Stretching mono to reduce memory

[Jcj90]

Does this have any negative impact on the line? How often should I do this to reduce line memory?

[basser27]

I do this after I spool it and do it every now and again if I haven’t used the reel in a While. Tie the line to a fence post, mailbox, etc. walk off a little more than casting distance and pull on the line a few times. You don’t have to pull hard, just enough to stretch it. Been doing this forever and never had any issues with the line.

[Mike L]

I HATE mono, won’t touch it, but in my opinion if you have to stretch out a fishing line to make it work, all you’re doing is compromising its properties which I assume is the reason you bought it in the first place. 

The “mono guys” will be along shortly. 
 

 

 

Mike

[garroyo130]

spray it with KVD line and lure or buy better quality mono. If you have to stretch it somethings wrong.

[basser27]

4 minutes ago, garroyo130 said:

spray it with KVD line and lure or buy better quality mono. If you have to stretch it somethings wrong.

Memory happens with all mono especially if it sits on your spool for a while or you fish in cold weather. Stretching it or catching a few fish will straighten it out 

[MN Fisher]

The reason stretching your mono to make it more manageable works is that it 'thins' the line...thereby making it weaker. Good quality mono, treated with a good line conditioner (I use KVD) will be much more manageable without sacrificing performance.

 

Suffix Elite

Stren Original

 

Those are the two I use.

 

1 minute ago, basser27 said:

Memory happens with all mono especially if it sits on your spool for a while or you fish in cold weather.

Of course it does...which is why I do the KVD treatment when I spool it up...and every evening before a trip. Can't just treat it once then never again.

[Hammer 4]

A good quality mono needs No stretching. Sufix Elite is one of the good ones. 

[.ghoti.]

I used to use Trilene big game and XT, 14 and 17lb. Both would channel their inner slinky after not being used for a spell. I had an old spinnerbait I almost threw away, and then had a thought. That thing had been beat to heck and back. Not skirt, no paint, bent up hook, etc. was a 1/2oz with a huge willow blade. Was a tandem once upon a time but the smaller blade was gone. I clamped a rubber core sinker around the kook shank to make it heavier.

 

A couple fo casts, with a burned retrieve would take the slinky right out of the line, and it would be good for the day. Even caught a fish doing that twice!

[MassYak85]

Sorry I got to nerd out a little bit here...

 

Since mono is just extruded plastic you actually get an interesting material property when you stretch it. It does thin (neck down), but the process of doing so aligns the polymer chains in the direction of stretching and it becomes stronger. But you are changing the properties of the original line. The stretched line won't have as much stretch and will be thinner. I would think it would theoretically reduce line memory as well. But you now sacrifice some impact resistance because of the reduced stretch. It's why braid is the way it is. Braid is just a weave of very thin strands that have been extruded in a way that orients the polymer chains down the length of the line. Which gives it it's crazy strength for it's diameter but again you sacrifice impact resistance because the polymer chains can't stretch anymore when loaded suddenly (think backlash). 

 

All that said I probably wouldn't stretch mono. I'd just buy different line to get the properties you want. Try KVD line and lure like others said if you want to improve line memory. But if you want to do a little science experiment and test it out for us with some cheaper mono go for it. 

[Team9nine]

The few times and applications I used mono for, I've frequently stretched a certain amount of end line to straighten them immediately instead of waiting for it to normally happen during use (and it does happen on its own). Contrary to popular belief, and @MassYak85 just beat me to the punch here, is that proper prestetching (pre-stretched for one minute to 75% of it’s breaking strain), increases the line's breaking strength by about 0.5 - 1 lb. depending on brand (based on ~8-10lb. lines), and stretch (% elongation) will drop between 3%-9% from original (less stretchy).

[jimmyjoe]

48 minutes ago, MN Fisher said:

The reason stretching your mono to make it more manageable works is that it 'thins' the line...thereby making it weaker.

  

 

4 minutes ago, MassYak85 said:

. But you are changing the properties of the original line. The stretched line won't have as much stretch and will be thinner.

   I was under the impression that stretching nylon within the limits of its elastic properties does not weaken it. The nylon rebounds with no (or no appreciable) weakening. It also rebounds to the original diameter once stress is removed. Stretching nylon outside the boundaries of its elastic properties (into the plastic zone) will certainly weaken it.

 

58 minutes ago, garroyo130 said:

If you have to stretch it somethings wrong.

 

45 minutes ago, Hammer 4 said:

A good quality mono needs No stretching.

 

   Yes and no. It all depends on what you expect.

   Nylon absorbs water over time; with fishing line this is usually several minutes. Once saturated, nylon is MUCH limper and more controllable. It's also, BTW, at a greater volume. (That's why some people spool line, go fishing for 10 minutes, and then notice that they've got a weird sound. The spool of line has expanded, hitting the foot or crossbar.) And yes, wet nylon is weaker than dry nylon. The percentage varies, and I've never seen it matter to me with line over 12 lb. test.

   So you never HAVE to stretch it. Instead, you CHOOSE to stretch it. And nothing is "wrong".

   One of the reasons nothing is wrong is that manufacturers formulate nylon with varying properties. Some is stiff and wiry (but abrasion resistant) and some is soft and supple. The soft and supple stuff won't need stretching or KVD unless you're picky. And some people are picky, and you might be one of them. Nothing wrong with that.

