Tackle Trade World - October 2023

SPOTLIGHT ON...
LINE
SPOTLIGHT ON
LINE
Whatever your style of fishing, there’s a good chance there’s a specific line for that – from
monofilament and fluorocarbon through to copolymers, various ’stranded’ braids, fused lines
and more. But what are fishing lines and how do you select the correct one for the job?
You can catch fish without a rod and
with no reel, you can even catch
fish without a hook, but without
line?
Since time immemorial, fishing line
has been a vital part of a fisherman’s
setup. Archaeologists have found ancient
Egyptian art representing fishermen
catching fish with a rod, line and fishing
hook that dates from 2,000BC, while the
Chinese used line made of silk for angling
as far back as the fourth century and cat
gut was used just a couple of hundred years
ago.
But the real change came back in 1938
when Du Pont chemists invented nylon
and made braided nylon line a year later,
although it wasn’t until the 1950s that the
first polyester fishing lines were produced
under the name Dacron.
In 1959 Du Pont introduced Stren, a
thinner mono, ideal for fishing reels and
spinning methods.
Today lines are almost all made of
synthetic materials including nylon,
polyvinylidene fluoride, polyethylene,
copolymers, fluorocarbon and Dacron.
MONOFILAMENT
Most fishing line is made from
monofilament because of its strength,
availability in all pound-test ratings and
low cost. It is typically made from nylon by
melting and mixing polymers, which are
then extruded through tiny holes, forming
strands that are then spun into spools of
various thicknesses. The extrusion process
controls not only the thickness of the line
but also the pound test of the line.
It can have various characteristics,
too, and can be produced in a variety of
breaking strains and diameters, not to
mention colours.
FLUOROCARBON
Developed in the 1960s, originally
fluorocarbon lines were used for saltwater
fishing but they are now very popular
with freshwater anglers since they
become almost invisible underwater. They
are also much denser than mono lines,
meaning they’re a good choice if you need
something that sinks quickly.
However, they are also stiff and hard
to control when on a reel, meaning they
don’t cast as well as other lines, don’t
hold knots as well, have low stretch and a
comparatively large diameter.
Fluorocarbon is made through the same
extrusion process as mono, however the
difference is the molecular level, being
extruded from polyvinylidene difluoride,
which is far more compact than nylon. This
also makes fluorocarbon inherently heavier
and creates different refraction properties
in water.
BRAID
The braided line market has boomed in
recent years, mainly because the fibres that
make up the line have increased in strength
and abrasion resistance.
Braids also possess very high knot
strength, a complete lack of stretch and great
overall power in relation to their diameter.
They are produced by braiding or weaving
fibres of a man-made material like Spectra
or micro-Dyneema into a strand of line.
Being abrasion-resistant and with
minimal stretch, they are great for shy-biting
fish, as any contact will be felt directly by the
angler, while their suppleness enables them
to be cast long distances.
Unlike mono, they have no memory and
so can last a while in storage.
One disadvantage of braid is that it does
not sink really well.
Braided line is also becoming more
popular with big-game saltwater anglers,
thanks to its low stretch and high abrasion
resistance properties.
COPOLYMER LINES
Produced by combining at least two
different materials together, the finished
product is a single filament but they
typically have different characteristics from
traditional monos and these will depend
on the materials used.
Often stronger yet thinner than regular
monofilament, most offer less less stretch
and more memory plus low visibility.
FUSED LINES
Made from the same fibres as braided line
but the strands are fused or glued together
while still hot, rather than being woven
together. Fused lines are exceptionally
slick and thin for their strength, boasting
minimal stretch and high abrasion
resistance. Their thin diameter and
incredible strength make them an ideal
choice when fishing around vegetation or
for skipping baits under boat docks.
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