Fishing Victoria Forum

I've been watching this bloke Drew M for a while now on youtube and he's decided to test the abrasion resistance of a heap of braids and a heap of fluoro leaders with interesting results.

Braid test: https://youtu.be/1WjqYuKvrHQ

Leader test: https://youtu.be/btucSe3Vl-s

What do you blokes think? What do you use and have had good results?

I've always used either Blackmagic Fluoro, Sunline FC Rock or Yamatoyo Harris Fighter. Blackmagic is a good all rounder but isn't really that supple, where as the FC Rock and Harris Fighter are nice and thin and very supple. In really heavy line like 80lb+ the Blackmagic fluoro is pretty hard to tie knots with.

Cheers, Anth

Been using BM, 8lb for soft plastics, and 15lb for metals; found both to be freying for some reason, and it definitely wasn't the guides. Perhaps it was the coil factor, as I typically have about 2-3 m on there. Makes sense that the bloke sees it as more of a shock leader. I changed to FC Rock for sp recently and it is much nicer to work with and no freying so far. I also did get some Shimano Ocean at Anaconda recently; haven't tried it on but it feels similar to FC Rock on touch.

Good videos. Thanks for sharing.
I've been using Sunline or jbraidx8 (both the normal and the grand).
Used suffix in the past, I remember it felt thick and stiff, jbraidx8 is much 'softer'.

Fluorocarbon leader, have been using black magic. But yes, the 30lb+ can be tough to tie.
I have the 10lb with 10lb jbraidx8 grand, they're not happy together. The jbraidx8 grand is very soft and thin, but the black magic is 'stiff' thick and heavy. I get tip twist thing, a lot, especially on windy days.

Fishbref wrote: ↑

Wed Mar 25, 2020 6:58 am

Been using BM, 8lb for soft plastics, and 15lb for metals; found both to be freying for some reason, and it definitely wasn't the guides. Perhaps it was the coil factor, as I typically have about 2-3 m on there. Makes sense that the bloke sees it as more of a shock leader. I changed to FC Rock for sp recently and it is much nicer to work with and no freying so far. I also did get some Shimano Ocean at Anaconda recently; haven't tried it on but it feels similar to FC Rock on touch.

I've found BM to do that a couple times as well.. Might be a bad batch? Nowadays I have been using BM mono leader when i don't need that extra abrasion resistance. FC rock is the way to go i think.

Cheers, Anth

Seb85 wrote: ↑

Wed Mar 25, 2020 8:27 am

Good videos. Thanks for sharing.
I've been using Sunline or jbraidx8 (both the normal and the grand).
Used suffix in the past, I remember it felt thick and stiff, jbraidx8 is much 'softer'.

Fluorocarbon leader, have been using black magic. But yes, the 30lb+ can be tough to tie.
I have the 10lb with 10lb jbraidx8 grand, they're not happy together. The jbraidx8 grand is very soft and thin, but the black magic is 'stiff' thick and heavy. I get tip twist thing, a lot, especially on windy days.

Are you talking about the Sufix 832? I've used and am still using the Sufix 832. It's really good stuff i think. Very similar to the Jbraid.

Try the BM mono leader or the FC rock or similar. Casting is nicer because it's supple and knots come out better.

I'm actually starting to think is it really worth using fluoro unless it's really clear water or there is reef or snags to get dusted on.. Mono is also so much cheaper.

Cheers, Anth

why are you guys having issues with tying leaders on heavy lines?
assuming your trying to join braid to leader?
Wouldnt an FG be easy to do on thick leaders like that?

purple5ive wrote: ↑

Wed Mar 25, 2020 1:42 pm

why are you guys having issues with tying leaders on heavy lines?
assuming your trying to join braid to leader?
Wouldnt an FG be easy to do on thick leaders like that?

Not having trouble, it's just harder to get a fg to cinch down on heavier fluro like BlackMagic because it's very hard (not supple) so the braid doesn't grip it well and if you don't do it properly the knot slips.

Also it's not that easy to tie uni knots or any knot that has a lot of twists really with heavy BM fluoro like 80lb+

Sinsemilla wrote: ↑

Wed Mar 25, 2020 1:57 pm

Not having trouble, it's just harder to get a fg to cinch down on heavier fluro like BlackMagic because it's very hard (not supple) so the braid doesn't grip it well and if you don't do it properly the knot slips.

Also it's not that easy to tie uni knots or any knot that has a lot of twists really with heavy BM fluoro like 80lb+

I had the same problems as you Anth, with any hard-cased (abrasive resistant) leader that I was using.

I now use Jinkai leader (which isn't a fluro). The Green Jinkai though, which is supple, not the red one, as that's a hard-cased version.



It still has the diameter (for larger lbs) like any line, which the larger it is, as you'd know, the more difficult to get a neat and non slip knot. But the Green Jinkai gives a neater knot and clinches up well. But as it's a supple line, I do keep an eye on teeth abrasions and replace it as I see fit , , , , lately though, I haven't replaced too many , , , , you actually have to hook a fish to do that

Cheers, Bugsinkai

Sinsemilla wrote: ↑

Wed Mar 25, 2020 1:57 pm

purple5ive wrote: ↑

Wed Mar 25, 2020 1:42 pm

why are you guys having issues with tying leaders on heavy lines?
assuming your trying to join braid to leader?
Wouldnt an FG be easy to do on thick leaders like that?

Not having trouble, it's just harder to get a fg to cinch down on heavier fluro like BlackMagic because it's very hard (not supple) so the braid doesn't grip it well and if you don't do it properly the knot slips.

Also it's not that easy to tie uni knots or any knot that has a lot of twists really with heavy BM fluoro like 80lb+

Ok Gotcha.
i havent used the BM one in that high strain, but the ASARI i have used was fine (80lb).
i used the smaller BM in 6lb the other week and am quite impressed with it, it hasnt gone curly like the FC rock after using a few times now and still is nice and supple and most importantly still nice and straight and not curling up.
will have to push it a bit harder when i get a chanc and see if the gets line twist in it, id say it will cause of being pushed hard, but will see how it fares.

ive used BM, FC rock and basic, emeraldas egi, berkley vanish, JW hercules, berkley sensei, rovex and asari
so far they have all performed reasonably well.
i prefer a supple type FC leader and so far havent had any issue with knots.
Abrasion i havent tested properly yet.

Bugatti wrote: ↑

Wed Mar 25, 2020 3:10 pm

Sinsemilla wrote: ↑

Wed Mar 25, 2020 1:57 pm

Not having trouble, it's just harder to get a fg to cinch down on heavier fluro like BlackMagic because it's very hard (not supple) so the braid doesn't grip it well and if you don't do it properly the knot slips.

Also it's not that easy to tie uni knots or any knot that has a lot of twists really with heavy BM fluoro like 80lb+

I had the same problems as you Anth, with any hard-cased (abrasive resistant) leader that I was using.

I now use Jinkai leader (which isn't a fluro). The Green Jinkai though, which is supple, not the red one, as that's a hard-cased version.


jj.JPG



It still has the diameter (for larger lbs) like any line, which the larger it is, as you'd know, the more difficult to get a neat and non slip knot. But the Green Jinkai gives a neater knot and clinches up well. But as it's a supple line, I do keep an eye on teeth abrasions and replace it as I see fit , , , , lately though, I haven't replaced too many , , , , you actually have to hook a fish to do that

Cheers, Bugsinkai

I can't believe i forgot Jinkai! and of course Moimoi. I use both these leaders when game fishing. I'll use the red Jinkai when i'm crimping rigs and need the extra abrasion resistance.

Cheers, Anth