Why Fishing Lines Break Easily?

This article will focus in answering questions by friends who asking about fishing lines. Mostly, they are not satisfied because the lines they used easily break and rot. I believe you heard it many times and this is not a common problem; it’s actually every anglers problems.

Question 1: Which Best Fishing Line?

My answer is simple; buy a proven fishing line brand because its very important to protect your gears especially your fishing rod. Avoid buying from unknown source since most of they are just rebrand and these rebrand normally will never bother whether the ratings is right or wrong.

I would say proven or bigger brand that do RND their ratings are usually more precise and they will not put their brand name in a situation that can bring problem. And most importantly, they have a qualified engineer who is specialized line production to produce a steady fishing line that fit our fishing environment. They surely have made sure that the lines are well-protected, smooth for casting and are able to tolerate a fairly satisfactory line rating.

So, which fishing line is best to use?

For me the brand doesn’t really matter because everyone has their own way of fishing that suits them. The fishing line selection should be adjusted to the baits you use and the target of the fish you are looking for. Great balance and matching with the setup will make your fishing session more relaxing and able to cast lure without any force. So, choose the lines that able to give you these satisfactions as a whole not the other way around. This requires experience. Try and error is the best way to understand it.

Let’s take a look at some examples…

Example 1:

You’re using 6lb braided fishing line on a 1g lures. Do you think this make sense? It is possible but is it appropriate? This is what I’m referring to a proper line selection will affect your fishing techniques and methods. You need to adjust to suit your baits and target fish.

Example 2:

If you’re fishing in rocky areas do you think braided fishing line will be a good choice? Or mono/fluorocarbon fishing line will be a better choice? Understanding the type of fishing line against your fishing spot is also important.

Question 2: Why Fishing Lines Break Easily?

Now, when you are into ultralight fishing using smallest lines possible do you think these lines will stand like hard game fishing lines? Or do you think it will never break at all?

The Reality

You need to wake up. Regardless any brand any quality the lines will break after use. Normally, when the lines is at correct ratings it will break faster but do keep in mind all unbranded, cheap or rebranded lines do breaks fast too. As you can see now many brands suddenly exist with ratings that even big brand don’t dare to do. Make it worst their fishing line ratings are nowhere near the truth. Where does this brand come from? What they know about fishing lines?

Rebrand fishing lines made without RND and proper production; it’s usually taken from an unknown sources, rebrand and sell. Especially, if the manufacturers are from China they will simply do what you want. They don’t bother to follow the ratings as long as the money comes in. If you ask them to change 15lbs line rating to 4lbs they will just do without arguing. Even the manufacturers told many rebranded brands does this since the diameter of the PE lines is almost like actual LB line ratings so nobody will able to verify that. This came from personal experience dealing with them for the past few years since I decided to do some research about fishing lines production. Some lines are hard to break as ratings claimed and these lines higher percentages it’s not a real rating. So, my personal advises are be thorough in comparing with other branded fishing lines and understand the details of the fishing lines. If some brands claimed their LB and diameter such and such do compare with proven brands and see yourself. You might get some new inputs that will assist in choosing the best fishing lines that suits your game.

This is how the cheap fishing lines look like before its being rebranded.

Various high quality branded fishing lines have long existed in the market but are quite difficult to find especially around Southeast Asia because cheap fishing lines from China is flooding the market and are sold everywhere regardless of whether or not their ratings is right. Anglers are more likely to use these cheap fishing lines because they just want fish not the feel of understand the art of ultralight fishing. They just don’t care; only fish matters.

They are not aware fishing lines that of certain technologies definitely give different value in terms of quality, sensitivity, endurance and more. Moreover, ultralight games require these elements as we fish small ones so the level of sensitivity of the fishing lines should be at highest possible level.

Some fine-tuned fishing lines are usually covered with protection material to protect the lines from damage easily (rot) and allow for smooth casting. Usually big brands will do this because they are very expensive.

So, why the line break easily?

The Real Reasons

The actual reasons are with the fishing spots and the way you take care your lines. You need to understand these:

• You cast in a messy/dirty area like brackish water / bad dirt water / dirty drainage so it make sense the dirt will stick to your fishing lines where it would damage and start to injure the lines.
• You go on stream fishing rocky areas; are bound to hit stones and rocks. This will damage the lines and will definitely break the lines easily. Usually, the line will become hairy sign of cuts.
• You cast in the rapid areas and the sand drifting in the water is the main cause the lines got cuts. And because of this the line will break even quicker.
• You cast in the area with lots of sharp grass and weeds. Every time the lines will rub against all kind of grass. Do you think this won’t harm the lines?
• You cast in the area with lots of structures, fallen trees and branches; you assuming that nothing happen to the lines?

