Fluorocarbon vs Mono Test Results: Are You Using The WRONG Fishing Line???

[@stevegois103]

Been using good old berkley trilene and big game my whole life , main lane or leader, has never failed me . I watch these young guys trying to tell me about fancy lines but I still out fish them with no problem . Stop worrying about diameter and invisibility , fancy expensive rods the latest and greatest, the in with the Jones’s crap , $4000.00 plastic kayaks . Stop and just and learn how to fish, learn feeding habits ,temp , depth , tides ,seasonal species habitat and patterns. The use of that knowledge is the real power here. That being said I love these guys great video thank you.

[@Saltstrong]

Fancy gear is no substitute for knowledge and wisdom!

[@sirwilliam7988]

I could not have said it better myself. 20lb Big Game has been kickin bass for years.

[@OldPalFishing]

I love big game as my leader line, works great and is cheap.

[@PoetofHateSpeech]

@Saltstrong I remember a story my father told me. He had all the gear and was fishing off the rocks here in Australia on an extremely windy day. He was fishing for a couple of hours without a bite. An old guy turned up, pulled out a hand line, non weighted, just a hook and a piece of mullet... The old man ended up with 4 tuna, a bunch of bonito, and a fish we call bream, if I remember the story correctly. My father could hardly cast because of the wind, but the old bloke didn't have an issue

[@DanTheFireman]

@@PoetofHateSpeech From Key West, FL... my dad used a "Cuban yoyo" handline and we never went hungry.

[@joeschmoe1301]

These actual tests are SO valuable for consumers. Thank you soooo much!!!

[@Saltstrong]

You're very welcome-glad we could help!

[@Sir_Defyable]

Great video, it’s always refreshing to see actual testing and data used to support the claims. Never gets old, in fact. I’m a surf guy, so long leaders and abrasion resistance mean a lot. If I had to pick just one leader material to use for the rest of my days, it would be Ande 50# mono for sure. I have known about the difference in abrasion resistance (in favor of mono) for some time thanks to you guys, but I don’t have to choose just one, and I still use fluoro sometimes. Why? Depth control. The places I fish range from 3 feet to about 15 feet, but it’s usually one end of that range or the other, like 3-7 feet in some spots or 10-15 in others. In my head, the use of a mono leader will help me keep my presentations shallower, and the use of fluoro can help my baits/plugs run a little deeper. The difference of a foot or two in depth can make all the difference in catching fish or not, and in practice the theory seems to hold water (no pun intended) but I can’t seem to validate the theory based on any known testing. If you guys are open to suggestions, knowing whether a heavy mono leader leads to a bait running shallower when compared to a long thin fluoro leader would be very useful to know. In my case, using thin, strong main line is necessary as casting distance is a forever a premium from the surf, but I’m sure that affects the results as well. What I have seen the data for is braid testing, and Yo-Zuri Superbraid is still the king of braided lines especially for the $$ 😎

[@Saltstrong]

Those are great points. I'll put a bug in Luke's ear and see if we can figure out a way to test running depth between the two materials.

[@howabouthetruth2157]

A VERY long time ago, I jumped on the hype wagon that is fluorocarbon line like everyone else. I was telling everyone: "Ya need to switch to this new fluoro line, because mono is history". I bought the most expensive fluoro I could get my hands on. But then something happened, and it took me nearly 4 years to realize the cause of my problem.......and that problem was that I was losing fish to broken line.......and even losing lures to broken line, even though I had just inspected the end of the fluoro line, cut it off, and re-tied with a fresh knot. But still, I was losing fish, even little fish, due to line breakage with fluoro. NEARLY 4 YEARS mind you. I got SO sick & tired, I KNEW it had to be the fluoro line itself. I switched 100% back to Berkley/Trilene Big Game mono on ALL of my rigs, and my line breakage issues virtually vanished right away. The year was 2005.......and ever since then, I've been trying to tell everyone that they are wasting tons of money buying & using expensive fluoro on all of their rigs........and losing fish, lures, and terminal rigs. But most refuse to listen to me. The ONLY real advantage to fluoro line, is the fact that it sinks, so you can get a deep diving crank bait to run a little deeper........but even then, you better be replacing that fluoro VERY often.............again: due to line breakage issues.

[@Saltstrong]

Well said!

[@TM-zr9zn]

Thanks for this comment. I think you just answered my problem with losing fish and lures so easy with fluoro. Back in the day with mono I didn't have that issue

[@jamescanady3442]

I experienced the same exact thing. Salt Strong turned me back on to mono last year. Around September, I bought some Big Game mono to use out at Sebastian Inlet (if the toothy fish weren't biting me off then the Snook and Grouper were taking me into the rocks), and 90% of my breakage issues disappeared.

[@Garminrules]

Interesting, I did exact same thing, back to big game.

