I love monofilament and use it for my jigs and t rigs. I also can't decide what monofilament to use. What is the most sensitive/lowest stretch monofilament you have found? Thanks so much.
I haven't tried them all but the 20 or so I have used over the years have helped me come to one conclusion.
Though there are varying degrees of stretch - the term Low Stretch and monofilament don't really go together.
To choose a quality line, finding a balance between handling characteristic, durability, and price is the way to go.
A-Jay
When it comes to fishing line, "low stretch" and "sensitivity" are propaganda terms. Uh, excuse me, I meant to say marketing.
On 4/9/2015 at 1:10 AM, Green Trout said:I love monofilament and use it for my jigs and t rigs. I also can't decide what monofilament to use. What is the most sensitive/lowest stretch monofilament you have found? Thanks so much.
First Question; have you tried braid or Fluorocarbon? Second Question; what line are you using now? and why are you unhappy with it?
Things to consider: all mono will stretch. some more than others but to this day I cant say that I have seen stretch tests done for mono. even fluoro which most companies say has low stretch has been proven to (in some cases) have as much stretch as mono. and also there is no way to test sensitivity accurately so they all say "most sensitive"
If you want a good all around line get some yo-zuri hybrid. NOT the ultra-soft!!!
for one, stretch is overrated, especially in bass fishing. when you set the hook, there is minimal to no line stretch because it doesnt take that much force to drive a sharp hook into the soft fleshy tissue of a basses mouth. and because youre fighting the fish with a tight line anyways, a little stretch from the fish pulling isnt going to be a big factor either...
I agree with the comments on mono having quite a bit of stretch, most flouros having less and being more sensitive feeling (but I cannot prove it), but as also mentioned, all braids have so little stretch that it's a moot point as to which has the least. None has much at all. Berkely Nanofil is not really a braid, but it too has so little stretch that you can consider it essentially zero.
Using braid and Nanofil brings up the issue of knots. If you use a flouro or mono leader you'll need to master at least one good line to line knot (double uni or Alberto are two of the best and not hard to tie). Even terminal knots with braids and Nanofil have to be different and better than mono or flouro knots. Palomar works well with braids, and there is a specific knot for Nanofil called the Nanofil knot.
On 4/9/2015 at 3:24 AM, Red Earth said:for one, stretch is overrated, especially in bass fishing. when you set the hook, there is minimal to no line stretch because it doesnt take that much force to drive a sharp hook into the soft fleshy tissue of a basses mouth. and because youre fighting the fish with a tight line anyways, a little stretch from the fish pulling isnt going to be a big factor either...
That's not necessarily true. Seaguar invizx has quite a bit of stretch, I know this from my own experienxe. I had a big smallie eat a worm on a long cast and when I set the hook with my 7' rod I didn't even feel the fish move. The tip of the rod moved from straight out in front of me to the 9 O'clock position behind me. So I can tell you some lines have alto of stretch.
Berkely XT is the lowest stretch I've found.
Josh
Just be done with all of the marketing and fan favs ...braid frays flouro kinks ..just get some yo zuri or big game.then u wont have to worry about your line .just catching fish thats my story im sticking to it.used mono most of my life and.never once thought about stretch,abrasion,kinks, and knot failure.The old saying holds true if you have second thoughts about anything most likely your right
On 4/9/2015 at 3:24 AM, Red Earth said:for one, stretch is overrated, especially in bass fishing. when you set the hook, there is minimal to no line stretch because it doesnt take that much force to drive a sharp hook into the soft fleshy tissue of a basses mouth. and because youre fighting the fish with a tight line anyways, a little stretch from the fish pulling isnt going to be a big factor either...
