Very Light Line Needed

Made the trip up to fish Elk this past Fri/Sat with a friend hoping we could catch a couple fish in the super low/clear conditions.  Fri morning my buddy had landed a couple and had several other hookups, before I was able to get a single hookup halfway through the morning.  He was using a 3lb Maxima mono leader, and I was using a 6lb Seaguar fluro leader which I use to swear by in low clear water.  However, this time I noticed fish going at my minnow and then at the very last second veering off to the side and not biting.  After getting schooled for a couple hours; I changed my leader to 6x (3.7lb) Seaguar fluro tippet and in no time at all I had a few hookups and landed a couple. 

There was no doubt, 6lb fluro was just to heavy for the conditions, as we were both using the same bait with the same presentation.  We ended up Friday fishing till we couldn't see and having a banner day, with both of us landing many steelhead on less than 4lb leader and seeing only a few other anglers the entire day.  If i would have kept my 6lb leader on, I probably would have maybe caught one or two all day.  So stay away from the crowds, don't be afraid to go really light on your leader, and just keep your drag turned way down to prevent break-offs. 

Hope dis helpa somebody!

Told him I'd never heard of 12x....He said it came from Japan....I have a hard enough time with 8x, don't need to increase the misery.

Yeah but he most likely wasn't catching steelhead with 12x though.  I just googled "12x tippet" and found that it's mainly just used with light 1 - 3wt rods.

Leader that doesn't even exist!? That's exactly what I need! That would keep me from putting a fly into the back of my head every time I try to get the flea pole back out and give it another shot! Seriously though, there have been plenty of days where suspended fish will dodge shot free 4lb flouro when the bait is bouncing bottom.

Just my opinion, but for the most part. If they ar5e moving out of the way of your line, you were about to line them anyway.

I've caught plenty of fish in the lowest, and clearest of conditions. Never using less than 6LB line, leader, or tippet.

ORIGINAL: chartist1

I was fishing 10 lb tippet a couple weeks ago in the gin clear water of 20 mile creek and got plenty of bites.

Or was it 20 lb. tippet in 10 mile creek?

I used 6lb mono yesterday and caught plenty of fish.

Yeah I've never had any issues with 6lb in the past either.  Maybe they were just being territorial and chasing my minnow out of their area with no intention of taking it, kind of like they were doing to the other fish around them.  I've never seen them chase down my minnow and then just swoop off to either side at the last second like they were doing all morning Friday though.  I still think it was odd that my buddy was hooking up all morning, and then minutes after changing my leader seeing them start taking my minnow after chasing it down instead of swooping off to the side.  I really can't figure it out, other than that they were seeing my line at the very last second. 

Anyone have any other opinions other than that you caught plenty of fish on 6lb+ line this last weekend? 

ORIGINAL: SteelSlayer77

Yeah I've never had any issues with 6lb in the past either.  Maybe they were just being territorial and chasing my minnow out of their area with no intention of taking it, kind of like they were doing to the other fish around them.

Duud. It's really not rocket science.  The fish were looking at your offering and just not taking it.  Once they decided they wanted to take it or after seeing it enough times that they got sick of it, that is when you started catching fish.  Usually when you are fishing a minnow or jig the fish are taking it out of reaction, you have to get them interested in hitting by showing it to them in a consistent manner until they simply cant resist.

thatshouldhelpa

Once they decided they wanted to take it or after seeing it enough times that they got sick of it, that is when you started catching fish.

I guess so.  That's a heck of a coincidence, but apparently no one thinks that the line made any difference at all so I'll take it for what it's worth.  Just can't figure why my buddy was hooking up right next to me the entire time with the exact same set up (other than a lighter leader) and exact same presentation casting to the same pod of fish.   My presentation is consistent, I make at least a dozen trips up for steelhead a year and have been fishing minnows for trout on a regular basis for over 25 years.  

"I've caught plenty of fish on low clear days that I've seen them dodging my line(vertical line from float down to shot that is bouncing bottom)."

Of course it couldn't be that "bouncing" shot that turned them away. Or the un-natural drift of you bait as a result of that "bouncing" shot. Had to be the line.

That is not to say line size ( dia. ) has NO effect. But that effect, is more about how it affects the action of say a jig, or the drift ( drag ) on a fly or bait. Not so much the "visibility" of the line. At least not when the rest of the rig is set up for proper presentation. The difference between 10-12lb & 6lb can be significant in regards to presentation. Between 6 & 4Lb, I don't think very much on most steelhead baits. Now if you're using size 22 midges, then maybe.

In most cases though, with most anglers, and baits. Going from 6lb to 4lb, or lower, only results in more overplayed fish, "decorated fish", and pizzed off neighbors. Not more fish.

I never use less than 6 lb fluro or mono and catch plenty of fish. Obviously there are times I will get outfished, but I generally think it is another problem, not the line. Just a quick side note, I live in SW-SC PA, and one local fishery that I fish on a several day a week basis has some mammoth wild browns. Now these are not pounded all that hard, because there are not alot of them and most wont go through the effort to fish for them, but they are as wild and ornery as any fish I have ever seen. I use 8 lb consistently in this area due to conditions, and each year usually get a few in the 27"-29" range. I have tried lighter here, and never seem to get anymore strikes. Just my .02.

ORIGINAL: spoonchucker

"I've caught plenty of fish on low clear days that I've seen them dodging my line(vertical line from float down to shot that is bouncing bottom)."

Of course it couldn't be that "bouncing" shot that turned them away. Or the un-natural drift of you bait as a result of that "bouncing" shot. Had to be the line.

That is not to say line size ( dia. ) has NO effect. But that effect, is more about how it affects the action of say a jig, or the drift ( drag ) on a fly or bait. Not so much the "visibility" of the line. At least not when the rest of the rig is set up for proper presentation. The difference between 10-12lb & 6lb can be significant in regards to presentation. Between 6 & 4Lb, I don't think very much on most steelhead baits. Now if you're using size 22 midges, then maybe.

In most cases though, with most anglers, and baits. Going from 6lb to 4lb, or lower, only results in more overplayed fish, "decorated fish", and pizzed off neighbors. Not more fish.

I have to disagree a little here....If I chum singles in gin clear water, all eggs are eaten up immediately. When I cast with an egg on a sz 16 hook with 4 pd flouro, 3/4 of the fish that approach veer off or bump the egg with their snout but dont inhale......theres always a dumb one or two around that takes, and I have to say, I rarely break a fish off using 4 pd.....landed a 12 pound hen on Elk this year on 4.....in clear conditions, I easily outfish guys with 6 pd flouro or higher! Just saying.........

I always use 6 pound fluro in all conditions no problem

Hey man, if it's working for you keep doing it.  Nobody is telling you what is right and wrong.  Those dark fish can be smart as the season wears on, any advantage helps.

You're right those dark fish can be smart, there not all that dumb after they have been caught before and have people over them all day long every day.

Not all the fish are dark up that far though, caught this nice chrome and a couple smaller ones way up high on Elk last weekend.  These two are going into the smoker tomorrow for Thanksgiving.