[@PoetofHateSpeech]

@@Saltstrong O and you boys should visit Australia for some real saltwater fishing 😝

[@FatherTech]

Thank you for the transparency and honesty. You guys are amazing for sharing, I can tell a lot of time and thought has gone into all these test.

[@Saltstrong]

Thank you! Joe and Luke wanted to make sure everyone could learn from what they discovered.

[@mikewubben2844]

I've been using main line braid to a leader of Berkley Trilene Big Game for the last few years with no complaints. 10-50# braid and 12-80# leader based on species targeted with my main setup being 15 or 20# braid to 20# leader. Haven't noticed a difference in clear vs green leader color but I tend to go with clear in clearer water just in case.

[@Saltstrong]

We tend to go with clear across the board as well.

[@maxjia-wq6fo]

Thank you so much! You say these tests are boring, but I find them super intersting, seeing the actual difference between these lines. Keep it up!

[@armandorjusino]

I remember when he made this contraption testing lines, that's when I subscribed, thank you for all the effort you guys make.

[@Saltstrong]

You're very welcome! Thanks for watching!

[@alexandergalinato3318]

Thank you guys. Newbie here. Really good info to help me buy the right stuff the first time. One more thing, don't think your testing vids are boring. They are great. Your channel is game changer for newbie like me. Keep it up!

[@kylelancaster7872]

You guys Rock! Happy to be a member. Keep it up :)

[@Saltstrong]

Thank you! See you in the Community Feed!

[@gislijonkristjansson5547]

Thanks. This is HUGE for the fishing industry. Using the scientific method testing fishing lines is exemplary. This is something that companies selling those lines should provide to the consumers. Hopefully people will support your efforts with donations. Fantastic job 👍😀🐟

[@motorcyleadventuringwithmi2778]

Way back when, my family ran a small commercial Salmon boat. We used 50lb straight mono main line and no leader. So, 50lb from the hooks to the flasher to the weight release to the reel. I can't ever remember losing a fish and we caught crate loads every day. The problem is, no one educated the fish about Flouro...

[@Saltstrong]

Even after hanging out in schools, they still don't know the difference! 😄

[@robertjones-iv7wq]

Well done guys. I started fishing in 1954, a 2-yo with Dad using Dacron braided camo line 30# test & baitcaster. I never noticed which boat caught more or bigger fish until I hit 6-yo. Once one guy really beat us out, even though we ate well that day. Nosy little beggar I was, I went over & chatted him up re: his gear. He had the new monofilament nylon from Berkley or South Bend, whichever, and a spin-cast reel from I think South Bend or Johnson. I had to get myself a rig like that, so all next month I wandered around our campground selling newspapers and collecting bottles in my wagon until I saved enough to do just that. But it really didn't help, and that spin-cast reel fouled up a bit more than my old baitcast reel.

[@johngarner9929]

Spot on with the strength and abrasion test, however, the visibility test needs to be conducted under water in actual sunlight for accurate results.

[@thatonebeone]

15:18 they doing the test but you need to pay to be a member to see it

[@donlowery1275]

The invisibility factor with flourcarbon, I've olny seen be true under certain light conditions. If you see it run enough underwater at various depths all while moving, the way it reflects light if it's really bright , is no different than mono. However if it's lower light , deeper ect , a large portion of the flourcarbon, would disappear. Not the whole leader , but a significant part of it. It's when the sun was at peak and it was being reflected in shallow water that made it look no different than standard mono. If you see enough footage, you can spot segments almost completely blend with water. Particularly a jerk bait or erratic retrieve, because the angle on the leader line being so flexible was constantly changing. So you wouldn't see certain sections of it as it catches light , or not . But as mentioned, it's olny under certain conditions. I first noticed it when using 130 lb for musky and giant pike . Certain days I compared to thin wire , it could seem to make a the difference and the next as if they didn't care. I saw that , just as you guys were showing it in a glass , it was plainly visible. So I started second guessing it. But now there are conditions where it is better and less visible than thin wire. But of course it's the conditions. I'm interested in seeing a product called Hard Mono. Companies like Svartzonker in Europe make this and use it for very big pike. May be of value for salt water, particularly the abrasion resistance against say tarpon. If it can go against pike teeth, it can handle most inshore species, if as you all well know how to play a fish and use the equipment to your advantage. Just as something unique and different.

[@Saltstrong]

Great point-thanks for sharing!

[@davidkuns1839]

So the advantage of flouro is that you can use a smaller diameter leader, so long as you don’t stretch it too much. Thanks for the info. I’m going back to Maxima Ultragreen for leaders on braid, probably.

[@Saltstrong]

Glad we could help!

[@dontnonowuno9953]

Best mono on the market

[@teamflanneloutdoors5631]

I love it! Pretty sure I've commented before on this channel that fluoro is a gimmick. Knot & abrasion failure led me back to Berkley Sensation and Maxims Ultragreen years ago. Great vid👍👍

[@Saltstrong]

Thank you!

