Can Bass See Braided Line?

Bass is one of the most popular fish species all over the world and over the years bass fishing has become every angler’s favorite. With any angling experience, selecting the right equipment is crucial in making big catches. One important factor is choosing the right fishing line. Braided lines are a popular choice for anglers due to their multiple advantages and very few cons. But the prevalent question arises, can bass see the braided line?

Bass Fishing with Braided Line

To understand if the bass can see your braided line, it’s essential to understand the bass itself. The structure of the bass’ eyes alongside your choice of braided line and its colors is what affects the visibility of the braided line.

Here we explain all these factors in detail.

Eyes of the Bass

To understand the art of bass fishing with braided lines, it’s vital to get a good understanding of the eyes of the bass and how they work. 

The eyes of the bass are monocular, not binocular which means that unless the bass is focusing on the line and bait with both its eyes, it can’t see the braided line visibly. 

However, if both its eyes are focused in the same direction and the water is clear, detection of the braided line is made easier for the bass. 

Do Bass See Color?

Another common question is do bass see color? 

Through recent studies, marine biologists have declared that bass can see colors as well as the shades within the grey, black and white spectrums. However, their detection of colored objects might be compromised in conditions with low light.

While bass can detect color, the number of colors they can accurately pick up is still not certain. Therefore, choosing your braided line’s color is an important task.

Condition of the Water

The clarity of the water body itself impacts the visibility of the braided line to the bass. Thus, it’s imperative that you observe the water conditions and choose the color accordingly. 

For example, if you use a clear line in absolutely clean waters then the chances of the braided line being detected are slim.

However, if you use a bright-colored line in the same conditions, the bass will automatically detect the line and try to stay away from it. 

What Color Braided Line to Use?

An advantage to braided lines is that they provide flat colors, so unlike fluorocarbon lines, they don’t reflect off light. This makes color selection easier for any angler. 

The choice of the right color is significantly dependent on the water you’re angling in. If you happen to be fishing in clear blue water then white braided lines or blue ones are your best bets. 

Similarly in murky and muddy braided lines, you can either choose clear lines or go for green braided lines which become invisible in that condition of the water.

What Color Braided Line to Avoid?

If you’re using a long leader with your braided line then the color of the braided line won’t matter and you can opt for any fluorescent color even. 

However, if you plan to use the braided line alone, there are some colors you can’t use. Primarily, red and yellow braided lines are to be avoided. These lines are clearly visible whether you’re angling in clear water or the murkiest water. 

Choosing the right color is proportional to the condition of the water you’re fishing in, so any one color isn’t the perfect fit for all bass fishing expeditions.

Advantages of Braided Lines

Braided lines have become popular due to their massive advantages over monofilaments and fluorocarbons. 

While you can still use two fishing lines in combination with a leader, there are certain pros when it comes to using braided lines specifically.

Smaller Dimensions and Great Strength 

Braided lines are far more intricate in their dimensions than monofilament lines. However, their intricacy is met with absolute durability and strength due to their fibers being braided into a tough line.

Low Buoyancy 

Braided lines are relatively less buoyant making them great for angling that requires the line to sink deep and to be cast farther.

No UV Damage 

These lines aren’t susceptible to UV damage making them great for long-term use. UV rays generally break down fishing lines which adversely affects the durability of the line. Fortunately, that’s not the case for braided lines.

Relatively Less Visibility 

Braided lines are less visible to fish than monofilaments and due to their flat-colored nature, they are less visible than fluorocarbons in situations where the light bounces off the line.

Less Stretch and Flexibility 

Compared to monofilaments, the braided lines offer less stretch and flexibility. This makes it easier for the angler to detect bites which ultimately leads to a better angling experience than that with monofilament lines.

No Line Memory 

Line memory is the ability of the line to retain its shape. With high line memory the line retains the shape of the position it was spooled in and that makes it difficult to cast out.

Fortunately, braided lines have no line memory which means that they do not retain shape. This factor makes them an excellent candidate for casting off to larger distances. 

Conclusion

Using a leader with your braided line is recommended by expert anglers. You get to attain the benefits of the braided line without worrying much about visibility.

The leader line is generally of fluorocarbon which camouflages itself nicely in majority situations. 

The best way to try out whether this works for your situation or not is by comparing the two side by side and seeing which one has the most potential. However, this technique won’t work every time.