I also disagree. Years ago, a guy put a book together where he tested 200 different lures to measure how deep each lure actually ran. He trolled the lures behind a boat and pulled another boat behind with a depth finder over the top of each lure. While testing lures with 12lb test mono, the follow boat could see fish hitting lures on the depth finder and taking them out of the cone angle of the sonar. The guy holding the rod, most of the time, never felt a thing. The same tests using heavier line that did not stretch as much felt more of the bites. The friction of the water actually stretches line. Have you ever let your line out the back of the boat with no lure tied on? Since I use a lot spinning rods, lines will twist over time and I let the line out to let it untwist. You'd be amazed at how much drag there is on bare line. Why do you think guys use the huge, swing for the fences hook sweeps with mono and fluoro? They are needed to overcome the amount of stretch.
I haven't done any crazy tests, but from my experience suffix promix seems to have the least amount of stretch that I've tried. I fish braid most of the time and I can't stand flouro. I've used the reel butter and everything else and flouro still kinks and breaks on the spool! Can't stand the junk.
Yeah, if you can't feel mono stretch on a hookset, I don't know what to tell you.
Yo zuri hybrid or p line cxx I use cxx on my jig rod and to zuri on everything else.
P-line CXX I would say has the least amount of stretch to it of all the coply's I've tried. It's also strong as nails, but requires kvd l&l spray.
It's not a true mono but handles very similar. Sunline Defier Armilo nylon line is a great line that I've been using for jigs with great success.
Right now I'm using what I believe is the lowest stretch mono I ever came across. Spiderwire Ultimate Mono, it has a smaller diameter than any mono I ever used and the stretch is without a doubt, very low. I'm betting this has less stretch than a lot of fluorocarbons, it even beats out the Cajun Clear Lightning that was the lowest stretch mono I have used up to now.
D
agree I use 10 lb cxx and love it. A little trouble casting at first but once it is wet it handles well.On 4/9/2015 at 11:12 AM, bigfishbk86 said:P-line CXX I would say has the least amount of stretch to it of all the coply's I've tried. It's also strong as nails, but requires kvd l&l spray.
On 4/9/2015 at 6:47 AM, Alpha Male said:That's not necessarily true. Seaguar invizx has quite a bit of stretch, I know this from my own experienxe. I had a big smallie eat a worm on a long cast and when I set the hook with my 7' rod I didn't even feel the fish move. The tip of the rod moved from straight out in front of me to the 9 O'clock position behind me. So I can tell you some lines have alto of stretch.
i didnt say mono line didnt have stretch. and when you set a hook, id be worried if your rod didnt move and the tip didnt bend. that has nothing to do with stretch though, rods are designed to bend when loaded up with pressure...sometimes those big fish dont move when you set the hook, feels like a snag sometimes, but the rod always bends...
On 4/9/2015 at 7:30 AM, Josh Smith said:Berkely XT is the lowest stretch I've found.
Josh
really? it had some of the worst stretch ive ever seen, though said stretch never gave me a problem...
On 4/9/2015 at 7:42 AM, Scott F said:I also disagree. Years ago, a guy put a book together where he tested 200 different lures to measure how deep each lure actually ran. He trolled the lures behind a boat and pulled another boat behind with a depth finder over the top of each lure. While testing lures with 12lb test mono, the follow boat could see fish hitting lures on the depth finder and taking them out of the cone angle of the sonar. The guy holding the rod, most of the time, never felt a thing. The same tests using heavier line that did not stretch as much felt more of the bites. The friction of the water actually stretches line. Have you ever let your line out the back of the boat with no lure tied on? Since I use a lot spinning rods, lines will twist over time and I let the line out to let it untwist. You'd be amazed at how much drag there is on bare line. Why do you think guys use the huge, swing for the fences hook sweeps with mono and fluoro? They are needed to overcome the amount of stretch.
and? i've seen guys using the latest greatest equipment not know they were getting a bite with a cameraman or underwater view yelling at them to set the hook but they didnt because they couldnt feel the bite. everyone has bites they never knew they had no matter the rod or line theyre using. and frankly water stretching line without any significant resistance seems like..well a stretch. and really, drag on bare line means nothing and not indicative of actual fishing scenarios. as for those guys swinging for the fences, maybe they need a little more self control. really dont see how the experiment you referenced has anything to do with line stretch...