[@chrism2042]

Last weekend I noticed a difference while re-tying leader to braid with FG knot. I previously tightened the FG with a rag in my hand with braid wrapped around rag, just to prevent cuts tying multiple knots. I started using 2 pieces of 3/4" pex pipe with heat shrink on them to wrap the line to prevent slipping when tightening FG knot or uni-knot on large mono line for shark rods. Been using Seaguar Pink label and Yo-Zuri 20lb & 30lb fluoro for several years. I even mark the packs with month and year purchased so I can use oldest first, when not fishing with it on the boat, it is in conditioned garage. The 30lb fluoro purchased last Fall was snapping within 1/2" of the FG knot (with average tightening pressure), knot after knot. I even tried a spool of Yo-Zuri fluoro, same result. It sucked, but good FG knot practice! I grabbed a bulk spool of Smoke Sufix 25lb mono that I purchased a couple years ago to spool several freshwater striper reels. Tied FG knot to braid, tightened the knot and it felt much stronger than the 30 lb fluoro, I was getting the FG knot to tighten without line breaking. Past few days I have been thinking about getting spools of Clear Sufix 20lb & 25lb mono and start using that for my leaders.

[@Saltstrong]

Interesting-thanks for sharing that!

[@frederickmooney2581]

I’ve never tried fluorocarbon, it was gonna cut into my beer budget so I prioritized! 😂

[@Saltstrong]

Would you look at that? It's beer-thirty right now. What a coincidence! 🍻

[@williamelliott4444]

Exactly

[@franktorres3081]

Thank you guys for the honest review… makes you think and understand better between the two

[@fishinforlikes1611]

I remember reading an article about fluoro being mistaken as low stretch, when in reality, it does stretch, it just doesn't recoil like mono. So when it stretches, it gets thinner and stays that way, leading to premature breakage. I consoled myself by believing that fluoro is more abrasion resistant. Really appreciate you guys doing this video. As a freshwater inland angler, using fluoro as strictly leader material really hasnt hurt me, but I'll likely phase it out of most of my applications juat on cost alone. I can at least be proud to say I never for a second believed that "leader" fluoro was any different than "mainline", so I didn't waste as much money as I could have lol

[@billhobson6637]

Thank you for comparing diameter to diameter versus lb. test! That seems to be the fairest way to compare!

[@Saltstrong]

You're welcome! After testing the same lb ratings, diameter seemed a logical next step to us.

[@L0st-n0found]

I had some rants on diameter being most important in previous test videos so great you're now focusing on that. One thing actual diameter and actual break strength vs stated is also about the most important. Line, labeled. .40 or .405 may be. .48 and .35 in actuality Line rated at 20lb may break at 15 or 30 13:39 what you see and what a fish sees is different. Testing side by side mono and fluorocarbon of roughly equivalent diameters with everything 100 percent identical just live bait fishing in other than the most dirty of water and I always have gotten much more interest on the fluorocarbon. Fishing in motion with artificial it has, ade practically no difference. I would still lead exclusively towards mono in all but the clearest brightest situations unless fishing for bonefish or Tarpon.

[@Saltstrong]

Thanks for the feedback!

[@Ruddy632]

Excellent video. I really enjoy watching tests and comparisons like this. Thanks 😊.

[@mistertwister1816]

I learned that fluoro was nowhere near as abrasion resistant as mono simply by pulling it from a leader spool. My first fluoro leader spools relied upon an elastic band to keep the line on the spool. The elastic band was fitted with a grommet through which the leader line would pass. The mere act of pulling line off the spool through this grommet to tie a leader was enough to cause the fluoro line to start fraying. I could see the damage in the form of tiny micro filaments of damaged line across the surface of the main fluoro line. I noticed this immediately upon using my first spool of fluoro leader. This phenomenon did not occur with my mono. I continued to use fluoro despite this after switching to a softer silicone leader retainer while presuming that it was less visible to fish. Your experiments confirm what I had suspected early on with regards to abrasion. And it has taken good advice from trout fishing guides to cause me to put down the fluoro completely. As a scientist by profession, I bought into the fluoro hype thinking that science had achieved a breakthrough. I wanted to believe the science, but it simply hasn’t panned out, especially for users of lighter fishing lines. Please continue posting your experiments!

[@michaelmarema6785]

Thanks for your testing. You saved me money on line. So now I could get more tackle and gear. I was spending around $400 a year on fluorocarbon line. Thanks again

[@DiegueCR]

Thanks for all the valuable info. It has been factual and enlightening.

[@Saltstrong]

Glad we could help!

[@bqoutdoors2334]

Very good video on the two different lines. I have switched to mono and Andy leader for the last few years. Don’t ever plan on buying fluorocarbon ever again.

[@Saltstrong]

Thank you!

[@frankschannel2642]

Wow...terrific stuff - and perfect timing. Was about to go out to my local bait and tackle shop for a few things, including leader material!

