Fluorocarbon Hook links

[Steve H]

Just wondering if anyone on here has much experience with Fluorocarbon as a hook link material or if you would reccomend one? I've heard good and bad things about the stuff and the different brands. Any help would be appreciated.
Steve H.

P.S I'll be using it mainly for carp rigs and a spot of Barbel fishing.

[Dave B]

I've used a couple of really ones that I won't name, but have found the ESP one to be very good.

[SamB]

Korda iq xtra soft is good. Probly better for barbel as you can get it in 10lb
Gardener subderfudge is good that is what i use.

[El Tel]

Like Dave B I have favoured ESP Ghost over other brands but check out line diameter on the heavier breaking strains though (eg 15lb bs) as some brands are quite thick and when tying a hair it might not fit back through the hook eye . In winter I like the idea of Floro carbons as the water can be so clear you need confidence that your rig is not obvious when fishing margins / shallow areas .

[SamB]

Any area's any time of the year fluro carbon works a treat.
Invisible to the fish, all you need is the fluro hooklink and a small pva bag and you have a completly camod rig, par the lead leadcore line ect.

[Dave Davies]

Steve, I keep telling you that you should read the Angling Times.

Last weeks issue carried a story on a report produced in the USA by the Director of Fish Research at Pure Fishing, the company that produce, amomg other things, Berkley and Stren lines.

One of the results of the study is the fact that carp have better colour vision than humans, and can also see at the infrared and ultraviolet ends of the spectrum. This means that the apparently "invisible" fluorocarbon is as visible to carp as anything else.

Barbel, of course, are so stupid that any rig will do, particularly in the Stour where there are so few that it doesn't matter what you chuck out as you won't catch one!

[dexon]

Steve

If you looking at low diameter line have a look at what the carp match anglers use

[madaboutsilurus]

something else for the equation s that flouro is renonwned for being alot less than than the breaking strain. mainly because the friction levels when tying the knot means that it is a lot lower han the stated strain.

i would like to say that nash bullet braid is better but it is .

[TomB]

Over hyped, fragile and expensive

[suffolkboy]

so if this report was done by the guy from berkley, dont they do flurocarbon leaders? doesnt flurocarbon go against everything he is saying?

[madaboutsilurus]

have a look at the hype that goes with x-line. it supposed to be the all singing all dissapearing line. i kept it on for one session and binned it. I also took some of it to tackle box to test for me. it came out well over the stated diameter and the 20lb version was breaking at 13lb and that wasn't even at the knot.

Also it wants to coil off the spool itself so it was constantly nesting up on me.

[TomB]

Yep!! There's a lot of over hyped out there , just waiting to rip off the poor unsuspecting :cry:

[Steve H]

Thanx for the replies lads,
After taking your advice and that of other forums, I've decided to stay clear (no pun intended) of the stuff. I've just heard too many horror stories from people and many contradictions between "best" brands. It seems that it is unable to take a shock load which worries me greatly. Anyway looks like I'll be sticking to good old Merlin braid for now.
Thanx again,
Steve H.

[TomB]

Wise decision. If you want to go down the "stealthy route" just use a reliable mono hooklink to blend with the surroundings.

[suffolkboy]

took the words out of my mouth mate, iv liked maxima before as a hooklink.

i have used flurocarbons as hooklinks this year and have had carp upto 29lb on it, i think it even survived a trip through some lillies too.

use what you are confident in using, i use ESP sink link (braid) for the majority of my fishing now as i like the diameter and the colour, i have had no problems with it (so far) and have landed carp upto 31lb on it. so if you are looking for alternatives to merlin give that a try.

[rangemaster]

i used the korda IQ 10lb for my 21lb2oz from bovvy,it seems pretty good,but then i may have got a good batch of it as i have heard alot of bad things about flourocarbons.Memor-x is good its like a flourocarbon but its a monofilament,used it at prestons had fish to 21lb on that as well