high visibility mono for perching...

I like high visibility mono for perching.

I have tried 8lb berkley XT ("tough" vs XL "limp") in solar, but it is discontinued.
supposedly it had memory problems, but it worked well for me last spring.
I did use an expensive reel (shimano spheros) which laid it on the spool real flat
and tight.

Now I have some 10lb berkley sensation photochromic, which is supposed to be visible
in the sun, and invisible in the water, but it's not that visible to me in the sun.
I just spooled it up, but haven't tried it in the water yet.

I should probably quit buying experiments in discontinued/overstock from
http://www.ffo-tackle.com but it's easier to experiment if you are getting a deal,
and so much fun to experiment with different kinds of line.

anyway, what do you all like for a high visibility mono that is good for surf perch casting?

If you use braid for perch, well, don't post here, go talk to arturo garcia!

J

looks like somebody likes sensation solar, I guess the photochromic is discontinued,
either because it's not so visible or for other reasons (found one post that indicated it
got weak while sitting on the shelf?).

these guys liked the solar color:
http://steelheaduniversity.com/izor_trilene_review.html

anyway, it seems like berkley sensation in solar is a good bet for perching.

My favorite 2 hi-vis lines are the solar sensation line you mentioned & maxima fibre glow. 

I didn't think the Photochromic was that great color-wise.  If you're going hi-vis, might as well go all the way!

I still have a reel spooled with original Stren hi-vis gold... but I think it's time has passed.  Great back in the day.

Always had good luck with the Berkley XT solar, but it's really bulky(diameter vs rated break test).

Gone through a few others, but nothing really notable.  For perching, I'm assuming you don't really need the best gear, but as a gear nut - it's kinda fun 

braid   

fuzz, i am continually amazed by your depth of knowledge in diving and fishing.
you should be less modest and post more often so we get some of the benefit
of your knowledge!

for perch it certainly doesn't have to be expensive. but gear still matters.

but things like seeing your line make a big difference to the fun.

so if being a gear nut means finding the best inexpensive gear, then count me in for that.

fuzz, I agree the photochromic is not visible enough. well, lesson learned for me there,
but it was only a $8 lesson.

I will get hold of some sensation solar color. maybe I will even pay full price.

Bill, for perch fishing, if you don't take the line off the reel and the spool is aluminum,
it will corrode.  secondly, you kind of have to respool or else splice new line on to keep
the spinning reel full.

So it seems like mono, respooled pretty regularly, is the right choice for perch fishing.

If you are going to respool regularly then braid would work as well. I just buy a nice SW spinning reel rinse it off when I am done. I am too much of a braid addict to compromise 

amen to braid...and when you respool- respool from inside out. I actually respool from one reel to another...all that braid that was housed against the spool will be brand new

I've had good success with Sufix "tangerine" line and also with Momoi's Chartruse colored line. Of the two, i think the Sufix would work best for perchin' because of its low memory.

I use braid, 60 lb, can't ever tell when you're gonna need the unbreakable power to put a stop on the charge of a bull shiner.   

if you don't take the line off the reel and the spool is aluminum,
it will corrode.

Hmmm ... I've never had that happen.

-Allen

fuzz, i am continually amazed by your depth of knowledge in diving and fishing.
you should be less modest and post more often so we get some of the benefit
of your knowledge!

for perch it certainly doesn't have to be expensive. but gear still matters.

but things like seeing your line make a big difference to the fun.

so if being a gear nut means finding the best inexpensive gear, then count me in for that.

fuzz, I agree the photochromic is not visible enough. well, lesson learned for me there,
but it was only a $8 lesson.

I will get hold of some sensation solar color. maybe I will even pay full price.

Bill, for perch fishing, if you don't take the line off the reel and the spool is aluminum,
it will corrode.  secondly, you kind of have to respool or else splice new line on to keep
the spinning reel full.

So it seems like mono, respooled pretty regularly, is the right choice for perch fishing.

You're too kind.  Don't know much, I've just been around the water my whole life with a weakness for fish/dive gear.

I haven't used braid very much for this kind of constant casting application.  Tried it for a while in Hawaii, but the tangles were nightmares and it just didn't feel right to me.  For bottom fishing, the braid's characteristics provide a tradeoff that's well worth it.  For fishing like perching, I think the simplicity and smoothness of mono outweighs the benefits of braid.

As everything, there are people that are successful with braid & there are definitely merits; however, I find the lack of stretch & increased sensitivity are negatives (for me).  With surgy zones, the stretch of mono helps my rookie mistakes & the increased sensitivity of braid just makes me twitchy as every little rock bump is telegraphed.  A noodle rod setup like Alex's would be a good pairing with the lack of stretch, but I'm pretty happy on how my gear is set up.   

OK....let's have a little derby between the "mono" boys and the "braided" guys - let's see who catches more 

Art...you in???? 

as long as the mono side gets alien and aaron, I am in,  .

polepole, I have a nice saltwater reel, a shimano spheros FA3000.  I do kind of
go swimming when I perch fish, but try to not let it actually get submerged.

and I do rinse it in freshwater.  I respooled after one season (which for me is
really not that many perching trips, like maybe a dozen max).

nonetheless, the spool had some minor corrosion.     
This must not be uncommon because otherwise alan tani would not have mentioned it
as a reason he re-spools so often.

If I put braid on there, I would never take it off. the braid would out last the reel,
I am pretty sure. and I think I would end up with a pretty corroded spool.

fuzz' explanation of mono and braid choices sums up my current feelings pretty well.

what I really need is a nice graphite spooled reel. I do have several AX-400s but they are big
enough that casting is not as fun as with the smaller spheros reel.

J

I'm a retro-grouch in a lot of ways, and made my way to braid about four years ago. I agree that you really have to get used to the sensitivity- both to structure, and to tangling. On a spinning reel (which i use for perchin') you have to make sure that you don't try to reel in completely slack line. Wetted line helps with this.  I am absolutely convinced that i can feel more bites, more often than with mono, and i get more hook-ups with it. This has changed my technique quite a lot- i don't strike as hard, but sweep more gently. I don't twitch at every little bump anymore either.
I fish perch probably a few dozen times a year- whenever I am sick of whatever else we're fishing for, so don't have a ton of time on the water with it. Last year ('05) i got out about 100 days for stripers on the bay- all with braid, so again not a ton compared to others (50 were in a row so that helped)
On corrosion- never had a problem, and I am TERRIBLE at washing off my gear.  What you might be experiencing is the braid does hold more water than mono- so if the reel is soaked you might be keeping moisture against the spool longer than with mono.
Lots of people worry about getting their fingers tangled in the stuff, and then have it come under load. Only happened once- last year- and i did manage to cut my finger pretty deep. On the good side of that- it healed fast- since it was such a surgical slice.

steves, it was your and chuckE's stinson post a couple years back that made me try perching. thanks!

I caught a BSP my very first cast ever after reading your post! I couldn't believe it! was so stoked!

some of the newer monos have a lot less stretch. thus they are more sensitive.

probably the introduction of braid has made mono better because it has had to compete.

the trilene sensation line supposedly has quite a bit less stretch than their other lines.

berkley big game for instance, is real stretchy as are any of those high impact lines and thus,
probably quite a bit less sensitive. big game is good for trolling not so good for applications
requiring some sensitivity.

I will put up with the expense, danger and hassle of
braid for salmon fishing or rockfish because I think it is better, but it is less fun and carefree.
for perch or freshwater trolling mono is less pressure and more fun and I can bring my sons and
let them fish without worry, so I am sticking with mono for freshwater and perching for now.

J