Does Line Color Matter??

[Soup du Jour]

Question for you all. Do you think that line color matters on tip ups or jig rods? The reason for my question is that I have been fishing for browns the last few weeks and doing ok. My buddy has been fishing circles around me. I have a camoflauge line on all my tip ups and I have yellow stren line on my jig rods. My buddy is using clear line on both his tip ups and jig rods and out fishing me each time out. We are using the same setup and fishing in the exact same area. All I can think of is line color. What are your thoughts?

Soup

[laker24]

it is a red line that i have only had a chance to use during the summer the only thing i dident like about it is that it streches and stays streched but i have never used it for ice fishing before i am going out tomarrow and i just put some on my abu garcia reel so i will let you know how it works

[doughman]

Everybody has their preferences, I have 3 different color lines on 3 different ice rods, I fish 5 days out of 7 so I have some data to back up my suggestions. Line color doesn't matter as much as Line strength. I use 1-2 lb test and find Green/blue/clear all work about the same. I find color of tear drop and bait matter most, Yesterday I couldn't get a taker on red spikes, but mousy adn white spikes were unstoppable. Size of tear drop matters as well. I think it comes down with your hook/bait matching what ever natural bait fish are going for.

My .02
Marv

[rbeer]

i've been fishing yellow stren side by side with the usual camo or clear blue for about 3 years now and i have yet to see that it matters to the fish. i do know that it (the yellow) is easier to fish and tie knots with. i can detect bite better also. i would look closer at your buddies jigging style.

[shawnfire]

i run a leader off my main line, sometimes i use different color and hvy line and run 1-2 lb leader about 2 ft . so 6 lb main line 2 lb leader on my poles

[dobes]

I use a 1/4lb test diameter braided line . It is real strong and almost invisible due to how thin it is . Its thinner than thread . I have caught more fish this year through the ice than ever before and I beleive its because I switched my line . I have outfished alot of people this season even when the bite is slow . It seems I am catching fish when others arent and it has to be because of the line.

[kcud rellik]

I agree with the watch his jigginf style comment. Are you both useing the same rods? He may be able to detect hits better/easier. I use Fireline Crystal on an ultralite and out fish my friends using clear line (FL Crystal is white). Just a thought.

[XXXdisel77]

IMO it's all about technique and electronics. Do you jig differently, or is he using electronics and you aren't? As far as the line goes, I don't think it really matters much on the color, but I would have to say the diameter / lb. test that could make a difference. I use 2 lb. yellow stren and outfish most people that I fish with. They all end up changing over to my line thinking that it must be the line. I try and teach them how to jig and another big ticket is what you are using for bait. I don't know how I could have missed that one. If you use the ice flies that I use, jig correctly, use electronics, and are mobile, I can guarantee you that you will catch way more fish. You know you have a good bait when you can consistently catch more crappies than the guys using minnows and I have done the same with perch as well. No bait on the hook and I outfish all of my family and friends! No one can believe this when I show them I don't use bait, but it works my friends. I know this is no secret to a lot of you avid ice fisherman though, but to some this is a huge surprise and sounds like a crock of s---. These flies work so well that when my uncle went on his last trip they were out fishing for gills in the summer and no one was catching anything. One of the little kids put on one of these ice flies with no bait and started catching them. They all changed and everyone began catching fish. I just want to thank the guy who made them as he knows who he is, because he found a secret to catching more gills and I have prove in true on many occasions. Good luck fishing to all.

[johnobub]

Anglers tend to favor green, clear, brown, or high-visibility lines for various fishing tasks. Still, we know of no valid scientific tests on the differences in catchability associated with the use of variously-colored lines.

Scientists* have shown that largemouth bass react differently to Berkley 8-pound-test monofilament line in white (unpigmented), fluorescent white, fluorescent yellow, optically brightened green, and blue-green. Juvenile (8- to 10-inch) bass saw and reacted differently to live worms attached to lines of each of these colors. Fluorescent yellow was the color most easily identified and learned. The slowest learning involved comparison of white and fluorescent-white lines. Still, all line colors were visible to bass in clear water.

