered, or would they still be competitive?

Since we don't have any pros here, but do have some high level fisherman here, please chime in on your use of fluorocarbon line, and how it actually affected your catch rates? Was there every a time you weren't catching, while using mono, and then switched to fluoro and started catching? Or visa-versa, where you were catching with fluoro and switched to mono and stopped catching?

I could not care less what the pros use.

I throw fluoro because it feels good.

Don't like it. Will never move away from braid to a fluoro leader.

I use it because it has better abrasive resistance to rocks/zebra mussels. Also, it helps mitigate bite offs from northern pike, which are very abundant and aggressive here.

Seaguar Blue Label is my preferred fluorocarbon.

I'm sure most professional anglers use some type of it. That has almost no bearing on why I use it. Although it does reinforce the fact that if they are using it with money on the line, there must be at least something to it.

I have a love hate relationship with fluoro. I like it because it is heavy and sinks. This makes it excellent for bottom contact baits, by providing good sensitivity even with a semi slack line. Braid has excellent sensitivity because of it has zero stretch, but when the line goes even a little slack, all sensitivity is gone. I don't need improved sensitivity for moving baits where my line is tight, or for soft plastics when I don't need them to fall straight to the bottom with no unnatural action due to a tight line. Mono semi floats giving it very little slack line sensitivity as well as having a large amount of stretch. Floro also does not weaken with exposure to sun giving it a longevity bonus over mono as long as you don't kink or over stress the line.

The bad side of Floro is it does no hold up well if kinked. A small backlash can put a weak spot that only shows itself at the worst possible time. Knots are more difficult to tie with Floro, but with some practice good knots will hold.

Pros do not care about how well Fluoro lasts. If they over stress the line breaking off a snag, or have to pull on a bad backlash, they simply put new line on their reel before using it again.

If I had an endless supply of line, most of my fishing would be done with Floro. I have a limited amount of money I can spend on fishing, so I use braid or mono when ever I feel I don't absolutely need the advantages of Floro.

Pros have endless amounts of line given to them, so Fluoro it is

I tried flouro when it first came out. I was fascinated by its invisibility in the water. Man that feeling was short lived, I had nothing but problems with it, coming unspooled, my knots slipping.

I went back to mono, although I think I should give it another try, but mono has been working for me.

I think it helps me catch more fish because of the slack line sensitivity. I’ve caught fish that I probably wouldn’t have detected the bite with mono or braid.

Probably a lot of the Pro Fishermen use fluoro because that’s what their sponsors want them to use. And they most likely get it for free.

I use mostly fluoro and I like it on the river that I fish.

I've tried braid, fluro, and mono. I'm purely spinning reel, so that'll also impact my perception, but I'm now 100% mono all the time.

I broke off on fluro. Braid would dig into wood. Mono lacks some sensitivity, but I think that gets exaggerated and the benefits outweigh that con.

In terms of professional thinking, I think you and others are right that it is sponsor based. I also do think Pro Bass fishing has its own culture and associated superstitions/beliefs. One of those is that mono is somehow subpar compared with fluro for what they're doing. It's also just a different kind of fishing than what we tend to do with it's own different incentives

4 hours ago, WetBlanket said:

Don't like it. Will never move away from braid to a fluoro leader.

I was strictly braid forever and the last few years I’ve been all fluoro but this season I’m thinking it’s back to braid again with fluoro leaders. My go to braid was sufix 832 and berkley x5. What are the cool kids using these days?

6 minutes ago, MiceNReets said:

I was strictly braid forever and the last few years I’ve been all fluoro but this season I’m thinking it’s back to braid again with fluoro leaders. My go to braid was sufix 832 and berkley x5. What are the cool kids using these days?

832 since forever, and liked the berkley x9 as well, but since last year i've been using a couple of lines from YGK, and they have been perfect (for now).

I am uncertain about Flouro and continue to go back and forth over the years. However, I have been leaning pretty mono lately. So much so that this year will be all mono. Specifically, all Big Game and Sunline Defier Armilo in honor of Catt and WRB for all I learned from them.

