TackleTour

A pet peeve of mine is how US domestic market fishing lines are almost universally under rated. A couple years ago on a bass forum I saw that Yo-Zuri Hybrid was well liked. Found a great price online and ordered some. Here it is alongside some Seaguar R18 Yellow Hunter ordered from Japan. Line diameter on the Seaguar is .165 mm. Probably about right for 4#. The Yo-Zuri, labeled for the US market, is .23 mm!!! Ridiculous.

Here's where I get myself in trouble. Are we really that stupid here in the US? If I read one more online post where someone states that they like brand X 4# over brand Y 4# because it's stronger, I'm going to scream.

OK. Rant over.

Ande tournament, IGFA standard diameters. And a damn good line .

I don't think IGFA specifies diameters. I do think it specifies maximum wet break strengths for various line classes, and that manufacturers claiming IGFA-suitable ratings for their lines can make those lines any diameter as long as they break at or below the rated strengths.

Ande's Tournament and Premium lines used to be (and probably still are) pretty thick for their strengths--which is what I'd want (for resistance to shock and abrasion) if seeking a world record on a line weaker than is normally used for a fish species.

As for Knotty's frustration: yes, it is vexing that line packaging for the U.S. market typically understates the breaking strength of line so much. Worse, in my view, is that diameters stated in manufacturers' specs and on packaging are often understated.

Agree. I would go with actual diameter rather than lb test. And then do my hand stretch/break test. SOme use a scale for greater precision.

The problem is they don’t normally advertise line diameter or false advertising look at Yoziri top notch 12lb .285mm compare time same 12lb .285mm Seaguar Abazx, Yozuri is a lot bigger.

Here is some info I have.

The Damyl Tectan Superior light weight lines are pretty hard to come by these days. I use it on a couple of my U.S. ultralight reels. All of my JDM reels are spooled with JDM line.

rickman1, I like that your chart shows the measured breaking strength for the Yo-Zuri Hybrid as actually being 8.5#. More than double!

I pity the fool who bought it unaware and wonders why he can't cast light lures very far or brags about the big bass he catches on UL line.

Because some of us actually pay attention...

It matters more for ice fishing and the line diameter and strength value comes into play even more so with extremely light lures. When I would be using lures typically more so in the 1/32 or 1/64 oz weight. Drop/sink rate and bite detection of the overall system makes the difference on hook up ratio.

Lines samples I test off my fish weight scale...With the exception of Stroft GTM, most of the lines I had started checking was back in 2009 and I still have some of those lines in possession. I don't just merely toss the line out after one season of use. I actually test the line strength before deciding to garbage it after some use. Seems to me that new lines of recent seems to have even longer life to them than ever before.

Stroft GTM 5X 5.28# test .15 mm line break 5# 10 oz.
Stroft GTM 4X 7.9# test .18 mm knot break 7# 2 oz.
Stroft GTM 3X 9# test .20 mm knot break 9# 6 oz.
Stroft GTM 2X 11.2# test .22 mm line break 10# 4 oz.
Stroft ABR 2X 11.2# test .22 mm knot break 10# 2 oz

Pline Floroclear .16 mm 3# line break 4# 1 oz. (2012 palomar knot 4# 4)
Pline Floroclear .18 mm 4# line break 5# 14 oz. (2012 palomar knot 6#1)
Pline Floroclear .23 mm 6# line break 8# 11 oz. (2012 palomar knot 8#1)

Yozuri Hybrid .235 mm 4# line break 7# 4 oz. Mfg claim break of 8.5#
Yozuri Hybrid .263 mm 6# line break 10# 4 oz. Mfg claim break of 11.9#

ASSO Tetramax .160 mm 3# line break 4# 8 oz. (2015 6 yrs 4# 0 oz.)
ASSO Tetramax .180 mm 4# line break 7# 1 oz. Mfg claim break of 7.5#
ASSO Flourolight .200 mm 4# line break 7# 9 oz. Mfg claim break of 7.9# (2015 - 6 yrs 5# 14 oz.)
ASSO Ice Fishing .140 mm 3# line break 3# 6 oz. Mfg claim break of 3.4# (2011-1 yr 3# 6 oz.)
ASSO Ice Fishing .160 mm 4# line break 4# 11 oz. Mfg claim break of 5.4# (2011-1 yr 4# 15 oz.) (2015-6 yrs 4# 8 oz.)

slipperybob wrote: ↑

Tue Jul 14, 2020 2:26 am

Stroft GTM 5X 5.28# test .15 mm line break 5# 10 oz.
Stroft GTM 4X 7.9# test .18 mm knot break 7# 2 oz.
Stroft GTM 3X 9# test .20 mm knot break 9# 6 oz.
Stroft GTM 2X 11.2# test .22 mm line break 10# 4 oz.
Stroft ABR 2X 11.2# test .22 mm knot break 10# 2 oz

You've got me interested in Stroft! I thought it would be typical tippet, coming in small spools, but they also have 100 and 200 m spools. Think I'll order some .15 mm and spool an entire reel.

