Fluorocarbon leader

[bajakian]

Has anyone noticed if Fluorocarbon leader is any better than regular Mono leader in getting Swordfish bites? I was just in Cabo and it seemed that we got more striped marlin live baiting tinkers with Fluorocarbon leader compared to regular Ande leader. It made me wonder about the swordies -Even though we are fishing at night we are illuminating the water with all kinds of lights-Has anyone looked at this in a scientific fashion or atleast compared number of bites on the different leader materials? Sportfishing just had an article about how the different leaders/lines look under water, but it was done during the day with natural light and different types of backgrounds and bottoms. It would be interesting to do the same study at night with different mono and fluorocarbon leaders with various cylume sticks and LP lights on them.

[Brand H]

Since it has been shown that color doesnt really matter, I doubt that flouro would either but it couldnt hurt. Well...It could hurt your wallet.

[quack quack]

I know some guy's that only fish flouro for swords.Some people fish the pink,red and black leaders because they feel the clear mono picks up the light from the lp.This causes the whole leader to light up.

[The BEAST]

To combat the fiber optic effect of clear leader I scuff mine with a scotch brite.

[RiskTaker]

Bajakian:

As mentioned above, we are certainly shining artificial lights (electrolumes, cyalumes and flashers) on the monofilament leaders while swordfishing at night or even very deep swordfishing by day, so I would think that if you wanted to experiment with any line: that would be Black monofilament. I think that 200-300# flourocarbon is a waste of expensive line for this application. Sometimes I even tape a cyalume stick right in-line with the leader, or even within the wind-on length. So without seeing it in total darkness, I definitely believe that it has the Lite-Brite effect on the line. Capt. Jim, I have never tried scuffing the leader line the way you say you do, but if that could turn glossy black into flat black, I would say even better. So I would guess that you are using the the Blue scratch sponges and not the green? 3M also makes scuff pads that we use in the body shop business, as an FYI.

Personally, I have not tried this black line yet but it has been bouncing around in my thoughts too, to vary the technique. So we should give it a go. As soon at my work load lightens up a bit, I will make up a batch of black wind-on leaders, to do some Field, I mean stream trials.

Even with regular nylon monofilament, plenty of swordfish still seem to go for those baits dangling at the ends. But what I really wonder is whether some added stealth to the line and bait presentation is whether or not an occasional Tuna passer-byer may be more inclined to snap at a bait well concealed in a normally dark sea?

[snooknreds2]

as stated the color has been proven to not matter. Personally I have caught equal numbers of fish on black VS clear leader. Fluorocarbons are a waste of money for swordfhing