Favorite UL line

How small is your rod and how light is your line? It's not about the size of your tackle, but how you work it. Come share your Ultralight and Bait Finesse System (BFS) fishing success here!
hill country
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Re: Favorite UL line

Post by hill country » Wed Mar 23, 2016 10:32 am

Jeezus, I thought you were talking about UL! I figured with modern lines being so much thinner & stronger, the trend would be lighter, yet I only see a couple of folks fishing anything less than 3# - 4#! Stroft is great, though a little pricey and hard to find. Trilene XL 2# actually tests around 3#, and with a knot a bit less, and is easy to find and affordable.

Bryin
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Re: Favorite UL line

Post by Bryin » Wed Mar 23, 2016 10:54 am

The definition of UL is very broad on this site... Personally I am of mind that anything .005 and under in diameter is UL... except for braid and then all bets are off...

Finesse68
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Re: Favorite UL line

Post by Finesse68 » Wed Mar 23, 2016 1:28 pm

4# seaguar invisx or sunline sniper is what I use for my ultralight spinning rigs. Berkley 100% seems to work just fine, as well. Main problem is trying to tie on lures with such small diameter line :lol:

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Re: Favorite UL line

Post by jigmaster5 » Mon Apr 04, 2016 10:14 am

4 lb Nanofil with a 3-4 lb fluoro leader. I know some people hate the stuff, but I've had very good luck with it. It's very slick so you need to figure out some good knots or add a tiny drop of superglue to keep it from slipping out. It also hates any kind of abrasion (rocks, wood, sticks, sharp weeds, etc.). I get around the abrasion issues by fishing with a 5' leader of 4 lb fluoro. I'm also usually fishing in deep, clear obstruction-free water. Casts far, handles very well, very strong in a straight pull (for 4 lb test - but not as strong as say fireline crystal, for example). I've found it to be very reliable. If you screw up the knot, it will break right away (vs. on a fish) as it can cut into itself when you pull tight. I kind of like that. You know right away if you have a bad knot.

2 lb Maxima Ultragreen is the best 2 lb test line that I've found in that 2 lb mono class. Some lines in the 2 lb class are absolute junk. There's not much room for error in 0.005" diameter. Still looking for something better in that class. Haven't found it yet.

Sometimes I will use straight 4 lb mono for fishing stuff like a Teeny Pop-R near weeds. Lots of good options for 4 lb mono. I still use Trilene XL just because it's readily available and works OK. Looking to try Vicious Panfish 4 lb this year that was recommended by a friend.

Will try 8 lb Gliss this season, as well. I have some on order now. Landed a false albacore on 24 lb gliss (not an UL rod) last year, but the important part was that the line held. I think the line ratings are overstated by about 2x. Still, if 8 lb gliss = 4 lb nanofil, then I will be in good shape. Again, it's super slick so you need some good knots or glue to keep the knots from slipping out. The albie twisted the heck out of the last 6' of gliss to the point where I had to re-tie. Whereas nanofil would absorb the twist and still be fishable. I'm hoping the fish that I target with my UL won't abuse the gliss as much and I can just keep fishing instead of re-tying improved albrights constantly.

oops
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Re: Favorite UL line

Post by oops » Sun Apr 24, 2016 6:26 pm

For those of you using superlines, I'm curious what your reasons are for going with something like 2/6 Fireline over 2/10 Power Pro? Does it fish better on the smaller 500/1000 size spools despite having the same diameter? Does the Fireline have superior abrasion resistance? Personal preference of just wanting a lower breaking strength line?

I've used 4lb Berkley XT for as long as I can remember, but I'm sort of keen on trying something new and the benefits of a superline are really appealing whether it be more easily detecting bites and getting better hooksets on redears hiding in 20+ feet of water or having a better chance of pulling stuff away from structure.

jigmaster5
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Re: Favorite UL line

Post by jigmaster5 » Mon Apr 25, 2016 10:38 pm

oops wrote:For those of you using superlines, I'm curious what your reasons are for going with something like 2/6 Fireline over 2/10 Power Pro? Does it fish better on the smaller 500/1000 size spools despite having the same diameter? Does the Fireline have superior abrasion resistance? Personal preference of just wanting a lower breaking strength line?
I used to fish Fireline & PowerPro on all of my reels. FL is thinner (flatter) and casts farther. PP stays round(er) and is more abrasion resistance. For any kind of open water fishing, I would use FL. For any kind of highly abrasive fishing (rocks, wood, weeds), I would use PP.

