Fireline Crystal

[Anderoo]

I think I'm going to try braid on one of my pins for trotting. I think I've decided on Fireline Crystal (after reading old topics on here), but what BS should I get?

 

I want to use it for dace, roach, small chub, etc with a light float rod, and also for big chub with an Avon rod.

 

I am thinking that the 6lb or the 8lb look the most useful breaking strains, so I could use mono hooklengths from 2-6lb.

 

What do you think?

[Guest bbamboo]

I think I'm going to try braid on one of my pins for trotting. I think I've decided on Fireline Crystal (after reading old topics on here), but what BS should I get?

 

I want to use it for dace, roach, small chub, etc with a light float rod, and also for big chub with an Avon rod.

 

I am thinking that the 6lb or the 8lb look the most useful breaking strains, so I could use mono hooklengths from 2-6lb.

 

What do you think?

 

I just purchased a reel with this on,Its really great stuff in my view better than mono for trotting.

I think it 4lbs which is on the reel I have

Not sure but I also think the lowest lbs is 3 you can get.

But again really good stuff so go for it.

 

Gary

[Steve Walker]

I had a go at using braid on my pins for trotting. The only stuff I could find in the bs I thought I needed was Drennan feeder line, which is obviously intended to sink, in about 6lb. It was horrible stuff, tangling if you so much as looked at it. I then tried a much stronger floating line meant for fishing floaters for carp, and found that excellent. It was something like 15lb bs! Thing is, looking at the Fireline Crystal, to have the same diameter as 3lb Drennan Floatfish, a reasonably nice line for trotting, I think, you would be looking at 17lb braid!

 

I think the advice to match the diameter and get the advantage of the low stretch is probably sound, even though my instinct says trotting with 15lb line is insane and I should go for "same BS, very thin!" - for trotting, I don't think having a really low diameter mainline is actually that much of a benefit.

[Anderoo]

Thanks, bbamboo.

 

Steve, yes, that does make sense. I guess the trick is getting the balance right. There are lots of breaking strains available...

 

The main reasons I want to give it a go are that I want to be able to use the same line for both big and small fish (thanks to the low diameter), it floats well (handy on fast, choppy streams where even floating mono can get dragged under), and it won't go all curly and annoying like all mono seems to eventually on a pin. It should last pretty much forever.

 

Perhaps the 10lb is better?

 

How much should I put on the reel? 50 yards or so, like mono?

[Steve Walker]

Yes, that's what I would do, unless you think you might hit a legendary Thames barbel that will run for 51 yards

[Rusty]

I use the 6lb Fireline Crystal and love it for all the reasons mentioned above plus it's easy to see.

 

50 yards should be enough especially if it's going on a narrow drum reel. I hastily loaded one of my reels with 100 yards of the stuff and it suffers badly from line bedding.

[Tigger]

I use the 6lb Fireline Crystal and love it for all the reasons mentioned above plus it's easy to see.

 

50 yards should be enough especially if it's going on a narrow drum reel. I hastily loaded one of my reels with 100 yards of the stuff and it suffers badly from line bedding.

 

 

I put about 100yds on normally as I often trott a line well beyond 50 yds and like to have reserve if a good fish takes line. As I use cheap and cheerfull sensor I can re spool after every session so have nice new line most of the time.

[Dick Dastardly]

Yup stick to the tried and tested diameter selection.Ive not got round to trying Fireline Crystal but thats basicly because Ive had no problem with my normal choice of braid-Spiderwire.

 

Ive been using 10lb SW for several years now and it has a similar diameter to 2-3lb mono.Floats well and in compleat contrast to the "use a bit of pole elastic in your rig" train of thought Ive found the lack of stretch stops me loosing grayling (well big ones any way as Ive not been able to use it on small fish waters as its banned at Timsbury).

[chavender]

i use the 14lbs braid (~ 6lbs mono) for chubbing and 8lbs (~3lbs mono) for silvers ,i do however use a mono hooklength of a lesser b/s but simular dia ,used braid now for many years of one type or another ,but have allways never gone lower than the equivellent of 3-4lbs mono ,partly because i use a hooklength plus too fine a braid doesn't lift off the water as cleanly .

 

i don't hold with the only put 50yards on a pin rule ,i can easily trot that far and be left with nothing too play a fish at distance with ,so i always put 60-75 yards or so so i have some in reserve .

Edited January 15, 2010 by chavender

[Chris Plumb]

I have used FL Crystal since it came out on my pins - have 4lb B/S on my Witcher and 6lb on my Chris Lythe - which get used more in the summer. Usually used with mono hooklengths of similar B/S to the mainline. (The Fireline breaks above its stated B/S).

 

 

C.