I have a  couple of rods that I was thinking of switching to fluorocarbon mainly b/c they're short and work decently for bank fishing but they are hand me down 6' poles since my teens. Both are light action rods.

One is a spinning rod with cheap Mitchell reel and the other is a another cheap 1 ball bearing 5:1:1 Baitcaster (I know, I want to junk it too but until it dies I'll use it). Both rods have a limit on 8lbs on the neck but the reels show 10lbs as a minimum. I've been using 10 on the spin combo and 8 on the baitcaster.

I have be using then nervously but miraculously have only lost 2 lures due to bone head casts from the bank. Most of the bank fishing I do is pretty pressured but I was thinking that putting fluorocarbon on them b/c of the better invisibility and more sensitivity vs mono. However I was concerned with the comparability of the line tests between the brand of fluorocarbon (P LINE Fluoroclear) and Mono (Stren High Impact). If I don't switch to fluorocarbon on the baitcaster  I will probably bump up the mono to 10lb test b/c the 8 lb is just to weak (I'm still refining my finesse fishing). Thoughts?

Trying to stay versatile,

***er26  

I was watching the Bass Pro fishing show about 3 or 4 weeks ago...may have been a different show but I wanna say it was the Bass Pro show, and the angler said he uses flouro for just about everything except for topwaters. This is because flourocarbon is the same density as water so it sinks, opposed to mono which wil float, which is needed when working topwaters. With flouro the topwater action would be handicapped. I am no veteran fisherman, I'm 21 and have been into fishing passionately for 9-10 years now. I have always used mono and continue to do so.

I used flouro once, it was Berkely Vanish, and it SUCKED with a capital S. It had very poor knot strength and I would break off just rod lifting 1 lb dink bass. My bro even lost which would have ben his nicest bass ever because of the poor knot strength of Vanish.(It sucks when you get the bass right to the boat and it breaks off) I have been reccommended Seagar fluorocarbon by a number of anglers on a striper fishing forum I belonged to. I know alot of bass anglers "push" Vanish, mostly because it is a berkely product and being such a big name in fighing a lot of the guys are prob. sponsered by them and they have to advertise it. But I wouldnt buy it if I were you.

I know you said you wanted to try it because of the invisibility and sensitivity, but just know that the extra sensitivity comes from no stretch, so you may lose more fish with fluoro than you would with mono because of this. I have had no reason to switch. I think the only time one would need extreme sensitivity is deeper water jigging/worming which I dont need becuase I mostly bank fish or fish shallow shoreline areas when I take out my jon boat. You might as well put it on one rod for no try it a handful of times out fishing and decide if you want to spool your other reel with it since it is more expensive than mono.

Welcome aboard!

Thanks for the thoughts on that. I've read and re-read the featured articles on this site on fluoro but couldn't determine whether or not the tests are nearly equivalent or not. I'd rather not risk lures w/o a little more research of course, but I'll keep your suggestions in mind.

Do you think fluoro is strong enough to hold up to lilly pads later this summer and the weeds?

I'll probably end up stick'n w/ the Stren High Impact Mono I have, and wonder though if I would be ok if I put 10lb mono on that baitcaster mentioned before b/c I just don't trust the 8lb enough.

tight lines   ,

***er26

Thanks Road Warrior! Any thoughts to add to this one or do you only get to sit back referee?

***er26

P.S. Nice smallies! how big?

No, I don't just referee, but my posts on line selection are redundant:

Spinning tackle: Yo-Zuri Hybrid Ultra Soft #6 (11.9 lb test). Besides strength and abrasion resistance, the best feature of this line is an almost total lack of memory in use.

Baitcasting gear: Same line, but #12 (19.5 lb test).

Yo-Zuri Hybrid and Hybrid Ultra Soft are bonded (not coated) fluorocarbon/ nylon copolymers.

p.s. The fat smallmouth was just over 7 lbs. and the strongest freshwater fish I have ever caught. The other fish was almost four inches longer, but only a pound heavier.

Ok....I've seen that one..Do you think I should replace both 6' rods/reels since they're really for 8lb-maybe 10lb test and only have 1 barring each? Or will 12 lb fluoro be ok on equip that light? What's the golden ratio: vs mono test and fluoro...is there even one?

Lh26

Use line strength within the parameters of the rod or more importantly, adjust your drag to 25-30% of rod strength. (If the upper band is 12 lb test, measure your drag at 3 lbs or no more than 4). Smaller diameter line is generally recommended for 1000 & 2000 series reels. Smaller diameters are less likely to "jump" off the spool. This is not an issue with baitcasting equipment. The issue with baitcasters is small diameter lines digging into the spool.

brand of fluorocarbon (P LINE Fluoroclear)

Fluoroclear is a good line, but it is not fluorocarbon.  It is a hybrid much like the Yo-Zuri hybrid mentioned above.  The Fluoroclear is monofilament with a thin fluorocarbon coating.

No, I don't just referee, but my posts on line selection are redundant:

Spinning tackle: Yo-Zuri Hybrid Ultra Soft #6 (11.9 lb test). Besides strength and abrasion resistance, the best feature of this line is an almost total lack of memory in use.

Baitcasting gear: Same line, but #12 (19.5 lb test).

Yo-Zuri Hybrid and Hybrid Ultra Soft are bonded (not coated) fluorocarbon/ nylon copolymers.

p.s. The fat smallmouth was just over 7 lbs. and the strongest freshwater fish I have ever caught. The other fish was almost four inches longer, but only a pound heavier.

On your reccomendation I want to try it where is the best place to get it.

I used flouro once, it was Berkely Vanish, and it SUCKED with a capital S. It had very poor knot strength and I would break off just rod lifting 1 lb dink bass. My bro even lost which would have ben his nicest bass ever because of the poor knot strength of Vanish.(It sucks when you get the bass right to the boat and it breaks off) I have been reccommended Seagar fluorocarbon by a number of anglers on a striper fishing forum I belonged to. I know alot of bass anglers "push" Vanish, mostly because it is a berkely product and being such a big name in fighing a lot of the guys are prob. sponsered by them and they have to advertise it. But I wouldnt buy it if I were you.

What knot were you using and did you lubricate the line before cinching the knot?

Flouro requires a slow cinch otherwise the line will burn due to friction and weaken the line.

I use a palomar, slow cinch with plenty of spit.  I've straightened 3/0 Gamakatsu EWG's using 12 lb. Vanish.