Question for bank drift fisherman

[JODakota]

Or a corky and some eggs

[KopperBuck]

not a chance I would ever use 24" in a clear river bouncing for metalheads...8lb maxima and sometimes 6lb

you're giving those fish more credit than they deserve.  about the most deadly summer run setup out there is a sand shrimp tail with a split shot about 8" above the hook.

No credit needed for a summer fish crushing the dryside. Sand shrimp is shiiit here. Worms dude.

[TheHunt]

For ONLY steelhead:  I use 3 feet to 5 feet depending on water.  I use florocarbon leader if the water is gin clear. 

[Bone_Collector]

Hunt
How does that fluorocarbon work after its had a fish on it? And which kind are you using? I have never had any luck with that stuff as far as it holding up to being abrasion resistant to anything on the bottom.

B_C

[huntnnw]

neither have I ...I went thru 2 spools of of fluoro last year and will not use it again..nothing for the strength of good ole maxima

[KopperBuck]

I use fluoro A LOT and for all different types of applications. Started mostly with flippin and pitchin for bass, when throwing cranks, and for dropshotting. Now I've switched it over to drift fishing. I've never had any issues with strength. I rarely break off fish. They either shake it loose or end up on the bank or in the boat. Knots contribute more to lost fish. Find a good knot and take the time to make sure it's tied properly.

But recently, especially the last couple of days, I've noticed that my fluoro line is freezing more than usual. Does anyone else have this problem? I've fished colder days and don't remember my mono freezing up like it was.

For what it's worth I use P-Line's products. Not a huge fan of the copolymers but I'm sure they have their place.

[Bone_Collector]

I have tried to use the fluoro's before but my gear takes so much abuse through out the season and I was loosing so much gear with the fluoro's that I decided it was not worth it. It also did not seem to make a difference when using it vs. mono for steelhead fishing.

How often are you changing your lines on your reels with the fluoro's?

B_C

[KopperBuck]

Really not changing all that much. I don't have fluoro spooled on my drift rods, just using leaders right now. Except on one spinning rod that I used for the smaller water. It's spooled with 8lb and use it as a split shot rig.

I can tell you that I did have issues with a couple of different lines, so it may very well be that you're getting bad stuff. I'm not necessarily sold on it for steelhead yet, just thought I'd try it out this year. But if it keeps freezing up it has this week I'm not going to use it anymore. I've always wondered how it would hold up in colder water since I've heard people complaining it's strength.

It has it's pros and cons for sure. It's more expensive for one. But for my bass fishing I swear by it. Most of what I'm throwing is 20lb and 12-15lb, and 8lb on drop rigs. The 20lb stuff sees a lot of work since I'm pitching to, in, and around lots of cover.

Kind of why I mentioned the knot issue. I try to tie a palomar any chance I get. Obviously with leaders it makes it a little more difficult, but it is possible. I'm also going to try tying from mono to fluoro for split shot rigs, see where that gets me.

What brands have you tried?

[Bone_Collector]

I have tried Stren, Berkley, and Seaguar but I was using the smaller diameter lines 10 to 12 pound test lines and I just didn't care for it! Now I stick with Sufix Superior in the hi-viz for my main line and Izor UG for my leaders, The Sufix is very limp and does not have a lot of memory the Izor is very abrasion resistance.

B_C

[huntnnw]

P-line 12 lb fluoro cant hold a candle to 8 lb maxima...after a dozen cast with 12 lb fluoro I d be hard pressed if it was as strong as 6lb maxima..I was snapping leaders last year like u couldnt imagine..tossed it all and back to maxima

[carpsniperg2]

I am with you shane. I tried the fluro and missed to many fish with it. To much stretch for me I run maxima 90% of the time. Good stuff

[KopperBuck]

I am with you shane. I tried the fluro and missed to many fish with it. To much stretch for me I run maxima 90% of the time. Good stuff

What do you run the other 10%? Always up for new stuff.

P-line 12 lb fluoro cant hold a candle to 8 lb maxima...after a dozen cast with 12 lb fluoro I d be hard pressed if it was as strong as 6lb maxima..I was snapping leaders last year like u couldnt imagine..tossed it all and back to maxima

Where they breaking at? What kind of knot you running?

Man I wish there was more guys talking fish on here, love this convo.

Not going to lie, LOVE maxima, but I have a hard time shaking the fluoro bug b/c of my warm water background.

[carpsniperg2]

I am with you shane. I tried the fluro and missed to many fish with it. To much stretch for me I run maxima 90% of the time. Good stuff

What do you run the other 10%? Always up for new stuff.

I play with a lot of stuff as well. stren/berkley/pline etc

[Bone_Collector]

I know alot of guys that use fluoro for warmwater species and they like it but when it comes to salmon and steelhead they cant stand the stuff. I will be sticking with my Sufix for my spinning reels! I only put maxima on my casting rods its hard to beat that stuff!

B_C

[RadSav]

Seaguar is the only Flouro leader I've ever been pleased with.  Much less stretch and much more abrasion resistance in my experience.  Tried all flouro on the market plus a few that never made it to market and was disappointed with them all except the Seaguar.  I still use it for the majority of my drift leaders.

In the early eighties Berkley sent us a sample spool of a mono line called Hombre' to test on the Charter boat.  My goodness was that good stuff.  Strongest knots and most abrasion resistant stuff I have ever used to this day.  Don't think it ever made it to market which was a shame.