Copolymer question

[SWVABass]

So I bought some Izerline (spelling), to use for fishing top waters on the recommendation from someone else. I thought it was mono when I bought it. My question is does it float like mon, and what if any advantages does it offer??

[Bluebasser86]

I'm not sure about Izorline but P-line is also a copolymer and works well for topwaters. I'm not sure that it floats, but I've never really considered mono to float either. 

As far as advantages, copolymers have very good abrasion resistance, knot strength, and overall strength generally. 

[SWVABass]

Ok thanks for the input. I've tried using it a couple times but didn't like it and kinda felt like I made a mistake. Would you consider it better suited for flipping/pitching and fishing Texas rigs, or for top water? Also does copolymer stretch like mono, or react more like floro? Sorry for so many questions just not that familiar with this type of line.

[Bluebasser86]

8 minutes ago, Swbass15 said:

Ok thanks for the input. I've tried using it a couple times but didn't like it and kinda felt like I made a mistake. Would you consider it better suited for flipping/pitching and fishing Texas rigs, or for top water? Also does copolymer stretch like mono, or react more like floro? Sorry for so many questions just not that familiar with this type of line.

I like it for moving baits best, like a crank, spinnerbait, buzzbait, bladed jig, or trap. It does well with topwater like a popper or spook as long as the memory isn't too bad. Some copolys are very bad about that and the coil in the line messes with the action of the bait.

It does stretch, how much depends on brand and lb test. I use it for jigs and T rigs as well, but that's a personal preference thing. I don't like fluorocarbon very much and find copolymer to have a lot of the benefits of fluoro without the phantom breakoffs, knot tying difficulties, and price tag. 

[SWVABass]

Cool thanks for the info, the memory on mine is horrible. I bought it at 15 lb test so maybe I'll rig it up for fishing soft plastics. I've never had major problems except with seaguar line. But again thanks for the info sharing yourself and A-jay are helping me to straighten out my learning curve and all info is greatly appreciated!

[Bluebasser86]

7 minutes ago, Swbass15 said:

Cool thanks for the info, the memory on mine is horrible. I bought it at 15 lb test so maybe I'll rig it up for fishing soft plastics. I've never had major problems except with seaguar line. But again thanks for the info sharing yourself and A-jay are helping me to straighten out my learning curve and all info is greatly appreciated!

That's what this sight is for.

FWIW, I've had good success with P-Line C21 copolymer. 

[SWVABass]

Thanks, I'll look into them through the winter and give it a try. Been trying to find good line as here I have very little cover to fish, but I have plenty of rock to fish. So something that holds up good to that I would love to find.

[new2BC4bass]

Which Izorline did you buy?  Platinum is very abrasion resistant, but prone to more memory because of that.  Use a line conditioner with it.  My daughter complained of backlashes with Platinum.  I've got some XXX to try, but haven't used any of it yet.  Suppose to be pretty good line and more manageable.

 

[fishnkamp]

You never mentioned what you spooled it on. Is it a spinning reel and if so what size reel? If it is a baitcaster that is totally different of course. With most lines it may not make a difference but copolymers and fluorocarbons it can make a huge difference. Any of the copolymer and fluoro lines that have great abrasion resistance come with a harder or tougher body. so it will automatically come with more memory. which makes it hard to deal with.  I use a lot of braid / leader setups.  I like P Line CXX copolymer in their moss green for leaders. That line, along with P Line Halo, have terrible memory issues, but it is tough as nails so here is some things that help. First I own a Berkley line station. I recommend you do too. That tool only costs $20 from Cabelas and other places. This allows me to mount my reel solidly, and hold the spool under tension, now I have both hands free to carefully control the line as I spool my reel. You must add line conditioner as you spool the reel, it helps a lot. I use Reelsnot, or KVDs line conditioner, there are other good ones as well. Lastly, another great trick is to mount your reel on the line station. Boil some water in the old tea kettle. Pour the hot water in a bowl and drop your new filler spool of line in it for several minutes before you spool up your reel. It is amazing how much less memory issues you will have. For a 2500 or 3000 size spinning reel the heaviest P Line or similar line I use is 8.  For baitcaster try the hot water/ line conditioner and I go all the way up to 17 pound test for some jigs and carolina rigs.  If your 15 pound test is on a baitcaster try this. Find a nice grassy field like a ball field. Lay your rod against some support.  Release the line and walk it out to its end. Take a cloth ( I use a terrycloth towel) and starting at the rod end hold the line in the towel and walk down the line holding it under some tension in order to straighten out the line. Now check the towel often to make sure it is clean. If a bunch of dirt and gunk comes off just move the towel around a bit.  Next do it again but this time add some line conditioner to the line and towell and sort buff the line. As I would reel my line in I would stop every so often and add new line conditioner.  Go fish that reel after a day to dry and see if it plays different before you change it out. You might be amazed the way it handles.  