[@Saltstrong]

Glad we could help!

[@rossco254]

Thanks guys for all your hard work testing, I have caught all my nice sea bass 10lb one ( uk) on mono infact on Berkeley big game , but this season I got talked into using braid and of course with fluorocarbon leaders wow the price, well I will be going back to mono after seeing your tests , Thanks.

[@solby293]

The little bit of stretch of mono leaders also serves as a great shock absorber when using braided mainline. Would love to see these tests using thicker line diameters as well as wet conditions. Here in South Africa we generally use .65mm+ line for our rock and surf bait applications and almost everyone prefers mono leaders but flouro hook snoods. Also keen to see the performance of flouro coated mono lines.

[@Saltstrong]

We've done a lot of testing between mono and fluoro. Check out this video we did to specifically test wet conditions: kzbin.info/www/bejne/h4WYi2SKoruSmM0

[@anz2441]

Fluorocarbon is known for breaking off more than mono. I use Power Pro and Big Game always and I'm satisfied with both. Great test. Thank You !

[@steveop123]

Appreciate the work you guys put in for anglers - Thanks from a life long insider

[@Saltstrong]

Glad to be of help!

[@cs1089]

This is a great test and video. I've also noticed that nylon has a stronger break strength than fluoro for knots when fishing very light tippet for fresh water fishing. Another touted advantage of fluoro is that it sinks faster than nylon. That would be interesting to test too. Thanks!

[@Saltstrong]

Thank you! Here's a video where we tested floatation and sinking between the two: kzbin.info/www/bejne/mmqqfmpup9CkpLc

[@cs1089]

Awesome. Thanks!

[@MostlyHumanPowered]

I am a freshwater fisherman. The other advantage that I have heard about fluoro is that it's more sensitive, particularly with bottom-dragging baits. But I think you only get that advantage if you use a fluoro main line. Have you guys ever tested the sensitivity?

[@Saltstrong]

Not on a full spool of fluoro. Braid does such a great job of transferring the feel and our leaders are usually less than 3', so we don't notice a difference between the mono and fluoro.

[@jonawhale1323]

What I think is interesting is that in the anglosphere lbs test is the main spec people are using and products are of course marketed accordingly. In my corner of the world people go primarily by diameter.

[@s_s-g4d]

Another very interesting experiment would be to test how different materials (specifically nylon vs fluorocarbon) resist cutting rather than abrasive damage. Scenario: northern pike fishing. Pike's teeth cut like a knife rather than scratch like sandpaper. Not sure what test setup would be close enough to representing a real world situation. Some ideas are to measure the breaking force of the doubled line pulled straight against a standard (e.g. razor) blade, similar to when you want to cut a length of line in half using a knife; another is to push the blade into a length of line tied without slack between two points and measure the maximum force that the blade is pushing with before the line is cut.

[@Saltstrong]

That's a great idea. We'll have to see if we can come up with a reliable way to test that.

[@comfortablynumb9342]

These videos make me happy that I only bought one spool of flouro leader. I didn't like how it tied to braid. So I'll stick with mono leaders.

[@Saltstrong]

Glad we could help!

[@DTtunacharters]

Awesome tests guys. I am going to try to eliminate the Flourocarbon leaders in my tuna fishing and see what happens. Just wanted to say that MoiMoi diamond line is quite a bit thinner than the same break strength Flouro as well.

[@hankvana2149]

Thanks for the video! Per my own practical experience with several brands of premium fluorocarbon I feel that I have been screwed by those companies. Any claims of benefits of fluorocarbon (visibility, sink rate etc) as being superior to mono as a fishing line are lost because fluorocarbon fatigues and looses its strength resulting in lost fish and lost lures ($$$$!!!). You have to use 20 pound fluorocarbon where 10 pound mono would do the job just as well for a fraction of the price. The "advantages" of fluorocarbon didn't increase my bite-rate but definitely reduced the fish hooked/landed rate due to break-offs on the hook set. In my experience, Fluorocarbon knot strength on 8 to 12 pound line is terrible (I fly fish with fine tippers and know how to tie a knot). I tried the fancy multi-multi twist knots that take 10 minutes to tie and they were no better than the uni-knot that I can tie in a 10 seconds. It would be interesting to see you test the typical line weights (6 to 10 pound) used for fishing in fresh water. I think that fluorocarbon will fail miserably. IMHO, the only benefit of fluorocarbon is for the tackle companies who rake in the money for a premium priced product that has to be replaced after it has been stressed a couple of times. I've wasted hundreds of dollars on fluorocarbon lines and lost even more money in expensive lures. Hope people wise up to the fluorocarbon hype because they are getting screwed.

