Ever since it was invented, nylon monofilament ruled the fishing line market.
However, in the past two decades mono has slowly fallen from favor from
tournament anglers. Braids and copolymers are replacing the nylon monofilament
fishing line, but now there is a new player on the spools of anglers everywhere.
Welcome to the Fluorocarbon Era of Fishing!
Fluorocarbon fishing lines where originally invented in Japan in the mid 1970s,
however; it wasn't until the 1990's when it was introduced as leader material
for saltwater applications due to its invisible properties, strength, and
abrasion resistance. Early fluorocarbons were stiff, very hard to manage, and
very expensive at nearly a $1 per yard thus restricting its uses. It wasn't
until manufactures found new production processes to make the line more
flexible, easier to manage, and affordable that more anglers took interest in
the line.
Today, nearly every major line manufacture produces fluorocarbon and no two
brands are the same. Some fluorocarbons handle better while others are stronger.
Some are more invisible than others and some are more expensive. So it becomes a
challenge to find a fluorocarbon that offers the best combination of these
factors. After trying various brands in the past three years, I have found
P-Line 100% Fluorocarbon combines the more important factors that make it the
best line out there. My personal preferences aside, it's best to stick with
whatever you feel the most comfortable with.
So why buy a fluorocarbon line? Fluorocarbons have very distinct and noticeable
advantages compared to monofilament fishing lines. The most obvious and primary
advantage is that 100% fluorocarbons such as P-Line become nearly invisible when
submerged in water. This is because fluorocarbons have nearly the same light
refraction index as water. Fluorocarbons have a light refraction index of 1.41
which is much closer to the waters index of 1.33 compared to mono's reading of
1.55. This gives fluorocarbons an advantage in clear water situations.
The chemical composition of fluorocarbons create a strong durable line. Most
fluorocarbons don't absorb water like nylon monofilaments which causes the line
to lose its strength. P-Line and other fluorocarbons also seem to be impervious
to the suns ultra violet rays allowing it to have up to four times the life span
of monofilament.
Fluorocarbons also are about 1.7 to 2 times the density as nylon monofilament.
This gives P-Line and similar fluorocarbons a much faster sink rate. We all have
had the problem of monofilament floating on the surface and creating an arch or
bow in the line when fishing lures on the bottom, especially in deep water.
These bows and arches won't happen with fluorocarbon lines and gives you better
contact with your lure. It's also the lines density that gives fluorocarbons its
amazing sensitivity. It's really noticeable when fishing wide wobbling
crankbaits such as the STORM WiggleWart. You can "feel" the bait wobbling in the
water column much better than if you fished it on nylon monofilament resulting
in no missed strikes.
Like all good things in life, fluorocarbons do have their disadvantages. The
first and biggest problem anglers had was the knot breaking. You really have to
be careful when tying the knot. The key is to make a knot that is neat, not
sloppy! You can't have the line overlapping otherwise it will kink and weaken
the knot. Most pro's prefer a San Diego or Trilene knot however, I have found
that I can still use a Palomar knot with P-Line and not damage the line. Always
wet the line as you tighten the knot slowly.
Another disadvantage with fluorocarbons is that they tend to be tough to manage,
especially on a spinning reel. Its hard to use fluorocarbon on spinning reels
because the line is much stiffer than monofilaments and tend to "jump" off the
reel. However, there are a few ways to manage fluorocarbons. When I buy a new
spool of fluorocarbon, I spray KVD Line and Lure Conditioner on the entire
spool. Then I leave the spool sit overnight so the conditioner can dry and
thanks to the special polymer blend, it becomes part of the fishing line. The
next morning the line should be just about as limp as nylon monofilaments.
Another way to precondition the line is open the spool and slowly troll at idle
speed allowing the line to be pulled off the spool into the water. Once all the
line is off slowly retrieve it and the twist problems should be eliminated.
The final disadvantage of fluorocarbons is they tend to be expensive. Raw PVDF
(fluorocarbon) material costs about four times as much as nylon. Since the
material is nearly twice as dense, it takes more material to make the same
amount of fluorocarbon line as monofilament. I use P-Line because it's less
expensive than many of the other brands. Most fluorocarbon manufacturers offer
200 yard spools priced between $13.99 and $40.99. P-Line gives you a 250 yard
spool for the modest price of $14.99 to $21.99. This is a much better price to
yard ratio than other brands. To save even more money, P-Line is also offered in
bulk spools.
Now that you know most of the background, it's time to put that knowledge to use
when choosing techniques. I use fluorocarbon for the finesse presentations such
as drop shotting and shakey head fishing. The sensitivity of the P-Line allows
me to feel the softest bite even in deep water. And because of the invisibility
factor, I don't have to worry about the fish being line shy.
Fluorocarbons enhances the actions of crankbaits and jerkbaits. The dense line
allows crankbaits to dive deeper. Sometimes as much as two feet! And because the
line sinks it helps jerkbaits suspend in the water column. Its properties offer
an advantage for Texas Rigs and Jigs. You will feel the bites better allowing
for quicker hooksets. The abrasion resistance also makes fluorocarbon a great
choice for flipping a jig into brushpiles and under docks.
There are three techniques where I don't use fluorocarbons. Since fluorocarbons
sink they tend to hurt the action of topwaters. For this application I use
P-Line Evolution, a copolymer that has up to 40% lower stretch than other
brands. I also don't use fluorocarbons for slop fishing where braids are a must.
Finally, my carolina rigging is done with braid for the main line, however I do
use fluorocarbon for a leader.
By looking at the history, the advantages and disadvantages, as well as some of
the techniques, I hope I have given you a deeper understanding of this
remarkable fishing line. I encourage you to try a spool and see first hand what
fluorocarbons can do for you.
David Bromenshenkel
classicbass.com Field Staff
