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The Advantages of Flourocarbon Line (Guest Article)
by Travis "Travbass2" Dixon

Ask a dozen anglers which is the best line for smallmouth fishing and you will likely get 13 different answers. Everyone has their favorite line and have their reasons why they like it. My answer would be fluorocarbon because it has many advantages over nylon monofilament and braided lines. I think that more anglers would choose Fluorocarbon if they understood the attributes that make the line superior. Many fishermen that I have spoken to about the line have a couple main reasons why they don't use it. "It costs too much", "I'm not sure about the materials", and "I've heard that the line is hard to manage". Well, I'm writing this article to help define the line and offer reasons why Flourocarbon line can help you catch more fish.

In order to understand why Fluorcarbon line is superior to other lines, we need to know a little bit about how it is manufactured. Fluorocarbon line is a cousin to the nylon monofilament line and has similarities in the way it is made. To begin, the line begins as small pellets called PVDF or polyvynillidenfluoride. These pellets are placed in a large bin that feeds them into a heating chamber. After they melt in the chamber, the liquid material is forced out of a cone shaped die, looking like a large hot-glue gun. This process forms a long strand of line that is then passed through a chamber of cold water that aids in aligning the molecules into a uniform, straight line. It exits the chamber and is pulled across some heated rollers. As the line passes over these rollers, the line is stretched and thinned out to the desired diameter for a specific pound test. Once the line is the right size, it is taken up onto a large spool where it cools off and then is ready to be transferred to the smaller spools that are packaged and sent out to retailers and then from there it becomes our fishing line and leader material. This whole process varies from company to company with secret additions to the steps, but this is the basic process for making fluorocarbon line.

The reason why this line costs more than traditional lines is in part because of the prices of materials that are involved in the manufacturing process. Some companies offer lower cost lines that use a nylon mono core and cover it with a layer of fluorocarbon to add the qualities I will discuss shortly. The other part that adds to the costs are those extra steps needed to make this line that isn't needed to make monofilament. With this line you really get your money's worth. It costs just a few dollars more than preimum mono line, but you get a better product for the extra money. I don't know of any anglers that won't spend twelve dollars on something that they think will help them catch more fish. Look at all of the guys buying Lucky Craft lures or spending over a hunderd dollars on a rod. What's twelve dollars when you understand what you get for the money? I'll show you why the extra money is worth it for this line.

Sun Proof
The first characterisitc as to why Fluorocarbon line has advantages over other lines is that it is completely impervious to ultraviolet radiation. It will not deterioate when exposed to sunlight, unlike nylon monofilament that quickly breaks down when left in the sun too long. As far as UV light is concerned, it will last indefinately. This is good for the fisherman who buys bulk spools of line and expects it to last. However, although the material is non-toxic, it will not break down in the environment and discarding this line would be a bad mistake. PLEASE remember to take home any line you take off the reel. It will still be around in the next millenium!

Scratch Proof
Of all the line available, Fluorocarbon is the most abrasion resistant of all. The chemical properties of this line set it in a class of its own when it comes to getting in cozy with the places bass call home. This is one of the most crucial aspects of this line when considering it for river smallmouth fishing. Those who fish deep rock ledges with submerged logs and trees to mix things up can depend on this line to last longer than any other type of line out there. The outer skin of this line is as hard as a line can be and still retain its flexibility. Having a line that beats the rest in toughness is one of the main reasons that sold me to this product. No other line compares.

Water Proof
Because fluorocarbon is so tough, the outer skin does not allow water to penetrate and soften the line. When monofilaments are submerged they become saturated and become comprised of as much as 10% water! Some fluorocarbon co-ploymers will absorb some water, as much as 3%, but some manufactuers of pure fluorocarbon claim 0% water absorbtion. Over time, water absorbption weakens the line. The less water the line soaks up, the longer it reamains stronger. Also, with water absorption, knots will weaken and loosen up. The line stretches and becomes weak, which leads us to the next attribute...

Weak Knot Proof
We all know that the final, crucial connection between the angler and the fish is the knot. Knot strength is paramount and no other line has a higher knot strength percentange than....you guessed it - Fluorocarbon! While the kind of knot always plays in to factor the strength of the knot, the line qualities are just as important. You can tie a Palomar knot with weak line and it will not hold if the line is weak. Now, because the Fluorocarbon line absorbs little or no water, the wet knot strength is superior to other lines that weaken with water absorption. However, one fact I found in my research showed that because monofilament and braided lines absorb water, the line swells enough to tighten the knots tied. That doesn't necessarily mean stronger, just tighter. So when you tie a knot with fluorocarbon, be sure that it is tied correctly and you lubricate the lie by wetting it to make sure it snugs down tight. Friction heat can occur when tying with a dry line. This friction heat can actually weaken the line by slightly melting it. This phenomon can happen with mono lines as well, so whatever line you choose, it is wise to moisten any knot you tie to ensure full strength.