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those worried about line stretch are wasting their time worrying about it. how line stretch got turned into a negative i dont know, but ive yet to experience any negative effects of it while fishing. most likely spin by marketers wanting to sell the "next great line" that costs 5 times as much as mono and really doesnt work any better...
On 4/10/2015 at 1:07 AM, Red Earth said:i didnt say mono line didnt have stretch. and when you set a hook, id be worried if your rod didnt move and the tip didnt bend. that has nothing to do with stretch though, rods are designed to bend when loaded up with pressure...sometimes those big fish dont move when you set the hook, feels like a snag sometimes, but the rod always bends...
those worried about line stretch are wasting their time worrying about it. how line stretch got turned into a negative i dont know, but ive yet to experience any negative effects of it while fishing. most likely spin by marketers wanting to sell the "next great line" that costs 5 times as much as mono and really doesnt work any better...
I never insinuated that you did. My comment about my rod was to illustrate that when holding my rod out in front of me and swinging for the fences the tip of the rod moved over 12-15 feet and I could tell that i didnt get a proper hookset. so that means that the Approximately 30 yards of line stretched an additional 12-15 feet.
I do not worry about line stretch, but I do take it into consideration. it is a factor and it directly correlates to sensitivity. And believe it or not I think that you are in the minority as far as thinking that stretch isnt a negative. I do have a friend that feels the same way as you do. he uses stren magnathin for just about everything. and the smallest line he can get away with. usually 2-6lb line. and the 6lb is what he uses on his casting gear. he loves the stretch but after every fish he has to cut off 15-20 yards of line. To each their own
Line stretch makes a diff a long ways out deep water but for bass and shallow water fishing it has no effect on my success.if your using sharp hooks i dot care if u got a rubberband your getting hooked
Not trying to start a war, but I have to say i completely disagree with everything Red Earth is saying. Line stretch plays a huge roll in your fishing, and if you don't think so, well, good luck to you. I feel like from his statements there is a lot of things he has not experienced in regards to line stretch, just hasn't been exposed to yet, or hasn't realized. In any event, I prefer lower stretch lines like CXX even for crankbaits/treble hook baits, as it gives you much better control of your baits especially when fishing grass. I have never, in 17 years of tournament fishing had a need for a line with more stretch, but plenty of times need little or no stretch.
We all have our preferences and opinions. Mine, all mono stretches. The heavier you go the more you will get but takes more force to do so. Try and pull 30lb mono off the bottom in 50ft of water, well you're going to get quite a bit of stretch before you get to the breaking point. With that said, I fish topshots attached to braid so a little stretch doesn't hurt when you are only fishing 9-15ft of it. You have to find what works best for you. As for me, Big Game is affordable, good abrasion resistance, works great, and can strip it off after a few trips and respool without breaking the bank when I choose to fish straight mono on my reels.
So far, Senshi from Seagur has had the lowest stretch. I usually use Trilene XL for crank baits but it, to me, has a lot of stretch. I wish someone was smart enough to make a line that just was called "Crankbait Mono" that does has all the things you would hope for.
On 4/10/2015 at 1:21 AM, Alpha Male said:I never insinuated that you did. My comment about my rod was to illustrate that when holding my rod out in front of me and swinging for the fences the tip of the rod moved over 12-15 feet and I could tell that i didnt get a proper hookset. so that means that the Approximately 30 yards of line stretched an additional 12-15 feet.
