Flourocarbon reliability ?

[Pat Groves]

After problems with Fluro breakages I tested Ghost ,IQ,Ashima and Ultima Virage , the test
involved lifting a 9lb 8oz weight.All lines were in 10lb bs , with rigs of 14 ins and 3 different
makes of hook.Each line was connected to hook with knotless knot and to swivel with a
5 turn grinner, this was then repeated with the hook knot being a 5 turn grinner.Giving six
rigs of each make of fluro to test. The weight being a length of metal bar was laid flat and
a wire ring fitted to one end into which the hook was placed , at the swivel end another
wire ring was fitted.Then holding the swivel ring I attempted to lift the weight slowly .The
only make to lift the weight clear of the ground was the Ultima Virage and this failed after
the weight was bounced.The type of hook wire diameter made little difference as did the
position of the eye.With the knotless knot rigs most failed at the point where the line left
the hook eye.The grinner knot used on each end performed better but still only the Virage
lifted the weight. Even with the Virage all knots have to be 100% and errors will lead to a
failure.I noticed that as the lines failed the colour changed from clear to white at the stressed
point .I have landed fish to 23lb on 3ft 10lb Virage hook links but now use it in 15lb and
always check for any signs stress. The Ashima I tested was not a fly leader.

 

[Paul Williams]

Pat,
Did you also test the popular makes of mono and other hooklenght materials to see how they fared?.....i'm not one for this type of test to be totally honest, i agree it's wise to make sure that the rig has been tied effieciently, but that should be done as a matter of course, but the real proof of the pudding is in real use.....i once tried ESP sinking braid for Teme barbel, it just was not up to the job......yet i presume that it would also have gone through tests?

 

[Andy Thatcher]

I also was using 5 turn grinners. Has anyone tried any other knots ?

 

[Andy Thatcher]

Sorry apart from that Knotless Knot as well ! Who has tried a well turned Palomar for example ?

 

[Alan Degville]

I only use a 5 turn tucked bloodknot up to yet iv`e not had the 9ld riverge gran max break,or break at the knot the only way i loose fish is by trying to stop them going into lilypad`s&hook pull`s out.We can only use size 10 barblessI use drennen specimen at momment.Anyone know of any hook`s that would help to stop pulling out

 

[Paul Williams]

Alan,
I'm trying penetrator 2's from Gold label (B,ham angling centre).....but they are only available in 4-8 in barbless, 2-10 if you can get away with crushing the barb down, they claim to reduce hook pulls and the source is good.

 

[Andy Thatcher]

Never had a hook pull on a ESP T6, better add as yet !

 

[Pat Groves]

Paul
Only Fluro's were tested because these were what
failed on the bank.I first used Ashima 18 months
back and suffered two lost fish with hooklink
failures.In both cases little pressure was being
applied and I could see on inspecting the hooklink no reason for the failure.A quick test
at home showed that with a fixed hook and line
wrapped around my hand I was able break 10lb with
ease.Thinking it was a faulty batch the ghost was
purchased as a replacement.Only for me to again
be able to break it with ease,then I was advised
to try the Virage which I could not break in this way.The tests with weight were done to confirm
that the fluro's were failing at under 10lb bs.
The IQ was included as it's what a friend has been using and he was interested to how it would perform.The main point is that it would appear that Fluro's are failing at below their stated bs.

 

[Andy Thatcher]

That is the feedback I'm getting. Went into the Game section of my local shop and asked for a flouro that could deal with salmon and they laughed !

 

[Rob Brownfield]

Andy...did they laugh because there is no such thing as a Salmon in british waters these days..lol!!!

 

[Jake Lewis]

It's good to see some basic tests done on these lines at last. Even though they are basic,they do seem to suggest that what we have all been saying is true. Fluorocarbons are crap. Avoid at all costs.

From one who has learnt from costly mistakes.

 

[Paul Williams]

It's all very confusing to even long term anglers isn't it! i have had bad experiences with fluro, but not the brands that anglers i have the utmost respect for are using...eg, Sufix invisiline, therefore i have purchased some in 12lb BS and i intend to couple it to a 15lb mono mainline for carp fishing, the reason i say mono is that fluro has a low stretch caractaristics and i have a feeling the cushion effect of mono may be the answer to how to use a decent fluro.
The fluro i had fail was on a hit and hold stretch of the Teme and on a short line, so if the fluro i tried was a suspect one to start with it was going to show up!!
Has anyone else thought about the tactics they used, eg braid (no cushion)or bullying tatics and whether they could have contributed to fluro failure, especially suspect fluro's......it would be a shame to miss out on it's obvious catching qualities, perhaps just a little thought and narrowing down the brands could help?
I have, along with the sufix purchased some Wychwood fluro in 8lb BS, i intend to tie up (and test!) some barbel and bream rigs with it, anyone tried it? it comes in breaking strains down to 3lb i believe......

 

[Mark Frame]

I use wychwood f/c for trout fishing as leaders of about 15/20 ft i think if your using it in these sort of lengths its ok as i havent had a leader snap (yet!)

 

[Dave Johnson]

Intresting point Paul/Mark-I have had great results with flouro leaders-and lost some fish.....
I have a set up now that incorporates 20cm of powergum, turnover is great and those sudden lunges are quite well cushioned, especially when the rod is already bent over double at netting time

 

[Rob Brownfield]

I mentioned that at the biginning of this thread...short hooklinks will go because fluro has crap shock strength. With a large fish, any little strech that is in the line is taken up with the weight of the fish, so any slight extra pressure, such as a head shake, parts the stuff like cotton.

 

[Paul Williams]

Oops,
So you did Rob, great minds think alike eh?
mind you in our cases i don't know ;o)

 

[Andy Thatcher]

Dave were do you incorporate the power gum ?

 

[Rob Brownfield]

I am thinking of taking Berkley to court!!! Do u think I will win? There latest advert for Vanish claims excellent knot strength and good shock resistance,,,hmmmmmmm!!!

 

[Pat Groves]

I'm told that only two factories in the world produce fluro line, so if this is correct
much of what we see is one and the same under a different label.
I have also heard good things about the Sufix Invisiline along with Ultima Virage.
On the 15lb Virage to 12lb or 14lb mono I have no problems even in hit and hold
situ's .Maybe the way to get the benefits of fluro is to counter the problems by
using higher bs ?
Rob you might win if you have a very fat wallet!!

 

[Jake Lewis]

I've used 18lb Vanish and couldn't get a knot to pass the pull test no matter how carefully it was tied or lubricated. Whenever I have had them fail on me otherwise(not knot-related) it has been while using mono in open water,and I play my fish very gently. After trying five brands,(Ashima,Korda,Berkeley,ESP and Carp-R-us)over the years, they all proved to be un-reliable and ended up in the bin after lost fish and much cursing and swearing. I even saw it happen to the boss of one of these companies twice after he had told me it didn't happen with his one.

The worst one that I used was definitely Berkeley Vanish which I bought to use as a leader(camouflage, not shock) and I got no further than the leader knot before throwing it away and cursing my gullibility.

It will take a lot to convince me to try any other brands because I have already been bitten more than once.

p.s. Someone ought to sue Berkeley 'cos that advertising blurb is a load of *!?**!!#!!

I've said my piece for now, I just hope some people will be aware of the dishonest advertising surrounding this product.

Jake Lewis.