Using fluoro carbon lines, fishing in hot weather

WHAT IS FLUORO CARBON
It looks like standard clear mono line, but is stiffer and more abrasion resistant. It has very low refractive properties, and when viewed through water it almost disappears. It also sinks quicker than normal mono line. It does not soak up water like mono and retains pretty much it's full quoted breaking strain when immersed. It is less affected by ultra violet light and retains its quality much longer than standard monofilament.

Because of the low visibility it's an ideal line for hook snoods if you're fishing in daylight over clean sand for any species, also for shy biters like rock bass in daylight. I also use it constantly for all my saltwater fly tippets and find it improves the hit ratio noticeably. You can also use a heavier breaking strain of fluoro carbon for hook snoods without effecting catches due to the low visibility. I also use it exclusively in front of spinners, plugs and rubber eels, both ashore and offshore.

Use low visibility lines

The different brands I've tried do seem to have a variance in knotting ability much the same as different brands of mono. I suggest adding an extra turn or two to a tucked half-blood knot, or use a six-turn uni-knot instead of a five turn just to be sure.

One tip is that it helps to pre stretch fluoro carbon for hook snoods. You can do this by putting nicks in plastic card and looping the ends of the snood material through these nicks and leaving it under pressure until required for use. If you coil fluoro carbon it will hold the coil tension and act like a spring.

In conclusion I think the Fluoro Carbon lines will prove to be a major step in angling technology when viewed in the future. There are already experiments in the USA to make Fluoro Carbon lines softer, plus more useable as a mainline, though there have been initial problems caused by placing a layer of fluoro carbon over standard mono which delaminates in use. It will happen though.

TIPS AND TRICKS
A lot of anglers have trouble keeping ragworm alive after buying or digging. To make sure your rag stay healthy, first wash them in fresh seawater to remove all the mud. This is important as the mud carries bacteria. Use plastic ice cream tubs or similar food containers for a storage unit, and put a hole in the lid to allow some air in. Now lay them on to sea dampened bladder wrack seaweed, the type the kids love to pop, with some absorbent kitchen towel in the base of the container. If you keep them in a fridge at normal cold temperatures and periodically check them for dead ones, the majority should survive for a couple of weeks at least.

HOT WEATHER TACTICS

Successful hot weather fishing

The ends of stone breakwaters are consistent fish produces in calm conditions as there will always be some water movement around the end structure. Short casts on to clean ground should locate flatfish, but closer casts right in amongst the rocks and structure will see wrasse, conger, pollack and bass.

Estuaries are also more consistent than the open beaches in flat weather as again there is more in the way of water movement. Look to fish the bottlenecks where the channel is narrowest as this narrowing increases the tidal run and attracts bass, garfish and mackerel looking for easy pickings on sandeel and sprat.

On the open beaches, aim to fish close to where a small stream enters the sea. Such spots are good for bass, flatfish and eels early and late in the day as the freshwater both cools the sea and brings oxygen with it to enliven the water.

If all else fails, look for the deepest estuary channels or the deeper parts of the beach. Avoid shallow sandy venues as the sun will heat up the sand during the day and as the incoming tide passes over it the heat is partially transferred to the water, which can kill any chance of fish feeding. In the deeper areas where the water does not expose the sand, the temperature is lower and the fish more inclined to feed.