Yo-Zuri Hybrid vs. P-Line CX Premium

[govallis]

I heard of the Hybrid long ago but never got one to try because no store carries them except ebay and Amazon via 3rd-party sellers that I cannot trust. Somehow I tired P-Line CX Premium recently and loved it, which got me more interested in co-polymer + fluorocarbon combo and Yo-Zuri is the only other option. So I searched hard and found the Hybrid in a Cabela's store but 15# only which is too thick. Then found it online of Sportsman's Warehouse (one of my favorite fishing stores), ordered 10# and 12# and picked them up in my local store.

 

The 10# has pretty much the same diameter of 12# CX, 0.32 mm vs. 0.31, but it feels more like fluorocarbon than CX does. They both cast far, very far, now I can reach the fish hole that I wasn't able to. The hybrid hangs on the rod tip and falls down to the water like a thin, heavy, straight and very visible rope; I can easily watch and feel the line to know what's going on with the lure under the water and adjust my retrieving accordingly. Subtle bites are more pronounced than with the CX which is already very good and hook-sets are guaranteed, thanking to low stretch. With the moss green CX, it's like fishing in dark; I will not use it again just because of this and will never buy any moss green again.

 

The Hybrid is extremely smooth and slick. My cheap rod, 7' light Shakespeare Micro, has cheap stainless guides which scratch lines but they feel like ceramic ones with this Hybrid. Although my reel spool is overly filled as you see in the photo, there is 0 issue about line management, absolutely no twist. The Hybrid feels significantly better on line management, twist and memory, to the point that it seems no more concern about such issues. The Hybrid simply feels like a sturdy rope, but thin and supple meanwhile. I used it as both main line and 18" leaders, all perfect, caught and landed 3 smallmouth about 3 pound each and they were fighters. The main line and one of the two leaders still look like new; the first 1" of the other leader shows a sign of some abrasion.

 

For freshwater, I see no reason to go heavier from 10# to 12# and even 8# might be well enough. According to the diameter, the 8# is really a 12# line, the 10# a 14# and 12# a 16#, at least. This 10# might be strong for jetty fishing as well, although the 12#, measured to be 0.35 mm, is certainly more adequate. The CX 12# is not durable enough for jetty fishing as a leader, OK as main line. I always use leader(s) after a swivel to keep the main line from shortening, twisting and abrasion.

 

It is hard to understand why such great lines, the Hybrid and CX, are not found in stores. The Hybrid is better than CX, on all aspects. It is not a compromise between fluorocarbon and mono; it is better than both. It is a joy fishing with the Hybrid. The only downside is that Yo-zuri patented It so there is no alternative, but the good part is Yo-zuri doesn't charge a premium, even cheaper than CX.

 

[Drew03cmc]

Bass Pro and Academy stock CX. That is my preferred clear water copoly. Hybrid is great, but use the diameters, not the test rating. 10lb is more like 16. I use it on my spinnerbait, chatterbait rods. For my favorite fishing, give me braid to a copolymer leader, normally 8lb Hybrid on 15/4 PP. 

[johnD.]

10 lb hybrid is the diameter of most companies 12 lb. it's .012 , same diameter of 12 red label fluorocarbon.

Hybrid is great line , I use 10 lb for crankbaits. I get the 600 yd spools at walmart for about $9.

I think CX has a little bit more stretch.

[moguy1973]

I've tried both and both are a good line but I found that Yo-Zuri tends to keep a memory a lot more than the P-Line CX Premium does.  Therefore my go to non-braided line now is the P-Line.  

[govallis]

Fished twice for small mouth in a river with rocks and this 10# Hybrid showed frays and kinks after each trip. The line broke couple times on each trip while I was trying to pull out (not so hard) from snags. I'm disappointed on its abrasion resistance.

[Choporoz]

I almost wonder if some bad 8 and 10 YZH got loose into the black/gray markets.  I love YZH and still use it for cranking rods after most of 10 years.  I only ever had an issue with one 'small' spool of 10# that seemed to have some QC issues.  I never had any issues with the larger spools of any size.  I do use KVD L&L on all non-braid lines. 

