What size line for crystal clear water?

[ʇuǝɹq™]

I'm heading to Broken Bow Lake in Oklahoma next month for a tournament. This lake is gin clear, and very deep. All my reels are spooled with 15-20lb seaguar fluorocarbon. I'm not use to fishing water this clear, so what size line should I use? Or am I ok with what I have rigged up?

[LgMouthGambler]

You may end up in the 6-8# range if they are real finicky

[Jesse McNutt]

You may end up in the 6-8# range if they are real finicky

I agree, if the bass are in a funk, 8# is as heavy as I would go. Lighter line gives  finesse lures more action anyway.

[earldogg]

I always have 2 spinning rods with 8-10lb seaguar invisx, one with drop shot, the other a shakyhead, jerkbait, grub. They might not be on the deck always but have them with me. I would bring atleast 1 setup like this, just in case.gl

[Gwamba]

You may end up in the 6-8# range if they are real finicky

I fish gin clear water 75% of the  time here up north... My spin rods are 6-8# fluoro...and 10# with baitcasters for cranks and jigs...I don't go to 12# unless I am fishing really deep with heavier jigs.

[ʇuǝɹq™]

Thanks for the info guys. I really appreciate it.

[Hackle]

Number 4# here..this is mainly for spinning lures or small top water.i have  caught some big fish on my 4# test. Once again light lure and not deep. If I go for a deep crank bait I use #10

[bass1cpr]

   if your using 15 and 20 pound fluorocarbon there's no real reason to change if your fishing the lures you normally fish. Fish your strengths what your comfortable with. You could set up a couple of rods with a little lighter weight line but don't go out and get to much of the really light line. Start with your normal fishing then maybe experiment with some of the lighter line. I would set one or two spinning out fits with 6 or 8 if your really going to go out and try some finess stuff to try and lean it some. I fish gin clear water with the regular weight fluorocarbon all the time. Those fish still eat those baits I normally use. I step down in line weight when i step down the size of my baits and hooks. Just don't be freaked out about it especially if you like to horse your fish from cover. If the lake has grass then there's no real reason to step down your line. If no grass then maybe you may want to step down your line then.

[Pacific NW Ron]

If you go category "Bass fishing Technigues" they are actually talking about if they think fish see the line.  Most guys over there, as I do, don't think that fish actually see the line and line size or color makes a difference as. 
Check it out.

[bass1cpr]

   brent matching line to presentation is the biggest reason for changing line size. There is some truth that fishing gin clear water sometimes requires a smaller line size but not always. Flurorcarbon  helps a lot in being able to fish heavier line in clear water because of it's refractive value. I don't switch out line on all my rods just to fish Table Rock or other bodies of clear water I even fish 12 pound P-line green and still catch good fish. It's presentation and bait that make a difference, if the fish are eating those baits and presentations then fish them. Don't fall victim to the idea that the only way to catch fish in clear water is to use light line. Just think the A-rig is fished on 65 pound braid and is killer even in clear lakes like Table Rock. Just some food for thought. 

[tmiller2]

for me i generally will stick with lighter lines on gin clear lakes.  I have fished a bunch of them and use 4-8lb floro on all my spinning gear.  but if the bite is good then it really doesnt matter as much...for example i fished a tourney on lake george in NY where you can literally see the bottom clearly in 30+ feet,  the bite was really good one day and i was catching them on worms and jigs in 10 ft with 40 lb braid...but if the bite is finicky definitely downsize...i just read an article in an old bassmaster magazine that Aaron Martens says that he should have used 3 instead of 5 lb floro drop shotting in the pitt. classic in 05 where he lost by a few OZ.  you might break some off but you might bring in a couple more than you normally would throwing heavier lines.

[OutdoorFrontiers]

Heck, I've caught bass in lakes where I could clearly see bottom when my depth finder was reading 25 feet!  Would you like to know the line I used?  Probably some kind of flourocarbon or light mono, right?  NOPE, I use 8 or 10 lb. PowerPro braid for finesse lures and 50 lb. PowerPro braid for spinnerbaits and jerkbaits!

AND, I do NOT use a mono or flouro leader, I tie straight to the hook or lure.

I don't believe that fish are capable of cognitive thought enough to discern  that a line is running from the lure!

But that's just my opinion,

Steve

[ʇuǝɹq™]

Good stuff. Thanks guys. I really appreciate it.