I sort of, generally agree that 'I don't care what pros use'. I try not to underestimate sponsorship impact on pro use and recommendations. However, when talking about line types (vice brands), I do think pro opinions matter. If the opinions are informed by experience.

9 hours ago, LonnieP said:

I think it helps me catch more fish because of the slack line sensitivity. I’ve caught fish that I probably wouldn’t have detected the bite with mono or braid.

100%.

10 hours ago, WetBlanket said:

Don't like it. Will never move away from braid to a fluoro leader.

Was here for a couple years.

I am swung pretty far into all flouro except for a few specific applications.

The first time I fished with a guy who was using fluorocarbon line (12#) I was using clear mono (10#). We were fishing worms in one of my spots. He was also in the back of the boat. He boated 7 bass before I had a strike.

That day lesson learned. I’ve been a straight fluorocarbon guy since.

Fluorocarbon has been an acquired taste for me. It took a lot of time. The biggest advantage to me is that it is one main line with a uniform sink rate. Its dense, and it sinks.

The "hockey stick" affect of braid to leader (braid floats, FC sinks) is a problem getting your lure to the right depth, detecting bites on the way down, and setting the hook without slack.

Fluorocarbon also "slithers" through cover better and is quieter than braid, and I do notice on pressured waters that this makes a big difference at times.

7 hours ago, Happybeerbuzz said:

I am uncertain about Flouro and continue to go back and forth over the years. However, I have been leaning pretty mono lately. So much so that this year will be all mono. Specifically, all Big Game and Sunline Defier Armilo in honor of Catt and WRB for all I learned from them.

When I was using mono I was using McCoy Mean green.

Fished mono for a while then got some copoly for crankbaits and have faired well so far. Been using sunline sniper for fluro setups but finally ran out last week, went to reorder and seen its went from $60 to $90 for 600 yards. So this time i ordered yozuri hybrid 15 lb for these rods to see how well it works out. With the difference in price I tried the copoly, I know its not the same product but I'm gonna give it a try.

NYLON MONOFILAMENT vs. FLUOROCARBON MONOFILAMENT vs. COPOLYMER MONOFILAMENT☹️

I like braid. I'm not a fan of nylon mono due to a lack of sensitivity. I spent an entire season trying to force myself to like flouro and just couldn't get there solely because Yo Zuri hybrid has a perfect balance of all the qualities I want in a line. Flouro does some things better than hybrid, I don't argue that at all. However, the flexibility of the hybrid makes it worth it and in my opinion (this is only my opinion and is based on my individual experience with zero scientific basis) the Yo Zuri hybrid holds a knot stronger and for longer than fluoro. A LOT longer and stronger. Eliminating nylon mono and fluoro from my boat (except for fluoro leaders) blatantly reduced the number of knot failures (your experience may vary).

I will add something that I cannot explain, but I use LEADER SPECIFIC fluoro for braid-to-fluoro. The leader specific fluoro knots are strong. I have tried to go cheap and use fluoro mainline, and I had constant breakage using it as a leader. ALSO, I have tried to use my beloved Yo Zuri hybrid 12lb as a leader and it is the WORST leader I have ever used. Constant breakage, poor energy transmittal, and unpredictable rate of drop. I cannot explain any of this and it might all be a hallucination in my head, but that is my experience. But believing is 99% of success, right?

@king fisher

Pretty much covered it.

One thing that’s different for me is that I’ve never had a problem tying knots with flouro as opposed to braid, which is the only other line I use.

(I don’t and won’t use mono)

I only snell for bottom presentations and SDJ for everything else.

As far as what the pro’s get or don’t get…

There are different types of contractual requirements to use and promote a sponsor’s equipment.

Some aren’t given anything other than maybe a product discount and/or money for off the water promotion and of course performance.

Some will allow a cash bonus clause to be added when using a sponsored product if they win and a few by making the final cut.

Some are required to use thier products and promote them exclusively especially if entered in a major national tournament, but it’s my experience that’s really pushed for tackle and baits.

