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Microfiber, Maxipower

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By FRANK SARGEANT

Tribune correspondent

Published: August 22, 2008

There's no question that the latest generation of microfiber lines has changed the playing field for anglers during the past 10 years, with a large percentage of seasoned fishermen switching to the braided fiber for spinning tackle, and many thousands more using them in heavier tests on baitcasters.

Users cite the complete lack of stretch in fiber, which is known as gelspun polyester to chemists. It provides a cable-like ability to pull big fish from their lairs, it provides a much better hook set than the highly elastic monofilament it has replaced, has greater sensitivity for fishing jigs and worms, works many lures better because it has more "snap," and provides much greater strength at a given diameter than mono lines.

And, because it's only about one-third to one-fourth the diameter of monofilament at a given breaking strength, it cuts through the water and weeds better and casts farther.

Last, but not least, the tough fiber lasts six to 10 times longer than mono of similar strength; many anglers now replace their lines only twice a year, while mono sometimes had to be replaced after only a few trips. While fiber is two to four times more expensive than mono, the difference in durability makes up for the difference in price, microfiber advocates say.

But there are still plenty of issues with microfiber. Many anglers have found that their favorite knots slip and let go in the slick gelspun material. Some also report that fluorocarbon or mono shock leaders tied with conventional knots to fiber line wind up being cut through when a fish hits.

And many anglers have experienced aggravating wind knots, loops and tangles when using spinning gear, something that rarely happens with mono.

I had the opportunity to fish with Bill Wallace, who heads the national sales program for PowerPro, a few weeks back. Here are some of his thoughts on curing any issues with fiber line.

"Basically, the problem with loops is the result of getting slack on the spool," Wallace says. "You can avoid this by manually closing the bail on older reels. Most newer reels don't cause the problem even if you close the bail automatically."

And, he suggests, it pays to "repack" the spool several times during the day.

"Just make the longest cast you can, and then as you rewind the line, hold tension on it between your thumb and forefinger. This packs the line on the spool and gets rid of anything that might create a wind knot," says Wallace.

There are also problems with installing new fiber line on a reel. The stuff is so slippery that it sometimes simply slides around the arbor, negating the drag. Wallace says you can solve the issue be putting a single wrap of masking tape on the bare spool, then loading the line over it. A thin layer of mono line, which is much stickier, also works as a base for the fiber to grip.

Cutting microfiber can be a bit tricky; you can't simply nip it off with a knife or clippers; it's tough and so flexible that it simply glides along the edge. Some companies sell special microfiber scissors to do the job, but the easy way to cut fiber is to put it under pressure; when stretched tight, it can be cut with a sharp knife or fingernail clippers.

Keeping the fiber from cutting through a mono shock leader can be a problem, especially in the lighter tests. One trick I have discovered is to double the fiber line. Then make any standard knot, such as a double uniknot, to connect line and leader. The extra wrap of fiber will cushion the mono and prevent it from cutting through.

A word of caution concerning the cutting ability of microfiber, however; it will cut through fingers just as it cuts through mono if you grab the line and try to haul in a fish or pull a hook free from a snag. It's essential to wear thick gloves or wrap it around a solid object when you need to haul on this stuff.

And, the line is an even worse environmental hazard to birds than is monofilament when it is discarded along a shoreline. The line can last for years without deterioration, and any bird that gets its feet entangled in the fiber is doomed. Fortunately, anglers rarely discard the expensive polyspun lines, so it is rare, so far at least, to see them drifting around the mangroves.

In fact, Wallace says fiber lines can do double duty.

"There's no tendency to get brittle as the line ages, so a lot of guys just go out in the yard, unwind all their line, and then tie the worn end to the spool and reel it back on again-they wind up with a whole new line at no added cost."

For more information on fiber lines, visit berkley-fishing.com, powerpro.com or stren.com.

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