Fluorocarbon: does it get brittle in cold water?

[trent_s]

I had an owner of one of the largest tackle shops on the Pacific Coast tell me that I shouldn't fish fluorocarbon in late winter as cold water makes it brittle and break easier...I've never heard this before. Any truth to this? And if so, does it permanently deform (stretch) or harm it even if you suffer no break offs?

[njbasscat]

I've fished fluoro in as low as 38 degree water and continued to use it for the remainder of the season. I would say cold water is fine and I've not seen any negative effects.

[Hobie-Wan Kenobi]

I use fluoro when I ice fish. They specifically make ice fluoro. I think it's the same line in a smaller spool but I'm not sure. I also use normal flouro with no problems.

[nickp]

I disagree, now, yozuri hybrid and other copoly's can be downright springy in cold water/cold weather.

[Hobie-Wan Kenobi]

It does get more memory in the cold, especially on small spools. I haven't had any surprising break offs though.

[trent_s]

I've had troubles before in the spring, but it was a few years back when I was fishing Seaguar and it seemed like I had a lot of problems in general with all their lines except Tatsu.
Not that one trip confirms anything but I pulled 6 out of heavy brush on a private lake yesterday...water temp was between 38-41, no break offs.

[toddmc]

I saw a video clip where A-Mart was saying that he fishes more Sniper and less Shooter as the temperature gets colder. The memory is the reason. The softer fluoros are logically a better choice when the temperature gets severe. I have never heard of them getting any more brittle than normal in an extreme cold situation though. It doesn't get cold enough here in SoCal, or most places in the south, to have to make any line changes based on the cold.

[walli]

My son uses fluoro to ice fish in temps as cold as -30. I know some brands are better suited and made specifically for ice fishing so I wouldnt dismiss fluoro categorically.

[tywithay]

It gets stiffer, as most anything does when the molecules get closer together. It doesn't get brittle though.

[lifeofRiley]

Fluorocarbon is brittle in warm water.

[Jayce]

I tried a little experiment when i saw this.

I placed two 1-meter length of FC inside the freezer, one dry and one wet and left it for a few hours.
I did a simple snap test to see if it wil break easy then hanged a few weights till it breaks.
Happy to say it was comparable with FC in room temps.
Its not a really exact test but it does support that FC does not get brittle.

[barrys]

Good to hear cause I store all my line in the garage. It's being stored in the elements as far as temp. but I keep it in a black box so no light gets in

[Teal101]

Nope. I fish FC all year, including in 20* on down weather when Steelheading. Never noticed any loss of strength and those Steelies are one good test!

[slipperybob]

No it does not get brittle in the cold, nor subfreezing temps of -40 F. My fingers would get brittle long before that.

[slipperybob]

I just found out that an ice fisherman had claimed that fluorocarbon lines gets brittle in the cold as well. But when asked, which mfg or brand...no response.