Fluorocarbon Mainline

[Christy]

There are 2 types of Illusion the first of which is the hooklength material and I agree it is extremely expensive but the mainline is different. It is still a bit pricey but you can get a 300 metre spool for around £20 which should be plenty for 2 river reels if not 3. As I said in an earlier post there is a huge advantage in that it is heavy and does away for the need to use leaders or other materials to pin the line to the deck. My river catch rate improved very quickly after I began using it but if you do decide to have some always use a palomar knot otherwise you will curse breakages and blame the line. With a well tyed palomar even pulling for a break becomes difficult.

OK, that's nice to know that it will give me an advantage, regarding anyone who has commented about fluoro's inherent lack of stretch, that's exactly what I want! It will give me much more sensitivity, also my rod has a semi-through or progressive action and is even rated as suitable for braid so it really won't be a problem when playing a fish.

 

Will I need to step up my line strength to allow for the slightly weaker knots? I want my line to break under just over 8lbs of tensile pressure. Also which brand is the best? Berkley's Fluorocarbon looks good.

[Steve Walker]

Personally, if I wanted a low stretch mainline I wouldn't mess about with fluorocarbon and would go straight to braid. You should also be able to up the strength considerably and still have a lower diameter, which is a useful consideration in reducing the effect of the current on the line.

[Dick Dastardly]

Personally, if I wanted a low stretch mainline I wouldn't mess about with fluorocarbon and would go straight to braid. You should also be able to up the strength considerably and still have a lower diameter, which is a useful consideration in reducing the effect of the current on the line.

 

[Steve Walker]

Will I need to step up my line strength to allow for the slightly weaker knots? I want my line to break under just over 8lbs of tensile pressure. Also which brand is the best? Berkley's Fluorocarbon looks good.

 

Just for comparison, left to right, 8lb Daiwa Sensor 0.260mm, 8lb Berkely Trilene 0.279mm, 8lb Drennan Doublestrength 0.220mm.

 

[Christy]

Personally, if I wanted a low stretch mainline I wouldn't mess about with fluorocarbon and would go straight to braid. You should also be able to up the strength considerably and still have a lower diameter, which is a useful consideration in reducing the effect of the current on the line.

OK, it doesn't sink though does it, maybe I should use a fluorocarbon leader? Also I think I may start using fluorocarbon hook-lengths for my river fishing, can you recommend any good brands please?

[weirwulf]

The main reason I don't use braid main line is the number of snags in my river and braid has a nasty habit of weakening and snapping as soon as it rubs against sticks and stones. It just does not sink like flouro either though of course as has been pointed out it offers less resistance to water flow. Providing you use a Palomar knot you will retain over 95% of the lines strength. I do have enormous respect for Budgie's knowledge and advice and appreciate too the other comments on this subject but I can only tell you why I make Fox Illusion my number one choice. As for the berkeley line it is one that I tried and after just 2 sessions I scrapped the whole lot despite the expense as every time I had a harsh take it snapped.

[lutra]

OK, it doesn't sink though does it, maybe I should use a fluorocarbon leader? Also I think I may start using fluorocarbon hook-lengths for my river fishing, can you recommend any good brands please?

When barbelling i use a clear fluoro coated mono main line (Krystonite) as my line is coming up in the water from my rig (rod tip high in the air) and therefore needs to blend in with the sky not the river bed. Braid isn't abrasion resistant enough on my local river to use as a main line.

 

For a hook length it's a very soft and supple braid (Kryston Merlin) for me. I think it because barbel use their whiskers when feeding and they seem to shy away from stiff hook lengths.

 

Ive tried loads of different main lines and hook lengths over the years, yet its them two or something like them that i always come back to as that's what put the most barbel on the bank for me.

[Tigger]

Just for comparison, left to right, 8lb Daiwa Sensor 0.260mm, 8lb Berkely Trilene 0.279mm, 8lb Drennan Doublestrength 0.220mm.

 

 

Don't forget you can get 8lb sensor in clear also.

[Steve Walker]

Don't forget you can get 8lb sensor in clear also.

 

Yeah, but then you'd be able to see that one against the dark background too

[Tigger]

Yeah, but then you'd be able to see that one against the dark background too

 

 

 

Yeah, that did cross me mind n'all

So maybe a clear mainline and a coloured hooklength

In all honesty I don't think it matters unless the waters have a low density of fish and get hammerd.