I know this is king of a loaded question but does downsizing line say for 12 pound test to 6 pound test really make a difference? Do you get more bites? If so why? If it does matter does it make in stained water or only ultra clear?

You're going to get 1000 opinions and none of them are wrong. It's just what each angler feels is best for them. I think line size affects lure action more than anything.

Depends on your presentation. If your throwing a spinnerbait not so much. If your fishing a drop shot it matters
alot more, Topwater, not at all. Basically I think of line size as mattering more with finesse presentations.

Line size matters alot. The smaller the lb test the more fish you break off. I'm pretty bad about checking my line when fishing rocks. Get a nick in 6lb test and your very likely to break on Hookset. I don't go below 10lb test and the norm is 20lb.

I believe fishing with 100% fluorocarbon makes at least as much difference as downsizing your line.

It doesn't matter to me. Don't care if I get more bites. Just not going to risk breaking that big fish off around heavy cover.
- 17# floro. for fast moving baits.
- 20# main line on Crig with 17# leader.
- 25# Stren Mono. on Spook.
- 25# XPS. Floro. in Mex. for pitching and flipping heavy cover even here.

Being a finesse guy I’m gonna say line size does matter as it has a huge affect on lure action. Often times in the winter some guys will have 3 rattle trap rods 10lb,12lb,15lb or 17lb….

I’ve used 6lb flouro leader on a drop shot and 10lb haven’t noticed a difference between the two but I always have a 8lb leader lol

Now for a frog 65lb power pro and 25# flouro for flipping.

Depends on the lake too. On a grass lake that's super clear times I couldn't get bit on 15 floro but moved to 12 and caught fish. Course this is fishing finess like a wacky. Moving baits doesn't matter as much. On typical Texas sand bottom lake you can fish 15+ fine.

Started fishing 12lb invizx more with soft plastics this spring. More bites and more fish. I dunno, maybe just me.

I have been using finesse wacky rig with 12lb but its Seagar Gold label so the diameter is 10lb they say. I seem to getting more bites this year. Also been kickin my dads tail and he is using 20lb and 15lb fluro with a wacky rig. Most times he fishes the front part of the boat too. I was just wondering if going down for 12 to 8 would make even more difference?

10# would be the lowest I go unless I am crappie fishing. If you like breaking off fish and retying all the time, go for it using 6-8 pound test line. There is very little difference in the diameter of the same brand in 12# and 15#. Are you and your dad using the same brand of line?

I have drop shotted with 12 and 15# test fluorocarbon line of the same brand, and do not see any difference in the number of bites I get so I now use 15# because of the added strength. I don't go by what someone tells you or what you heard, I test it out for myself.

If you want as many bites as you can get, go down to 2# test line.

+1

The pros did pretty well earlier this year on lake Fork using 20# test lines. It all depends on the weight of the bait you are throwing. It is best to keep everything balanced to the technique you are using. I have never felt the need to throw a wacky rig on 20# test line. Big swim baits, yes 20# is my choice.

Yeah when the big fish are biting, 20 pound isn't quite enough. You should move up to 25.

I'm quoting the OP because I don't think the premise of the question is a reality. And I don't say that to demean the original post.. but its just not that simple. If you downsize the line on a 7'6" medium heavy Texas Rig rod and reel.. you might get more bites but you won't catch more fish as the line will break with just about every hook set. The same would be true for a rod and reel setup for football jig, frog, etc.

If your question was narrowed down to finesse rigs, or jerk bait rigs.. that might make a difference. In the case of jerk baits, the bait would run a lot deeper with smaller line. There would be better results with smaller line for sure on either of those rigs.

my 2 cents
BD

I agree

I have personally seen the effect of more bites/fish with lighter line, but mainly in clear water. As for the lure action, has anybody ever found an underwater video showing the lure action with different line sizes to compare??