Fluorocarbon fishing line - what is it? Advantages and disadvantages, difference from conventional fishing lines

Initially, fluorocarbon, due to its extraordinary resistance to aggressive chemical, mechanical and thermal influences, was used by Kureha specialists in the production of equipment for the oil industry. Subsequently, it was Kureha that developed and began to produce fishing lines from fluorocarbon, which have a number of undeniable advantages over “regular” nylon fishing lines. Currently, PVDF fishing lines from Kureha are the de facto “quality standard” throughout the world.

Why is fluorocarbon interesting for anglers?

PVDF has a number of properties that fundamentally distinguish it from nylon, from which fishing lines are traditionally made. Fluorocarbon lines are much less noticeable when submerged in water than nylon lines. The explanation for this is as follows. The visibility of any translucent material, that is, transmitting rays of sunlight, depends on the so-called. the refractive index of light rays incident on this material.

For each substance, the refractive index is an almost constant value. Since in this case we are talking about the visibility of an object immersed in water, its refractive index is compared with the refractive index of light in pure water, equal to 1.33. The greater the difference between the refractive indices of water and the material being studied, the more noticeable it is. Since the refractive index of fluorocarbon is 1.42, and nylon is from 1.53 to 1.62, it turns out that fluorocarbon is much less visible in water than traditional nylon. In practice, this is exactly what happens.

Types of leashes

Modern devices can be used to catch any carp fish. They are used for assembling fishing rods, bottom tackle, and spinning rods. This has caused considerable popularity of leashes among fishermen, so you can find a variety of products in stores. The main distinguishing features are: length, color, buoyancy, tensile strength and, of course, material.

Different types of products are suitable for carp fishing:

• braided braid;
• braid without braid;
• monofilament;
• fluorocarbon (fluorocarbon), or flur.

The main purpose of using a leash is to connect the hook and the rest of the equipment with bait.

Braided braid

In this case, the braid is created from the material with which the leash itself is impregnated during manufacture. In rare cases, it is coated with a thin layer of fluorocarbon. The main task of this element is to protect against friction against underwater rocks and shells. Braiding significantly increases rigidity and affects buoyancy. Sometimes anglers point out that this element of equipment also increases camouflage.

Important! In summer, carp prefers shallower depths, and in spring and autumn, on the contrary, it sinks to the very bottom.

Braid without braid

The main characteristic of this leash is the density of the weaving itself. The stronger this product is made, the less it will cling to underwater obstacles and debris. Naturally, an element woven in this way loses its elasticity. In some cases, it is this parameter that plays an important role in the process of catching and landing fish.

Monofilament

Another type of leash. Although in appearance it resembles an ordinary fishing line, in reality it is not. This is a special material that is often used to create elements such as SHOCK or SNEG leaders.

Fluorocarbon

Has a number of advantages. This explains the popularity of this type of leash.

• Among them:
• stealth even in the clearest waters;
• increased rigidity prevents overlapping of the equipment;
• significantly increased likelihood of fish hooking themselves;
• perfectly withstands loads and is resistant to deformation;
• has poor memory for changing shape;
• abrasion resistance.

Fishermen claim that such leashes are considered one of the best. But they also have a number of disadvantages. For example, the same rigidity can also have side effects. One of them is the inability to place the hook vertically so that the point points straight down and not to the side. In addition, it will not be possible to tie a tight and small knot. And even if it is created, the connection point will not be durable.

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Advantages of fluorocarbon lines

1. The visibility of fluorocarbon fishing line in clear water is much lower than that of nylon, which made it possible for manufacturers and resellers to sell it under the slogan “invisible,” although it would be more correct to use the term “less noticeable.” What gives the angler a decrease in the visibility of the fishing line in the water does not need to be particularly explained. According to a 1992 study by the Tokyo University of Fisheries, using fluorocarbon line increases an angler's chances of catching a fish by more than 2 times.
2. Fluorocarbon is practically not wetted by water and, therefore, does not absorb it. Simply put, fluorocarbon does not get wet. The undesirable property of nylon fishing lines to absorb water leads, on the one hand, to an increase in their diameter, and therefore visibility, and on the other hand, to a decrease in strength due to changes in the spatial structure of the polymer. It is believed that the strength of nylon fishing line immersed in water decreases by 10% for every 5 hours of exposure. Fluorocarbon fishing lines do not have this disadvantage.
3. It is important that, being immersed in water for a long time, fluorocarbon fishing lines remain resistant to both dynamic and static loads, including when a knot is tied. Fluorocarbon fishing lines are extremely soft and have virtually no “memory” - the fishing line wound from the spool does not curl into rings.
4. Fluorocarbon fishing lines are more resistant to thermal influences, both high and low temperatures.
5. Fluorocarbon has almost 100% resistance to sunlight, which cannot be said about nylon. Nylon is destroyed by ultraviolet radiation, which is part of sunlight, gradually losing strength, fluorocarbon does not. An interesting test is described in the fishing section of the official website of Kureha Chemical Industries - high-quality nylon and fluorocarbon fishing line produced by Kureha were irradiated by the tropical sun for 1000 hours, studying the dynamics of changes in the strength of both samples. It turned out that after 50 hours of exposure, the nylon fishing line began to lose strength, reducing it by more than half by the end of the test, while the strength of PYDF remained virtually unchanged.
6. Fluorocarbon line is more resistant to abrasion.

