Hi Viz line versus Clear

[Shad]

I know this is a subject discussed many times. Sorry but I am just starting to do more crappie fishing than bass fishing so I am still learning. I was at the fishing show yesterday talking to a guide on Percy Priest Lake which is a fairly clear and heavy pressured water lake. Not as clear as center hill or dale hollow but not as stained as old hickory. The guide said he would never use high viz line. He only uses clear line. I have about 8 rods now rigged with yellow hi viz line. When I go to percy to crappie fish, I will be thinking the whole time that the line is effecting the bite. Maybe it will be me effecting the bite but I will have that in my mind. I am CONSIDERING going back to clear on the rods but I sure like me being able to see the hi viz line better. Does the high viz line effect fishing on lakes like Percy Priest in Nashville? There is a lot of fishing pressure on that lake.

[PawPaw Gene]

If you think it will make a difference, then it will make a difference. Your confidence level will be way down. So use the best of both worlds. Attache a leader of clear to the end of the hi-viz line and you'll be all set.
"gene"

[grits and gravy]

When i started to mainly crappie fish instead of bass fish i was using 4 lb florocarbon line and felt that i would have the advantage over others because of the line clarity. This worked for a few years until i started fishing with a friend who had crappie fished for years. He was using hi-vis yellow mr crappie 4 lb line. I told him that line would spook the fish in the clear reseivors we were fishing.
We fished in very clear water 6-8 foot visability and he outfished me 10-1. I could not figure out what i was doin wrong. Same jigs, same technique, everything the same other than the line. He cut off a piece of line and i tied it on as a 2 foot leader and the fish bite turned on for me. I have used 4-6 lb hi-vis mr crappie line in every color of water ever since and have not looked back.

[neaslabber]

I use stren hi vis gold from 4 pound to 10 depending on type of fishing from single poling hair jigs to spider rigging 3/4 oz minna rigs. its been good for me

[jaxsprat]

tncrappiebass Do yourself a test. I like hi vis line also but when I fish very clear lakes I tie on a 18" or so clear leader of fluorocarbon & connect to hi-vis line using a very small swivel( helps take any spin out of line). Do this with some of your poles & leave resst as is ---see what works for you.

[CrappiePappy]

IMHO .... clear water fish are "spooked" more by the boat, angler movement & shadows, noise from items dropped to the floor of the boat, and other "unnatural" things going on ... than they are from the color of the line.
Just think of all the different colors of line that are wrapped & hanging from much of the cover within your waters. If it spooked them, from simply being "colored", then the fish would likely never come around those objects.
The fish are going to be more interested in what's on the end of that line, and how it's presented to them (speed/motion/visibility), than what color line is bringing that object into their territory.

But, like Paw Paw Gene says ... if it is a confidence breaker to have colored line, then a clear leader line is your best bet to regain that confidence.

If your presentation method is dependent upon you being able to SEE the line, in order to know when the bite occurs, and not depend on feeling the strike or see the rod tip bend ... then colored line is going to benefit you more than a clear line that you struggle to see. Even if your colored line does spook a few fish, you're still likely to catch more of those that it doesn't .... simply because you will be able to SEE the strikes that occur.

... cp

[genec]

IT MAY HELP BRING BITES BY SEEING IT THEN SEE BAIT,BUT FISH DO NOT THINK AS HUMANS MORE A REACTION OF NATURE,HE CANNOT SEE BAIT ,THEN SEE LINE AND SAY ,OH SOME ONE IS TRYING TO PULL ME IN,HIS REACTION IS CAUSE BY HIS SURROUNDING,THE REASON HE BITES A LIGHT LINE BETTER IS BECAUSE IT GIVES OFF A MORE NATURAL APPEARANCE AND MANY TIMES HE STOP BITTING IS BECAUSE HE SEE OR HEAR DANGER IN HIS INVIRMENT,MY OPINION,NOT SCIENCE

[bfish]

I don't think it will matter on priest. If it does bother you, take the others advise and use a leader.

[Shad]

This is all great advise. I will try keeping the hi viz and tieing on a clear leader. Sounds like the best compromise for me.

[duckhunter3635]

I fish priest all the time. Hi Vis does not matter!!! Get on structure and catch some fish.