 

I read a lot of rave reviews of p-lines....I bought one spool of p-line cx 8 and couldn't tie a knot, it was so brittle...broke every time.  So, I just sort of wrote off p-line all together and stick to YZH....not saying it's right or logical, but at my age it doesn't take much to get set in my ways

[MN Fisher]

I haven't tried P-Line, but two of my reels have Yo-Zuri...4# on the Pres-25, 10# on the Trion. Since I treat all my non-braid with KVD, I've not had the memory issues with Hybrid that others have mentioned. I'm thinking of putting it on my crankbait rod which has Mono right now, but the Avocet I'll keep Mono on .

[Angry John]

I use the full range and 12 and above does have its uses.  I jig fish and toss 2 oz swim baits on 15lb and on my big sb rod I run 20.  Even with a backlash I have not lost a 4-5 oz swimbait which cost enough to make a man cry.  10lb is my most used and if I could only use one line and weight that would be it.

[govallis]

1 hour ago, Choporoz said:

I almost wonder if some bad 8 and 10 YZH got loose into the black/gray markets.  I love YZH and still use it for cranking rods after most of 10 years.  I only ever had an issue with one 'small' spool of 10# that seemed to have some QC issues.  I never had any issues with the larger spools of any size.  I do use KVD L&L on all non-braid lines. 

 

I read a lot of rave reviews of p-lines....I bought one spool of p-line cx 8 and couldn't tie a knot, it was so brittle...broke every time.  So, I just sort of wrote off p-line all together and stick to YZH....not saying it's right or logical, but at my age it doesn't take much to get set in my ways

Yes the 10# and 12# are in the small 275 yds packages. So are the one(s) used in the TackleTour review. The reviewer did say the abrasion tested in the lab for the 10# - only average, doesn't match his experience.

 

I have been wondering, if these lines have no major problem, then why they are not in stores?

[Choporoz]

No idea.  Years ago, I used to get the 600 yd spools of YZH at Walmart, but can't say I ever looked for it any where else.

 

I could theorize that that fisherman shoppers at the Dicks, Academy, Fleet, Scheels, etc....are familiar with, and shop for, braid, fluorocarbon, and monofilament.   I wouldn't be too surprised if something that wasn't labeled with one of those three terms didn't sell well enough to devote shelf space....but I have no real clue

[zell_pop1]

I've never seen Yo Zuri in a walmart here in Indiana but did see it in walmarts in Florida. It seems to be a location thing on what they perceive will sell, like Suffix lines I use to see them in my local walmart but no longer.

 I no longer use Yo Zuri, I use the Sunline Defier lines and they too are hard to find I just order from Tackle Warehouse when they have holiday sales or off of Amazon.

[govallis]

I was hoping the fluorocarbon blend or coating to add low stretch, invisibility and water proof to the copolymer (C21). However, the 10# Hybrid, 12# CX and Floroclear, all 0.31 mm, are not as strong as the 0.33 mm C21 (12#). The next bigger size for the Hybrid is 0.35 mm (12#) and for the CX and Floroclear are 0.36 mm (15#), too thicker than 12# C21. Furthermore, the Hybrid is too weak to abrasion. The CX is too hard to find in stores and, although found in each and every stores, the Floroclear has only one color with a bad reputation here. So I give up on "copolymer + fluorocarbon".

 

Went to a local store and the Izorline Platinum copolymer priced similarly low as C21 caught my eyes. The 12# is 0.35 mm, still too thicker than 12# C21, while the 10# might be too weak at 0.30 mm. They come in hi-viz color for only $1 more than clear C21, $6.5 vs. $4.8, so I still want to try and bought the 12#. It turns out to be very limp, no problem at all, even though I overly spooled the reel. It is exceptionally good on abrasion too! Fished the same rocky river for 3 hours and caught 3 fighters, the line still looks brand new, no kinks, no nicks, no frays while the two 18" leaders (12# red label) become rough. I pulled out of snags many times and lost one senko and two treble hooks (no hard baits loss), but this Izorline line is intact. It casts as far if not further, amazing, being 0.04 mm thicker!

 

Anybody knows a similar good line that's 0.33 mm? Whenever I say "diameter", I mean measured, actual, which is almost always thicker than what manufacturers list.