Are Crappie line shy?

[JbeshFishing]

I was just wondering if Crappie are line shy. I've heard some people say Crappie simply aren't line shy but I don't know for sure. I see people use high vis line all the time, however the lake near me has 10+ foot of visibility(sometimes you can see 20 foot down if it hasn't rained for a while). I normally fish at this lake with 2lb test clear mono for other species like trout. Would it matter to use 6lb test high vis line in a lake as clear as this. Should I maybe be tying 2 pound test leaders or does line visibility just not matter for Crappie fishing in terms of the fish seeing it.

[Bigtrout]

I've not noticed any line shyness from Crappie and like you said, many if not most people use Hi-vis line. I use 4# about 80% and 6# the other 20%. That said, I'd guess rare is the (Crappie) lake with water that clear. Only water I fish that clear is some of the WNC mountain lakes and I'm fishing there for trout anyway, not crappie, so I have no first hand experience to help you with.
One way to find out! Spool up one reel with hi-vis and use one with your regular clear mono and compare for a few trips. If strike ratio clearly proves less with the hi-vis you'll have your answer.

[keeferfish]

Sometimes yes maybe and sometimes no maybe.

Mostly always fish Hi-Vis braid but have switched to a small jig and mono or floro leader at times and started catching fish from the same school that would not bite before.

Could be the smaller jig, could be the line, could be timing, could be how my boat was positioned, could be how my hat is tilted, who knows?

[DockShootinJack]

If pressured and agitated they probably more so. Also depends what water you are fishing. Clear water maybe. Muddy water not so much

[slabbandit]

I prefer Hi-Vis so I can see my line to tie better among other things. Garry Mason, a long-time crappie guide, swears by the use of chartreuse colored line while casting Slider grubs to crappie. He says he feels the crappie see the line coming over the stakebeds and are already focusing their attention in that area so they see the grub earlier. He used to let clients use their own rods first with clear line and it wasn't long they were asking to use one of his rods with the chart. line.

[NIMROD]

I don't think so , many these days using braid .

[CrappiePappy]

I remember seeing an "ad" on a TV fishing show, where they stretched 5 different brands of "clear" fishing line over a white board & filmed it in a crystal clear Fla. lake. The purpose was to show their sponsor's brand to be "invisible" under water. "I" could plainly see ALL of the lines on the board, and thus figured the fish could ... more easily than me. Didn't convince me to buy that particular brand/type of line.

I mean, come on .... how many miles of various colored fishing lines do you think are broken off & hanging in the cover of your lake ?? Fish see those lines every day. Their eyes are better underwater than ours are, so IF they were "line shy", you couldn't catch them.

Personally, I think the "line shyness" idea is less a factor than a lot of other conditions/situations that may "spook" a fish.

[Ranger690]

Love the high vis yellow. The fish sure don’t mind.

[slabbandit]

I always jig fished with the Stren Hi-Vis Yellow 8 lb.

[Curlytail]

Hi vis for me. My old eyes really like it. Seems to work for me just fine.

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