Fishing: How To Fish: Equipment
High-Tech Fishing Line, A Slippery Question
Remember when fishing lines made of braided, �bulletproof� fibers first appeared on the market about 10 years ago? Some anglers immediately began touting the new, incredibly strong lines as miracle products that would quickly render monofilament obsolete; others dismissed the slippery strands as a flash-in-the-pan fad that would soon disappear.
Neither prediction proved true. Monofilament still dominates the market, and in all likelihood will continue to do so for years to come, while superbraid lines have evolved into useful additions to many a fisherman�s arsenal. Superbraid performs quite well as a general-purpose line - I often use it for all-around inshore fishing that, in a single outing, could include live-baiting snook and casting artificials for seatrout and redfish - but its unique qualities make superbraid the perfect choice for certain niche applications.
Alaska Question
Stren introduced an early version of superbraid woven with fibers of DuPont Kevlar aramid (the same stuff found in bulletproof vests), but despite its high tensile strength, this material presented drawbacks such as poor knot strength and low resistance to UV radiation. Today�s superbraids are made of gel-spun polyester, most commonly known by the brand names Spectra (made in the USA by Honeywell) and Dyneema (made by DSM of Holland). Dave Justice, of Sufix Fishing Line, finds no perceptible difference between the two. �Spectra and Dyneema may have slight differences in the arrangement of their fibers, but it�s nothing significant,� he says. Just like Kleenex and Thermos, Spectra has become a brand name used to identify a type of product: Anglers frequently refer to any superbraid as �Spectra line."
The first thing you notice about any Spectra line is the incredibly thin diameter in comparison to monofilament of equivalent breaking strength. Smaller diameter creates less water resistance, which means baits or lures sink quickly and require less weight to hold bottom.
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