Line color...

[WolfeMan]

This comes up because a couple days ago I showed my friend the cheap red mono I bought as a backer to my braid & he said "Red line...ain't no red line going on my rod..." as if to say it was more visible...I told him about the science of colored light penetration of water and he pondered the thought...

So what's your take? My whole life it's been clear or green mono...

Now there's smokey gray, green, yellow, and even red braid.

The science says that red is the color that vanishes first as UV light penetrates the water...does that mean that at my next re-spooling I should run out and get some Red braid?

What's your take?

For now I have green braid on both (yes, I only have 2) inshore rods. I'm in no hurry to replace it, but thought I'd ask anyway! I'm bored on a Friday...

[Jumptrout51]

Doesn't make much difference when you are fishing 3 feet or less like I usually do.
You gotta' get deep to make a difference.

[LJR]

HE'S BLIND SO HE DONT KNOW WHAT COLOR HE HAS ANYWAY!!!!

[fishinfool]

My thought process is a lot like your friend. Aint no red line goin on my reels. That being said, I understand the science of light and colors. I do not argue with science. I just have a hard time convincing my brain that red is not more visible than green or smoke. I hold to the idea that all water, fresh and salt, regardless of clarity has some amount of algae which is green. The green or smoke lines have a tendency to blend in and become less visible. That is why I use green lines exclusively.
Then again it is like a lot of other things in fishing. If you have confidence in it you will be more successful.
FF

[FHC]

USE A FLUORCARBON LEADER AND WHO CARES WHAT COLOR THE MAIN LINE IS I USE RED AND YELLOW MAINE LINE SO I CAN SEE IT

[Harmsway]

I used to like the lo-vis lines, but I found out that any advantage of being invisible to fish was outweight by the disadvantage of being invisible to me, too. I've switched to hi-vis line and fluorocarbon leader. I think I'm catching more fish, but I'm sure I'm catching some fish.

[FUTCHCAIRO]

I HAVE BEEN USING ANDE BLUE MONO EVERSINCE THEY STARTED MAKING IT, I HAVE NEVER HAD A FISH BREAK THIS LINE AND I HAVE CAUGHT FISH IN THE MID SIXTY POUND RANGE ON 10 POUND TEST LINE, I CAN NOT SEE THIS LINE IN THE WATER AND I ASSUME THE FISH CAN NOT EITHER. I BELIEVE THE LINE COLOR DOES NOT MAKE ANY DIFFERENCE, IT IS HOW YOU WORK THE PLUG, SPOON ETC.
PA THE OLD MAN OF THE SEA SEMPER FI

[big bend gyrene]

Bagataway, what JT said. Offshore I use red, and with rods with red sitting side by side with green braid (and leaders on both) red gets just as many hits if not more.

[Tom Keels]

Red line turns black at depth. Ask me how I know. Red snapper are almost invisible at depth. Red snapper are not red, they are pink. So...

I use green braid because the fish do not care anyway. As long as you are using a fluorocarbon leader you can use whatever floats your boat.

[big bend gyrene]

Red line turns black at depth. Ask me how I know. Red snapper are almost invisible at depth. Red snapper are not red, they are pink. So... As long as you are using a fluorocarbon leader you can use whatever floats your boat.

No wonder I've been getting so many cobes the past couple of years... red line faded to pink long ago AND I'm using flourocarbon!

[Good Times]

Red line turns black at depth. Ask me how I know. Red snapper are almost invisible at depth. Red snapper are not red, they are pink. So...

I use green braid because the fish do not care anyway. As long as you are using a fluorocarbon leader you can use whatever floats your boat.

My thought exactly TK. I know that when I dive things that are red don't disappear, they just look darker. I'm sure the line does the same.

[Flint River Pirate]

I like green Power Pro. Enen spookie shoal bass don't seem to mind. My buddy Kevin (Spot On) claims that he catches less fish with braid of any color. Who knows?

[leonreno]

Yeah, red light is the first filtered out but the line does not magically disappear it just turns gray, and gray is visible, maybe not as much as fluorescent yellow or neon green or any other color but its more visible than clear lines. I usually use fluoro leader in clear water and mono leader in dirtier water.

[bman]

Just to throw in another thought...

My dad uses the Cajun Red almost exclusively... And he catches fish!

He catches loads of bass in clear water streams and ponds.
Lots of bass in muddy water rivers.
Lots of redfish and trout on the flats.

I always use floro but I rarely out fish him

Maybe line color does not matter.