Factors that influence line wear

[yellow door 1]

I was thinking - if someone loves a line and someone else hates it - do these people fish differently and is that why they have different views.

If you ignore the fact that some lines have bad batches - what would happen if you gave identical lines to a few separate anglers. Surely some would wear theirs out before the others.

So I thought I do a check list of some of the things that may influence line wear.

Water quality?
Not sure what influence this has but if you're running your line through petrol slicks in salt water its got to be worse than fresh water from a mountain stream.

Quality of gear its attached to?
Super smooth guides and a reel with the ability to lay line in a manner that reduces windknots would be a plus

Awareness of conditions the angler fishing in?
Winds of any strength can make line float and dance in the air but the lack of wind is just as deadly - making sure the line is coming back on the school tight cuts down problems

Physical wear and tare from underwater structures?
If you are dragging the line over rocks, around pylons or through abrasive reeds - thats got to be factor.

Line maintenance of the angler?
Whether they clean their lines - rinse the salt off - also how they manage their lines while its being cast and retrieved.

The type of casting?
Bashing out the longest possible cast must be harder on lines that pitch casts or dropping it straight down a pylon.

Frequency of use?
Some blokes get more fishing done in a year that other guys get done in 14 years. So that has to be taken into consideration.

Where the line spend its time?
When the line isnt being used... where is it kept? - in the boot of a car? rod lockers? in a rack next to the heating vent at home? In an area that receives direct sunlight? or a dark cool room?

I imagine if you gave the line to angler who fishes for 300gram trout once every 2 weeks - and you gave identical line to a bloke who fishes polluted waters every day chasing bigger fish. They might have different things to say about the line.

Feel free to rank the factors in order of importance or add your own

[thor]

Well, if you are looking for opinions, you have listed some excellent choices based on my experiences with braid.

Number one problem, knots. I am not going to discuss what is someone's favorite knot, simply the majority either do not tie them well or, more importantly, consistently. My last 3 experiences with friends coming to me with "bad" batches of braid were, in the vernacular, pilot error. They tie their knot, line breaks. I tie my knot, line tests as it should. Braid is strange stuff, a great deal of friction when tightening and heat kills braid. I see all of these chinese finger style knots as a problem, that is my opinion and it is based on my testing. Everyone else can do what they think is best. I have never run into a "bad" batch of braid and I use braid from PE 0.2 all the way to PE 8.

Number two problem, wear. If I am fishing 5 days a week, braid will not give 12-18 months of service. If you fish 1 day a week, maybe but that depends on where. Abrasion is not a friend, 8 strand stuff takes more, 3-4 strand stuff takes much less. Much of my fishing is around granite boulders in the summer and oyster bars in the winter. Does not take much contact with either to see the result. Also, big fish have powerful tails, short leaders that allow a fish's tail to beat on your braid is not a good thing. People don't like to change braid frequently due to cost, If cost is an issue, lots of monos and FC at bargain basement price points.

Number 3 problem is pretty far down the list but angler profile and their choice of equipment usually tells me the rest of the story.

[yellow door 1]

Originally Posted by thor

Well, if you are looking for opinions, you have listed some excellent choices based on my experiences with braid.

Number one problem, knots. I am not going to discuss what is someone's favorite knot, simply the majority either do not tie them well or, more importantly, consistently. My last 3 experiences with friends coming to me with "bad" batches of braid were, in the vernacular, pilot error. They tie their knot, line breaks. I tie my knot, line tests as it should. Braid is strange stuff, a great deal of friction when tightening and heat kills braid. I see all of these chinese finger style knots as a problem, that is my opinion and it is based on my testing. Everyone else can do what they think is best. I have never run into a "bad" batch of braid and I use braid from PE 0.2 all the way to PE 8.

Number two problem, wear. If I am fishing 5 days a week, braid will not give 12-18 months of service. If you fish 1 day a week, maybe but that depends on where. Abrasion is not a friend, 8 strand stuff takes more, 3-4 strand stuff takes much less. Much of my fishing is around granite boulders in the summer and oyster bars in the winter. Does not take much contact with either to see the result. Also, big fish have powerful tails, short leaders that allow a fish's tail to beat on your braid is not a good thing. People don't like to change braid frequently due to cost, If cost is an issue, lots of monos and FC at bargain basement price points.

Number 3 problem is pretty far down the list but angler profile and their choice of equipment usually tells me the rest of the story.

Nice - I like what I'm reading.

I've tested a fair few knots with my scales and its amazing how much the little things count. Like if you only spit on the knot and not the rest of the line it slides down

The scales tell when you're going wrong and the importance of taking your time when tightening them up.

[thor]

Yes, scales don't lie. Now, fishermen, that's another story. Testing knots is the key.