Super Lines as used in Pier or Surf fishing
by Ron Crandall of Ron's Reel Repair (July 1997)
by Ron Crandall of Ron's Reel Repair (July 1997)
What follows will be a discussion of the new Super Lines. (Which today may seem a little outdated — KJ, 2020)
The 1st generation of braided lines, for example Spider Wire, were:
1. Very Abrasive
2. Very limp (would tangle in guides)
3. Hard to cut, would not break
4. Extremely small diameter
5. Very expensive
6. Very low stretch
7. Long life span (years not months)
The 2nd generation of braided lines, for example Gorilla Braid, were:
1. Less abrasive
2. Still limp (would wrap around guides)
3. Broke easily
4. Had a larger diameter for strength than 1st generation
5. Less expensive
6. Very low stretch
7. Long life span
The current generation (from 1997), now generically grouped as Super Lines, examples of which are Raptor, Fusion, Fire Line, and others are:
1. Not as abrasive as 1st generation
2. Stiffer than 1st generation, but not as stiff as monofilament
3. Will cut with knife or scissors, but not nail clippers
4. Fused, not braided line like 1st generation
5.Comparable in expense to tournament grade monofilament
6. Have low stretch
7. Have a very long life span
Super lines are best used under the following conditions:
1. Long distance casting
2. In open water areas
3. On casting revolving, spool-type reels
4. Can be used on spinning reels with a rolling line guide
5. Are not compatible with old Mitchell reels
Monofilament is better for close casting or in heavy vegetation because of the stretch.
Special precautions when using Super Lines:
1.Do not use bare hands to break off line when snagged. Use a leather glove or wrap the line around a stick to break it off. (I wrap it around a rolled up towel until it breaks KJ.)
2. Use Fuji-type, ceramic-centered guides like Fuji Hardaloy
3. Use a knife or scissor, not nail clippers, to cut the line
To test the relative merits of three of the current (1997) Super Lines, a Penn 146 Squidder w/Accuframe was used on an 8, Diawa casting rod. Three spools, each with a different line were changed twice, every 20 minutes. The line was rigged with 2-oz. pyramid sinkers and a 3-foot, Hi-Lo surf leader of 15# Andy Premium.
Raptor (30#) — Color-no bleed; Abrasion Resistant—Tougher than Fusion; Casting Ease—Same as Fire Line; Sensitivity Underwater—Same as Fusion
Fire Line (30#) — Color—Rubs off to dull gray brown; Abrasion Resistant—Tougher than Fusion; Casting Ease— Same as Raptor; Sensitivity Underwater—Less than Fusion and Raptor
Fusion (24#) — Color—Bleeds small amount; Abrasion Resistant—Nicks and breaks on sharp edges; Casting Ease—Less than Fire Line & Raptor; Sensitivity Underwater—Same as Raptor
Five fish were caught during this test.