[kpetro]

Hey all. I've been spin fishing streams and rivers for trout a fair amount lately, and I'm wondering if I'm being paranoid about them being line-shy. How heavy do you guys go, as far as pound test for leaders? I'm wondering what I can get away with. Thanks in advance.

Keith

 

[Cotter]

Flouro is a good idea on some of the more pressured tailwaters. The Frying Pan and the Taylor for example. It could be the difference between a skunking and a 20+ fish day. Honestly, I think it's a good idea in pretty much any tailwater. On free stones the trout are not as wary and there's really no need to fish Flouro.

As far as tippet size goes, I rarely fish anything thicker than 5x, unless I'm stripping streamers then I'll go down to 3x or 4x. On highly pressured tailwaters you won't be catching much on anything stronger than 5x, again unless you're fishing streamers. Sometimes, especially in lower flows, 5x won't cut it. I downgrade to 6x or 7x in that case. I've yet to come across a situation where I actually needed to fish 8x, I don't think it's ever necessary.

On regular freestones, tippet size is also not as important. I fish 5x pretty much always on a freestone. Hope this helps.

 

[swimbait]

Depends on water clarity, the volume of water in cubic feet per second, and the size of the offering. FWIW, I have not used flouro in years. I catch a fish here and there.

The same fish that will go into attack mode on an eight inch swimbait tied to 25 pound test will turn its nose up at a sixteenth ounce jig on eight pound. The item has to move naturally. I fall pretty heavily into the camp that ascribes a great deal more importance to the movement of the lure. I do not give fish the first part of any credit for being able to add two and two. I don't think they look at a line and think "there is a guy up there with bad intentions toward me," I think they look at a bait that is moving in an unnatural way and are not motivated to strike because there is something missing in its appeal.

That is a long winded way of leading up to my only advice on line:

1) Use the line you like using

2) Change it constantly, no matter what it is

3) Use the heaviest line you can consistently get bit on.

 

[hobiecat]

Fishing lures for trout ...straight 6lb test mono is fine..Unless you're fishing braid, personally, I see no use for leaders. Start tossing large rapalas...nothing wrong with 8lb mono. Just my opinion.

 

[kpetro]

Thanks very much for the replies! I currently am running 10 lb. nano fil, and I've been putting 6 lb. fluoro. I'm up fishing the Yampa in Steamboat, and have had a couple of hawg rainbows that I tried to baby, for fear of breaking them off naturally, both came unbuttoned. Fishing's been good, but the two I lost left a mark. I've been a bit stupid, trying to fish something the trout will hit but the pike won't readily saw through. Feels like a pipe dream...

 

[hobiecat]

Yeah, a pike will snip that 10lb nano as easily as 6lb test..unless you get lucky with hook set placement.

 

[Opry99er]

The greatest memories of my life fishing have been spin fishing for trout in streams. We always used 6 lb Trilene monofilament, no leader, Panther Martins, Meps spinners, and Rapalas tied directly to the main line. We landed tens of billions of 7-10 inch browns out of Clear Creek at the "honey hole"--40 or 50 trillion 5-9 inch brookies from a secret feeder creek up near Rabbit Ears Pass, and one cutty-rain-brown up near Winter Park.

 

[Anteroman]

OK, if it takes one second to catch a fish and you got a billion........................................it would take 11,574 days of fishing 24 hours a day to do this.

I think your exaggerating?

I spin fish 2#/6# Fireline without a flouro or mono leader at the Pan/The Nightmare Stream/Upper Arkansas and have never had difficulty getting bites. It's also the same line I use on the South Park lakes without a problem. I use to fish a 6' topshot of 6# flouro and it really didn't seem to help, also I would encounter a breakoff every once in awhile with the topshot. Lousey Albright knot I guess?
Bill

 

[Opry99er]

^^I said 40-50 trillion... It's okay... Americans don't seem to know how much a trillion is. We blow through one a year in this country...

 

[Luke the Dog]

I read a really interesting study the other day about flouro vs. regular mono and the differences in sink rate, visibility, strength, etc. The conclusion was that flouro really doesn't give much of a measurable advantage, I'll see if I can find it and post the link...

