Mono question of the day

[nottskev]

Anyone remember the line de-greaser briefly marketed in the 70's that clipped on the rod and the line passed between two pads, a bit like a bite alarm? Shop bought alternative to the sponge on the rod rest. Since it clipped somewhere in the middle of a rod, you still had to wipe the line forward of it separately.

At the time, before poles, canal fishing involved trying to make a waggler hold on the far side as long as possible (unless after very small fish that took the bait quickly) and if you relied on reeling back quickly to sink the line, you just pulled your float off the spot. Getting your line to behave was an important part of the equation.

 

[RMNDIL]

Rather than use neat washing up liquid try mixing it into a smooth paste with cat litter, the grey granules, and preferrably before the cat has used it. D i c k Walker recommended it and the product is produced especially for dressing leaders when fly-fishing.

Cat litter ? I must admit that's a new one to me. Fullers Earth always used to be the 'go to' medium. Although I always use diluted washing up liquid and a cloth (line wound around Distance Sticks in the back garden) if I ever have to get something to cut under the surface quicker.

 

[seth49]

Yes I always remember **** walker writing in on of his articles, that his mixture called Ledasink was made from fullers earth and washing up liquid.

 

[@Clive]

Cat litter ? I must admit that's a new one to me. Fullers Earth always used to be the 'go to' medium. Although I always use diluted washing up liquid and a cloth (line wound around Distance Sticks in the back garden) if I ever have to get something to cut under the surface quicker.

The grey granules type of cat litter is made from fuller's earth.

Pettex Fullers Earth Hygienic | Pet-Supermarket.co.uk

Shop Pettex Fullers Earth Hygienic Clumping Cat Litter at Paws. Wellbeing essentials and personalised care for all your cat and dog needs, with free and next day delivery available.

www.pet-supermarket.co.uk

 

[Philip]

Why do you think a 'Floating' solid nylon mono line (a material which is substantially heavier than water) 'floats' to start with ? It doesn't float as such but is simply held by the surface tension.

Because it floats. I think your getting confused with buoyancy.

That aside I agree with you ....I suspect most people just use the word "floats" for simplicity. The fact the line may not be inherantly buoyant & is just being held up by surface tension & its coating would be rather long winded to type or say each time wouldnt it.

 

[Alan Whitty]

As long as it is the original that is fine, i use the Mr Sheene but im not sure they havent change the formula, but silicon spray is available in Halfords for polishing M/bikes spray it from around 6 inches plus, leave for say thirty seconds to steep in, then lightly wipe off with dry kitchen roll, it is best left to dry however, but if you are in a natch that isn't really an option, I also have some silicon grease, which is expensive but works exceptionally well for the first six to eight feet above double rubber floats...

 

[Pete Shears]

I use Kryston 'Greased Lightning' to lubricate line for trotting and it is also a superb line floatant.

 

[silvers]

As long as it is the original that is fine, i use the Mr Sheene but im not sure they havent change the formula, but silicon spray is available in Halfords for polishing M/bikes spray it from around 6 inches plus, leave for say thirty seconds to steep in, then lightly wipe off with dry kitchen roll, it is best left to dry however, but if you are in a natch that isn't really an option, I also have some silicon grease, which is expensive but works exceptionally well for the first six to eight feet above double rubber floats...

Thanks … I know that tackle shops used to sell line floatant (Garbolino for example), but no longer …

 

[Philip]

I imagine the stuff fluff chuckers spray on their dry flies would work ...spray it on the cloth and pull the line through that.

I still have a tub of ET line grease ...it worked really well when drift float fishing for Pike but what a mess ! ...floating braid solved that issue.

 

[@Clive]

Basically silicone. Alan mentioned earlier that you can get silicone spray for waterproofing, shining up your dashboard, etc. It works just as well if sprayed onto a cloth and the line is pulled through it. I use a small felt pad lined with Vaseline for the same purpose and cat litter mixed with washing up liquid as a sinkant.

As RMNDL says, the line floats because it does not penetrate the meniscus. If there is a ripple on or you apply washing up liquid, that breaks the surface tension and the line sinks better. The cat litter or Fuller's Earth helps the line to retain the washing up liquid for longer.

 

[RMNDIL]

Basically silicone. Alan mentioned earlier that you can get silicone spray for waterproofing, shining up your dashboard, etc. It works just as well if sprayed onto a cloth and the line is pulled through it. I use a small felt pad lined with Vaseline for the same purpose and cat litter mixed with washing up liquid as a sinkant.

As RMNDL says, the line floats because it does not penetrate the meniscus. If there is a ripple on or you apply washing up liquid, that breaks the surface tension and the line sinks better. The cat litter or Fuller's Earth helps the line to retain the washing up liquid for longer.

