Claw Snelled
Game Changers - Important Tools - Fluorocarbon
I caught my first fish out of Lolo Creek on Lolo Pass - A northern Idaho highway over the mountains to Missoula, Montana. I was eight years old and when my dad said it was time to go, I cried. I used worms on Eagle Claw pre-snelled hooks and as far as I know the leader was dental floss. I think I caught five Rainbow Trout. The big one was probably ten inches long, but at the time it was huge. All natives. I remember it like it was yesterday. I was hooked. At that point, I had no idea about lines, leaders, tippets, or really any tackle knowledge, but it didn't matter. All I've wanted to do since that day was catch fish.
Over the years a lot has changed. I became a flyfisherman at age fifteen. I started to learn things. Things like the difference between "pound test" and "X". And the difference between graphite and fiberglass rods. And I've learned that some things stay the same. Fish are both predator and prey. They hunt to find their meals, and they get scared when they think they will become the meal. Some are smarter than others. And if they are big, they got that way by being wary.
As I became more adept at catching fish, I started gravitating toward areas where the fish were bigger...and therefore smarter. To catch big smart fish I had to be more careful in my approach. My casts had to be more exact. My flies had to match the things the fish were eating. And my tippet - the last section of line where my fly was tied - decreased in size and strength as the fish size and intelligence increased.
Just when it started getting difficult to land large trout on light tippet...Along came Flourocarbon. This new material used for making fishing leader/tippet came on the market in full force in the early 1990s and it was groundbreaking stuff. Monofilament was the only modern material that I know of in use for fishing tippet up to this point. Where I had to use 6X or 7X (3 or 2 pound test) monofilament tippet on smart fish, I could now use 4X (5 pound test) fluorocarbon. That may not seem like a lot, but it was a huge deal. And it still is. Today the monofilament is better than it used to be. And there are some fishing situations where monofilament is actually a better tool. But not many.
There are a few main differences between monofilament and fluorocarbon. The first is strength verses diameter. Fluorocarbon is stronger and thinner than monofilament. The benefits to those who fish is obvious. You can use lighter line to catch bigger fish.
The second difference is that while monofilament tends to float on top of the water, fluorocarbon sinks. This is great when you want to have your line get down to the fish when nymphing or streamer fishing. But when you want your fly to float on top of the water - dry fly fishing - this can be a nuisance. Also when fishing water with a lot of underwater flora, a floating leader is sometimes better. But experts say fish eat about 90% of their daily meals under the surface of the water. With this knowledge, I rarely purchase monofilament anymore.
Another difference is knot strength and abrasion resistance. Although not all fluoro and mono brands are created equal, I have found that it is extremely important to be careful when tying knots with fluorocarbon. The material seems to be less resistant to abrasion than monofilament and if knots are not properly lubricated with saliva (I know, kind of icky), your knots may become weak points in your leader causing you to lose fish on a hook set or during your battles.
Lastly...and this is what hinders most people...fluorocarbon is about three times more expensive than monofilament. A thirty yard spool of high quality monofilament is about $5-$6. The same thirty yards of high quality fluorocarbon is $15-$20. All I can say, is you get what you pay for. In the big picture, this difference is insignificant. But that eight year old kid whose allowance was only $5 a week would have had a hard time ponying up for the good stuff. He likely would have content to catch his fish in Lolo Creek on dental floss and worms. A lot has changed!
Contact Dale - rodandreeladventures@gmail.com
About the Author
Dale Williams has traveled and fished the world since 1985. His business, Rod and Reel Adventures is a worldwide fishing travel agency. They offer objective information that helps travelers make well informed decisions. Follow him on Twitter @traveltofish. Read his blogs at travelandfishtheworld.blogspot.com, or check out the Rod and Reel website at www.rodreeladventures.com.
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