As we grow older, we find that some of our senses are not quite as acute as they were in our younger years and being successful in the outdoors may become a little tougher.

 It could be your hearing or perhaps your vision. Several things are available that will help to improve these things, such as hearing devices like the Walker Game Ear products and a set of prescription glasses to help to improve your sight.

  Even with prescription glasses, if you are an angler, you may have done your best to make your line invisible to the fish, by using a clear or green line, which at times is almost invisible to you.

  Over the last several years, I have found that by switching to a more visible type line allowed me to detect more bites and catch more fish.

  One reason for this is that with some of the clear lines, you may not detect the bite where the fish does not grab the bait and run with it but comes in at the same level sucks the bait it.  When this happens, your line coming out of the water will move, ever so slightly to the side, indicating a bite.

  If you are not a line watcher, one who continually watches your line or have a highly visible line, you are going to miss many of these subtle bites.

  That is why I fish with a highly visible line, I know what you are thinking, can’t the fish see that type of line better? Yes, they can, but in the turbid, dirtier water we fish down here at the tail end of the South Dakota Missouri River impoundments, you are not able to see your lure or your line once it gets past ten inches to a foot.  Moreover, when the line gets down to the fish, the line color may be invisible and not a big deal.  If I believe the deeper water is clearer, I will tip my line with a six to eight foot of a Fluorocarbon leader.

  When I will be heading to a lake or river where I know I will be fishing clearer water, I will grab my reels; I have loaded up with line for fishing those kinds of conditions. All of these rigs spooled up with the lightest line I believe I can get away with, all of the reels filled with some sort of highly visible lines such as Berkley’s XL or XT.  Their different Hi-Vis colors like the  Fluorescent Blue, Blaze Orange, Solar, Sensation or Trans Optic which is clear under water, yet turns gold in the sunlight  or  Fireline in Flame Green

  I have found that if I use some of these highly visible lines, that I can see every movement, even a slight tick when a fish bumps my bait, it helps me to detect even those subtlest of bites.

When fishing turbid dirty water, Hi-Vis lines allow the angler to keep a close eye on their lines and to detect even the slightest movement, bites that may not be seen using a clear line.

  A mentioned before, if I think the deeper water may be clearer as it sometime is; I will attach a fluorocarbon leader to the end of the line and attached my lure to it.

  Even the best of Hi-Vis lines will not improve your catching if you do not tie a high quality knot from n your line to the lure or when attaching two different lines together.

  Two  of the easiest and knot with the best knot strength used for tying a lures to your line would be the Trilene knot or the Palomar knot, both are quick and easy knots giving  you the best percentage of knot strength, as close to the line strength as you can get.

  To tie a Trilene Knot, you will run your line through the eye of the lure twice, then wrap the tag end eight times around the main line, and then bring the end back through the original two lines you ran through the eye of the lure. Then, wet the line and slowly pull it tight.

fishing clearer water, you can still use a Hi-Vis line, as long as you attach a six to eight foot fluorocarbon leader to the end of the Hi-Vis main line

  The Palomar is just as simple and one of the toughest knots you will find.  First, you will want to double about six inches or so of line and run it through the eye of the hook, and then tie an overhand knot in the doubled line, letting the lure or hook hang loose. Pull the end of the loop down, run it around the lure or hook. Lastly, wet the line and pull both ends of the line, which allows you to pull the knot tight.

  No matter what your age, by using a Hi-Vis line, keeping a close eye on your line and staying in contact with it, you will be surprised how your fish catching will improve!