Float Proof
Not many anglers think about certain properties of lines and if whether or not properties make them sink or float. If you think about it though, ideally, you want a straight connection to your lure right? Drag and big bows in the line reduce the ability to detect subtle strikes that trophy smallies are notorious for. These bows in the line also decrease the time your offering is in the strike zone and causes the lure to act unnaturally by moving faster than intended and therefore giving it away as a fake. Scientists came up with a way to make Fluorocarbon have an ideal characteisitc that makes it heavier than water. The way this is measured is by what is called "Specific Gravity". Specific gravity is basicly the ratio of the density of a substance to the density of water. For purposes of making things easier, water is given the specific gravity of 1.0. Going by this mark, substances with a number greater than 1.0 sink and numbers less than 1.0 float. Nylon monofilament is given a specific gravity number of 1.1. Some braided lines have specific gravity numbers as little as .5, making them float when dry. This floating will act as a cork and keep your baits way above the intended target.

Now with mono, you would think that it would sink with a number of 1.1, but another property of water comes into play that hinders sinking called surface tension. We have all seen water striders skimming along the surface of the water. Surface tension keeps them on top of the water and this same surface tension keeps monofilament on the surface as well. It takes the weight of a lure to let the mono line break the surface tension and sink slowly once it gets wet. The dry portion that is unaffected by the weight of the lure still stays on the surface. We have all seen this when still fishing with bait. Once the bait hits bottom, any slack in the line will float. This is not the case with fluorocarbon line. It has a relatively heavy specific gravity index of 1.7-1.9. The line will sink immediately as it is heavy enough to break the tension of the surface. This leads to a direct connection to your lure, a very important aspect when fishing deep pools and ledges with jigs, plastic worms, and other lures requiring the need for bite detection. This property also aids in getting crankbaits down deeper than marked. The depths that companies put on the crankbaits are considered with mono lines and you can expect to add on a few feet to the average running depth for casting crankbaits. Slow rolling spinnerbaits will be easier as well. The sinking line helps get the baits down quicker and keeps them down. This aspect is also a major reason why I switched to Fluorocarbon lines. I fish mostly mid-river ledges with plastics and jigs. A straight connection is vital to catching more fish because I detect more numbers of subtle bites.

Visibility Proof
The final and most important characteristic that gives fluorocarbon the advantage over other lines is the ability to blend in. Water is given another term by scientists called the "Refractory Index". Water has a value of 1.33. As line manufacturers scramble to make a line that is as close to 1.33 as possible, Fluorocarbon comes on top again, with the other types of line left high and dry! For example, monofilament has a refractory index number of 1.62. Some values for braids aren't even close with some lines measuring 2.1 That means that braids and monos are detectable to fish. Fluorocarbon is as close as any line has gotten to the value of water with an idex of 1.42, barely above the 1.33 factor of complete invisibility. When wet, fluorocarbon lines blend in better than any other line on the market. This is especially important when fishing pressured waters where large smallmouth see anglers on a daily basis. If an angler uses Fluorocarbon lines, they can get away with a little heavier line to increase abrasion resistance and add strength to give the angler every advantage they can have in fooling an old bronzeback.

To sum up, smallmouth bass are gaining popularity as a gamefish every year. No wonder, given the beautiful places they live, the challenge they present, and the fighting ability when hooked, they are one of the best freshwater has to offer. An angler can go out to a scenic river and bask in the sun, cast a Tiny Torpedo underneath the trees all afternoon and catch lots of little bass with a few medium and a couple large bass tossed in, if lucky, but if a smallmouth angler wants to get serious and chase the bigger fish of the rivers and streams, the place to look is deep water. To fish deep water structure you need a line that will hold up to the rigors of rocks and wood cover where the current and fish rub and scrape the line against sharp objects. You need a line that offers a straight, strong, non-stretching connection to your lure so you know exactly where it is and what it is doing at all times. Fluorocarbon is the answer.

To make things clear, Fluorocarbon is made two ways. One way is pure Fluorocarbon line that is stiffer than other lines, making it better suited for baitcaster reels. If you want the properties of Fluorocarbon line for your spinning reels, the copolymer Fluorocarbon line is the choice. It has a nylon core to give it flexibility with a thick coating of Fluorocarbon to give it the UV protection, abrasion resistance, reduced water absorption, increased knot strength, sinking ability, and the near invisibile qualities of Fluorocarbon, yet still perform easily on a spinning reel.

To ensure that the Fluorcarbon/nylon blend gives you hassle-free operation, keep in mind these tips when spooling up. Fill the reel like you would with mono, with the spool on its side, laying on the floor. Keep the line tight by pinching it with your fingers and flip the spool when it looks like the line is twisting. Do not fill the spool as much as you would mono. Fill up to 1/8th" of the spool lip. When you get to the river, let out the line without any lure tied on. Let out half the spool in the current to ensure any twists that were put on during spooling are able to work themselves out in the current. Reel in the line and tie on your favorite big smallie bait. Things should go smoothly for the rest of the day. After talking with a Fluorcarbon representative for a couple hours, I converted to the blend for my spinning reels and the pure Fluorocarbon for my baitcasters. I knew I had to pass on what I researched to my fellow bassers on RiverSmallies. Remember to get clear as some blends can have fluorescent blue and destroy the near invisibility characteristics. I hope I am able to convince some of you anglers to give Fluorocarbon a try this season. Good luck and God bless!

C-P-R, it works again and again....let 'em grow!