[WRB]

Copolymer line is monofilament line! What makes a copolymer is blending or mixing 2 polymers together usually to improve abrasion resistance. Monofilament is usually 1 grade of Nylon, most copolymers are 2 grades of Nylon, some blend a polyester or polypropylene, both are lighter weight then Nylon. 

Hybrid line is either a blended fluorocarbon or coextruded fluorocarbon like Yo-Zuri.

Tom

[BobP]

Izorline is a copolymer line and that just means that it is a monofilament extruded from two or more different types (polymers) of nylon.  It is functionally identical to regular "monofilament", although the different nylon polymers in it may offer better knot strength, less stretch, etc.

[Raul]

Nylon doesn´t float, it ain´t cork, it´s nylon; nylon is neutrally bouyant.

[WRB]

I think what anglers get confused with is braid does float, it's lighter than water and often is compared to monofilament line as they both "float". Nylon is one of the heavier polymers but still very close to water specific gravity; fresh warm water 1 vs 1.15 for Nylon.

The reason monofilament line stays on the water surface is surface tension holds the up on top until the tension is broken, then the line suspends.

All single strand filament line stretch about the same for a given pound test, very little difference between Nylon, Nylon blend copolymers and Fluorocarbon. Stretch is another myth!

Tom

[buzzed bait]

izorline xxx is a really nice line for topwater lures!

[Raul]

8 minutes ago, WRB said:

 

The reason monofilament line stays on the water surface is surface tension holds the up on top until the tension is broken, then the line suspends.

 

Tom

EXACTLY !!!!

[Molay1292]

11 hours ago, WRB said:

 Stretch is another myth!

Tom

It is an interesting statement, but not sure what it means.  Care to expand on your opinion.

[WRB]

The popular belief is FC line stretches less than monofilament line or copolymer line and that is a myth.

You can prove this to yourself easily by taking any of your rods and reels and test them.

Find something solid and ridgid to tie the end of your mono or coploy and FC line to. Back off 30' to 40', point the rod tip at the tie off and reel the line tight. Now lift the rod tip upwards to feel it stretch and note how far you can lift the tip before your drag slips. If you use the same rod for each different line that has the same pound test you can't feel any difference because there isn't any difference in yield strength that you can determine pulling with a fishing rod, the tool you use to fish with.

Tom

[Molay1292]

1 hour ago, WRB said:

The popular belief is FC line stretches less than monofilament line or copolymer line and that is a myth.

You can prove this to yourself easily by taking any of your rods and reels and test them.

Find something solid and ridgid to tie the end of your mono or coploy and FC line to. Back off 30' to 40', point the rod tip at the tie off and reel the line tight. Now lift the rod tip upwards to feel it stretch and note how far you can lift the tip before your drag slips. If you use the same rod for each different line that has the same pound test you can't feel any difference because there isn't any difference in yield strength that you can determine pulling with a fishing rod, the tool you use to fish with.

Tom

Not sure how this measures yield strength or stretch, but if it meets your needs so be it.

[WRB]

I have tested various fishing lines for yield strength, stretch, knot strength with Instron machines, don't think the average angler can do that. You can hang weight, but all polymers stretch or cold flow under force and time. 

So this a simple test using tools that everyone owns.