 

[Anteroman]

The greatest memories of my life fishing have been spin fishing for trout in streams. We always used 6 lb Trilene monofilament, no leader, Panther Martins, Meps spinners, and Rapalas tied directly to the main line. We landed tens of billions of 7-10 inch browns out of Clear Creek at the "honey hole"--40 or 50 trillion 5-9 inch brookies from a secret feeder creek up near Rabbit Ears Pass, and one cutty-rain-brown up near Winter Park.
__________________
I obviously was talking about the "Billions" at Clear Creek.
The 50 trillion with 12 zero's would take you 1,577,300 years......again I think your stretching the truth a bit??

Our folks up in Washington haven't gotten this through their feeble little brains.....

 

[hobiecat]

Need one of these...Not too sure it goes up to a trillion.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Pit-River-C...-Fishing-/191276159945?_trksid=p2054897.l4275

 

[Opry99er]

Not stretching the truth at all. The CBO will confirm my numbers.

 

[Cotter]

I thought I should clarify some things I mentioned in my last post. The light tippets I mentioned would only apply if you are fishing dries or nymphs, or if you don't fly fish, worms, powerbait, or anything else that you would fish in a dead drift.

Lures are pretty similar to streamers, and since you are stripping/reeling the fish doesn't have as much time to inspect the fly or lure. The fish are more interested in chasing, so noticing the size of the tippet isn't exactly a top priority.

So if you're fishing lures, of course you can catch fish on mono and/or thicker tippet sizes.

 

[catchn]

I read a really interesting study the other day about flouro vs. regular mono and the differences in sink rate, visibility, strength, etc. The conclusion was that flouro really doesn't give much of a measurable advantage, I'll see if I can find it and post the link...

I read a really interesting study the other day about flouro vs. regular mono and the differences in sink rate, visibility, strength, etc. The conclusion was that flouro really doesn't give much of a measurable advantage, I'll see if I can find it and post the link...

The study is not from like 1990 is it. Cuz that one has been posted before

 

[catchn]

Flouro is a good idea on some of the more pressured tailwaters. The Frying Pan and the Taylor for example. It could be the difference between a skunking and a 20+ fish day. Honestly, I think it's a good idea in pretty much any tailwater. On free stones the trout are not as wary and there's really no need to fish Flouro.

As far as tippet size goes, I rarely fish anything thicker than 5x, unless I'm stripping streamers then I'll go down to 3x or 4x. On highly pressured tailwaters you won't be catching much on anything stronger than 5x, again unless you're fishing streamers. Sometimes, especially in lower flows, 5x won't cut it. I downgrade to 6x or 7x in that case. I've yet to come across a situation where I actually needed to fish 8x, I don't think it's ever necessary.

On regular freestones, tippet size is also not as important. I fish 5x pretty much always on a freestone. Hope this helps.

^^^ these first 2 sentences. I have personally seen it. I have out fished people 3 to 1 without a leader. Some days may not matter. Some it absolutely does,... I promise. Perhaps some haven't had the experience of out fishing (or being out fished) w/ a leader. Or fishing for hours no leader then putting one on and start killing em... Just coincidence I'm sure I promise some days/some waters it matters

 

[whompuscat658]

If you're just catching small freestone trout you shouldn't need flouro but if it makes you feel better just buy some and add a foot and a half piece or so with a double surgeons knot. I use this method a lot when I feel flouro could make a difference and the surgeons knot is super easy. You wouldn't wanna go heavier than 5x for smaller stuff. You could buy flouro tippet which is what I use a lot in all fishing since I fly fish. It's expensive though. Last time I was at cabelas I saw they have some cabelas brand flouro leader material for like half the cost off fly fishing flouro tippet and I think the length provided was about the same so you could try that as well. I'm gonna get some and try it out. Or you could just use regular flouro line from a bug spool that's just intended as a main line not a leader. I've done this and it works but it's not the best quality unless you get the more expensive stuff.

 

[Luke the Dog]

The study is not from like 1990 is it. Cuz that one has been posted before

No, it was recent. Came out of Sweden I believe, was very scientific and not just heresay. I still cant remember where I found the link...

 

[kirbydog]

Downside to using fluro for stream fishing is it sinks and this may not be the presentation you want and its springy on spinning reels. I use it all the time for lake fishing but always as a leader on braid.

 

[swimbait]

No, it was recent. Came out of Sweden I believe, was very scientific and not just heresay. I still cant remember where I found the link...

It's cool. He wouldn't believe it anyway.

http://giphy.com/gifs/transparent-fun-red-RI1Onhj2lph96/fullscreen