Which line's least likely to trigger an avoidance response? Fish can learn to avoid or seek anything they see and associate either with danger or food. Nevertheless, we continue to catch fish, suggesting that the line-avoidance lesson isn't easily learned.

Clear lines appear to human eyes as white. Even fluorocarbon leaders are whitish and slightly visible in clear water. Non-fluorescent green lines tend to fade into greenish backgrounds underwater. Brown and black lines fade when backgrounds are brown and black. Still, dark green line is visible against light backgrounds, as is black line.

Background color, not just water clarity or hue, affects line visibility. These are human visual responses, however, and may not be what bass, walleyes, or other species see.
http://www.in-fisherman.com/magazine/articles/IFM0408_BitsLineA.jpg

Human color vision is based on three sets of color-sensitive cones, while walleyes apparently use only two types of cones, orange and green. Thus, green may appear brighter to walleyes than other line colors, even though we don't see it that way. Anglers gain confidence from any reduction in line visibility.

Ideally, an angler should have reels spooled with lines of different colors, making adapting to existing conditions easier. Gray-green line, though, fits many, if not most, fishing conditions, so many anglers compromise with this single line color. If visual detection of light strikes is critical, a high-visibility line may increase hookups even if fish see the fluorescent line more easily.

The test is whether we catch more fish using a variety of colors of the same diameter. Hundreds of fish catches under controlled conditions are needed to make scientifically valid comparisons. Most anglers have only casual opinions based on fishing experiences in random conditions. Valid tests can't be accomplished during normal fishing, when variables affecting fish catches are too diverse.

http://www.in-fisherman.com/magazine/articles/if0408_BitsLine/

[DaveW731]

Question for you all. Do you think that line color matters on tip ups or jig rods? The reason for my question is that I have been fishing for browns the last few weeks and doing ok. My buddy has been fishing circles around me. I have a camoflauge line on all my tip ups and I have yellow stren line on my jig rods. My buddy is using clear line on both his tip ups and jig rods and out fishing me each time out. We are using the same setup and fishing in the exact same area. All I can think of is line color. What are your thoughts?

Soup

All the factors mentioned MAY make a difference: line color, line diameter, jigging/rigging style, electronics, etc, etc, etc,. I have never ice fished for brown trout, so have no idea how they react to these variables. One interesting experiment may be to rig two poles and two tipups with identical bait and lure setups, with one pole/tipup using your lines, the other using his. Then alternate, so you each fish with both pole/tipup arrangements. If electronics are involved, you would also need to have equal time using the electronics with each combination. If one pole/tipup catches fish regardless of who uses it, then it MAY be the line. If one fisherman catches more, regardless of the pole/tipup, then it MAY be technique. In that case, we can hope your buddy is kind-hearted, otherwise he may become a bit hard to live with.:lol:

[grouly925]

See if he'll switch poles with ya for a day or two to see if its you or the equipment.:lol:

[GoneFishin]

:lol: :lol: :lol:

With over 50 yrs of fishin' under my belt (and a Bud tumor over it). I have come to the conclusion that most times it is not the equipment but the fisherman that usually makes the difference. Line diameter is more of a determining factor than color IMO, fish with the lightest # test ya can for the fish you are seeking, use a rod that is rated for the test line you are using, and balancing it with a reel is way more important than line color. As it gives ya proper tools for catchin' fish.

Some guys will detect more bites than others simply because they are familiar with their equipment and pay attention to minute details, whereas others fail with even the flimsiest of spring bobbers. They just aren't focused.

If ya have trouble seein' then a colored line such as the gold Stren will help ya detect slight line movement. Other than that I have seen various colors work side by side with even the toughest of bites. A better question may be the difference between the new no stretch super lines and mono, better feel but less forgiveness, personally I'm used to feel of mono and prefer that bit of line stretch especially with thin light lines but that's just me.