Which Line ?

[datguy]

Getting back into coarse fishing. Looking for any advice on which line to buy. There seems to be a lot more available than 35 yrs ago when I bought my last line. I've been using flurocarbon & mono to make my leaders for fly fishing. I have 8 reel spools to fill up.
I'm thinking of 1 spool - 30lb braid
1 spool - 15lb braid
6 spools - 5 - 10 lb mono
I already have centrepin loaded with 3.5 lb mono. So is there any brands to avoid or any other advice most welcome, Thanks

 

[tigger]

I think you'd be as well to look up old / previous threads on the subject as there seems to be a thread asking pretty much the same question on the forum every other week.

 

[S-Kippy]

I think you'd be as well to look up old / previous threads on the subject as there seems to be a thread asking pretty much the same question on the forum every other week.

True....and they nearly all end up with the same conclusions. I am speaking here of general "all round" lines

Sensor : Cheap but there seems to be no middle ground with this one.You either love it or hate it.Personally I hate it. Way too wiry but handy for mending fences. Dreadful colour
Maxima : Boring,been around for ever but honest & reliable [not unlike me] .Good for feeder work cos it sinks. Not a great colour but better than Sensor.
Pro Gold : Bit more expensive but ultra reliable.Nice colour & very well behaved. My favourite all rounder.
Drennan Float Fish : Cheap,well behaved & good for its stated purpose.
Bayer/Ultima : Lot of people like these in the lower bs but having tried both I wont have either in the house never mind on my reels. Maybe its just me but they dont seem to knot that well and have a nasty habit of snapping.

Then there are the "hi-tec" lines. I dont know those very well but a lot of people seems to like Shimano Technium.

The only other thing I would say is that I will never compromise on line or hooks as to do so is to rather miss the point. Stick with the major brands.

 

[Tee-Cee]

I agree with the last post although I would choose Maxima Chameleon for my all round line with the Drennan stuff for specific float work...

Just to show how folk vary in opinion, I bought a load of Pro Gold in various breaking strains and try as I might ( having used it over time in various situations ) I just cannot get on with it.....NOT to say it's a bad line as I know some very, very good fishermen who swear by it, but it's not for me !
Not to be defeated, I'm about to try it again ( I don't like waste ! ) but some may well end up in the bin eventually

It all comes down to personal choice and what works for you, so some trial and error is involved, ALTHOUGH the recommendations/ suggestions in last post is a damn good start IMHO


ps Sensor...dreadful stuff, again IMO

 

[Keith M]

Lines are a personal thing and everyone has their own personal favourites although there are a few common favourites that come through.

I'm one of the guys who like 'Terry Eustace Pro-Gold' and I use it regularly whenever I am after Barbel, Carp and Chub whenever I am fishing at close to mid ranges although I have to tie knots very carefully to prevent it from the occasional crinkle when I'm using smaller hooks. I like it because I find it very resilient to shock and very abrasion resistant plus I find it fairly supple.
When I'm fishing for Carp at long range I often use 'Insight GR60X' or 'GR60' line .

When I am float fishing I usually use 'Drennan Floatfish'; I like this because it's reliable and fairly supple and although it floats well on the surface film (for when I'm trotting a stick or avon), if treated with a little washing up liquid it can also be made to sink for when I'm using a waggler, and when sunk it hangs fairly high in the water due to its inherent buoyancy.

I like 'Maxima Chameleon' but I find that it parts annoyingly whenever my line goes around reeds etc. Which happens quite often in the waters I fish; however if I'm fishing in open water It seems reliable and seems to get me more bites than other lines I've used. However because of its lack of resilience when it goes around reeds etc. I rarely use it these days.

I do use other lines but Drennan Float fish and Pro Gold are my current favourites.

Keith

 

[S-Kippy]

I'd forgotten about Gardner Hydro Flo. I tried some on a whim and it seemed pretty good.

The best trotting line I have ever found EVER is sadly now very hard if not impossible to find and I'm not sure its even made in the lower bs/diameter any more. You can still get it in 8lb bs and up if you look but I cant find anything lower than that. If I could I would buy the lot without hesitation...it is fabulous stuff.

Sufix Duraflex.

 

[tigger]

True....and they nearly all end up with the same conclusions. I am speaking here of general "all round" lines

Sensor : Cheap but there seems to be no middle ground with this one.You either love it or hate it.Personally I hate it. Way too wiry but handy for mending fences. Dreadful colour

Then there are the "hi-tec" lines. I dont know those very well but a lot of people seems to like Shimano Technium.

The only other thing I would say is that I will never compromise on line or hooks as to do so is to rather miss the point. Stick with the major brands.

I don't know where you get this thing that sensor is wiry and a dreadfull colour...it's not true at all.
If it where then I wouldn't use the stuff. Like most other lines (all the ones i've ever seen) the heavier the B/S the springier it gets but sensor in B/S up to 8lb's definatly isn't wiry. For the majority of time I use it in 6 and 4lb and it's excellent line. I catch a lot of fish using sensor (when others close by are catching sweet FA) and it works perfectly well. As for the colour, that actually changes dependent on the light your viewing it in and wether your looking at a spool full of it or a strand held up to the light etc.

Regarding low diameter lines my favourite is Silstar matchman followed by prestons.

Stick with major brands you say....Daiwa sensor is a major brand.

 

[retrobob]

Not much to add other than to say that it seems that lines are thinner for the same strength than they used to be 15-20 years ago. The other thing is that publications/videos seem to refer to the thickness rather than the strength so prepare to adjust your mindset a little (I have not yet!).

 

[sagalout]

Pro Gold : My favourite all rounder.

Pro Gold may well end up in the bin eventually

Sounds to me like a deal to be done!