[@chrisknapp9908]

In my experience…. I mostly use Yozuri 40lb+ fluro but I only fish in water 80+ ft deep offshore. I've found that brand is stiffer than mono and will not twist as much on the drop when bottom fishing. Also, after catching a heavy fish and reeling up from 80+ ft deep the Yozuri 40lb+ fluro will not stretch/twist up as much as mono for the next drop (so I get more drops before having to change leader). I don't see any difference in strength/abrasion/visibility just the stiffness and stretch (that's what she said, haha..).

[@Saltstrong]

That's a good point. Our applications are primarily focused on inshore, but going deep adds some additional variables.

[@jaylancerice5871]

I have used Berkeley Big Game for about 25 years now. I have always loved it and could never see why people spent so much more on floro. Glad I didn't change. Since I fish all fresh water, I have always used green. To go saltwater fishing, should I change to clear?

[@Saltstrong]

We always use clear but doing some on the water testing between green and clear sounds like a good idea. I'll put a bug in Luke's ear.

[@BradinManheim]

Another factor: I am older and can’t tie knots as well as when I was younger.😊I now use the tie fast tool exclusively and I try to tie as few knots as I can. I ditched braid completely and fish straight mono. It has worked well for decades and it works well for me. The “advantages” of braid to fluorocarbon were so little that I am now staying with straight mono. Cheap, easy, convenient.

[@leecasteen]

Only thing that matters is what the fish prefer. Sometimes it doesn’t matter (fish don’t care), but when it does I’ll take the flouro every time. I’ve fished both on the same bite and flouro gets bit much better all else constant.

[@Saltstrong]

At the end of the day, it's all about tight lines.

[@Chaison18]

Very true! I’ve been using mono all my life and line has never snap on me. There’s been times where I test flouro and it always disappoint me.

[@mattbarton362]

Good video .I use braid lone and I use berkey big game line. Keep it simple. Out on the fishing Market some things are designed to catch fish and some things are designed to catch fishermen.i go with what works for me.that go for line reels and gear.

[@Saltstrong]

That's some wisdom to hang onto!

[@alejandrobermudez7359]

My respect for you time and really appreciate how honest you guys are. which you guys health many years of teaching us the trues .

[@caseyscott9071]

Didnt read all the comments but a few thoughts. Ande is really good, yet stiff and high memory. Im not terribly surprised to see it test well. I suspect there might be a lot of softer monos (like what most people already have in their box) that might not do near as well. If you want to get real results, measure the line yourself. The labels lie a lot of times. Would love to see a comparison test of Ande, Big Game, Sufix Superior, and Momoi Diamond. Been a fan of your testing for years. Thanks a bunch for keeping at it!

[@ronbyrd313]

I appreciate what you all do thanks !

[@Saltstrong]

You're very welcome!

[@OldPalFishing]

Nice video, I wonder if either perform better for casting / dropping light jigs down to the bottom with light tackle gear.

[@Saltstrong]

That's a great question. Depending on how light you're talking (1/8-ounce is pretty light for saltwater but you could be at 1/32-ounce for crappie), braid is still going to be the best bet to get the lowest diameter for the mainline. If you're fishing the same diameter line, I'm not sure you're see much difference in sink rate, though the fluoro would have a higher lb test rating.

[@dons1643]

I don't even fish but watched your video. Some day I'll fish... Great video and thanks for testing that stuff since the manufacturers won't...

[@10ring]

Definitely looking forward to the cheap vs expensive reel tests. With the huge influx of seemingly decent quality reels coming from Asia now, it would be incredible to figure out which are decent and which are trash, and which can be awesome with just a little cheap upgrade.

[@DarenHarmon]

I’ve followed the floro bandwagon for the last two years. I spontaneously bought some Trout Magnet line from Walmart a couple weeks ago and was suprised at how well it performed! I was surprised when I a floro leader back on and had issues with my lure coming off the line! It honestly seemed like it came untied. Probably why I got so fond of the palomar knot haha! I will definitely be giving mono a chance this summer!

[@brucerudd69]

Glad to see you ran the test with similar diameter lines this time. I have been wondering about that so it’s good that you tie that out. I do wonder if those claims came from a time when monofilament wasn’t what it is today. Maybe you should go to Walmart and get some of that old cheap blue Stren and try it. I’ll still use fluorocarbon for bass fishing for things like deep cranking because the thinner diameter does help me get the baits down deeper.

[@Saltstrong]

That's a great question. Mono certainly has come a long way in the past couple of decades.

[@dangdang8106]

I used to use fluro leader line but I go sick of buying so many lines I just buy bulk 24,20,15,10kg black magic mono line. 24kg main and ill use 20kg or 15kg for leader or hooks

[@Saltstrong]

Another vote for mono!

[@robertchadwick1552]

Thanks for doing your independent testing and sharing it with everyone. I've overspent based on what I've heard over the years also.

[@FishTramp]

Do a test on the Orange label seagaur plz! The salmon trout and steelhead kind for us west coast salmon guys!!It seems a lot better than the blue label, but would like to see how it performs. Love this channel!!