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Main advantages of use compared to nylon monofilament

1. Significantly more invisible in water compared to competitors. This is due to the refraction of light. This indicator is similar to the characteristics of water, which is why it is considered that the material is barely noticeable.
2. Elasticity and weight allow fluor leashes to lie on the bottom taking its shape and unevenness. Thus, he will not scare away the cautious fish that swims up to the bait; it simply will not touch him. This plus will appeal to lovers of float fishing. A fluorine leash sinks 2 times faster than its competitors.
3. It has almost no memory, so after a beard or curling it will easily return to its original appearance.
4. Does not absorb water, which qualitatively affects the uniform diameter of the product. After prolonged fishing, it will not swell or change its shape even after drying.
5. Handles friction very well. If there are rocks, shells or other material on the bottom that can wear out the line, then a fluorocarbon leader is the best choice.
6. Due to its minimal stretch, it is suitable for fishing with a fly or spinning rod (in a jig). When jerking, it will not extinguish energy. If you build a list of elongation from high to low, it looks like this: monofilament, fluorocarbon, braided line. It will also last longer due to uniformity when stretched - no weak, thin spots are created.
7. Indispensable in winter fishing as the main material. Due to the preservation of elasticity at sub-zero temperatures, it will not change its properties, as regular monofilament will.
8. Resistant to all types of solar energy radiation (UV). It has a positive effect on the longevity of the material, without changing during long fishing trips and exposure to the sun.

There are not as many disadvantages as there are positive aspects, and each of them can be called “far-fetched”:

1. The cost of packaging carbon fishing line is high. Good material cannot be cheap, although production has become cheaper. This is especially noticeable for manufacturers from Japan and the USA. The fact is that making goods in Japan is expensive, due to the high quality of the material, the cost of labor and the high requirements for production in general. But remember, fluorocarbon is most often purchased for leashes or for winter fishing. In leashes they use 15-20 cm (in a reel 20-50 m), and when fishing only in winter, it will definitely be enough for 2-3 seasons. It turns out that it is not that expensive.
2. Less strength compared to nylon. These times have already passed and today she is in no way inferior to the gap. Some time ago this fact took place, although it was slightly overestimated.

How to Choose a Good Fluorocarbon Line

Because of one of the well-known advantages, namely invisibility in water, a lot of controversy arose. Opinions about her differed diametrically. Some anglers are disappointed that they were able to see the fishing line in the water, others were dissatisfied with the tests of the so-called “two calloused fist jerk tests”, and others found more exotic reasons for the scam. These screams are strong where the catch was only enough to feed the cat.

All realists understand that only magicians have invisible threads and ropes, and only after certain manipulations, and by definition there cannot be an invisible fishing line. Otherwise, it must have the physical characteristics of water, that is, either be water or consist of it, however, it would be impossible to use such a forest.

Nowadays, fluorocarbon-based fishing line is produced in different, as they say, configurations. It can be soft or hard. Different stretchability. Each fisherman can choose it for specific fishing conditions. In addition, there are species intended for sea water. It should be noted that there are fishing lines coated with fluorocarbon ("Fluorocarbon-coated") on sale, which are a budget option. And also fishing lines made from 100% fluorocarbon, which are very expensive.

As already mentioned, the main producers of quality products are Japan and the USA. By definition, goods produced by these countries cannot be temptingly cheap; do not buy counterfeits. A high price is not an indicator of high quality, so you need to purchase it only in trusted, specialized stores.

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Among Japanese brands, we recommend Kureha Colmic Seaguar and Kureha Colmic Riverge. From American 3M Scientific Anglers. For avid fishermen who want to know a little more than others, we’ll tell you about one secret. Most large, well-known companies are resellers of fluorocarbon from the above-mentioned manufacturers. Buying large quantities, they are wound onto their bobbins, their logo is glued onto them, and they are sold under the guise of other equally recognizable brands. There is nothing wrong with this, the main thing is that the quality remains at its best.

