Please Explain?

I have always thought the reason for a leader was to isolate the lure/bait from the line to make it appear alone(not hooked to anything). So, I always use clear fluorocarbon. Why do folks use colored leader, e.g., #40 Power Pro moss green with a #30-40 ultra green extender ?

Many feel that colored leader doesn't affect the effectiveness of the lure, which I think is the case in some/many applications. Using the mono bumper provides a little stretch and better abrasion resistance than braid.

I think people are very mistaken if they think that fish can't see your leader...and your weight, and your boat, and you, too.

Fishing for pressured troots with tiny flies...yeah, they are "educated" and have been caught before, most likely...and they have lots of actual naturals to compare your subpar imitation to, so flourocarbon leaders for chironomid fishing and whatnot is probably a good idea.

Salmon and steelhead? There isn't anything in the natural world that looks or behaves much like anything we throw at them, especially in rivers...why they bite is anyone's guess but I am 100% certain it's not because it looks and acts exactly like something they like to eat and they can't see the leader.

I prefer mono for almost every river application because I think the softness of it gives my lures a much better action, not because they can't see it as well as braid...plenty of fish ate plugs back in my plug fishing days with braid tied directly to the lure. If the anchor rope wouldn't mess up the action of a plug or spoon I suspect you could use it to catch steelhead, too.

Fish on...

Todd

I agree those fish can see it all.

What AP & Todd said. Species of fish, style of fishing and water clarity do play a factor. Tuna & Sailfish for example have huge eyes and crazy good eyesight as a result, so fluro is really needed for that type of fishery. Whereas Salmon and Steelhead are not generally line shy (or as much) and are often found in colored up water. We've run yellow braid straight to plugs and they just don't care. Really skinny, clear water may require Fluro or a thinner leader.

I like 40# braid for spinners and jigs just for the fun factor and the instant feel & contact with my offering. I can cast it a mile, hook sets are a blast and I can horse fish around. The 3 - 4' top shot is mostly for shock absorption and for a break off point when needed. If I didn't ever plan on snagging up and breaking off, then I'd just fish spinners with straight braid. Conversely, I'd only free drift with mono as I know I'm going to break off...a lot. Losing a spool's worth of braid is hard on other fisherman and the wallet.

I use 40# Maxima UG leader for virtually every boat-based fishing application.

I do it for one reason and one reason only.

I wanna be able to grab that leader and manhandle that fish for either the quickie-heave-ho-into-the-boat-you-go... OR... the ultimate quick release with a dehooker in my opposite hand.

Thanks you guys, but I do not know if Maxima UG is colored or not. but in general it seems most of you agree with my supposition.

I don't consider UltraGreen to be a colored line and it's as clear as line gets on my reels.
Never do fisheries where fluorocarbon is an advantage.

I was in Sportco many moons ago and picked up some Sufix Tritanium line in Hi-Vis Chartreuse.
As an experiment I spooled up a reel and mainlined it directly to one of my weighted spinners.
I had been using UG and during that summer campaign I caught my usual numbers of fish with this Hi-Vis line.

Swinging weighted spinners/spoons is a fast, radical presentation and Mr. Big simply does not have the time to closely examine my rigging.
I like to watch where my line is entering the water all of the time and the Hi-Vis makes easy work of that.

I think that loads of fluorocarbon line are sold to satisfy a feel-good for the fisherman.
Some FC apps are legit, of course.

I like High Vis Above the water and Fluorocarbon below it makes me feel good ;^)

Caught quite a few coho today with braid tied straight to a hootchie jig. Agree with the rest it's not going to spook them.

If by "agree" you mean we are saying FC is good so that salmon and steelhead can't see your leader then I think you are reading it wrong...I think we all completely disagree with that notion.

Fish on...

Todd