It comes in all makes and models and can be confusing but the growth of it's popularity can't be understated! But do you really need it?

TO FLURO OR NOT TO FLURO!

Originally Published in Western Outdoor News the Week of May 12, 2010

              It used to be “back-in-the-day” when I was a kid that honestly, my day of fishing back in Hawaii involved a thin bamboo cane pole (no reel!); a rusty hook I sharpened on the driveway; a 10-cent bit of shrimp and a thin piece of string or even white thread if I could steal some from my grandma’s sewing box! (Oh the luxury!)

            And I would be happy as a dog in a forest of fire-hydrants all-day-long!  And I caught fish too. 

            All of us kids fished like that.  I’d climb out my window early in the morning so as not to wake the family and my buddy next door would climb out his window and actually shimmy down the drainpipe onto his garage roof.  With bait and cane pole over our shoulders, we’d trudge barefoot down the gravel road to the beach and fish all day long.

            The one defining difference in our fishing was the line!  If one of us happened to have squirreled-away or outright stole a bit of that white thread, it made all the difference in the world to what we would catch or, if we would catch much of anything at all.  (I don’t think I knew mono existed until I was about 10 years-old).

            Anyway, fast forward to the here-and-now. 

            It’s gotten a bit more complicated and sophisticated…not to mention alot more expensive than the days of my bamboo pole and rusty hooks. 

            And lines.  Where do we start?  Clear, blue, green, grey, pink, red, chartreuse (do real men use “chartreuse” fishing lines?) and on-and-on.  And that’s just the monofilament.

            Then, there’s braided lines and co-polymer lines.  But the one that seems funniest to me is flurocarbon.  It’s been around awhile, but it seems to have taken awhile to get a toe-hold here in Baja, especially among captains and crews.

            When many captains up and down the Baja coast fish like their papa’s did and his papa before him, there’s often resistance to new technology, e.g. circle hooks; spreader bars; teasers, etc.

            After all, if it aint’ broke don’t fix it and if their dad’s caught tuna a certain way, why mess up a good thing?

            Flurocarbon line looks like regular mono but it has the properties of being supposedly invisible underwater.  In a nutshell.  I don’t know.  Shrug.  I’m no scientist.    I can see it, but apparently fish can’t.  I’ve been a believer for years.

            Especially in outlying  Baja areas where technology comes slowly, it’s making believers out of many Baja captains and crews as well. 

            The thing is, it’s so darned expensive down here and often hard to get, even for tackle stores that it’s almost like a drug transaction sometimes.  As I’ve walked along some docks and beaches, I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been asked, “Pssst, amigo, do you have any fluro? Falta poquito favor.” (I just need a little please!)

            To many captains, a bit of fluro leader is sometimes the difference between catching fish and catching ALOT of fish!

            So, should you bring some down on your next trip?  Yes and no.

            As I said, even back in the states, it’s not cheap.  You definitely don’t want to fill a whole reel with the stuff.  Not only will it cost alot, but first, you don’t really need that much. 

            Second, although it’s supposedly invisible under the water, it tends to be stiffer and much more brittle than regular mono.  That means it breaks easier.  To me, it means that my baits might not swim as naturally, if it has to drag a 100 yards of stiff line behind it. 

            You also have to be careful.  Knot-tying can sometimes be a bit more difficult, especially on the heavier fluro.  Because it can be stiffer, make sure the knot is properly cinched. 

            Personally, I prefer it just as leader material.  A few yards will do ya.  After all, if it’s supposedly invisible underwater, then I really only need to cover the part that’s actually UNDER the water near the fish, right?  I don’t need a zillion yards of fluro on my reel.  A few yards as leader does me fine.

            Secondly, since the lack of visibility is utmost, I don’t much have need for it on my trolling lines or when using jigs or iron.  In my head, when a fish strikes a moving lure, it’s a reaction strike.  It’s actually moving in to whack the offering.  That thing is MOVING! 

             Unlike fishing a drifted bait, where a fish might check it out for a bit and line visibility might make a huge difference, I don’t think it makes much difference with a trolled jig  or lure that’s cast and retrieved.  The beauty of fluro is that it’s invisible ergo use it when visibility is actually a factor. 

            Lastly, it makes a great parting gift to your skipper or deckhand.  Watch him light up when you hand him your leftover spool. Por favor!          

 That’s my story

Jonathan

*Jonathan Roldan is the Baja Editor and Columnist with Western Outdoor News since 2004.  He lives in La Paz, Baja Sur, Mexico with his wife, Jilly, where they run their fishing fleet www.tailhunter-international.com and the Tailhunter Bar Restaurant http://www.tailhunter-international.com/tailhunter-bar-and-fubar-cantina.htm.  You can reach him directly at riplipboy@tailhunter-international.com

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