Corpusfishing.com

[Dirtylove]

I had to relocate to Austin about 19 mos. ago and leave the surf and my favorite pier behind. Fortunately, my son has a bass boat and I have already fished my first Highland Lakes tournament. Whole new game. I am catching bass in near gin clear water on drop shots and weightless sinkos and trick worms, and I have to re spool my rigs that will make the transition. To get the invisibility and sinking characteristics, I am going to experiment with flourocarbon. I used it as leader material in the past, but now I'm going to spool with it and I am at a loss as to brand and particular type. I know it's off topic here, but this is the only fishing board I know and there is probably more fishing experience here than anywhere else I could go to.

I want the least memory and stiffness possible without buying stuff made of diamonds and unicorn blood.

Any suggestions?

[PanamaYak]

Look at the specs for Yo-Zuri Hybrid. I use it on two of my inshore spinners and am quite happy with it. I use FINS Wind Tamer braid on all my other inshore and surf spinners and am happy with that also.

HooYah!
_________________
HooYah!
PanamaYak

[gkrane]

I have tried many brands and always end up going back to Seguar Blue label.

[bulldog1935]

Between different reels, I've bought expensive copolymer, but I have to agree with Seaguar for bulk spools.

[Dirtylove]

Thanks for the input. Seagur has a softer version I think I'll try. There's a lot of real expensive stuff out there but it all seems to have the same issues.

By the way, Bulldog, my inlaws live on 311 about 1/2 way between 46 and 281. I fish the 311 crossing a fair bit and there's nothing more fun to catch than an angry little Guadalupe bass on ultra light spinning tackle. Nice spot with a lot of fishable bank.

[bulldog1935]

that's a great crossing, too, both up and down, and you can wade a long way.
Launching a kayak there, it's most of the day to fish down to Rebecca's Creek.
I have a bulk spool of the Seaguar nylon that I use on freshwater reels, and it's good stuff, too.

On my salty XUL, I use 4-lb Kamikaze Firepower copolymer from Australia (only salty line available in 4-lb), and it's the best line I've ever tried - sight fished a couple of specs 22+23" on the green canal lights with this.
Only the Japanese build saltwater "tetra" rods. It's a trick rod - 7'9" fiberglass core and tip, graphite fiber layer over 70% of the blank, and weave graphite layer on the butt; micro-guides.
It casts 5 grams forever, and the tip gives total protection of the light line.



found these rods in Japan and bought a pair for my daughter and me to pier fish under the lights, using (unweighted) Mansfield mauler, 4' leader, 1/0 kahle hook and live shrimp (the smaller the better). She's caught 50 nursery trout off Fulton Pier in one night (after dinner at Capt Benny's and before ice cream)

the worst copolymer I've ever tried is Berkley Fireline. It stretches horribly.
My daughter was catching big sheepshead here (Marker 60 pass - across from the launch at Lighthouse Lakes). We had to quit because the line stretched so badly it undercut the spool wrap and locked her reel.
Penn 4200SS and Falcon Open Hook Special.
It's ok, because we had fished a great morning - and it's spooled with Seaguar now.

[Donnie]

Bulldog, what do you mean by "salty" line - are you using the term in the USMC type as in, he is a 'salty' marine, or some other meaning. and your salty XUL - what is that ? And did you spool that 4200 totally with Seaguar Copolymer? What is the difference that you see between copolymer and florocarbon ?

I have spooled my 5 penn spinfishers with braid then followed with 10 foot or so of florocarbon. My 10500 with 85 lb braid, then 50 lb florocarbon, my 6500 with 40 lb braid then 50 lb florocarbon, my two 5500s with 30 lb braid then 50 lb florocarbon, then my 4500 with 20 lb braid, then 20 lb florocarbon. The 4500 is my lure thrower btw.

I fish the surf exclusively , and I want the strength of braid - and finishing with the 'invisibility ' of florocarbon. Years ago (25-and back ), I fished with 6lb test mono - and kicked everyone's supple bum in catching fish, no snaps, swivels, just tied to the lure. But in the surf, that would work - if only whiting hit. Whats your opinion of my line choices?
_________________
Don - permanent prescription of salt water therapy.