You are doing this on daily basis and do you think your lines will long-last? Yet, until today even with lots of references available most anglers still don’t even bother to check their lines condition after fishing activity. They will use until it break and start complaining the lines are not good. But now you know the real reasons why fishing lines break easily especially in ultralight fishing.

Question 3: How To Protect The Lines?

The Reality

Most anglers kept their fishing gears after fishing without even checking whether all are in good condition. They don’t bother to clean the line and other accessories to make sure it performs well. As long as it serves the purpose they will keep using until the line break or something goes wrong. This is the wrong way of dealing with fishing line because it will break your heart after long hours of fishing then suddenly that one time you got a strike but the fishing line break within seconds. If you manage your line properly you may get that fish; probably a trophy size or a rare species but too bad.

The fact is small poundage lines are hard to maintain and care. It requires lots of efforts and time to keep check the line.

Basic Ways To Protect

• The methods that I always used are:I use different fishing lines for different game. Example: I don’t use same line I used for saltwater fishing into freshwater fishing.
• Rinse frequently especially when on saltwater fishing due to the salt when it can make the lines stiff and breaks; or brackish water since it got mix with all kind of things. It’s a good practice even if you rest for 15 minutes you rinse the fishing lines to prevent saltwater (salts) sticking to the lines caused by corrosion. Take for example a hard ring guides can be eroded with saltwater / brackish water. Imagine what will happen to fishing line…
• Once reached home I will wash the lines with soap. Usually I will roll it with another reel. While reeling it to another reel I just wash (run the water from pipe) but to do this you need someone else to help. I will hold the line using cloth or sponge to make sure the dirts will comes out from the line. I just do my best to clean it properly.

No matter how much you care eventually the line will come to an end. You are fishing probably using the same fishing line almost all kind of fishing spots and various types of water such as brackish, salty, drains, swamps, and rivers are full of various toxins and impurities. So, it’s common the fishing lines will be damaged. Thread is not long-lasting like iron. Even our body if we soak it in water eventually we will get sick. We are lucky able to use slightly longer if we maintain it.

So, to all ultralight anglers out there; my advice is check your fishing lines after every fishing activity. Try to snap it by putting force using both your hand (hold straight left and right) to see whether it break. If it breaks easily means that the fishing line is already damaged due to the factors mentioned above. So, keep snap until you reach the area where it’s hard to break. You can tie your fishing shock leader once you are confident the fishing line is still good to use.

The Reality

There are a few things you should know about fishing lines:

• Not all fishing lines created can be used in all waters. If the fishing line is designed specifically for fresh water then fresh water is the game.
• Good fishing line that follow the ratings usually will break easily as it measured (sometimes plus-minus not too far from label) but there are bad fishing lines with poor production quality breaks easily as well.
• Not all fishing lines sold in the market follow ratings especially by those individual sellers are trustable. Don’t take risk and damage the fishing gears or worst break your rod.
• Individual that sells rebranded fishing lines is not legit. They just tap into the market to earn. They may not cheat but factory just provided them what is so called “correct rating”. Usually, they will adjust the label and claim their line is strong. Actually, too strong…
• Buy a proven fishing line from well-known brands rather than from a source that doesn’t have history of RND.
• Good ratings and proven fishing lines always give extra vibration that suit we as ultralight anglers. We seek fun and thrills not land the fish using overrated lines.
• Good fishing lines always protect the rod and other accessories.
• Keep them away from sunlight when you are not fishing. The lines are made of synthetic materials that will degrade with exposure to UV (tip share by Shazly).

So, there you go. Hope, with this article you get some ideas why fishing lines break easily. It’s not brands. We are at fault actually for not knowing the reasons and the way to protect the fishing lines. At the same time you need to be wise when choosing good fishing line brands because for ultralight fishing game we SEEK FOR VIBRATION and to obtain that the fishing lines must be from proven source and sensitive.

Note:

All information given is based on a best efforts to express our opinions and knowledge that has been acquired. Paragraph or inappropriate words may have been used and it is out of control because we have tried most wisely. If you have suggestions, please comment. We will make changes.