I love fluorocarbon fishing line. I use Berkley Professional Grade 100-percent Fluorocarbon. When casting crank baits, the line sinks (it‰’s denser than other mono) and helps drive cranks deeper. I also love it for vertical jigging or pitching jigs in clear water. I use it as a live bait leader.

These are the lessons I learned via experience with fluorocarbon.

1) I prefer a larger diameter reel spool. For instance, most walleye guys use a # 1 or # 2 size reel. With fluorocarbon, I go to a # 3 reel.

2 ) I soak the line spool in hot tap water for about five minutes prior to spooling. This seems to soften the line so it loses it‰’s ‰spool‰ memory, and regains a new memory of the reel. It works for me!

3) I only fill about two-thirds of the spool, leaving at least one-quarter of an inch from the line to the lip of the spool. This keeps the line from jumping off the spool.

4) I ran the Berkley Experience trailer last sport show season. In knot tests across the country, for fluorocarbon under 12-pound test, the Trilene knot is best. Use five twists, not six or seven. For the heavier line, use a Palomar knot, but make sure the line lies side by side and doesn‰’t cross itself as the knot is cinched.

5) Always lubricate knots. I hold my line in the livewell when pulling knots tight. Some bass pros I know spray scent on their knots for lubrication. Never tie a fluorocarbon knot without adequate lubrication.

I use fluorocarbon just as I would other lines, and match the rod to the situation, but with a larger than normal reel. This works in the super clear spring time Great Lakes river bites, all the way through the season.