Floating Down the River…
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Blood Run Tackle’s floating monofilament was designed with centerpin fishing in mind. The Floating Mono steelhead and salmon mainline does what it says: floats. However, the additives to the monofilament mix do other things as well—they provide a measure of abrasion resistance and keep the line from icing up.
The benefits of a truly floating monofilament are obvious for anyone who fishes for salmon, steelhead or trout with a float—the line stays on the surface where it is easy to pick up and mend the line. That gives the float and bait/lure a more natural drift, and most of the time, that is the difference between catching fish and not.
Floating Mono comes in 8-, 10- and 15-pound tests in high-visibility colors. Most steelheaders who use floats choose a high-visibility line for a main line because it makes following a float a whole lot easier, especially when you’re trotting the float down the river.
However, guides who fish some of the smaller Great Lakes’ tribs find that a line that is highly visible will spook fish on occasion.
But as in most things fishing, there is a way to get around that.
Kyle McClelland, pro staffer for Blood Run Tackle has one solution. “I definitely believe hi-vis line can spook fish, especially on smaller, clear rivers,” McClelland says.
“The setup I use while fishing small tributaries is very basic. Let’s say that I’m fishing holes that are about four to seven feet deep.
“First, I’m going to connect a four-foot piece of 10-pound mono to my hi-vis float-fishing mainline…then I’ll tie on a small, black swivel and a leader of three feet or so. After that I’ll use whatever shot pattern or bait that I would use there,” McClelland says.
He adds that it’s important to do two things. First, the clear section of line knotted to the mainline should be monofilament rather than fluorocarbon as fluorocarbon sinks faster than mono. Also, the leader should be of lesser break strength than the clear monofilament section so that when he snags, he won’t lose the float as well as his leader.
On larger rivers (or in stained water or deeper holes), he’ll run the hi-vis mainline to the float and end the line with a swivel to which he’ll tie the leader.
As mentioned, the Floating Mono comes in 8-, 10- and 15-pound tests. Color choices vary with the break strength. The 10-pound comes in five colors (including clear) while the 15-pound line (new this year and billed to be for us West Coasters) is only available in clear and hi-vis lime.
Blood Run Tackle not only offers Floating Mono but also fluorocarbon leader material and copper and stainless-steel lines. The monofilaments offered come in both regular and the special floating versions, as well as saltwater strengths up to 130-pound test.
For more information, go to: www.bloodruntackle.com.
