[Wild Bill]

Since the presents I need to wrap are done and the women are busy in the kitchen, it gave me time to (play) check on something I was wondering about. Your results may vary.

I was amazed last week at how strong 20 pound Fireline really was while fishing. A simple test was just conducted. Took new 20 pound PP and FL and made loops using a four turn surgeon's knot. Attached one end of the loop to a smooth round steel rod held in my vise and the other to the hook on my spring scale. The scale has a sliding tab so you can pull until it breaks and then check the weight. I pulled slowly and as evenly as I could.

There are many reason to prefer a certain make of braid. Strength is only one factor but here are the results on three tries each.

FF 25, 30, 27

PP 24, 20, 29

I attribute the slight difference in each test on a given make of braid to not pulling perfectly the same each time. Machines made to do this would be more accurate. The claims that these two braids (labeled 20 pound test) break at 40 pounds or higher, however, do not seem warranted.

Now I am going to test the used line on the reel I was using. It has been on the reel for a year but that reel does not get much use.

 

[bass-ackwards]

are they breaking at the knot?

 

[Wild Bill]

No, none of them broke at the knot. If that happened I would have used a different knot. It is amazing how strong a simple surgeon's knot is if you give it enough turns.

 

[Roger T]

Bill thats pretty interesting to know ,like you said there would probably be a slight difference in the out come with the right testing equipment but I bet its not too far off from what you observed.

I have been using 20lbs Sufix and so far I like it.Would be interesting to see how it compares to Fire line / PP.

 

[Wild Bill]

Just tested 20 pound FL that has been used and on a reel for a year. It has not lost much.

20, 25, 23

This was on a casting reel where the line did not have to continually go around a bail. Not sure if that makes a difference or not. The color of the line is now a salt encrusted gray but it is still pretty strong.

Roger-

I do not have any Sufix but have heard good things about it.

 

[Rattletrap]

Hey Bill, were you using FL Crystal? When I tried it I remember 20# averaged around 23# after 5 tries. I was using a rod held with feet and lifting up with a spring scale. Probably not the most accurate way to do it.

 

[Wild Bill]

Phil-

I was using smoke color. Not sure if there is a difference in strength in the colors. At least none of the tests showed less than 20 pound strength. Having lines break under the stated strength is only good in record seeking. It is quite possible that spring scales vary a little too.

I did notice that the slower and smoother I pulled, the higher the line tested.

 

[Barefoot]

Years ago, one of the vendors had a testing machine at the Timonium show. He was showing relative strength of knots.

I tied a palomar for him, and it broke up the line, not at the knot. He had never seen a palomar before.

 

[27 sailfish]

Well done :thumbup:. Now if I can convince the fish to pull slow and steady - I won't lose anymore.

Another "fun" thing to do if you get cabin fever is to tie line to a tree and walk off about 100 feet and try to break the line or knot using the rod p- alot tougher then you first think.

Good to hear the line holds a knot well :yes:.

 

[joemassi]

Is a slow, steady, pull really the way you want to go on this test? I have always thought fish tend to jerk the line initially, then settle into a pattern of pulling the line. Perhaps another test would be to give the line a sharp pull and see where and when it breaks. I realize this makes the test harder to execute with the equipment you have available. It also makes the test a little more dangerous (greater chance of losing balance while pulling, when the line breaks).

 

[27 sailfish]

Joe - I used to have two black Labs and would often press them into service to test out drag rebuilds or new knots.All I did was tie a rag to the line and the "fight" was on .If they both got into the game- a 50 lb outfit and harness was needed to reel them in.

You are 100% correct about a very sharp tug/jerk snapping the line when a steady pull would not.

Best part was the neighbors driving by and seeing me "doggie fishing" p.

 

[blue lou]

Well done :thumbup:. Now if I can convince the fish to pull slow and steady - I won't lose anymore.

Another "fun" thing to do if you get cabin fever is to tie line to a tree and walk off about 100 feet and try to break the line or knot using the rod p- alot tougher then you first think.

Good to hear the line holds a knot well :yes:.

I've been trying to convince rock to pull at all, hasn't worked yet.:yes:

 

[joemassi]

I did a couple of tests by tying line to a tree and using a rod to jerk it to see when it would break. My neighbors claimed I was fishing for trees now. This was right after the time when I set up a target in my backyard and started casting to the target with various weights. A few of them said it was an improvement because catching trees was a lot better than just throwing out line for no reason.

 

[Wild Bill]

It would actually be easier to do the test with a sharp pull.

I was considering that all TFers would fight a striper or other fish with the rod held in a position so that the rod could take up much of the shock. There is also the stretch of the leader to consider. Most reels also have a drag that should slip and protect the line.

The test I did was a short line direct pull which is not the norm in fighting a fish. How many guys hold their rod tip straight at the fish when fighting it? If they do they may as well use a rod that does not bend at all.

The test is not under scientific conditions. It answered some questions for me.

 

[Wild Bill]

I did a couple of tests by tying line to a tree and using a rod to jerk it to see when it would break. My neighbors claimed I was fishing for trees now. This was right after the time when I set up a target in my backyard and started casting to the target with various weights. A few of them said it was an improvement because catching trees was a lot better than just throwing out line for no reason.

I practice fly casting in a neighbor's field with the llamas looking on. Most days I am ask if I caught anything. I just smile and say not yet.

 

[Phil K]

Bill -

Do you use both, or have a preference? I just bought some 20# PP and am spooling up a new reel with it. Have always used FL in the past.

Interesting read, thanks.

 

[Wild Bill]

Phil-

I use both. I read that round PP was better on conventional reels but am not sure that is true. I have had very good luck with Fireline on conventionals. I think the big thing is not to go too thin. The lightest I use on conventional reels is 14 pound.

I recently caught a huge fish on 20 pound Fireline. The line did not dig down on the spool and held up well. The guy who told me where the fish were said I can post the pic in March.;-)

 

[Roger T]

Phil-

I recently caught a huge fish on 20 pound Fireline. The line did not dig down on the spool and held up well. The guy who told me where the fish were said I can post the pic in March.;-)

Ahhh...now the truth comes out

 

[Wild Bill]

Ahhh...now the truth comes out

See Roger it was all pretty simple--just a matter of honoring one's word.

 

[Roger T]

See Roger it was all pretty simple--just a matter of honoring one's word.

Bill,I and anyone else here can respect that ,I'm sure .