Sensitivity - Line Size

[.ghoti.]

One of my first thoughts when people speak of vibration transmission is; when was the last time you felt a fish take a bait, and then sit there and vibrate?

[Red Bear]

1 hour ago, Todd2 said:

This reply is a classic example of someone replying with nothing to add to the discussion.

The traffic on this site would come to a halt if we didn't overthink things....lol

I added to the discussion, your quote deleted over half of my post to start with. I gave my opinion, no one said you had to like it or agree with it.

but since you want more clarification, if the bass sucks in your bait your line is going to move the same distance into the fishes mouth in all likelihood and i dont think the line size is going to matter one bit at all. Why do i say this? because there are times where bass suck your lures in and spit them back out and you dont even know it and never will know it, didnt feel it, didnt see your line move, never knew a bass was there or had a clue you got a bite. and how do i know that? ever watch hook n look? or Zonas show with the cone thing used to peer underwater? the guy with the underwater view sees the fish eat the anglers bait and is yelling to "set the hook, set the hook, he's got it" and the guy with the rod is standing there doing nothing because he never felt the bite or saw his line move...

[J Francho]

That's apples and oranges.  Throw out all the variables, about whose hands are holding the rod, what kind of bite it is, etc, and I think the simple question is: does line transmit vibration better as diameter increases?

I honestly don't know.  I'm not sure you could tell.

[timsford]

I don't know about the science of it but I do know that I can feel slack line bites with fluorocarbon or mono that I can't feel with braid

[Molay1292]

21 hours ago, WRB said:

Vibration doesn't move faster in water sound does. Water being 4 times more dense than air dampens line vibration. Sound waves move fastest through a solid like steel, no oscillations in a solid.

Tom

 

Sound is vibration through matter, so we are essentially saying the same thing.   

In water, the particles are much closer together, and they can quickly transmit vibration energy from one particle to the next. This means that the sound wavetravels over four times faster than it would in air, but it takes a lot of energy to start the vibration.May 10, 2011

The highlights were not added by me, they were part of the article.

 

 

[hawgenvy]

I think line sensitivity means two basic things: the ability to detect fish bites, and the ability to resolve bottom contour. In both cases braided line is theoretically better because it's lack of stretch means more information is transmitted up the line. For example, if a fish pulls a hook an inch directly away, a zero stretch line will also move a full inch at the rod tip. Not so for stretchy polymer lines.

Thinness would also matter because thin line is deflected less by laterally acting water movement against the line, because thin line has less surface area. A bowed line bows when the hooked fish moves laterally, or if there is a current. A bowed line cannot as directly transmit information to the rod. Here again braid wins because it has less diameter per breaking strength so it bows less. Really, of course, this is all theoretical. You'd have to do scientific testing and data analysis to know if these are valid hypotheses. Or go out yourself and see what works for you -- just don't write articles about it unless you have a statistician on board.

[Team9nine]

Berkley scientist Paul Johnson has written extensively about all facets of line mechanics. A couple guys have already picked up on this, but if the only thing being considered is line diameter (using nylon mono), the thinner line will be the more sensitive when actually fished in water. Distance from the angler also plays a part. At 20' away, about flipping distance, most every bite will be felt (a bite being defined as a fish sitting still and sucking in a bait, moving the line/bait ~6" or so). At 40', an angler only picks up about half the actual number of bites. At 80', you will rarely be able to detect a simple bite. The bait/line has to be moved over 2' in order to be detected. There are other interesting factors though including line coil, stiffness, and tension among others.

-T9

[Airman4754]

Here is my take. Try them all, pick the one you like the best and stick with it. This applies to rods as well. If you find one you like, don't get rid of it. 

I have buddies that buy new rods every year, go from mono to FC, you braid, and whatever else is hot on the market. 

Use this scenario: Who is going to detect a bite better, a guy that has made 5,000 casts with the same rod and line, or a guy that has made 1,000 casts on five different rods and line combos?