Disadvantages of fluorocarbon lines

1. Weak tensile strength. Interestingly, the strength of fluorocarbon lines varies nonlinearly under the influence of an applied “longitudinal” load. Often, a leash that was not replaced on time due to laziness, tied on a previous fishing trip and looking quite decent, suddenly breaks “for no reason”, and not at the knot, but along the way. This does not happen with a nylon fishing line; as it stretches out, it gradually loses its properties.
2. Low strength at the knot site. To some extent, this disadvantage of fluorocarbon fishing lines can be compensated for by knitting special high-strength knots.
3. High cost of material. Fluorocarbon fishing lines are much more expensive than nylon-based monofilament lines.

It is worth noting: Modern fishing lines made from this material have a fairly significant margin of safety, and the PVDF structure, when applying loads permissible for a given diameter of the fishing line, practically does not change, and the fishing line does not stretch.

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Knots for fluorocarbon line

The result of fishing directly depends on the quality of the tie, so the knots must be durable and strong. Especially strong knots that will never come apart are obtained with multiple weaves.

Carrot Knot

With the help of such a knot, a fluorocarbon leash is tied to the main braided fishing line. This is done in the following way:

1. At the end of the leash, a regular knot is tied into which the end of the braid is threaded.
2. Starting from the knot, the braid is wrapped around the leash seven times in one direction and six times in the opposite direction.
3. The knot is abundantly wetted and tightly tightened.
4. The coils of the braid are treated with water and slowly pulled together. To do this, pull the tip and carefully ensure that the fishing line does not deform.

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The result should be a strong and compact unit. You will need to tighten the leash knot again and trim off the remainder, leaving about five millimeters of fishing line at the end of the leash.

Grinner knot

The knot is used to tie together fluorocarbon and braided fishing lines with a diameter difference of 5:1. After forming this sliding double knot, you should check that it is tied tightly and neatly on the hook. The line should come out of it without any damage.

Albright node

This is the best knot for tying two fishing lines that have a threefold difference in diameter. The connection will be as strong and reliable as possible. The knot is able to pass into the rod ring without complications.

Based on descriptions and diagrams, it is quite difficult to make the correct knot. The sequence of actions is not always clear, so you can spoil the plot. To make a good knot, you can find video instructions on websites on the Internet and learn the tying technique.

Fluorocarbon knots for hooks and leaders

Before tying a knot, the fluorocarbon line should be moistened with saliva and water. The pictures show step-by-step examples of tying knots on leashes and tying a hook to a fluorocarbon leash.

Tying a leash

Hook knot

Tying fishing line

To view, click on the picture.

Due to the increasing popularity of fluorocarbon in the global sports fishing tackle market, many large companies have announced corresponding products in their catalogs. The situation here is approximately the same as in the market for traditional nylon fishing line. It is well known that a significant share of nylon line products sold in Europe and Russia are produced at the production facilities of the German chemical concern Bayer. The fishing line there is produced to order from both large and small companies; in the latter case, it can be unwound “on the side” and subsequently be called whatever you like.

Just a dozen years ago, fluorocarbon was incredibly expensive, and not every amateur angler could afford to buy a reel of fashionable fishing line. Currently, due to the improvement of the production base and the development of modern polymer production technologies, it has become significantly cheaper, but there are still very few real manufacturers of high-quality fluorocarbon. Most well-known companies order fluorocarbon fishing line from large manufacturers, which can be counted on one hand. Unwinding, depending on the size of the order and the customer’s fame, can be carried out both at the manufacturer’s plant and at the customer’s facilities.

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How to check fluorocarbon for quality

If you have already purchased a fishing line supposedly made of fluorocarbon, but you are “tormented by vague doubts,” perform a simple test - set it on fire. A nylon fishing line burns and melts, forming a ball at the end, while a fluorocarbon fishing line goes out and does not form such an “influx” of material; the burnt tip of the fishing line crumbles in the fingers into black ash, staining the fingers.

The test is simple and quite reliable. Note! Fluorocarbon will burn on its own, it will not curl up into a pellet, and a significant amount of black ash will form at the burned end of the fishing line from the abundance of carbon. Modern fluorocarbon line may not disintegrate completely into black ash (and most likely won't). This depends on the percentage of carbon to other elements in the composition used, but carbon resin should form in appreciable quantities.

Despite the fact that more than 45 years have passed since the invention of fluorocarbon as such, Japanese manufacturers from the Kureha concern continue to be the leader and quality standard.

If you are interested in fluorocarbon leader material, be careful, do not buy these products anywhere, do not take products from unknown companies, or from well-known ones in dubious packaging.

Real high-quality fluorocarbon is a relatively expensive material. You can purchase either the leader material itself or simply a fishing line of a suitable diameter. The standard designation on fluorocarbon line labels is “Fluorocarbon” or PVDF, but there is often a clarification - 100%, reminding the angler that this is a true fluorocarbon line, and not nylon coated with fluorocarbon, designated as “fluorocarbon - coated” - the Chinese version , an attempt by the manufacturer to give nylon fishing lines the properties of fluorocarbon.