If you feel like simply pulling on the line, do it with a scale and evaluate line by diameter, measure the elongation.  Every polymer stretches or yields under force including super braids. What matters is the force required to yield the line is usually greater than a rod can apply.

Tom

[Raul]

9 hours ago, Molay1292 said:

It is an interesting statement, but not sure what it means.  Care to expand on your opinion.

It's not an opinion, it's a fact, actually the TackleTour guys took the time and bother to make a study and compare nylon to FC, it turned out that FCs stretches as much and in some cases more than nylon. The study and results are there if you bother to look in the articles.

[new2BC4bass]

1 minute ago, Raul said:

It's not an opinion, it's a fact, actually the TackleTour guys took the time and bother to make a study and compare nylon to FC, it turned out that FCs stretches as much and in some cases more than nylon. The study and results are there if you bother to look in the articles.

I've only used a couple fluorocarbon lines so far...although I have a couple more to test.  What I found was not only does fluoro stretch, but when it breaks I had to cut several more feet off to get past the bad spot.  Not something I ever had to do with line sold as Mono.

[Team9nine]

54 minutes ago, new2BC4bass said:

I've only used a couple fluorocarbon lines so far...although I have a couple more to test.  What I found was not only does fluoro stretch, but when it breaks I had to cut several more feet off to get past the bad spot.  Not something I ever had to do with line sold as Mono.

Studies show that this happens to all lines to some degree, just not fluoro. If you break off regardless of what line you are using, you need to clip off a portion of the remaining end because it has been damaged to some degree whether you notice it or not. This applies to braids, mono/copolys and fluoro.

-T9 

[WRB]

Fishing line that are extruded like Nylon or FC filaments are subject to varying diameters during the process. Nylon has been extruded for well over 6 decades and the process is finely tuned. FC is a newer polymer and the extruding process trickier and subject to more variances during the extruding process. For this reason brand / mfr makes a big difference when selecting FC line.

Seaguar was the first mfr to bring FC to the fishing market followed by Sunline, both offer excellent FC line.

Another problem with FC line is when you yield, flatten or abraid the line it weakens it, less forgiving line than Nylon to damage. For this reason knot strength is compromised during the tightening process with FC more than Nylon line. You need to check any type of line for damage while you are fishing.

The only reason I use FC line for worms and jigs is the reduced coeffient of drag in water compared to Nylon results in improved strike detection, for everything else I use Nylon line with the exception of braid in very heavy cover.

Tom

[new2BC4bass]

1 hour ago, Team9nine said:

Studies show that this happens to all lines to some degree, just not fluoro. If you break off regardless of what line you are using, you need to clip off a portion of the remaining end because it has been damaged to some degree whether you notice it or not. This applies to braids, mono/copolys and fluoro.

-T9 

I've used fluoro little enough to only have to break the line once from a snag.  I've broken mono plenty of times over the years.  I might have to trim a few inches off mono, but I had to trim several feet off the fluoro.  Just my very limited experience with fluoro. YMMV

[Molay1292]

4 hours ago, Raul said:

It's not an opinion, it's a fact, actually the TackleTour guys took the time and bother to make a study and compare nylon to FC, it turned out that FCs stretches as much and in some cases more than nylon. The study and results are there if you bother to look in the articles.

Yes they did.   They measured the total amount of stretch at breaking strength.   Not a very valuable measurement as it tells you nothing about yield strength which is what a person really wants to know.   I don't think most care how much their line stretches once it reaches it's breaking strength, I hope mine stretches a mile.        

If you want a good measurement of line you first need to determine it's yield strength and then measure stretch proportional to this value.   Most of us in general use never exceed 70% of a lines yield strength during normal fishing, (Tom's simple test kind of proves this) so the real value is knowing how much stretch is occurring in the line before it reaches it's yield strength.   

All lines do not stretch in a parabolic curve, it's easy to understand that a braided line would have a different curve than a nylon mono-filament.  The same is true for co-polymer lines because of the different monomers used to create them.  Fluorocarbon lines are much the same, it's easy to see that they are not all the same.

Is the earth flat or or round, depends on who's opinion you were around to listen to.