[@Saltstrong]

Thanks for the idea. I'll pass it on to the team!

[@PyrosPelagics]

unregulated market much like supplements and vitamins had been for decades... you can tell by going to a tackle shop, bass pro, sportsmans and walk down the endless aisles of lures and line that seem to be infinite. Products with just a small slight change between each one... should let you know theres companies out there trying to get your money.. and it seems pretty easy to get into lure/tackle design and jump in that fray to hype and sell..

[@Saltstrong]

There's definitely a ton of choices out there today. That's why we're committed to objectively testing what and discovering what's actually the best.

[@mirmushtaqali9388]

what's the Brand name you guys recommend for Monofilament . Thanks

[@jamesbarron1202]

You can also factor in that in equal diameter between the 2, the mono will handle much better on the reel. Less wiry. I ask you to do the stress test many years ago. I think you tested that from my comment. I knew Flouro didn’t have the elasticity of mono and didn’t return to its original length as much as mono.

[@Saltstrong]

Good point!

[@mattwright2964]

I know for fly fishing in freshwater for trout that flouro is not very abrasion resistant and prone to breakage. Yes its thinner for the same breaking strain but less reliable and much more expensive. It isn't invisible. I've gone back to mono but make sure my line is really well degreased to ensure it can sink.

[@smetljesm2276]

Just in time for me. I am just getting in to some inshore fishing and I was jacked up for buying latest and greatest fluorocarbon. Just souned so cool 😎 Love the tests. Thanks formall the great content

[@markgrotto7852]

Maybe it’s just me fishing the more murky waters of the Texas gulf coast but I stopped using a liter line and haven’t seen a difference. Braid all the way. People say the liter helps with shock but that’s what the rod is for.

[@Saltstrong]

Interesting. Are you seeing any increase in breakoffs around structure?

[@markgrotto7852]

@@Saltstrong No. thinking braid would have better resistance anyway…it’s harder to cut with scissors.

[@markgrotto7852]

Also I do remove some line every 3-5 trips as the braid does fray. Hate losing fish. To be fair if I’m bouncing a voodoo in the oyster reef and I get caught really bad a few times I can lose them. Thinking mono wouldn’t be any better. It breaks at the lure metal loop interfaces with the line knot. Lately I’ve gone to 2 loops through the lure.

[@MichaelSwirzewski]

Wow, ive been using both floro& mono in my fishing - did a club tourney saturday on a river- buddy got bit off by pike three times: i had my line shredded twice but got the lure back: he was using straight floro- i was actually using floro coated mono- the floro coat was shredded, but the mono core held. crazy. I'll be using my hybrid line&ande mono alot more& them floros' alot less for sure.

[@Saltstrong]

Interesting-thanks for sharing!

[@taylorhickman84]

I wonder if the results would be different if this testing rig was submerged in water? I'm guessing it would extend the test equally for both lines.

[@Saltstrong]

Luke actually did a wet test in another video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/h4WYi2SKoruSmM0

[@phillipchristensen3202]

Every line has its advantages. Fluoro shines with slow-moving presentations, especially when they require good feel for bite detection. I agree with your assessment on the physical properties, but fluoro simply gets more bites because it's less visible. Now, for moving baits mono is fine and sometimes even excels with treble hook baits because of its increased stretch.

[@steveforsman]

Hi guys another great video - how about sink rate? - I did similar sense check tests after your original video but did find that a piece of flouro sank faster than a similar piece of mono so maybe better for fresh water nymph fishing where better sink rate is an advantage??

[@Saltstrong]

Great question! The answer is 2-fold. First, both lines sink, but fluoro sinks faster. Luke tested it here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/mmqqfmpup9CkpLc The other thing that Coach Tony showed in a topwater test is that the line needs to break the surface water tension to start sinking. With a nymph, that shouldn't be too big of a deal since the lure is going break it. Either way, fluoro is a better option to get a faster sink rate.

[@robbiejohnson3698]

I fished 30 years here in Florida bass tournaments I went through all fluorocarbon my best line is Sunline Shooter freshwater and Ohero for saltwater

[@TalkFishTVHawaiianDan]

Frigging luv you bros! Great incredibly valuable content! Knowledge is key! Been telling everyone about the same experience for years! The funny thing is, many just want to believe what they're fed.

[@theunaballer6424]

I use 12, 15, or 20lb mono for main/leader. I don’t believe it has any impact on my catch rate.

[@Saltstrong]

And it's a lot cheaper!

[@maxcole3930]

Definitely interesting testing. I use mono & floro pretty evenly I have casting & spinning rods spooled with both. I definitely look at line diameters & have tried so many different lines too. Idk if I can really say I've found my favorite or best. What's the best monos & floors you have found for abortion & knot strengths??

[@Saltstrong]

There are probably some small gains to be made if you get down to the nitty gritty, but we use Ande mono and don't have any complaints.

