Fluorocarbon vs sensitivity

[Freddie]

When does running straight Flourocarbon have an advantage over braid+Fluoro leader? For bottom contact and other techniques that require sensitivity is straight Fluoro more sensitive than braid + leader?

[Hogsticker2]

When does running straight Flourocarbon have an advantage over braid+Fluoro leader? For bottom contact and other techniques that require sensitivity is straight Fluoro more sensitive than braid + leader?

Some of this is circumstantial. If you can't keep your braid tight, you're already at a disadvantage imo. From my experience, fluoro generates the best slack line sensitivity. The only time fluoro isn't a good option, is when fishing top water. As with anything, all fluorocarbons are not created equally. Some are soft, some are hard. The harder it is, the more difficult it can be to manage. I prefer one that is medium hard, or somewhere in between. I prefer to run straight fluoro - no leader connection knot, plus I fish a lot of light weight and weightless plastics.

[slipperybob]

Can't always fish in fair weather conditions. Sometimes it's windy choppy water. Sometime you may need to cast into a headwind. Your line might be knocked and carried by choppy water.

[Polkfish1]

Fluro remains stiff under slack like nothing else. Consequently, it transmits every tick and bump better than any other line irrespective of stretch. But, it’s the least manageable of all. Like the person above states, it’s a trade off with manageability. After I started using straight fluro for bottom contact baits, I found that I could not go back to anything else even though I hated the manageability and cost of fluro. It just became impossible for me to fish on the bottom any other way. The stiffness makes the difference and you feel everything. Even with the most sensitive rod, if you don’t have straight fluro, a big girl can slurp up a worm undetected and I hate gut hooking fish. So my compromise has been braid to fluro for salt moving baits; P-line CXX (hardbaits) or braid for fresh moving baits; and only straight fluro for anything bottom contact. I can’t even fish a worm or jig with anything else. My fluro of choice sunline assassin and I’ll get sniper during sales. Seagaur alternatives at the same price points are essentially the same to me. I find when I go cheaper than that, the manageability gets to the point where it can piss me off. This system of integrating fluro for bottom contact only has been my trade-off. I’ll still use big game for cat fishing and I find suffix siege has been a decent mono choice for chatterbaits that gives some stretch and has eliminated missed hookups for me with that bait.

[Hogsticker2]

I also primarily use Assassin. Cost to performance wise, I believe it's a homerun. As for manageability, fluoro has gotten much better, and Assassin handles and performs very well on a casting reel. It's not the stiffest, yet not the most stretchy. The trick is to find one that works for you..

[Cal]

The trick is to find one that works for you..

Bingo

And as others have said, fluoro gives you slack line sensitivity.

[njbasscat]

Flouro varies greatly between brands. Also, companies like Sunline that offer many different lines, there is quite a difference between them. I fished fluoro for years and really just buy Sniper anymore because it's a good all around line and not crazy expensive like Tatsu. Fluoro has better sensitivity for slack line. It has stretch which I want when using fast or xfast 4 and 5 power rods for bottom contact and it holds up better around rock. I like braid on my spinning set-ups and when fishing heavy grass and pads.