Now I'm mainly using Nanofil & Gliss in place of fireline....and I've replaced most of my PowerPro rods with Sufix 832 or Daiwa J-Braid.

Lots of lines out there, give a couple a try every year. For UL fishing, I like 4 lb Nanofil, 8 lb Gliss, 2 lb Maxima Ultragreen, and almost any 4 lb mono for fishing tiny poppers & other small topwaters.

Brad in Texas
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Re: Favorite UL line

Post by Brad in Texas » Mon Dec 12, 2016 9:08 am

An old thread but a good one!

I wonder if anyone has tried the relatively new Sufix Nanobraid? It has been out for a few years now and it is a true braided line as contrasted to, say, Nanofil (which I really like) with its parallel strands.

Nanobraid shows .001, .002 and .003 for 2, 3 and 4 lbs. respectively.

Brad

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Re: Favorite UL line

Post by CM_Stewart » Tue Jan 10, 2017 7:47 am

Any thoughts or reviews of Sunline Small Game PE-HG? Comes in 3, 5, 6 and 8 lb for $45 per spool.
Chris Stewart
(affiliations: TenkaraBum.com, Finesse-Fishing.com)

YarikFromEast
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Re: Favorite UL line

Post by YarikFromEast » Mon Feb 06, 2017 8:14 pm

White Nanofil 4 lb is chip (8$ for 410 feet) and good for UL. I even don`t use any leader.

Brad in Texas
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Re: Favorite UL line

Post by Brad in Texas » Sun Mar 05, 2017 11:11 am

Now that I have fished with it, I'll add to my comments from a few months ago regarding Sufix's Nanobraid in 2 lbs. test. Just to be sure no one mistakes this for Berkley Nanobraid, another line I like, too. This is a different line.

But, I like the Nanobraid much better.

I have it spooled onto a 6'9" St. Croix rod (PFS69ULF) with a Shimano Ci4+ 1000 series reel.

Sufix says it is .001" in diameter, so very fine line. And, it is all Dyneema. Sufix further claims it is 3X as strong as "others in its class" whatever that means. I would say that it gives me the impression that it is likely as strong as 6 lbs. mono.

No break-offs yet by fish and I've caught: stocker trout, bluegills, crappie, small LMBs up to a little over a pound, and one white bass which was the hardest fighter of them all.

I think it could land up to a 3 lbs. LMB with no great issues.

You can tell by the fact that I spooled it on a 6'9" rod that I am attempting long casts and I swim a small grub on a 1/40th oz. jighead, not sure of the total weight, but light. In dead air, it casts 70 to 90 feet with modest effort.

The line is so tiny I tie on terminal tackle directly, no leader. I can't imagine fish being able to make out something this fine.

Brad

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Re: Favorite UL line

Post by Hogsticker2 » Sun Mar 05, 2017 1:58 pm

Seaguar finesse fluorocarbon. Handles like Tatsu so it's spinning reel friendly. Very thin diameters. Nice line. Like Tatsus little brother.

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slipperybob
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Re: Favorite UL line

Post by slipperybob » Fri Dec 15, 2017 8:34 am

I have lots of favorite or not...I test my line based on the knot I tie with for my fishing purpose. This tells me, what I should expect in application. Some lines hold up and breaks before my knot fails, others are broken right at the base of the knot = knot break.

Berkley Fireline Crystal .06 mm 1# line break 3# 5 oz.
Berkley Fireline Crystal .08 mm 2#knot break 3# 9 oz.
Berkley Fireline Crystal .10 mm 3# line break 6# 4 oz.
Berkley Fireline Original .13 mm 4# knot break 6# 12 oz.