[@Tightlines06]

I usually use mono but when I deep drop where the current is strong and I need to be vertical for slow pitch jigging flouro has less resistance because mono floats

[@tima.9125]

I work in sales ( not the fishing industry) the way I see it is not all those lures on Bass pro's shelf are made to catch Fish, but they are made to catch the Fisherman.

[@didasko7]

Really interesting tests. I have been alternating between mono and fluoro, using mono for topwater and fluoro for everything else. You are making me reconsider. I find that in ultraclear water that the fluoro outfishes mono at the same stated line strength. Also, when I catch a good sized fish on light mono, it stretches out the line, and I have to cut off a length and retie. Have you experienced that?

[@dd88864]

I really like the line and knot tests. Have you ever tested a hybrid line like Yozuri? Curious if there is any benefit. Have you tested the lines for the amount of stretch? Doesn’t matter to much as a leader but it matters a lot as a main line.

[@Tom-gm3wq]

If you buy the big spool of mono do you worry that over time the line will degrade on the spool waiting to use it all up?

[@Saltstrong]

Great question! We don't worry about it too much. I have line that's a couple of years old that shows no signs of issue. When it starts to degrade, it will begin to feel dry and won't stretch. You can usually tell just by giving it a pull with your hands. As long as you don't leave your mono in the sun, it has a nice long life.

[@igord.2163]

Hey, thanks for the video !!! THe only think I'm a little disagree , or better say , would you try ( if you didn't already ) is to put camera in the water with the lines , because it is obviously that ... don't know how to say in english , but it is 2 Absolut different view from water and from the land ... Oh and the reason I use flure is because the same diameter ( 0.18) I have no problem to cut with my tooth ( did it whole my life ) but one I took the same 0.18 flurocarbon , I just can't cut it and have to use tools , so for me it is obvious that it flure is much more resistant to the tooth

[@jimmartin9137]

Thanks guys, enjoy your videos. It looks like you need to make a little more room, I take that box of reels off hands to help you out. Thanks again, Jim

[@Saltstrong]

Glad we could help! Not sure Luke's ready to give away his collection just yet. 😀

[@anotheryoutuber_]

mono backer, braid main, mono leader (if needed).

[@Saltstrong]

Bingo!

[@tobiasdonner6268]

I use Shimano Ocea FC, Yo Zuri FC leader and other 100% FC leader in the 60lb to 130lb range, I also use Mono leader in the 80lb to 200lb range. Mono is easier to knot better lure action and better stretch BUT this FC stuff is so hard and hard wearing that really makes a difference with Mackerel teeth and Tarpon abrasion. Fishing it side by side I can clearly see that the Mackerel teeth bite deeper into the mono leader and make much more shallow scratches on the hard FC leader. That's just my observation on wear while fishing.

[@bassandtreblefishing]

Great stuff as always fellas, can your please share your thoughts/ results on Yo-Zuri Hybrid?

[@JerseyMiller]

Dang that settles it. I'm switching back to using only mono leaders and drop shots.

[@Saltstrong]

Glad we could help!

[@stoyasmussen5831]

Luke convinced Me a long time ago as I am going to Mono and when my FC is gone I will not be buying more.

[@Saltstrong]

Glad to hear it!

[@kagekilla]

How do you test for sensitivity? As that to me is the biggest difference in mono VS Flouro

[@Saltstrong]

That's a great question. For inshore fishing, the leader is typically less than 3 feet long and the braid is so sensitive that we haven't noticed a difference between the two leader materials.

[@Kadjain3]

What about a stretch test? How much more does mono stretch than fluorocarbon. I never got on the fluoro wagon, but I’m just wondering if mono really stretches that much more

[@Saltstrong]

Mono does have more stretch than fluoro, but fluoro degrades after getting stretched while mono doesn't according to this test: www.saltstrong.com/articles/fluoro-vs-mono-line-stress-test-experiment/ Also, the stretch difference is not noticeable when only using the mono/fluoro as a leader line at the end of a braid mainline which is what we use it for.

[@TheTwitchybird]

It's really this simple: For jigging and jerkbait like styles of fishing Fluoro is superior, why? It doesn't really stretch, giving the bait better action and conveying more info to the angler. Mono is arguably better for crankbait styles of fishing for the same reason as to why it is worse for the former. It's stretchy.

[@diggerrob6356]

I did some tests while fishing for Bream where I’d sit off a jetty and cast into close proximity or even under the structure using a barely weighted prawn. I had one rod with 6lb nylon leader and another with 6lb fluoro. I was getting bites within seconds on the fluoro but the mono leader sometimes didn’t get a bite for 20 minutes, or not at all. I did additional tests using heavier fluoro leaders of 8lb and 12 lb but found I got less bites the heavier I fished. Fishing around barnacle encrusted piers meant some losses with the lighter leader however and I had to get them in the clear as fast as could.