There is more but you get my point

Mike

I have used all manner of line configurations and in my opinion fluorocarbon isn’t any better than anything - it’s actually negligible that it increases sensitivity- it bows downward/mono bows upward.

Line longevity: I don’t care how long line lasts - if I fish my spool past where I can cast far - it gets respooled. If my line gets dragged through stuff and messed up from a few fishing trips it gets respooled. This would be happening with monofilament, braid and fluorocarbon.

I just want line that works well an is affordable.

I have found that to be big game for me personally.

It’s sensitive enough that I can feel a bite on slack line in 25 mph winds on a spinning rod with a C Rig dragging through shell and vegetation at 150 feet and set the hook on and drag 40”+ red fish through said shell and grass.

It’s also kept 10 lbers hooked in beaver dams for an hour.

Fluorocarbon has been fun to watch friends who come fish with me break off fish on.

I broke off a LOT of big fish with fluorocarbon too.

It doesn’t do well for me with knot strength and it seems to be less abrasion resistant by a long shot than monofilament and then when fish are hooked it seems like they come off easier.

Then there’s the cost - I think it’s just there to juice the fishing industry and I’m betting lots of pros sell fluorocarbon for their sponsors and use whatever they used with their dad growing up. Just like they all use vision 110 and say they use some jerkbait they’re sponsored by.

I would worry less about line composition and more about brand building and social media marketing skills and learning to use electronics if you plan to fish professionally and also to participate in as many tournaments as you can whether it’s just with friends for fun or on fishing apps or small low stakes tournaments at local lakes. I would also try to start fishing with someone who has fished a lot of tournaments and allowing them to mentor you.

All it took was one afternoon of dragging football head jigs around with Wheeler some 15 or so years ago. The Big Game came off, the fluoro went on, and I’ve never looked back (outside of a couple specific presentations). At the highest level, there is simply too much on the line to be “stuck” using some line type your sponsor wants you to promote. Doesn’t quite happen that way. If they’re using it, it’s because they feel (right or wrong) that it is giving them some type of advantage.

33 minutes ago, Team9nine said:

All it took was one afternoon of dragging football head jigs around with Wheeler some 15 or so years ago. The Big Game came off, the fluoro went on, and I’ve never looked back (outside of a couple specific presentations). At the highest level, there is simply too much on the line to be “stuck” using some line type your sponsor wants you to promote. Doesn’t quite happen that way. If they’re using it, it’s because they feel (right or wrong) that it is giving them some type of advantage.

If Jacob Wheeler took me fishing he’d probably have me eating out of the palm of his hand by the end of the day and I think confidence is most of any line type and they’re all pretty good in the hands of good anglers - every body should use whatever makes sense for them at any level of enjoyment or commitment to the sport!

@Pat Brown nailed this. Use what you like and have confidence in.

I don’t care what the pros use. They are there to sell tackle. They don’t make their money winning they make money selling products through endorsement. They will switch what they think is best as soon as the money stops and someone starts paying them. I love pro bass fishing. And love watching the tournament results. But they are salesman plain and simple.

YGK Sinking Braid with a fluoro leader (Gamma Edge 6 lb) on my spinning rigs (A+ performance especially on Ned, Nekos, DS, finesse swimbaits, ect). Straight fluoro on baitcasters for plastics and jigs (Seaguar Abaxiz 15-17 lb). I like the sensitivity and abraison resistance of fluorocarbone for these applications. I use P-Line Fluoroclear for jerks, cranks, and bladed jigs/spinnerbaits (casts very well and cheap; never use this line for stuff on the bottom). Big Game mono for topwater (reliable and cheap). PP Braid for frogs and punching. I'm pretty satisfied with my setup. I have been experimenting with braid/leader on baitcasters for plastics and jigs but I fall back to straight fluoro if I'm fishing a tournament. I like using Big Game and Flouroclear since I'll change it often since it's so cheap.

So am I using fluoro or any of my lines because pros are? Not really. I experiment and stick with what works. This setup works for me. It would take recommendations from someone reliable to get me to experiment with something new.