Line
The Weakest Link
Over the years I’ve heard so many stories about the big one that “broke my line.” This is an avoidable circumstance in most cases but very few people give nearly as much attention or thought to their fishing line as they probably should. In this day and age of high tech rods, high dollar reels and chemically treated and sharpened hooks, the weakest link between you and the fish is your line!
There have been a lot of technical improvements in fishing line over the last few years. Braided lines have been available for a several years now and fluorocarbon lines are becoming more and more prevalent. Even the standard nylon monofilament has been improved over the years. Let’s talk a little about each, their Pros and Cons and when I use them;
Probably the “hottest” ticket in fishing line is fluorocarbon line. Originally touted as the “invisible” line because its density is higher and closer to that of water and its light refraction is less than standard monofilament. Its higher density makes it heavier than monofilament and causes it to sink but makes it much more sensitive.
The Pros:
Less visible
More sensitive
Less stretch than monofilament
The Cons:
Expensive
Line memory is more significant especially in larger pound test lines
Can be hard to find
Applications:
I really like to use fluorocarbon in smaller sizes on my spinning tackle for the sensitivity reasons. The only other use I have for fluorocarbon at this point is for long line soft plastic applications, a Carolina rig, casting a Texas rig, dragging a jig or with swimbaits.
Braided line has been available for years now and continues to be a mainstay in certain applications.
The Pros:
NO stretch
The most sensitive line
Cuts through grass
Very abrasion resistant
No line memory
The Cons:
Relatively expensive
Under tension it’s easily cut on any sharp edge making it a poor choice for fishing around rocks.
Doesn’t cast very smoothly on baitcasting equipment.
Applications:
For me braided line is reserved for pitching/flipping mostly around grass or fishing a worm at night.
Standard Nylon Monofilament has been around for decades and even though there have been some improvements in the formulation of the line it still basically the same.
The Pros:
Inexpensive
Soft, casts well and line memory isn’t too bad
Surprisingly durable
Easily found/purchased
The Cons:
Les sensitive than other types
Increased stretch which reduces hooksetting effectiveness
Applications:
I use monofilament in ALL but a few specific situations. Its castability, durability and affordability are the major reasons I choose to use monofilament.
A few more points to consider:
I use “clear” lines, the pigments used to make the lines green or other colors make the line stiff and increase line memory.
Many of the professional fishermen retie their knot after every fish catch. I don’t go quite to that extreme but I do check my line and knots often for any fray, nicks or rough spots.
ANY fray, nick or kink in the line warrants the line being retied and section being cut out.
I mentioned affordability and ease of purchase a couple times because I change my line so frequently. I CHANGE ALL MY LINE BEFORE EVERY TOURNAMENT.
This can get very expensive but it’s a step I take to prevent line breakages.
Store your line in cool, dry place.
Keep your line fresh, in good shape, retie often and you can avoid having to tell the story about “the big one that broke my line.”
There is NO substitute for time on the water!
http://www.fishingwithrusty.com/article.php?id=51
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