Stroft make a wide range of lines, including (very expensive) FC and PE lines. Personally, I'd recommend Stroft ABR, still very high b/s to diameter, but with slightly more abrasion resistance which is often useful in UL.

As a more general reflection, I think that the traditional UL / 4lb spinning popularised back in the day had a few aspects which might have made 4lb more effective in landing bigger fish than is the case with a typical true 4lb line these days. Fibreglass rods soaked up shock better, the lines were slightly thicker, almost certainly stronger than labelled and had a bit more stretch. Nowadays, a true 4lb is very thin, has quite low stretch (and consequently lower shock resistance) and is used with a stiffer graphite rod. I grew up reading Mark Sosin and Lefty Kreh, Field and Stream etc and UL was the thing I was most fascinated by. My fishing experience since has tempered this and I'd be much more hesitant using really light line in situations where I might run into a big fish unless conditions are perfect.

Yesterday I was spinning for small wild brownies in a reservoir on the Devonshire moors - the 3lb FC I was using was more than enough for the average fish but there were sections with lots of sharp rock and if I'd hooked an 18-20" fish (unlikely) in that area, I would not be able to apply enough pressure to steer it away from danger. Anyway, just a ramble really from a long-time UL fan....

Allsorts wrote: ↑

Wed Jul 15, 2020 11:42 pm

Stroft make a wide range of lines, including (very expensive) FC and PE lines. Personally, I'd recommend Stroft ABR, still very high b/s to diameter, but with slightly more abrasion resistance which is often useful in UL.

As a more general reflection, I think that the traditional UL / 4lb spinning popularised back in the day had a few aspects which might have made 4lb more effective in landing bigger fish than is the case with a typical true 4lb line these days. Fibreglass rods soaked up shock better, the lines were slightly thicker, almost certainly stronger than labelled and had a bit more stretch. Nowadays, a true 4lb is very thin, has quite low stretch (and consequently lower shock resistance) and is used with a stiffer graphite rod. I grew up reading Mark Sosin and Lefty Kreh, Field and Stream etc and UL was the thing I was most fascinated by. My fishing experience since has tempered this and I'd be much more hesitant using really light line in situations where I might run into a big fish unless conditions are perfect.

Yesterday I was spinning for small wild brownies in a reservoir on the Devonshire moors - the 3lb FC I was using was more than enough for the average fish but there were sections with lots of sharp rock and if I'd hooked an 18-20" fish (unlikely) in that area, I would not be able to apply enough pressure to steer it away from danger. Anyway, just a ramble really from a long-time UL fan....

Those are very good points Allsorts. Since I'm not fishing glass, I tend to fish SUL/XUL rods to provide the needed shock protection (the Kuying Teton SUL is amazing in that respect, especially with ester line). They are JDM and CDM rods. My experience is that most UL rods sold for the USDM are still way too stiff for me. Don't know what you have available to you across the pond. Also where I fish will determine the line weight. I like 2# when I need to cast a long distance and get a small lure (1-2 g) down deep, as much as 15-20'. So that's in still water from a boat or kayak. On a river, 2# is less critical and more problematic. I'll still fish it occasionally (small streams) but there I'll usually move up to 4#. In general I don't break off very much and if I do on a bigger bass, it usually only leaving a small, barbless jig head with a Trout Magnet in its lip. Not likely to cause the fish any real problems until it falls or rusts out.

Allsorts wrote: ↑

Wed Jul 15, 2020 11:42 pm

Stroft make a wide range of lines, including (very expensive) FC and PE lines. Personally, I'd recommend Stroft ABR, still very high b/s to diameter, but with slightly more abrasion resistance which is often useful in UL.

As a more general reflection, I think that the traditional UL / 4lb spinning popularised back in the day had a few aspects which might have made 4lb more effective in landing bigger fish than is the case with a typical true 4lb line these days. Fibreglass rods soaked up shock better, the lines were slightly thicker, almost certainly stronger than labelled and had a bit more stretch. Nowadays, a true 4lb is very thin, has quite low stretch (and consequently lower shock resistance) and is used with a stiffer graphite rod. I grew up reading Mark Sosin and Lefty Kreh, Field and Stream etc and UL was the thing I was most fascinated by. My fishing experience since has tempered this and I'd be much more hesitant using really light line in situations where I might run into a big fish unless conditions are perfect.

Yesterday I was spinning for small wild brownies in a reservoir on the Devonshire moors - the 3lb FC I was using was more than enough for the average fish but there were sections with lots of sharp rock and if I'd hooked an 18-20" fish (unlikely) in that area, I would not be able to apply enough pressure to steer it away from danger. Anyway, just a ramble really from a long-time UL fan....

You’ve been at the UL game longer than me....I too have learned not to go certain waters with the ester lines. If I venture to Dale Hollow Lake it is with the BMS FC 3# test or the 4# test Troutist Area. Mark Sosin and Lefty....that was a long time back.....good to see you posting.

Regards