James RickardUsing fluorocarbon line
November 6th 2008 00:26
You can't talk about "superlines" and not mention fluorocarbons! This is another spool of line that can end up costing a few bucks so, read this and know what you're getting into!
Monofilament used to rule the market when it came to line. In the past few years, however, mono has slowly fallen out of favor with tournament anglers and they're turning to fluorocarbon line.
Fluorocarbon line originated in Japan back in the 70's but, it didn't REALLY catch on until the 90's when it was introduced as leader material for saltwater fishing.
When they first started out, fluorocarbons were stiff and expensive--often nearly a $1 per yard! (No wonder it took a long time to catch on.) After some tinkering, manufacturers discovered ways to make the line more flexible and affordable so that more anglers, not just professionals, could use fluorocarbon lines.
There's no use in dancing around the topic of cost. You'll be spending around $20 or MORE for a spool of fluorocarbon. Considering you can get a decent spool of mono for half that, let's talk about the fluorocarbon advantages.
Near invisibility is probably the chief advantage of fluorocarbon. Fluorocarbon line is pretty close to the light refractive index of water so it is practically invisible under water. This alone makes it useful in clear water applications.
Despite its cost, fluorocarbon line is a strong and durable line because of its chemical composition. For the most part, fluorocarbon lines don't absorb water like a lot of mono line out there and, as a result, will maintain its strength better than most mono lines. Another plus when it comes to strength is the fact that fluorocarbon is generally unaffected by the sun's ultraviolet rays which cause mono lines to decay. For that reason, fluorocarbon line usually lasts longer than nylon monofilaments, resulting in an excellent choice for anglers who are looking for a good value in fishing lines.
Like braided line, fluorocarbon has less stretch than monofilaments. Actually, the stretch of fluorocarbon line is more like that of braided lines than monofilaments, but without the "give away" dark thread look.
Speaking of braided lines, another advantage of fluorocarbon over braided line is that fluorocarbon line sinks quite a bit faster than braided lines, To some, the fact that fluorocarbon sinks rapidly makes it a better choice for baits that dive or sink.
If you think I'm just here to sell fluorocarbon line, think again because here are some DISadvantages!
The thing you have to remember with fluorocarbon lines is that you need to be very careful when tying knots. Too often the importance of knot tying with ANY line is discounted but this is a mistake we can easily remedy. Poor knot tying is a common reason why anglers lose their favorite lures. Although I don't want to dwell on the topic, there's always room for improvement when it comes to knot tying!
When tying knots with fluorocarbon line, important things to remember are to go slow and use plenty of lubrication. Since fluorocarbon is stiffer, it's going to be easier to kink your line and that kink will result in a weak place.
Fluorocarbon is tough for beginning anglers to use on spinning reels because it often "springs" off of the spool although it usually works okay with bait casting gear.
A lot of anglers, myself included, use fluorocarbon as a leader while depending on mono or braid as their main line since it's easier to use these lines on spinning reels.
Until next time--watch yourself and watch your line!
NOTE--In yesterday's video a spinning reel was being used.
Monofilament used to rule the market when it came to line. In the past few years, however, mono has slowly fallen out of favor with tournament anglers and they're turning to fluorocarbon line.
Fluorocarbon line originated in Japan back in the 70's but, it didn't REALLY catch on until the 90's when it was introduced as leader material for saltwater fishing.
When they first started out, fluorocarbons were stiff and expensive--often nearly a $1 per yard! (No wonder it took a long time to catch on.) After some tinkering, manufacturers discovered ways to make the line more flexible and affordable so that more anglers, not just professionals, could use fluorocarbon lines.
There's no use in dancing around the topic of cost. You'll be spending around $20 or MORE for a spool of fluorocarbon. Considering you can get a decent spool of mono for half that, let's talk about the fluorocarbon advantages.
Near invisibility is probably the chief advantage of fluorocarbon. Fluorocarbon line is pretty close to the light refractive index of water so it is practically invisible under water. This alone makes it useful in clear water applications.
Despite its cost, fluorocarbon line is a strong and durable line because of its chemical composition. For the most part, fluorocarbon lines don't absorb water like a lot of mono line out there and, as a result, will maintain its strength better than most mono lines. Another plus when it comes to strength is the fact that fluorocarbon is generally unaffected by the sun's ultraviolet rays which cause mono lines to decay. For that reason, fluorocarbon line usually lasts longer than nylon monofilaments, resulting in an excellent choice for anglers who are looking for a good value in fishing lines.
Like braided line, fluorocarbon has less stretch than monofilaments. Actually, the stretch of fluorocarbon line is more like that of braided lines than monofilaments, but without the "give away" dark thread look.
Speaking of braided lines, another advantage of fluorocarbon over braided line is that fluorocarbon line sinks quite a bit faster than braided lines, To some, the fact that fluorocarbon sinks rapidly makes it a better choice for baits that dive or sink.
If you think I'm just here to sell fluorocarbon line, think again because here are some DISadvantages!
The thing you have to remember with fluorocarbon lines is that you need to be very careful when tying knots. Too often the importance of knot tying with ANY line is discounted but this is a mistake we can easily remedy. Poor knot tying is a common reason why anglers lose their favorite lures. Although I don't want to dwell on the topic, there's always room for improvement when it comes to knot tying!
When tying knots with fluorocarbon line, important things to remember are to go slow and use plenty of lubrication. Since fluorocarbon is stiffer, it's going to be easier to kink your line and that kink will result in a weak place.
Fluorocarbon is tough for beginning anglers to use on spinning reels because it often "springs" off of the spool although it usually works okay with bait casting gear.
A lot of anglers, myself included, use fluorocarbon as a leader while depending on mono or braid as their main line since it's easier to use these lines on spinning reels.
Until next time--watch yourself and watch your line!
NOTE--In yesterday's video a spinning reel was being used.
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