How line has improved

[Dave Spence]

The thread on 'which line' got me thinking about when the first 'high tech' lines came out, I think it was the late eighties/early nineties. After reading about this monofillament revolution I decided to invest and see if it was any good, at the local tackle shop I purchased 100m of 2.5 lb, unfortunately I cannot remember the make. Whilst I was loading it on to a reel the spool stuck and the line broke. I picked up the ruined spool; it was in roughly 2 x 50m pieces, and gently tugged a piece between my fingers, it snapped like rotten cotton. If I had attempted that with a piece of maxima it would have cut my finger before it broke. I found a set of scales, tied a loop in a piece of the line and attached it. I then pulled gently whilst watching the scales; it snapped at 6oz!!!

I took the line, and scales, back to the shop and showed the assistant my experiment, "Yeah", he stated "it does snap easy, it's because it is pre-stretched". I pointed out that as it said B.S. 2.5lb on the spool that is what it should break at. "Yeah, but it is pre-stretched" he replied. I shook my head in exasperation and asked him to swap it for a spool of Chameleon, which he did and I vowed never to change again.

Fortunately line has improved beyond all recognition nowadays although I still use Maxima for all my Rod and Reel work.

 

[Neil ofthe nene]

What I found interesting was that I was buying "high tech" lines in France what seemed like years before they appeared here.

 

[Dave Spence]

What I found interesting was that I was buying "high tech" lines in France what seemed like years before they appeared here.

Was the quality any good Neil?

 

[MarkW]

ABULON Extra was around in the early 70s, that was pre-stretched, as was Platil Strong from the same era. I'm pretty sure Drennan Double Strength was around from about 1986 or 97.

 

[Neil ofthe nene]

Was the quality any good Neil?

Yes, I think I still have some in the back of a drawer. Used it for a few years until equivalent became available in the UK.

 

[Dave Spence]

ABULON Extra was around in the early 70s, that was pre-stretched, as was Platil Strong from the same era. I'm pretty sure Drennan Double Strength was around from about 1986 or 97.

I used Platil Strong in the pre maxima days but I never thought of it as one of the new fangled high tech lines.

 

[Sam Vimes]

Drennan Double Strength was the first I became aware of as a teen. I tried it, very briefly, way back then. I've never tried it again. I don't avoid all hi-tec lines, but I do use standard monos more often than not. The exception to that is using fluorocarbon for hooklinks.

 

[jasonb]

Double strength and pro micron was the first I came across...pro micron was very good

 

[Oldmech]

Silstar was one of the early ones and is still a good line now, I use it for all my pole rigs but am experimenting with accupower.

 

[richox12]

Platil Strong - late 70's very early 80's (1980/1981) was the first I came across which was 'thin & strong' and with less stretch than what were were used to using (original Bayer and original Maxima although Shakespear Omni was around as well). Using the first carbon rods with it was a big learning curve !!

 

[NoCarpPlease]

The first one that I remember using was Damyl tectan in the mid 80s, Drennan double strength came along a little bit later iirc.
it seemed revolutionary at the time for hook lengths, but now I’m not so convinced, for example I have a friend who still uses Bayer for hook lengths and catches his fair share.
i moved on to pro micron in the early 90s when I got a load free as part of sponsorship of a team. Then tried the fox one (disappointing)and reflo (ok by true diameter). and lastly bought a job lot of Shakespeare AML in a climax tackle sale.
i don‘t get too exercised about the properties for hooklength ... more fussed about accurate diameters.

i still use bayer or Drennan float fish for lead and feeder hooklengths - as they don’t twist up on retrieve So much.

 

[squimp]

I can remember the launch of Drennan double strength at a NASA show (Nat assoc of specialist Angler’s) in the 80’s. Peter Drennan came and gave us a lecture on choosing line by diameter rather than breaking strain. That was quite a shock to guys used to 11 lb. Sylcast etc.

It is interesting that double strength is still available and yet so many other ‘brands’ have been and gone over the intervening years.

I remember trying a line called Steelpower around that time. It was absolute junk.

The option to use different types of line gives the angler a choice. In some situations thinnest Isnt necessarily best. Line density (mono vs fluoro) and abrasion resistance can sometimes be more important than absolute diameter.

 

[nejohn]

I remember loading a reel with double strength then going for a session on the Tees with the stick float after an hour of getting continually snapped on the strike by 6oz dace that rod went up the bank and the spare with a 506 loaded with Bayer was used for the rest of the session. Never used Hi tec line as a reel line since, I do use it for hook lengths and pole rigs though either G-line or Guru N gauge and have had no problems with either

 

[adriang]

What I found interesting was that I was buying "high tech" lines in France what seemed like years before they appeared here.

Clive Branson was a rep for one of the French manufacturers for the UK market, but he could not get it accepted and packed it in after a year or so.

I had exactly the same experience as Dave mentioned in the first posting. Although the breaking strain measurement is pretty 'cut and dry', I think that the French were much more into pole fishing rather than rod and line fishing around that time, so the high tech stuff probably worked better for their methods.

 

[fadgewacker]

I can't hark back as far as some of you boys, and I've never spooled up with pre-stretched, but regards that product line - Silstar Match Team is the only one I've ever used (from about 1994) and it was great for me, with all the pole rigs or feeder hook lengths I tied. I had absolute confidence in it.

Fast forward 16 years from the end of that era to my rejuvenated angling career, and I've bought up 4 reels of Match Team for the variety of rigs and links that I use nowadays, and again, I have no reason whatsoever to doubt its properties or merits for what I use it for.

 

[Neil ofthe nene]

Just dug out the old French spool. Brand name Dudule and was bought in a supermarket. 150m 0.08, 0.9kg (2lb) BS. Compares favourably with today's high tech lines. There isn't much left on the spool so I must have been happy with it to keep using it.

I think the earliest "English" high tech line I used was Pro Micron. Then Silstar Match Team.

 

[Arry]

I used Silstar Match team for all my pole rigs in the 90's good gear so it was... tough and reliable... if it was still available I'd probably still use it

 

[Anglingman]

My first experience was also Drennan double stength and i still have some in 10oz BS that i use for squat fishing on the canal some near 25 years later with no problems. We learned very quickly that pre-stretched line was no good for reel lines ! Of course they really came into their when used on poles with elastic as a shock absorber.

I think nearly all the line I use now is "hi tech" even the reel lines (other than fast flowing rivers) such is the development they have undergone.

 

[warrington63]

I have some Trabucco line, the 0.14 is rated to 9lb and the 0.10 is rated to 5lb, according to the blurb on the spool, I have used it for pole rigs and had no problems

 

[Freesolo82]

Been listening to Clive Branson's autobiography episodes on YouTube and he talks about innovation in angling and that he was one of the first try and get high tech low diameter mono's into tackle shops back in the day but people were reluctant to change at the time