Ice fishing lines?

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replica66[]
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Ice fishing lines?

Post by replica66[] » Sat Dec 17, 2016 1:53 pm

What's the difference between regular copolymer fishing lines and ice fishing lines like the Micro Ice and Panfish Ice and others I've seen. Is there really a difference or is it just a marketing ploy to get us to buy more line in the wintertime?

jigmaster5
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Re: Ice fishing lines?

Post by jigmaster5 » Sat Dec 24, 2016 7:05 am

I think the differences are minor.

Some of the ice lines are coated wth a hydrophobic coating which helps reduce ice up. I think it wears off over time, tho.

I've tried most of them. My personal preference is fireline crystal ice for superline. The coating wears off over time, but it's still very strong & holds up well to fish and the ice edge. For fluorocarbon, the best that I've found are 6x & 7x fly-fishing tippets. The 3G and 4G fluorocarbon leaders are very limp & flexible. Some of them are surprisingly strong. You can put a backing of cheap line like suffix ice magic (or fireline crystal ice) and then a topshot of fluorocarbon.... or fish direct without the topshot.

Good luck!

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slipperybob
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Re: Ice fishing lines?

Post by slipperybob » Fri Dec 15, 2017 8:58 am

If you ever fish when the air temp is about 32 F degrees or right there at 0 C degrees, any fine droplets of water will freeze in the air. While casting and retrieving your line guides, especially the tip guide will ice up. Ice fishing lines, or even cold weather lines have an advantage over regular lines in preventing ice from accumulating. Lines will also become more stiff as the temp drops. In effect also they do a better job at maintaining line flexibility.

Not all labeled ice fishing lines are actual ice lines. Some are just regular lines repackaged for smaller retail spools, typical to ice fishing spools - pony spools of 50 yrd.

Some ice lines are smaller # test or smaller line diameter that are not available for standard lines. In effect 1#, 2#, 3# test that do not come in the standard filler spools.
slip bobbing is the laziest way to fish

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