Q: Braided line comes in a variety of colours. Why all the different options?
A: I have used braided line exclusively on my spinning reels for more than a decade and also on some of my casting reels when fishing around vegetation, or in deep water, where I can feel my bait a lot better and get a stronger hookset because of the lack of stretch in the line. Braided line is better around vegetation because of its ability to slice through it better than monofilament or fluorocarbon.
Choosing colours
On my casting rods, I usually tie the line directly to the bait, so I choose a natural colour like moss green or grey — a colour that will blend into the underwater environment. On my spinning rods, I always use a bright-coloured braid, usually yellow. It’s much easier to see yellow, red, white, or blue. Since I always attach a six-to 10-foot fluorocarbon leader via an FG knot, I still get an invisible link to my bait. Despite the raw strength of braid, fluorocarbon still has better abrasion resistance and knot strength, making it ideal to use for attaching your bait.
The advantage of brightly coloured braid is that you will sometimes see bites while your bait is falling. Your line will jump or stop before it hits the bottom. And when you’re using jigs, a drop-shot rig or similar finesse tactic, you can watch your line as the bait sinks and know when it hits the bottom. This allows you to immediately start your retrieve. If you see your line stop, it might be a fish on the other end. Simply put, the brightly coloured line might just catch an extra fish or two.
Originally published in the Spring 2024 issue of Ontario OUT of DOORS
Jeff “Gussy” Gustafson, from Kenora, grew up on the shores of Lake of the Woods and is a fishing and hunting guide, tournament angler, and outdoor writer. He also competes on the Bassmaster Elite Series in the US, the highest level in professional bass fishing.
Read more about Jeff “Gussy” Gustafson here
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