Fluorocarbon or braid for smallmouth?
Both — in the combination most smallmouth specialists run: thin braid main line for sensitivity and hook-setting at depth, tied to a fluorocarbon leader for near-invisibility at the bait. Fluorocarbon's refractive index is close to water's, which matters against a fish that inspects at close range in clear water; braid alone is the most visible option there. Straight fluorocarbon is fine for jerkbaits and crankbaits; the braid-plus-leader setup dominates for drop shots, tubes, and ned rigs fished deep.
The full story
This answer is one piece of a longer lesson — setups, diagrams and the reasoning behind it.
More questions about Vision
- Why are smallmouth so line-shy in clear water?
- Do smallmouth really inspect a bait before eating it?
- Can smallmouth see my boat? Does boat noise matter?
- Why do smallmouth follow my lure to the boat and then turn away?
- What colors work for smallmouth in clear water vs tannic water?
- Where do orange, yellow and glow fit in smallmouth colour choice?
Same topic, other species
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- Does moon phase matter for walleye? — Walleye