Shallow on Jig & Bobber

[SteveJ]

[QUOTE=Micropterus salmoides;730740]Steve,
What does the water look like where yall where fishing. I pitch my jigs like your buddy this time of year, but i rely mostly on feel... some on sight. The only time my jig is dead still RIGHT now is if I'm dropping it through exposed brush along the bank. I'd sure be nice to rely more on feel when I'm pitching but I'm still unsure about high vis line.
I REALLY want to use it but I think I need some serious reassurance b/f I dive in and try it....

I'm gonna do a search and read up on it, but for anybody else who uses high vis line, what kind of water clarity do you fish?
Anybody elses opinion on high vis line would definitely be appreciated.
Brands?
lb. test?
While I would not call the water clear it was not muddy, it was the clearest we could find. We tried some other places that were not as clear even muddy but didn't find any fish. As I said I was using Cajun Red which is hard to see so I'm sure the fish were not troubled by the hi-vis line. I don't know the brand or lb test but I would guess 8 lb. Maybe by Monday Trey will check in with more info on his line. As I said I now have a pole rigged up with 8 lb hi-vis line to try.

[NIMROD]

Glad It's Started There, We're Freeze'n Again.

[sea-sons]

I'm switching to 4lb hi-vis Gama copolymer on most of my reels. Cabelas had it on sale for half price. It handles and casts better than any line I've ever used. And it's super strong. I've used it in moderatly clear water and it worked fine. But I would probably use 3' of flourocarbon with it in super clear water.

[shipahoy41]

"That's the way I like it.....uh huh uh huh That's the way I like it!"

Looking good Ernest my friend.

[Herewego]

Nice catchin in the shallows.

[thankfull]

way to go Ernest good pic. and catch.

[thankfull]

I fish a lot of clear water during late spring and summer and have used the golden stren untill the 2007 classic and was given a spool of viscious high vis. green and I have never had a problem with spooking fish. As a matter of fact most guys fishing with me will swear that the reason that i am catching more fish than them is the green line.

[ERNEST PATY]

Hi-viz is a matter of opinion I guess. Use what you have confidence in.

In my opinion the Crappie don't mind the line at all. It's all I use in any water clarity. Occasionally I get out fished but I don't think the line is the reason. For deep water, bridges, dock shooting, etc, I usually use 6# test. For timber and jig-bobber fishing I use 10# test.

[baptistpreach]

Thanks, I appreciate that info about Hi Vis line. Does anyone fish with braided line for crappie? I was thinking some 10lb test in 2lb diameter would be really nice, but I just don't hear about braided line on the crappies. Anyone?

[CrappiePappy]

Thanks, I appreciate that info about Hi Vis line. Does anyone fish with braided line for crappie? I was thinking some 10lb test in 2lb diameter would be really nice, but I just don't hear about braided line on the crappies. Anyone?

You can do a advanced search for "Powerpro" ... and get alot of threads about braids. (if you're into doing alot of reading :p )

I use PowerPro Hi-vis Yellow 10/2 braid .. on one particular outfit .. and for (mostly) one particular method/bait --- casting a 1/16oz Roadrunner. It works fine, and I rarely lose a Roadrunner, even if I stump hang it :D

There are some things to consider, if using braid. Here's some that I've had to deal with :

Unless you have Fuji guides, or good ceramic guides, on your rod ... braid may make a buzzing sound, when retrieving your bait. It can be annoying, and was for me ... enough that I removed it from those outfits that I initially tried it on. My 6ft med Browning/Shimano Spirex 2000 outfit is the only one I still have it on.
You can get "wind knots" in it, simply by casting with it. Most of the time, it's more in the way you cast, that causes them, than just casting in the wind. If you wrist whip your cast, you may have a wind knot occur, occasionally. But, if you don't leave much line hanging off the end of the rod, when casting, that tends to keep the knots from happening. Also, sidearm casts, and lob casts will stop alot of it, too.
Braid will usually be strong enough to pull a jig hook open, and free your hook from a snag, with a steady pull ... just don't use your hands Braid will cut right into you, so ... if you hang up alot, you'd be well served to have a towel or dowel rod to wrap the line around, when trying to free a bad hung lure.
A pair of Fiskar Childs Scissors is also a good item to have in your tacklebox. Cutting braid with other things, may leave a raggedy tag end ... making it a bit hard to thread the tag end thru a small hook eye. The Fiskar Scissors will cut the braid straight and blunt, making it a bit easier to get the line thru the hook eye. It is quite limp, though, so it's still a little bit of a struggle, at times
When tying on a jig/hook/lure ... leave a slightly longer than normal tag line, and cinch the knot down slowly and evenly (wet it first, too). Test the knot, by pulling on the main line ... if it holds firm, trim off the tag line ... if it slips in the least, tie a granny knot in the tag line (as close to the knot as feasible) and continue pulling the main line until the granny knot reaches your knot. It won't slip, anymore Use whatever knot you prefer, to tie on your bait ... I use a Improved Clinch, and have never had a knot slip open (and have never had to resort to using the granny knot trick, either ... LOL !! - but it will work, if you have to use it).
The color of Hi-vis braid will fade with time/use ... and may even appear to be "fuzzy" after awhile. It's still good, and just as strong as new line. If you need the color to be bright again, for better visibility .... reverse the line, putting the unused (brighter) portion on top of your reel's spool.
There's no need to spool a reel "completely" with just braid. Leave 1/2 - 2/3 of your reel spooled with mono (depending on size of reel/line capacity) and tie the braid to the mono ... then finish filling the reel. You really only need 50-75yds of braid tied on, and it will last for quite awhile. Leave about 1/8" of gap between the spooled line and the lip of your reel's line spool. Alot of "bird's nests", tangles, "professional overwinds", or whatever you want to call them ... are caused by filling spinning reel spools flush with the spool lip. You will encounter alot less of these problems, leaving that 1/8" gap, versus the extra few inches of casting distance you might gain from the extra line !!
You also won't have to set the hook with as much speed or force, as you might normally do when using mono. Braid has no stretch, so just the simple act of pulling back on your rod, with a sweeping motion (rather than a jerking motion) will ram the hook home ... even on a light action rod. Backing off on your drag, just a little bit, can also help keep you from ripping the hook thru a Crappie's soft lips ... especially if you happen to forget you're using braid, and set the hook like you would with mono :D

... cp