Prestons Pro-Line

[Baz]

I bought some Pro line today for use as hooklengths, it was 7lb breaking strain. I was useing it for rod and line fishing with a 8lb Maxima mainline.
My one and only fish was lost on the strike, as the hooklength snapped about 2 inches from the hook. It was a clean break with no curly line.
Is this usual with flouro carbon line?
It didn't snap on the actual hook but about 2 inches from it. Or am I useing the wrong brand.

 

[Graham Whatmore]

When you say Pro line Baz do you mean Power line? If it is Power line then, speaking as one who uses it all the time with confidence, then its unusual for it to break like that unless you hit the bite too hard. The weakest point is the knot so you would expect it to break there, if at all, unless, you nicked the line somehow when you were tying the hook.

One of the secrets of tying pre-stretched hook lengths is to wet the line before tying and don't pull the coils too tight whilst you are tying as that causes pigtailing when its put under pressure.

 

[Baz]

Graham,
Thanks mate , it was power line. I used a five turn grinner knot on it, and I think it broke just above the knot, it was also a clean break with no curly bits.
An angler sat near to me said he had the same problem, and as you have said, he thinks it was when he was striking as well. he said that he had landed carp to 18 lb on his, so the line its self is strong enough.
It is possible I did damage when tying the knot, I will look out for that in future. Thanks for your help.

 

[GrahamM]

Whatever line you use, don't use 5 turns with the grinner, use 4. No more, no less.

I know it shouldn't make any difference but it most certainly does. Do some tests yourself with scales and you'll be convinced.

And notice how many times, (when using 5 turns) the line breaks about 2 inches from the knot.

Uncanny, but don't take my word for it, try it for yourselves.

 

[Baz]

Graham,
that's incredible. You will see in my first posting, I said the line had broken about 2 inches from the knot. As you say, uncanny, that is exactly what happened.
That's another of the mysteries of fishing solved /unsolved.

 

[Baz]

I re-tied my hooklengths yesterday useing a four turn grinner knot.
I had 9 tench and 1 bream, and most importantly no breakages. All the tench faught hard, and one even snagged me up, but still the hooklength did not break, and I got everything back. Flourocarbon hooklengths for me in future, I was well impressed.

 

[Baz]

Once again, Baz has been dragged kicking and screaming into the next century.

 

[Nick A]

I use preston lines almost exclusivly for "mono" hook lenght's BAZ, and i can honestly say iv'e never had a breakage that was down to simple line failure!

In the rare instant that i have broken preston innovations power line it has been down to me tying the knot, i believe...

I think some knots can spoil the line as they are tightened, heat.. friction etc... for the benifit of others, always wet knots when bedding them down, and always check the line as you pull it tight to make sure the knot is bedding down correctly.

It goes without saying, if you are not 100% confident you have knotted your line correctly..start again...or you may regret it!

 

[Baz]

I have'nt had a problem with the line since I used the four turn knot Nick, but the coils do look a little loose at times, is this due to the make up of the line?

 

[Ian "snotman" Foden]

Baz I always use Powerline for hooklengths and agree with the advice above.

However, beware kinks or marks and dont re-use hooklengths unless they are free of even slight damage as it does seem to weaken powerline more than other lines I have used. I have noticed that it does seem to me to snap easier on the strike especially with much heavier mainlines with such defects. Ian

 

[Baz]

Thanks Ian.
I would have thought that a mainline with good stretch would have absorbed much of the shock on the strike.

 

[Nick A]

I have found, baz, that the line can seem a little loose on knot coils at times, this is visible with the knotless knot when tying a hair rig up, sometimes the coils dont seem to bed down REALLY tight, but once pulled tight for a while it seems to be ok.

I have noticed that the line takes on surface imperfections. If you tie a bad knot, run your fingers over the line and you may find the surface is no longer smooth, but feels "notchy" this may be where the friction or whatever has affected the surface layer?.

 

[Nigel Connor(ACA ,SAA)]

Baz,

I'm a big fan of Powerline especially in lower strengths.I'm not sure that it is a Flourocarbon however?

 

[GrahamM]

Powerline is not a fluoro.

 

[Baz]

Resin impregnated mono is what it says on the box.
I'm blind as a bat whithout me specs for small print, so I asked the assistant what he would recomend in fluorocarbon.
The shisters card's going in me pocket the next time I see him fishing.
(For something or other)

 

[Baz]

What I did notice was that out of ten fish caught, seven were caught useing 8lb super mantis hooklengths. Size 6 hook.
The other three were caught on 7lb powerline (smaller diameter) size 10 hook, but were bigger specimens.
On the same bait, same area.