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Best Mono or Flouro ?


kestrel

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Ouch at that price I think. About how much line on a 4oz spool of 12lb Rob?

 

I normally use 17lb and that is a little more expensive with the large spool only holding 800 yds for that same price and the 200 yd spool costing $2 more than the 12lb.

 

I think a 4oz spool would hold about 1000 yards of 12lb but can't remember exactly.

 

Rob.

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What sort of mono breaking strains do you use for carping, do you change the strength with the seasons ?

 

For floater fishing, anything from 6-12lb (the lightest I can get away with!), floatfishing or legering usually 8-15lb depending on snags/weed/size of fish/method. These days, on the waters I fish, 10lb is a normal mainline, stepped up to 15lb when the weed appears. Although next season I think I'll up the 10lb to 12lb and see if that's a decent all-round compromise (for legering). For floatfishing that'll be too heavy, so I'll use 8lb normally, stepping up to 10lb if I have to.

 

Newt, to give you an idea of price comparison, Sensor is about £7 for approx 1000m, and it's really good stuff. (I wouldn't use it if it was rubbish or had let me down.)

And those who were seen dancing were thought to be insane by those who could not hear the music

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Kestrel, I've had exactly the same problem with Krystonite that you've had with X-line. Mind you, that's not surprising as I believe I'm right in saying that they're the same line!

 

In fact, many lines are identical as Jim Gibbinson pointed out in his excellent article "Mono Facts" here on Angler's Net. See http://www.anglersnet.co.uk/Miscellaneous-...mono_facts.html

 

I also agree with Jim that there's no one best line - it all depends on the circumstances. This is because there are lots of factors involved, and if you improve one you'll probably do the opposite with another.

 

All you can do is to make a short list of lines that are suitable for the type of fishing you do and the waters you fish. This is what you'll find in Jim's "Mono Facts" article.

 

It's based on a huge number of bench tests that he did on a large variety of different lines. The full details were published in the January, February and March 1998 issues of Carpworld and don't therefore include some of the latest lines on the market.

 

Since then Jim has done a few more tests but not published them. However on the basis of these Jim's recently recommended that I try Shimano Catana. This is identical to Shimano Exage except that it's available in higher breaking strains and in bulk spools. Jim uses Exage in 5lb breaking strain for mullet and is very pleased with it.

 

At present I'm using Gold Label's Pro Gold and Pro Clear. The former came out well in Jim's 1998 tests, whilst the latter hadn't arrived on the market by then. However it did do well in Jim's later tests, as it did in the more limited tests that Lee Jackson did on dry lines for the Tackle Box.

 

BTW, Pro Gold and Pro Clear are different lines and rated differently. Pro Gold is rated according to its wet, knotted breaking strain and 12lb Pro Gold has roughly the same strength as 16lb Pro Clear.

 

The bench tests are of course only a starting point. You then have to field test the lines you've shortlisted as some in practice may have disadvantages in certain circumstances - such as Krystonite and X-line.

 

For my field test of Pro Gold go to http://www.anglersnet.co.uk/reviews/progold01.htm

Wingham Specimen Coarse & Carp Syndicates www.winghamfisheries.co.uk Beautiful, peaceful, little fished gravel pit syndicates in Kent with very big fish. 2017 Forum Fish-In Sat May 6 to Mon May 8. Articles http://www.anglersnet.co.uk/steveburke.htm Index of all my articles on Angler's Net

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Thanks for the Oz - yards translation guys. Our spools are never rated by their weight so I had no means of comparison.

 

Steve - as usual, you are a font of good information.

" My choices in life were either to be a piano player in a whore house or a politician. And to tell the truth, there's hardly any difference!" - Harry Truman, 33rd US President

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Kestrel, I've had exactly the same problem with Krystonite that you've had with X-line. Mind you, that's not surprising as I believe I'm right in saying that they're the same line!

 

In fact, many lines are identical as Jim Gibbinson pointed out in his excellent article "Mono Facts" here on Angler's Net. See http://www.anglersnet.co.uk/Miscellaneous-...mono_facts.html

 

I also agree with Jim that there's no one best line - it all depends on the circumstances. This is because there are lots of factors involved, and if you improve one you'll probably do the opposite with another.

 

All you can do is to make a short list of lines that are suitable for the type of fishing you do and the waters you fish. This is what you'll find in Jim's "Mono Facts" article.

 

It's based on a huge number of bench tests that he did on a large variety of different lines. The full details were published in the January, February and March 1998 issues of Carpworld and don't therefore include some of the latest lines on the market.

 

Since then Jim has done a few more tests but not published them. However on the basis of these Jim's recently recommended that I try Shimano Catana. This is identical to Shimano Exage except that it's available in higher breaking strains and in bulk spools. Jim uses Exage in 5lb breaking strain for mullet and is very pleased with it.

 

At present I'm using Gold Label's Pro Gold and Pro Clear. The former came out well in Jim's 1998 tests, whilst the latter hadn't arrived on the market by then. However it did do well in Jim's later tests, as it did in the more limited tests that Lee Jackson did on dry lines for the Tackle Box.

 

BTW, Pro Gold and Pro Clear are different lines and rated differently. Pro Gold is rated according to its wet, knotted breaking strain and 12lb Pro Gold has roughly the same strength as 16lb Pro Clear.

