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Buyer's Guide
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Super Line Buyer's Guide - Page 4

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

So now that you have a super line, how do you use it? How do you rig it? What should you NOT do?

Rigging

Attaching a super line to your reel takes certain, sometimes grueling steps, for proper performance. Super lines are slick. So trying to attach it straight to an aluminum spool can result in slippage. You will want to “prime” the spool by using 10-15 feet of monofilament line first. Monofilament’s stretchy properties will allow for a tighter grip on the smooth surface of the spool. You will then want to connect the super line using a line joining knot like a uni to uni knot (for similar line diameters) or an Albright special knot (for lines of different diameters). You can also prevent slippage by putting a layer of duct tape or electrical tape on the spool before attaching the line.

Uni to Uni Knot: The Uni to Uni Knot is used for joining two lines of SIMILAR diameter. Note how the spectra line requires more turns in its Uni knot than the monofilament, due to its slipperiness. (Click on the picture for a larger version.)

Albright Special Knot: The Albright Special Knot is a very good and strong knot for joining two lines of DIFFERENT diameter or thickness. The blue line represents the thicker of the two lines, which is usually the monofilament or fluorocarbon leader or top shot. You must note that the tag end of the thin line goes back through the loop of the thick line in the opposite direction that it came in (step 3). (Click on the picture for a larger version.)

Reverse Albright Knot: The Reverse Albright Knot is a variation of the previous knot. Again, the blue line represents the thick line. The resulting knot looks similar to the traditional Albright, and as far as I know, is just as strong. (Click on the picture for a larger version.)

When using the super line as a main line, you may not be able to fill the whole spool with the amount of line that you have. In this case you will want to pre-fill the spool with monofilament to a certain point, just leaving enough space to finish spooling with the super line. The correct way to do this is time consuming, but because of the long life expectancy of super lines, you will not have to do this often if you stay with it. First, you should spool the super line onto the spool. If it does not fill the spool all the way, connect it to a monofilament line and finish spooling the reel. Now, you will want to un-spool the line onto a spare spool. Then, you un-spool that line onto yet ANOTHER spare spool. NOW you can put it back onto your reel. Doing this, you will have the correct amount of monofilament filling the spool up to the point where the super line should start.

If using a monofilament shock leader, you should take note to leave some space for the leader line (usually a very heavy monofilament capable of handling the stress of casting the weight of the sinker intended to be cast). If you are using the super line as the main line and not using a monofilament or fluorocarbon leader, it may be beneficial to use some sort of quick connection device like a snap swivel or clip. This will minimize the loss of expensive super line due to constant changing of lures, since knots like the Palomar knot, which is one of the most recommended for tying to terminal tackle, waste a lot of line when the tag end is cut off.

When using it just as a leader, attach the super line to your main line by whichever line connection method is best suited, and cut off the intended length. Whether your main line is mono and your leader line is spectra, or vice versa, it may also be beneficial to attach them with a swivel. This will minimize line twist, associated mostly with spinning reels, ensuring proper action to your lure and minimizing knots and tangles.

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