FACTS ABOUT NYLON AND MICROFILAMENT LINES By Ken Schultz There are so many fishing lines on the market today that things can get downright confusing. Not to mention that you already have to choose between varying strengths, diameters, and colors. Most anglers, with the exception of those using flycasting tackle, fish with nylon monofilament, while a lesser number use either a braided or fused microfilament, which is often called "super line." Nylon monofilament, often referred to as mono, is a single?strand product made from nylon or nylon alloys. Braided microfilament line consist of intertwined strands of gel-spun polyethylene fiber, or aramid fibers. Fused microfilament lines are created by fusing the same synthetic fibers as braided lines, producing a cheaper single-strand-like line. The manufacture of these synthetic microfilament fibers for fishing lines has produced ultra thin, super strong, and very sensitive products. The properties that are engineered into these lines is what makes them suitable for fishing. Manufacturers can manipulate properties to improve certain performance features. However, breaking strength, diameter, abrasion resistance, stretch, and flexibility are especially key attributes. Here are the main points to know about each of these. Breaking Strength There are "test" and "class" breaking strength designations. Class lines are guaranteed to break at or under the labeled metric strength in a wet condition. The level of quality control necessary to achieve this makes these lines more expensive, but you always know what strength you're really fishing with. Class lines are clearly labeled as such. Any line not labeled as class line is test line. Perhaps 95 percent of all line sold is categorized as test, even if the word "test" is not used on the label. Despite what the label says, there is no guarantee with test lines as to the amount of force required to break the line. They may break at, under, or over the labeled strength in a wet condition. An overwhelming number break above the labeled strength, some very far above. Thus, most anglers fishing with test line are using a product that is much stronger than what they think it is. Diameter The diameter of any line is important for a variety of reasons, including how much will fit on a reel spool for casting and playing fish. The ideal is a line that is thin yet strong. Thinner lines are better for achieving casting distance; the greater the diameter, the harder it is to cast. They also help lures work effectively, in clear water they help draw more strikes, they have less drag and can be cast further, and they allow lures to dive or sink deeper or faster. To compare two different fishing lines, you have to know the diameter as well as the actual breaking strength. Some manufacturers provide diameter information on their nylon monofilament products, but not with braided or fused microfilaments. Solid, round, single-strand nylon monofilament provides a uniform diameter and is easy to evaluate, but other products do not provide consistent or necessarily accurate diameter measurements. Abrasion Resistance Some lines have good abrasion resistance due to greater diameter, the composition of the line, or an applied coating. Determining differences among brands is highly subjective, and you can only make this judgment after you've used the line in abrasive conditions. Testing lines in a dry state for abrasion resistance, as many manufacturers do, proves little, since line isn't fished dry. No castable line completely withstands abrasion, but some withstand it better than others. Premium nylon monofilament lines have excellent abrasion resistance. Microfilament lines have not gotten high grades for abrasion resistance. For general fishing purposes it is best to find a line that resists abrasion adequately while still having other properties important for fishing performance. Stretch Nylon monofilament lines stretch from 10 to 25 percent in a wet state because they absorb water. Microfilament lines, which do not absorb water, have virtually no stretch. High-stretch lines cast well but are poor at hooksetting and playing fish because they have too much elasticity. Low-stretch lines aid strike detection and hooksetting, provide more control in playing a fish, and increase sensitivity. There is a tradeoff in stretch versus no-stretch, and many anglers are accustomed to having some stretch in their lines. Although it would seem to be best to fish with a line that had virtually no stretch, many anglers have difficulty with no-stretch lines, which are unforgiving. Among other problems, they set the hook too hard or pull too intensely on a hooked fish and yank the hook out of the fish. No-stretch or low-stretch lines are thus being used by some anglers in specialty applications, like deep jigging, some forms of trolling, and fishing for species that are hard to set the hook in (like muskies). Flexibility Very flexible lines are said to be limp and have little or no memory. A limp line is more castable than a stiff line because the line comes off the reel spool easily in smaller coils and straightens out quickly. Stiff lines spring off the spool in large coils, which may flap against rod guides, decrease distance, and increase the likelihood of having a tangle. Castability is also affected by water absorption in lines that absorb water; wet lines usually cast better than dry lines. Thus, it's a good idea to wet nylon monofilament line (place the spool in the water) before you start using it on a given day, to help the molecules relax. Nylon monofilament lines vary a great deal in flexibility. Braided and fused microfilaments have low stretch, good limpness, and high castability, wet or dry. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Millis ini terselengara berkat dukungan PT. KreatifNet - The WebDesign Company http://www.kreatif.com To unsubscribe, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] For additional commands, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Website mancing-l at http://www.MancingL.com --> Fishing information, online chat, forum discusion, clasifiedads, etc MancingL Archive at http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected] ** Save Bandwidth... potong berita yang tidak perlu **