[bulldog1935]

I don't think you get that many questions, but copolymer is a double extrusion of two resins - a harder, stronger core, and a softer, tougher surface layer.
Seaguar calls their Tatsu or Abrasix a Double Structure fluorocarbon, Yozuri calls theirs Hybrid, and Kamikaze (and Berkley both) calls theirs copolymer. These lines are difficult to break, and can even be difficult to cut without a very sharp knife. The logic is the softer surface knots better, takes abrasion without becoming brittle, and the bulk of the strength is in the core. For specific length, copolymers cost about 4x what bulk spooled fluorocarbon costs, related to our OP's opening exclamation. Can a lighter-test hard to cut line be worth it? Depends.

The Kamikaze copolymer calls itself a saltwater big game line, and if you compare Seaguar fluorocarbon called out by Seaguar for freshwater v. saltwater, the saltwater lines are smaller diameter for the same lb test, denoting they're denser. Harder might be good, but also in saltwater they'll have equivalent buoyancy to the less-dense fluoro in freshwater. Maybe? (In thinner freshwater the denser line would sink too fast, so I think they're trying to keep density neutral in each.)

The copolymer I didn't like would stretch into a fine filament over long lengths, which made it a booger for hard fishing, as my daughter demonstrated. Scratch that line.
The Penn 4200SS only holds about 80 yds of the 10lb Seaguar fluoro or that bad copolymer, As I said, it's spooled with the Seaguar now, and the spare spool is spooled with the 4-lb Kamikaze for her XUL rod.

What is XUL? Extreme ultralight. When's the last time you caught a 23" spec on 4-lb test? (rhetorical question) That's extreme, but the long Japanese rod is built as a saltwater rod, to throw 5g on 3-lb test. At the same time it gives you a stuff butt for fighting big fish - it's the same idea as a flared butt on an old cane flyrod. Japanese call these tetra rods - I think I said that before.
If you've ever fished big specs under the lights, it can be nice to be able to throw extremely light lures at them. I've fished this rig in the right place for 5 years now, and happy with the results.
My buddy Alex spools his XUL with 2-1/2lb tippet, and throws it at 10-lb bass. It was Joe Robinson who coined "XUL" in his book, also "threadline fishing", and it was he and Dave Whitlock who began fishing together this way, building their rods from light fly rod blanks (I know both guys).

As far as kicking butt, I'll just state I've been a natural reading water since I was a child, and literally taught my dad how to fish. As far as thinking like a fish, well, the dumbest, trout, have an IQ of 6, and the smartest, carp, have an IQ of 12, so outsmarting fish shouldn't be a challenge for anyone.

Does it matter? Well, I know I don't buy Rio fluoro tippet after an AK trip where it was the only 3x I had and 3 Kenai rainbows over 30" broke off at knots (you only get a few shots at these). I know my preferred Umpqua tippet wouldn't have done that. I've also had very good luck with Seaguar tippet.

[Dirtylove]

My son gave me a nice Abu Revo for Christmas, and I think I'll put 12lb Red Label on it for drop shots and bigger jigs. On my Shimano spinning reels that were my coastal daily drivers, I'll try the Invizx in 8lb for senkos, trick worms, etc. Stuff rigged mostly weightless. I've been told that the invisibility, sensitivity, and the lack of buoyancy dramatically increase your success rate with finesse techniques.

I like that ultra ultra light gear. That's really nice gear. As I said above, bass fishing, while not completely new to me, has never been my emphasis. Doing it in deep, cold, clear water is quite different from throwing trout slayers under the pier lights. But it is a lot of fun and a hell of a challenge.

Tight lines to all of you. Happy New Year.

[bulldog1935]

that was a nice gift from your son.
I also think you're spot on with your line choices.

[gkrane]

I only use braid as a backing on my long rods. I try to keep braid out of the sand. On my short rods I use straight mono with a fluorocarbon leader.