Silver Thread AN40 versus McCoy Mean Green

[Greg64]

For those who have fished both, how does Silver Thread AN40 compare to McCoy Mean Green? I currently fish the McCoy Mean Green; however, I think I fished AN40 years, ago. I've forgotten how the AN40 fished.

Please advise.

Thanks,

Greg

[Bronzeye]

Mean Green's main virtue--as I recall from others' posts about it three decades ago--was its limpness. I bought some spools of it, but just used it for backing on spools after I found out how weak it was compared to other nylon monofilament lines. Compared to AN40, for example, its tensile strength (measured in pounds per square inch at breaking load) was about 30% less.

I used 4 and 6 lb. test AN40 for many years, catching hundreds of stream smallmouth on the 6 lb. line. It was abrasion resistant, dependable, and as trouble-free as any other mono. I could set Texas-rigged fine-wire hooks just fine with it at modest distances. I didn't fish the higher strengths of AN40 enough to tell you much about them, except that the 8 lb. test proved too stretchy to set a low-priced 5/0 Texposed R-Bend hook in fluke-style baits that bass hit 50 feet or more away; I think that would have been true for most mono lines of that diameter (.0100"). Would you say the same is true of 8 Mean Green?

Here is an old TackleTour thread with others' opinions about AN40: https://www.tackletour.net/viewtopic.php?t=8797.

[Greg64]

I, personally, have not noticed a "stretch" problem with the Mean Green. That's not to say there isn't one; I just haven't experienced it myself. I've been fishing McCoy Mean Green for at least 20 years; and, I've been satisfied with it for the most part. But, I'm always looking for something better.

[dragon1]

Try this Gamma line...even in 8-10 lb it's an excellent performer. A bit more stiff than Mean Green, but strong and more abrasion resistant like the AN40, about the same as PLine CX but stronger.

https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Gamma_H ... -GHPG.html

[slipperybob]

All on spinning gear. I probably only fished one spool of AN40 only and can't remember for sure what it's merits really were. However I like Super better. At the 4# test Super was more abrasion resistant and yet still supple. AN40 may have been more limp but that's about it. Excalibur was more abrasion resistant over Super but also sinks more. Again at 4# test that was barely even noticeable in comparison.

I kept some notes on the lines when I was using them.

Silverthread Super .179 mm 4# line break 5# 2 oz.
Silverthread Super .22 mm 6# line break 7# 7 oz.
Silverthread Excalibur .179 mm 4# line break 5# 12 oz.
Silverthread Excalibur .245 mm 6# line break 9# 11 oz.

[Hulkster]

for what its worth, Sufix Siege in Smoke Green is the best overall mono I have ever used.
its limp enough to use on spinning gear (casts great in 4-10 pound tests) and awesome on a baitcasting reel (I use 12 on my curado 200)

not sure how it holds up in line comparison tests though

[dragon1]

for what its worth, Sufix Siege in Smoke Green is the best overall mono I have ever used.
its limp enough to use on spinning gear (casts great in 4-10 pound tests) and awesome on a baitcasting reel (I use 12 on my curado 200)

not sure how it holds up in line comparison tests though

I agree about Sufix Siege, I use 14 on my heavy topwater with a tuned/modded OG Scorpion 1000XT and it casts and handles very well. Same was true on a 2020 Zillion HD and OG tuned Fuego 100. I am also experimenting with Sufix Elite camo in 20lb. What I have found is Sufix winding process creates a nice uniform line, it casts well, is very strong, but both lines show wear and fatigue to the coating much faster and more so, than say CXX. This is especially true with power casting techs from using a 6" Trace slow sink on the 20lb Elite camo and a 1/2 oz Giant DogX on the 14 lb Siege.