 

The bench tests are of course only a starting point. You then have to field test the lines you've shortlisted as some in practice may have disadvantages in certain circumstances - such as Krystonite and X-line.

 

For my field test of Pro Gold go to http://www.anglersnet.co.uk/reviews/progold01.htm

 

 

I have bought some 15lb bs Gardner GT80 , its not the thinnest line available for the bs. but has received some good reviews in magazines . I am hoping this will last longer than my x line. I hope it sinks as well as the X line.

An angler is a man who spends rainy days sitting around on muddy banks doing nothing because his wife won't let him do it at home.

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I have bought some 15lb bs Gardner GT80 , its not the thinnest line available for the bs. but has received some good reviews in magazines . I am hoping this will last longer than my x line. I hope it sinks as well as the X line.

 

 

Any one used Gardner GT 80 ?

An angler is a man who spends rainy days sitting around on muddy banks doing nothing because his wife won't let him do it at home.

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I would never use flouro as a hooklength never mind a mainline. The stuff is just brittle and very easily breaks. That to my mind means that any small nicks could well render it useless. I use 15lb big game and have done for years. It's as strong as a tow rope with the only downside that it's one of the thicker lines on the market.

 

Rob.

 

Quite agree about Big game, I have tried most lines at one time or another but always return to Big Game - about 30 years since I first started using it. Tough,reliable and cheap.

I must disagree regarding fluorocarbon as I have been using x.line as a hook link for a couple of years without any problems at all - tough, knots well and near invisible in water.

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Why doesnt anyone use good old Maxima Chamelion any more? Dont dare tell me its crap as Ive never had a problem with it and from what I read on here and every other Internet site the same cant be said for most of these modern "Carp" lines? If ever I have to use mono I go back to it or even if Im a bit skint Daiwa Sensor! never had a problem with that either.

 

I also agree that if you keep bulk spools out of sunlight (I wrap mine up in tin baking foil) the line will keep ok.

 

Wouldnt dream of using any fluro carbon for anything else other than fly leader tippets!....er ....in fact what it was origonally pinched by angling to be used for!

And thats my "non indicative opinion"!

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Quite agree about Big game, I have tried most lines at one time or another but always return to Big Game - about 30 years since I first started using it. Tough,reliable and cheap.

I must disagree regarding fluorocarbon as I have been using x.line as a hook link for a couple of years without any problems at all - tough, knots well and near invisible in water.

I agree that Big Game is tough, reliable and cheap. When it first appeared on the market Big Game was certainly the market leader for abrasion resistance. Not surprisingly its abrasion resistance has now been surpassed by more modern lines. Nevertheless it's still above average in this area. Although it would no longer be on my own personal short list I can see the attraction.

 

I wouldn't yet recommend fluorocarbon, or fluorocarbon/nylon mixes such as Krystonite, as general purpose reel lines. However fluorocarbon is in its infancy and I'm sure they'll be improvements in the not too distant future. Knowing Kryston's record for innovation I suspect they'll be in the vanguard here.

 

As a hooklength though fluorocarbon certainly has its uses. I'm not impresed so much with its lower visibility, rather its sinking properties and stiffness. Of course stiffness in a hook length is a mixed blessing - sometimes it's desirable, sometimes you want the complete opposite.

 

There are other times I use fluorocarbon as well. The first is for bobbins where I like the stiffness of heavy fluorocarbon but can still weight the bobbin with split shot. I will be experimenting with other materials for this purpose though.

 

The second is for paternoster links, for which I reckon it's currently unsurpassed. The stiffness much reduces tangles, yet it is less visible than nylon monofilament. Note I said "less visible" and not "invisible" as some claim!

Wingham Specimen Coarse & Carp Syndicates www.winghamfisheries.co.uk Beautiful, peaceful, little fished gravel pit syndicates in Kent with very big fish. 2017 Forum Fish-In Sat May 6 to Mon May 8. Articles http://www.anglersnet.co.uk/steveburke.htm Index of all my articles on Angler's Net

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Why doesnt anyone use good old Maxima Chamelion any more? Dont dare tell me its crap as Ive never had a problem with it and from what I read on here and every other Internet site the same cant be said for most of these modern "Carp" lines? If ever I have to use mono I go back to it or even if Im a bit skint Daiwa Sensor! never had a problem with that either.

 

I also agree that if you keep bulk spools out of sunlight (I wrap mine up in tin baking foil) the line will keep ok.

 

Wouldnt dream of using any fluro carbon for anything else other than fly leader tippets!....er ....in fact what it was origonally pinched by angling to be used for!

 

I used Maxima, or the seemingly identical but cheaper Drennan Specimen Plus, for a great many year and rated it very highly. However I feel that it's now been surpassed by other lines such as Pro Gold. For the reasons why see my field test at http://www.anglersnet.co.uk/reviews/progold01.htm

Wingham Specimen Coarse & Carp Syndicates www.winghamfisheries.co.uk Beautiful, peaceful, little fished gravel pit syndicates in Kent with very big fish. 2017 Forum Fish-In Sat May 6 to Mon May 8. Articles http://www.anglersnet.co.uk/steveburke.htm Index of all my articles on Angler's Net

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