What is UL to you?

Bryin · Post by **Bryin** » Mon Dec 14, 2015 7:09 pm

How do you define UL fishing... is it the outfit you use? or is it the line strength? is it specific to the species you catch?

My definition of UL fishing is line less than .005 in diameter (lb rating is worthless in my opinion and only mono or FC line counts as braid is so much stronger... I use braid but always use a leader). The reason for the post is that I just got back into fly fishing and was checking out a UL fly fishing forum and they define UL fly fishing solely by the line weight used... that is only fly rods rated 3wt or less is UL fly fishing to them. Which is cool... I guess... but it does not make sense to me. I would think that fishing 6x tippet on a 5 weight outfit is more UL than 4x on a 2 weight outfit. I am curious what other spin anglers think...

Tim Kelly · Post by **Tim Kelly** » Mon Dec 14, 2015 7:32 pm

Sounds like you're trying to pick a pointless argument!

QUAKEnSHAKE · Post by **QUAKEnSHAKE** » Mon Dec 14, 2015 9:40 pm

One knot can be stronger than another knot while having a smaller grouping so what knot can only be use for UL fishing?

uljersey · Post by **uljersey** » Tue Dec 15, 2015 7:22 am

It's whatever you want it to be ... unless you're going for an IFGA record, what difference does it make ?

I've been told several times over the years by several "purists" that because I use braid as a main line (with a mono leader) that I'm not truly UL fishing. Whatever, I'm fine with it. It comes down to my fishing hours are limited and fussing with line like I did before going to braid was cutting into my fishing time. If that makes a trout fisherman somewhere wrinkle his face in disgust, so be it

Life's too short.

I agree 100% about diameter being more important than lb. test ratings. This was my first full season using D.A.M. Tectan mono .006" and I couldn't be happier with it. Took a bit to get used to tying knots with line that thin, but it was worth it. It made a huge difference in my presentation. I may go down to the .005" in the future as I get more confidence with the .006". D.A.M. breaks very close to it's rating, which forced me to lighten up even more.

rglabach · Post by **rglabach** » Tue Dec 15, 2015 7:53 am

Oh, I can't resist..

UL means you are fishing with gear that make landing fish a challenge.

2 lb test in that context isn't UL if you are fishing for 3" panfish...
10 lb test is UL when fishing for good size tarpon...

uljersey · Post by **uljersey** » Tue Dec 15, 2015 8:37 am

Say what you want, but a 1 lb class criminally insane sunfish will put up quite the fight ... I live for that magic time out here beginning around mid June or so when the bulls come out. I all but abandon bass fishing for several weeks to chase big gills. They hit hard, strip line and run amok. I'm grinning just thinking about it

rglabach · Post by **rglabach** » Tue Dec 15, 2015 8:52 am

Gotta agree with you about those 1 lb sunfish. But if they were only 3 inches long, they probably would fight like a sausage...

Smead · Post by **Smead** » Wed Dec 16, 2015 11:34 am

Everyone most likely has their specific personal opinion, with much that overlaps.

Mine is small lures requiring light line needing rods that can protect the light line and can toss these small lures while matched to reels with a good drag that aren't too heavy for the rod.

As many have mentioned previously, there is a balance of the above with a rod able to make a stab at controlling a fish of largish size if one gets lucky.

I'm not a big fan of playing a fish to exhaustion though, especially in summer when O2 levels are low.

Some advances in line allow great strength at low break test mono diameters...I haven't used the majority of them, with the exception of Fireline once. I'll allow others to argue this issue.

I was always happy just to get water time, for me it's fun to fool a fish into making a strike on an artificial. Most places I had access too were rather high pressure, UL seemed to work better.

Some spots which I figured that I could run into good sized Smallmouths would most likely cause me to bump up to medium light gear.

gillchaser · Post by **gillchaser** » Thu Dec 17, 2015 9:19 pm

Quote " Mine is small lures requiring light line needing rods that can protect the light line and can toss these small lures while matched to reels with a good drag that aren't too heavy for the rod. " Quote

X2

I agree , it's all about the combination of small/tiny lures and the equipment necessary to fish them .

A 1/2 pound shellcracker will stretch 4# mono to its limit as it puts a big smile on your face and a bend into the handle of your favorite UL Rod . Gillchaser

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