Stren Microfuse .08 mm 2# line break 4# 9 oz

Powerpro Ice Braid 3# knot break 5# 13 oz. (slow pull 6# 13 oz.)
Powerpro Ice Braid 4# knot break 5# 10 oz. (slow pull 6# 9 oz.)

Sufix 832 Ice Braid .10mm 4# knot break 9# 2 oz.

ASSO Power Braid .12 mm 10# knot break 11# 0 oz. Mfg claim break of 15.9#
ASSO Power Braid .14 mm 12# knot break 11# 8 oz. Mfg claim break of 18.0#
ASSO Micro Finish braid .08 mm 10# knot break 8# 4 oz. Mfg claim break of 13.2#
ASSO Micro Finish braid .10 mm 12# knot break 9# 12 oz. Mfg claim break of 16.5#
ASSO Sinking Braid .16mm 10# knot break 12# 5 oz.
ASSO Sinking Braid .18mm 12# knot break 13# 10 oz.

Berkley Trilene Microice .18 mm 3# line break 4# 1 oz.

Gamma ESP Ice .10 mm 2# line break 3# 1 oz. Mfg claim break of 2.8# (2015 3# 2 oz.)
Gamma ESP Ice .15 mm 4# line break 5# 2 oz. Mfg claim break of 4.9# (2011-1 yr 4# 14 oz.)

Silverthread Excalibur .179 mm 4# line break 5# 12 oz. (palomar knot 5# 14 oz.)

Gamma Touch .16 mm 4# line break 3# 10 oz. (palomar knot 3# 9 oz.)
Gamma Touch .19 mm 5# line break 4# 14 oz. (palomar knot 4# 5 oz.)

Pline Floroclear .16 mm 3# line break 4# 1 oz. (2012 palomar knot 4# 4)
Pline Floroclear .18 mm 4# line break 5# 14 oz. (2012 palomar knot 6#1)

ASSO Tetramax .160 mm 3# line break 4# 8 oz. (2015 6 yrs 4# 0 oz.)
ASSO Tetramax .180 mm 4# line break 7# 1 oz. Mfg claim break of 7.5#
ASSO Flourolight .200 mm 4# line break 7# 9 oz. Mfg claim break of 7.9# (2015 - 6 yrs 5# 14 oz.)
ASSO Ice Fishing .140 mm 3# line break 3# 6 oz. Mfg claim break of 3.4# (2011-1 yr 3# 6 oz.)
ASSO Ice Fishing .160 mm 4# line break 4# 11 oz. Mfg claim break of 5.4# (2011-1 yr 4# 15 oz.) (2015-6 yrs 4# 8 oz.)
ASSO Ice Heavy .127 mm 2# knot break 2# 8 oz. Mfg claim break of 3.3#
ASSO Ice Heavy .150 mm 3# knot break 3# 4 oz. Mfg claim break of 4.2# ( 2015 3# 0 oz.)
ASSO Micron 3 .153 mm 4# knot break 4# 8 oz. Mfg claim break of 4.8# (2011-1 yr 4# 12 oz.)(2015-5yrs 4# 7 oz.)
ASSO Micron 3 .173 mm 5# breaks 5# 2 oz. Mfg claimed break of 6.2#
ASSO HT 4# claimed break 9.0# breaks 3# 15 oz., 4# 12 oz., 4# 9 oz.., 4# 8 oz.
ASSO HT 5# claimed break 11.5# breaks 5# 12 oz., 5# 3 oz., 5# 7 oz.., 4# 15 oz.
ASSO HT 6# claimed break 15.2# breaks 6# 14 oz., 6# 12 oz., 6# 8 oz.., 6# 11 oz. (2016- low 6#12, high 8#02)
ASSO Dominator .12 mm 3# breaks 3# 12 oz. Mfg claimed 4.4#
ASSO Dominator .14 mm 4# breaks 3# 13 oz. Mfg claimed 5.7#

I will say that the biggest problem with very light line casting for me is that the wind often carries the line and makes it dance in the air for several seconds on long casts. That is the effect with 1/8 oz kastmaster spoon.
slip bobbing is the laziest way to fish

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