many

Question
i have heard that fish can see a liter and so I use clear liter, like piano wire. Is this a good idea or a normal wire liter will do. Is it also good to use a swivel, I get tired of retying knots. When is a good time of day to catch fish. I use 20lb spider line but it is small in diameter, does this matter. Lastly, my rod is an ugly stick, should i upgrade possibly to a more sensitive rod, I am just scared it may break under too much tention. I usually only catch fish five to ten pounds but there are twenty pounders where I go. Sorry for all the questions I have been fishing for two years and have a feeling I am doing something wrong. Thankyou very much for your time.

Answer
Hi JP,

Whether or not to use a leader depends a lot on what you are fishing for.  Toothy fish like Pike or Muskies require the use of wire.  If you are worried about fish seeing it, use a single strand thin diameter (.011 to .013) wire.  A thin bronze colored wire is nearly invisible in the water.

I recommend a monofilament or fluorocarbon leader (24") on the business end of a braided line like Spiderwire.  I think the fish CAN see the braided line in clear water.

You are right, an Uglystick is not a very sensitive rod.  But, depending on what type of fishing you are doing it may not matter.  For live bait fishing with floats or bottom fishing the Uglystick would work fine. For cast and reel lures like crankbaits or spinnerbaits the rod would also be fine.  In fact, many pro anglers have gone back to fiberglass rods for crankbaits and spinnerbaits to delay their reaction to a strike.  Many high-modulas graphite rods are so sensitive that the guys were setting the hook too soon.

For finesse techniques like jigs, plastic worms, drop shotting and jig and live bait, a more sensitive rod would make a difference.

I have been building rods for 30 years now.  Out of 500+ rods, I have had only 3-4 with factory defects that caused breakage.  Broken rods are generally caused by abuse, car doors, ceiling fans, stepping on them, or pulling too hard on a snag.  It is very hard to break a rod under normal use.

The best times to fish are generally the first and last hours of daylight.  Bass and panfish can continue to bite all day.  Stormy, cloudy or rainy days can be good all day.

A snap swivel is good for spinners.  A plain snap is better for most other baits.  Not too big!  And never use any additional hardware on jigs or live bait.

Hope this helps.

Good fishing!