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Buyer's Guide
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Super Line Buyer's Guide - Page 2

Super Lines: Is It For Me? (continued) - By Pescador

Because of these traits, there are many uses for these lines to suit today's fishing styles and methods. The most common uses are:

Line backing
Main line
Leader line

As a line backing, there are a couple ways to use them. The first way is to use the same (or close) breaking strength as the main line - usually called a "top shot". Because of the super line's thinner diameter more line of the same strength can be used, giving the angler much more line capacity in a smaller reel. The second way to use it as backing is to use a super line with a similar diameter as the top shot. This method is for economy of expensive top shelf monofilament lines. Instead of periodically changing out 300 yards of line on a saltwater reel, you may only need to change 50-100 yards of monofilament at a time, making your spool of extra line last about five or six times as long.

When using it as a main line, the super line gives the angler more total line capacity and greater sensitivity. It can be tied directly to the lure or hook, or a short monofilament or fluorocarbon leader may be used for line-shy species. When surf fishing with super line as a main line, some may even use what is called a shock leader. This is a length of strong monofilament line that is used to absorb the shock of casting a heavy sinker long distances. Attempting to do this without a shock leader can put undo stress on the line, rod, or reel, causing damage to your equipment, or injury if the sinker breaks off during the cast.

When using the super line as a leader, its abrasion resistant properties are relied upon. It is beneficial when fishing for toothy species like barracuda since it is difficult to cut, and its small diameter and suppleness is less noticeable than stiff steel wire leaders.

The older super lines had many problems associated with them. They were made of very strong materials that were tightly braided together, but they were notorious for cutting grooves into the rod guides. And because of their minimal stretch, it is difficult to lay it on the spool tightly. This can result in the line "biting" into the rest of the line from the stress of fighting a strong fish. But nowadays, these problems are minimized by the use of better materials for guides, better technology in the making of the lines, keeping their round shape, and the introduction of Spectra. Spectra fibers have no stretch, are slicker than monofilament, and are literally stronger than steel in the same diameter.

Not all of the cons of super lines were alleviated, however. Line biting into the spool is lessened by lines that keep their round shape. But unless the line is laid onto the spool correctly, this problem will not go away. The line, while being spooled, must crisscross over itself, much like the letter X. But by doing this, it will create pockets of space, lessening the maximum line capacity of the reel. For example, a reel is rated to hold 200 yards of 6lb test monofilament. 20lb Spectra line has a diameter very close to that of 6lb monofilament. But, spooled correctly on the spool, you will not be able to get all 200 of those yards. You will, however, get about three times as much 20lb line as you would with mono.

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