   Generalizations don't usually cover both picky and non-picky people. Horses for courses.

   And to throw another monkey wrench into the discussion, you need to remember that heat gives dry nylon a set. So if you lay a rod 'n reel out in the hot sun in the middle of August, you're gonna have a lot more problems.

   Try this: get a little spray bottle. Put a drop of Dawn dishwashing soap in it. Fill it with water. Just before you start fishing, spray your spool of line. Soak it.

   See if that doesn't make a big difference.

 

   25 years ago, I used Stren original. I always stretched it. I use Stren Original now, too. The formulation has changed, and I never have any problems with it now. Things change.    

   Good luck fishing!        jj

  

[JustJames]

I don’t stretch line myself, I let the bass do it. Just spray with line conditioner overnight and go get some fish on the line. I don’t just spray on top, I pull out line about 20-30 yds and spray, then spray again at full spool.

[MassYak85]

40 minutes ago, jimmyjoe said:

  

 

   I was under the impression that stretching nylon within the limits of its elastic properties does not weaken it. The nylon rebounds with no (or no appreciable) weakening. It also rebounds to the original diameter once stress is removed. Stretching nylon outside the boundaries of its elastic properties (into the plastic zone) will certainly weaken it.

Yes you are right in that there are elastic and plastic deformations for the Nylon line. Minimal amounts of stretching under normal use should not change the line much. Under normal use and stretching the polymer chains can stretch and then go back to their original state (elastic region). When you stretch the line near it's "yield" point however the polymer chains will begin to undergo plastic deformation which is a permanent change. This is when the line will become thinner as the polymer chains align (sometimes called strain crystallization), but this is when you would see appreciable gains in line strength and a permanent reduction in how much the line can stretch with further use. 

[jimmyjoe]

1 hour ago, MassYak85 said:

Yes you are right in that there are elastic and plastic deformations for the Nylon line. Minimal amounts of stretching under normal use should not change the line much. Under normal use and stretching the polymer chains can stretch and then go back to their original state (elastic region). When you stretch the line near it's "yield" point however the polymer chains will begin to undergo plastic deformation which is a permanent change. This is when the line will become thinner as the polymer chains align (sometimes called strain crystallization), but this is when you would see appreciable gains in line strength and a permanent reduction in how much the line can stretch with further use. 

 

   Now the $64,000 question:

  

   For a nominal 12-lb. test line, how much pull (load) does it take to get to the threshold of elasticity?

 

   I'll bet it varies with different line formulations, but I'll bet one other point also, just from my experience pulling off snags and breaking lines. I'll bet that it's more than half the test rating. IOW, I'll bet it's MORE than 6 lbs. for 12 lb. line. And I never put 6 lbs. of pull on my 12 lb. lines while fighting fish. Getting off a snag, yes, but not fighting fish.   jj

[FryDog62]

I never feel the need to pre-stretch mono, but I always do fluorocarbon and believe it makes a difference.  

[JLewis134]

4 hours ago, Mike L said:

I HATE mono, won’t touch it, but in my opinion if you have to stretch out a fishing line to make it work, all you’re doing is compromising its properties which I assume is the reason you bought it in the first place. 

The “mono guys” will be along shortly. 
 

 

 

Mike

Hahaha. I agree. Monofilament lines I have tried are not my cup of tea. I feel like buying a high end rod and reel and putting monofilament on it is like buying a new car with bald tires. I throw mono as little as possible.

[OnthePotomac]

Been using BPS Excell mono in 8, 12, 14 and 20 for 20 years and have never even thought of stretching it.  Very easy to use.

[DitchPanda]

Everybody has a different take on things like this. My dad taught me how to spool reels when I was probably 10 or so..he always used mono and he always stretched it. We caught alot of big redfish and black drum..large powerful saltwater fish... on 14lb clear blue stren original and I don't really remember a lot of breakoffs as if we compromised the line stretching it. Too this day I use mono and a lot of copolymer and will often times do what your describing as stretching it. But for me I'm doing it under moderate tension and not really to take elasticity out of the line but just to get it tighter and laying better on the spool. I also use KVD line and lure..it helps. This is just my experience of course.

P.S. Ain't ever been a bass born that can pull like a redfish..that I can promise. I just pulled a 6lb largemouth out of a brush pile last week with 12lb copoly and the line was fine. Guess I'm saying stretch it if you want to..and as long as you don't stretch to the failure point I doubt you will have any issues as long as you practice good preventative maintenance which you should be doing already. Tie good knots and check often for abrassion. 

[wisconsin heat]

8 minutes ago, DitchPanda said:

To this day I use mono and a lot of copolymer and will often times do what your describing as stretching it. But for me I'm doing it under moderate tension and not really to take elasticity out of the line but just to get it tighter and laying better on the spool. I also use KVD line and lure..it helps. 

This. I do this too. With both mono and flouro occasionally. It's not something to do every trip, and never put a lot of pressure on the line. Like you said, just to sort of straighten it out to help it lay better on the spool. Nothing wrong with it and I'd say it's a great tip for people to know!

[flyfisher]

only line i will stretch is fly lines.  If i have to do that on any other lines to get them to be more manageable I am putting on  fresh lines or switching entirely.