a little advice via catt... drop the rod, reel the slack, set the hook
im thinking your line was a bit slack when you attempted your hook set
On 4/10/2015 at 1:21 AM, Alpha Male said:I do not worry about line stretch, but I do take it into consideration. it is a factor and it directly correlates to sensitivity. And believe it or not I think that you are in the minority as far as thinking that stretch isnt a negative. I do have a friend that feels the same way as you do. he uses stren magnathin for just about everything. and the smallest line he can get away with. usually 2-6lb line. and the 6lb is what he uses on his casting gear. he loves the stretch but after every fish he has to cut off 15-20 yards of line. To each their own
your friend should learn to try bigger line, he wouldnt have to cut off any other than an occasional retie perhaps and thats after many fish...
youre just over-exaggerating stretch
There is a thread a few pages back where a poster tested multiple lines. Flourocarbon stretched the most on average. Trilene XT the least of all. (Not all brands/models were tested)
There is also another blog if you search google for line stretch with similar results (not TT).
If you think stretch is not a factor then you haven't fished braid. Sometimes you need stretch sometimes you dont.
On 4/10/2015 at 8:56 AM, Red Earth said:a little advice via catt... drop the rod, reel the slack, set the hook
im thinking your line was a bit slack when you attempted your hook set
your friend should learn to try bigger line, he wouldnt have to cut off any other than an occasional retie perhaps and thats after many fish...
youre just over-exaggerating stretch
There wasnt any slack in the line. I was the one holding the rod.
Why should he? Thats how he likes to fish. I have watched him reel in 5-6lb bass on 2lb magnathin.
It was seaguar Invizx 12lb
dont believe me try this:
http://www.tackletour.com/reviewfluorocarbon2.html
This is only fluorocarbon. notice that most stretch between 8-11% and invizx at 13%
So approximately 30 yard cast my estimate of 12ft stretch...sounds about right.
You do not have to believe me. I caught that fish late august last year. after that I decided to try a different fluoro line for T-rigs. that is when I found this and decided on P-line.
I can tell you that stretch matters. it has proven itself to beyond a shadow of a doubt with the example I have already stated and when I first started using braid I "missed" a couple of fish. more likely I ripped the the hook right through their lips.
As I said above; to each their own. but dont think that I dont take stretch into consideration when I switch between braid and mono/fluoro.
I'll again post my own independent stretch test I conducted recently. After years of anecdotal opinions about what stretches more or less, I decided to test my own lines and see what the actual results were. I truly think that no line is marketed harder for being less stretch than fluorocarbon. Yet, these results seem to suggest at a minimum, that may not always be the case:
I used a 12 foot piece of each line and hung an 8 pound weight to see how much each line stretched in inches. Below are the results - least stretch to most stretch.
All Lines Tested
* Line snapped once and was re-tested
** Line snapped twice - length estimated
Broken Down By Line Type
Line Diameter
Line diameter can have an effect on stretch, but 9 of these lines all had the same diameter (.009 inches). Those lines are broken out below. The overall results are similar for the 3 different line types.
Overall observations
These were dry line tests and there is an argument that mono absorbs water over time and that may cause those lines to stretch more. That may or may not be true. My recommendation for those that want a low stretch line that doesn't absorb water is to try Yo-Zuri Hybrid. I'm not sponsored by them, but I have spooled them up on a majority of my lines for the coming season. -Fry
The stretch of mono/fluoro is extremely noticeable and not just on hookset. Dragging a jig or IKA along the bottom needs much more effort to bring back through weeds. Its like pull /stretch pull/stretch bait moves a bit finally. This gets irritating after a while having been accustomed to the more efficient use of braid. Even with trokar or owner hooks getting decent hookset past 50' in 20+ fow is hindered quite a bit with stretchy lines.
Stretch definitely plays a big role in a hookset, landing fish, and working baits.
Of course someone can get by with just mono, but it's all about having an edge. However small that edge is doesn't matter. It's still an advantage. Mono has loads of stretch in comparison to braid. Fluoro stretches as well, but it doesn't have the elasticity of mono. It doesn't retain its original shape when stretched. All the lines have an application that could given someone an advantage over the fish.
If you just love using mono for the sake of not having to spend money on other types of line, good for you, but you're still missing out sometimes. Guaranteed.