I use sensor and ultima (the same line?), I have no problems with it at all. A mate of mine hates it so badly that he gave me a bulk spool, happy days.

---------- Post added at 16:19 ---------- Previous post was at 16:18 ----------

refer to the thickness rather than the strength

I think this only tends to be for the high tec hook link lines.

 

[datguy]

Well thank you for all the advice ,now I've got something to go on in my search.
Coming from fly fishing where most leader materials are measured in thickness rather than breaking strain not sure why,never really got used to it myself. I have been very pleased with Prestons for dry fly fishing but unsure how it would be as a main line on a reel. thanks again

 

[The Sogster]

For me it is maxima up to 5lb for waggler and feeder. Terry Eustace pro Clear 8lb and upwards for specimen fishing and Drennan Floatfish/ Beyer Perlon for stickfloat.

Aside from pro clear I have been using the other lines for as long as I can remember and never had a problem.
Switched to pro clear from Berkely Trilene which is/ was a great line simply because I wanted a lower diameter and more suppleness.

 

[S-Kippy]

I don't know where you get this thing that sensor is wiry and a dreadfull colour...it's not true at all.
If it where then I wouldn't use the stuff. Like most other lines (all the ones i've ever seen) the heavier the B/S the springier it gets but sensor in B/S up to 8lb's definatly isn't wiry. For the majority of time I use it in 6 and 4lb and it's excellent line. I catch a lot of fish using sensor (when others close by are catching sweet FA) and it works perfectly well. As for the colour, that actually changes dependent on the light your viewing it in and wether your looking at a spool full of it or a strand held up to the light etc.

Regarding low diameter lines my favourite is Silstar matchman followed by prestons.

Stick with major brands you say....Daiwa sensor is a major brand.

Based on my own experiences. I have tried Sensor and I could not get it off my spools and in the bin quick enough. A lot of people use it and like it and good luck to them. Personally I think its utter garbage and I wont use a line I've no confidence in. I did once...and it cost me a fish I'd been after for 3 winters. Never again. To my eyes its black and I've got trace wire that isn't as wiry as Sensor.

By "stick with major brands" I meant do not be seduced by glowing reviews of the latest hi-tec offering from Krokofshiteymoto which claims to offer twice the bs for half the diameter and costs 15p per mile...as recommended by this weeks Micro Celebrity Angler.

The only good [?] thing about Sensor is that its cheap so if you need a couple of miles to fill your latest ridiculously oversized carp reel then you might get change out of a fiver.

 

[tigger]

Based on my own experiences. I have tried Sensor and I could not get it off my spools and in the bin quick enough. A lot of people use it and like it and good luck to them. Personally I think its utter garbage and I wont use a line I've no confidence in. I did once...and it cost me a fish I'd been after for 3 winters. Never again. To my eyes its black and I've got trace wire that isn't as wiry as Sensor.

By "stick with major brands" I meant do not be seduced by glowing reviews of the latest hi-tec offering from Krokofshiteymoto which claims to offer twice the bs for half the diameter and costs 15p per mile...as recommended by this weeks Micro Celebrity Angler.

I'm hoping to get out trotting later tomorrow afternoon so i've just spooled up a reel with 6lb sensor. I'll fish it straight through to the hook and i'm confident that the line will serve me well whatever comes along.

I've got my fingers crossed that daiwa see me keep complementing their sensor line and they send me a few spools as payment .

 

[Tee-Cee]

' 6lb Sensor straight through ' AND trotting, now that I would love to see !! I didn't know you could trot off Southend beach !

.............must work though, otherwise why would tigger use it ( that's a question ! )

Seems to me that some form of exchange mechanism could see the right line being used by the right person............perhaps Ebay are missing a trick !

 

[greenie62]

....Seems to me that some form of exchange mechanism could see the right line being used by the right person ......... perhaps Ebay are missing a trick !

Ebay are mainly interested in transactions which have a fiscal benefit to them - I can't see them being too supportive of a massive Mono Swap Shop for altruistic purposes! - more's the pity!mg:

 

[tigger]

' 6lb Sensor straight through ' AND trotting, now that I would love to see !! I didn't know you could trot off Southend beach !

.............must work though, otherwise why would tigger use it ( that's a question ! )

Seems to me that some form of exchange mechanism could see the right line being used by the right person............perhaps Ebay are missing a trick !

If you'd love to see it come and see it then (anytime you like, just PM me) rather than making daft comments.
And, oh yeah it works alright, if you actually go out fishing that is.

 

[sam vimes]

I love Beef in oyster sauce, it's the best. Therefore anyone that disagrees is a loon. I hate sushi, it's bloody horrible. No amount of people telling me it's lovely is going to change my view. You like one line, I hate it. I love another line, but you hate it. People have different views and different tastes. It's really rather pointless trying to change them, they are what they are.

I'm off fishing now. I'll be using a rod that no one but me likes, a reel that no one but me likes and various other bits and bobs that no one else likes. I'm sure I'll enjoy myself, catch a few fish and not care less that others don't like my gear.

 

[Tee-Cee]

tigger...................Yes, you're quite right, it was a daft comment, so please accept my apologies - okay ?

 

[greenie62]

One of the reasons it might work OK for Tigger - he mainly uses a 'pin for trotting - so makes sure he doesn't get any twist when loading line and 'cos he's a Wallis caster doesn't impart any twist when casting or retrieving!
The rest of us mere mortals struggling along with fixed-spool egg-beaters probably introduce twist at loading, casting and retrieving!
IF the line is prone to wiry twisting - it wouldn't happen to Tigger but might to the rest of us!
Of course it might be that Tigger just gives it a very stern talking to!

 

[tigger]

tigger...................Yes, you're quite right, it was a daft comment, so please accept my apologies - okay ?

Thank's for that Tee Cee...your a gent sir, much appreciated .