[@Saltstrong]

Did you try testing a mono of the same diameter as the fluoro to keep it fair? If using a 6lb fluoro and a 6 lb mono, the mono is most often much thicker than the fluoro which will put it at an immediate disadvantage.

[@diggerrob6356]

@@Saltstrong No only breaking strain, it wasn’t meant to be a scientific test after all.

[@miamiwax5504]

Been saying this. Mono is stretchy flouro is stiff and more brittle. I don't know why anybody would think it's more abrasion resisitant.

[@Saltstrong]

Glad our results lined up with your experience!

[@paulrenaldo8423]

Some other line to test is White Peacock flurocarbon and Iguana (copolymer) manufactured by Balsax Premium Fishing Lines. I can send you some for testing

[@joeyd4899]

The knot strength might be a little better for florocarborn of similar diameters, but if you tie and FG knot they definately hold better on mono. I have never had an FG knot come loose on a mono leader but it has happened several times with floro. The braid bites better into the mono IMO.

[@Saltstrong]

Good point!

[@jodyschultz5870]

Good job guys. Thanks.

[@weswolf73]

I only use flouro when i want a faster sink. Is that still true?

[@Saltstrong]

Here's an experiment on sink rate of mono vs fluoro: www.saltstrong.com/articles/fluorocarbon-monofilament-sink-float-test/

[@jacobcarolan1172]

I have floro on my bass rod now. I don’t like it as much as high quality mono. Especially maxima ultragreen

[@Saltstrong]

👍

[@franksaunders6534]

I fish NSW Australian rocks for hard pulling Eastern rock blackfish aka 'black drummer' of 'pigs'. I run straight through mono to the hook with a tiny ball sinking sliding down to the hook (Maxima Ultra Green or Schneider Klear). Out fish guys who turn up with expensive braid and fluorocarbon leaders every time - my rod also is a 36 year old blank which has been redone a few times - beautiful rod with an action missing from today's rods!

[@Saltstrong]

There's nothing like outfishing the folks that show up with the latest and greatest super-expensive gear!

[@vansaukam799]

The other factor is running wet line tests... But yes overall, fluoro is not something I have found any true advantage with aside for a stiffer leader for braid+leader on topwaters.

[@Saltstrong]

Luke did a wet line test you see here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/h4WYi2SKoruSmM0

[@MrLagerblad]

Have you tried shock resistance? My experience is that flourcarbon is less good at shock load.

[@DavidWGould]

I left Fluoro a long time ago. I have told my friend and they still don’t understand or believe what I am saying. I tell them to watch Salt Strong test and they still do not understand.

[@Saltstrong]

It can be a tough sell, that's why we've done so much testing and committed to sharing the results. Tight lines!

[@AlexLeeNewYorkCity]

Thank you for these tests. Do you think wetting the knot matters if one is using very thin lines in small knots, i.e. 6 or 7x tippet for fly fishing? Thanks.

[@Saltstrong]

Great question! The mono we've tested actually does better if you don't wet it first. Luke did a test on using saliva to wet knots that you can see here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/qoSblmeYiZuWabM

[@Jerry-sy8rd]

Isn’t there a sometimes significant difference in breaking strength between different mono brands of the same rated test? I’m sure it’s related to some degree to the diameter of the mono but🤔… Comes into play when qualifying records I believe. Footnote, one of my favorite mono lines over the years is Andi Tournament. I liked it due to softness and SMALLER diameter that translated into better cast distance and fewer “wind knots”.

[@AlexLeeNewYorkCity]

@@Saltstrong Thank you for the answer. I saw you mentioned not needing to wet knots in this video also. The link you showed above was also using a relatively heavy line weight. My question is regarding really light tippets like 6x or 7x. Because I have noticed that with those really thin tippets if I don't wet the knot, the line tense to cure up where it is pulled through the tightening knot. Thanks.

[@mikekelly1771]

Studies were done on various species of coral reef fish and marlin in Australia where they analysed the rod and cone receptors and colour sensitivity of the eyes receptors. And the marlin has exceptional vision, for a fish. But, is still a lot worse than a human. For something that is 80 yards away for a human to see, it has to be 20 yards away for a marlin to see it. And they have the best sight of all fish tested. Where they did excel is detecting contrast. Far superior to humans. But, fish are virtually blind to anything that's more than a few metres away. So although I'll use fluoro, I'm sceptical as to the claims about whether it helps with bites.

[@Saltstrong]

Very interesting-thanks for sharing!

[@randyferreira5265]

I never used fluorocarbon mostly because I couldn't see spending that kind of money .Mono has always worked for me with either a mono leader or straight mono.I like trilene big game or trilene xt for my leaders.Great test and I am not really that surprised.

[@Saltstrong]

💪

[@regkane-Pluvis]

Really appreciate your work guys.

[@Saltstrong]

You're very welcome-glad we can help!

[@regkane-Pluvis]

Love the no BS.