I've known people spray their spools with Back To Black which seems to work very well as did Scotchguard fabric proofer. Both worked even better if the line was cleaned of whatever before spraying

 

[@Clive]

Every now and then Lidl have waterproofing spray and a similar product to shine up bicycles. I use it on my fishing brolly and nylon poncho to waterproof them. Obviously you don't want the wastage that spraying line would cause, but it can be sprayed into something like a plastic bottle and the silicone liquid decanted into something more suitable, or sprayed onto a microfibre cloth and kept in a ziplock bag.

The waterproofing agent used to make flies float can be replicated using Vaseline and a small amount of turps to thin it out. I just use neat Vaseline on a cloth to proof my fishing line.

 

[John Aston]

I use Xink - a pricey fly fishing product but v effective and also odour free .

 

[@Clive]

So is cat litter - if you get to it before the cat does!

 

[nottskev]

I use Xink - a pricey fly fishing product but v effective and also odour free .

I bought some when you suggested it. A good product.

 

[markcw]

I've known people spray their spools with Back To Black which seems to work very well as did Scotchguard fabric proofer. Both worked even better if the line was cleaned of whatever before spraying

Ive cleaned inside of pole sections with Back to Black . for some reason they didn't seem to collect as much dust etc after doing it .For the outside of pole sections it is Baby wipes from either Aldi or Lidl .
And used Son of a Gun for elastic lubricants .

 

[Scuba Chris]

Why buy floating line ( not for trotting) and then mess about trying to sink it when float fishing. Surely feeder line would be better and simpler.

I live in one of the most expensive areas to earn a living. I know people who had to take up hunting & fishing to help get by locally. To them line is just a tool to catch food with. Most don't know when to use braid, mono, flouro or what a S rod or a C rod means. This kinda shocked me because i figured our education system would've helped them out more to prepare for real life. It's worse in Asia. I recently lost my father's friend Wally Amos along with my dad Wallace. You might know my friend as Famous Amos. We put in fresh water wells in the PI on the side. I teach them how to fish from banka boats using the cheapest yet effective means. They were using floating line & compensated with lead ingots. Then i taught the cebuanos from bogo an old Haw'n trick. Roll their corded leaderline around rounded stones & toss it over the bankas. The lines got down in record time & less bait was lost to predators on the descent. The pressure on the lines kept it at depth.

But in today's modern World we use mostly mono as it's cheap. I still prefer braid because i learned how to use it over reef systems without getting scratched or cut. Abroad i've never seen fluoro used. Even the Sea Gypsies off Rawai use mono as i used spools of mono & boxes of hooks to trade for goods. I've recently started using fluoro myself. It's only good for one area close to where i live. A hot water discharge from a power plant on the shoreline. I can easily get my micro jigs down to catch Scads all day long. Not having lead eggs on my weightless Carolina rigs is a Godsend! Before i had to use just over 20ft of leader line. Still working out the kinks as on an ave day i can use 1/32oz. Don't want to go heavier.

 

[emmamark]

On stillwaters or canals, you might still want the line to float; it all depends. Sinking the line might be necessary to keep things stable etc, but if conditions allow, keeping it on the surface helps.

At the deep marina I often post about, if I have to sink the line because it's windy, it gets much harder to hit every bite. When the line's sunk, fishing 4 or 5 rods out in 12' of water, you can feel that to set the hook you're having to "lift" the sunk line up through the water and that impedes the strike a little. If the wind's not too band, you can keep the line on top and hold your float in place by mending the line, flicking it back in place etc and the difference in hitting sharp bites is stark as the line lifts straight off the surface and you move the hook more effectively. I used to use a favourite sinking line, 2.5lb Maxima, there, but I find I use Dave Harrell's Pro Match 3lb more now - a line that floats so well it's hard to sink.

To get your float/bait to behave and get strikeable bites, all variations are possible - sink it all, float it all, sink the half nearer to you, sink the half nearer the float. It's not called an art for nothing

I have reel spools with sinking and floating lines on, and either can be made to do the opposite, but the weather, type of water and kind of fishing makes one or the other best to start with. Buying property in Beirut can be a great investment, offering a mix of modern and historic homes. If you're planning to buy apartments in Beirut, it’s important to research market trends, pricing, and legal requirements. Certain areas may offer better value depending on your budget and lifestyle. Be sure to check for hidden costs and negotiate wisely. If anyone has experience purchasing in Beirut, I’d love to hear your insights!

A floating line is often preferred for float fishing because it mends easily, allowing for better control over drifts and line management. While sinking lines or feeder lines can be useful in certain situations, they can create more drag and be harder to lift off the water for recasting or striking. Anglers who sink their floating line do so selectively to reduce surface drag while still benefiting from the easier handling of a floating line. It ultimately comes down to personal preference and fishing conditions—some prefer the versatility of a floating line with the option to sink it when needed.

 

[Alan Whitty]

Unfortunately floating lines only float for a very short time, then have to be treated with some form of floatant...