So I tried Yo-Zuri Hybrid Ultra Soft..

[Tokyo Tony]

Went out yesterday to find that all of the ponds I fish are totall frozen over, so I went to a couple trout honey holes I know of to get my fix.  Just spooled up one of my smallie spinning setups with the above mentioned line, #6 mist green, and....

First of all, I'm hoping it's the cold weather, but it's one of the least manageable lines I've used, so not great for cold water.  The line really coils off the spool so you can't leave any slack.  I didn't mind too much because I've gotten good at either not leaving slack or keeping my left hand on the spool to prevent this, but if you're used to leaving slack sometimes or if you don't manually close the bail, I'd stay away from it in cold weather (I'm talking freezing temperatures).

That said, it is the most sensitive non-braid line I've ever used, and I can't wait to try it out in the spring.  I was fishing gin-clear rivers for some finicky trout and ended up catching 13 (12 browns, one rainbow), 3 over 2 lbs - my PB trout fishing day for numbers + quality  ;D.  So it seems this line performs well in clear water situations.

It casts really well, as I was shooting a little 1/8 oz jighead with a PowerBait minnow as far as I wanted, and it seems very abrasion-resistant.

Do you guys know if the mist green is less soft than the clear line?  Also, will the stiffness go away once it's warmer out?  If the stiffness goes away, I may start straying far away from braid for most applications...I like this line a lot so far.

Last question, any ideas on how to get cell phone pics onto this site?  I'm not sure if I can email from my phone...

Thanks

P.S. At one spot I was fishing alongside a couple flyfishermen who weren't having any luck, and I was just killing 'em with my little Powerbait minnow  ;D  The fish were ONLY biting the PowerBait minnow in 030 color - I tried a couple others with no luck.  I could tell these trout fishermen were a little annoyed by a "bass guy" coming in, no waders, just casting from shore, pulling them out one after the other  8-)

[roadwarrior]

Ultra Soft will form coils from being stored on the reel spool, but after a few casts the memory should disappear completely. However, although I would make the general statement that Hybrid and Hybrid Ultra Soft are NOT affected by cold weather, the water I fish never actually freezes. So, that's news to me.

[Tokyo Tony]

Yeah I'm pretty sure it's the freezing temps and no humidity - the line coils off the spool pretty badly, but nothing that can't be overcome.  I'd say this time of year braid's definitely better, but on the other hand, I'm not sure I would have gotten all the bites I did if I were using braid with a leader.

P-Line Flouroclear is definitely softer and more manageable than the Ultra Soft, but has no sensitivity.  I'd much rather have a more sensitive, less manageable line.

[David P]

I've had a ton of trouble with memory with ultra soft. I have purchased 4-6 different spools in #6 and #12, not one spool was any better then the other. Not sure what in the world it could be... The #12 doesn't bother me, because it's on my BC and memory doens't bother me much with BC, but spinning, eh it's no better then a couple other lines on the market imo.

[roadwarrior]

Brokejew,

Gosh, I just can't understand what's wrong unless it's possible that you are spooling it backwards. My suggestion is to troll the line which should eliminate all twist and memory.

If that doesn't work the line is somehow defective and will never be "right". If that is the case, try to take it back or throw it away and buy something else. Yo-Zuri Hybrid Ultra Soft was designed for spinning tackle and "in use" should have virtually no memory.  

[Tin]

My suggestion is to troll the line which should eliminate all twist and memory.

Thats a must with all flouro's on spinning reels. It makes all the difference in the world.

[Tokyo Tony]

Twist is probably a source of the problem as well - can't troll it, but I guess I could let it float down the river a ways for a while...

I wish line came on smaller diameter spools.  I remember back in the day when I used Ande monofilament on those smaller diameter spools twist wasn't so much of a problem because the line spool size was almost the same as the spool on my reels.  Oh well.

[flechero]

Roadwarrior,

I think I know why You never have trouble with it and some of us do.... I have seen your set ups and how you fish them.  You use #6 for a rod and application that most of us would use #10 or #12 for. (you use a lighter line for similar techniques than I so you always have less line issues.) Remember we both had Fat Ika's on at Fork and you had the LE (med spinning) with #6 Y-Z and I used a MH BC with #14 XT for the same thing.  We just have different styles, based on our home waters.  I use #10 for my spinning rod but we fish WAY different water.  I'm in flooded and pecan & mesquite trees all day and you're in the river.  I rarely hook a fish in open water.  

Both right for their respective environments, just different.

To the other posters...  trolling is an absolute must for trouble free fishing.

[Guest avid]

Keep in mind that ultra soft competes with flourocarbon lines.

It is softer and more manageable than many f/c or hybrid lines.

but no way will it compare to a quality limp mono in the user friendly dept.

[roadwarrior]

Roadwarrior,

I think I know why You never have trouble with it and some of us do.... I have seen your set ups and how you fish them. You use #6 for a rod and application that most of us would use #10 or #12 for. (you use a lighter line for similar techniques than I so you always have less line issues.) Remember we both had Fat Ika's on at Fork and you had the LE (med spinning) with #6 Y-Z and I used a MH BC with #14 XT for the same thing. We just have different styles, based on our home waters. I use #10 for my spinning rod but we fish WAY different water. I'm in flooded and pecan & mesquite trees all day and you're in the river. I rarely hook a fish in open water.

Both right for their respective environments, just different.

To the other posters... trolling is an absolute must for trouble free fishing.

flechero,

ABSOLUTELY!

When I talk about spinning tackle,

I ONLY suggest #6 or the thinner #4,

but if these lines are not appropriate,

I would fish heavier line on a baitcaster!

Avid,

I TOTALLY DISAGREE.

Yo-Zuri Hybrid Ultra Soft is the

MOST user friendly line I have ever used.

[Cephkiller]

I too was a bit disappointed with the stiffness of Hybrid US when I first tried it, but then I realized that, because of its incredible strength/diameter I was actually using 11.9 lb line with a 6 lb diameter.  When you compare it to 12 lb mono, it stacks up very favorably.  I am not certain that the US has the same break strength as regular Hybrid (Yo-Zuri has only published info for regular), but I know it is much stronger than 6 lb.

[Tin]

IMO I don't think any flouro on a spinning rod is "user friendly" but if you put the line on the reel corrctly which most do not, and "troll with it" and put the line on with tension, the Hybrid is not all the bad.

[mar]

I have the ultra soft's on 2 of my baitcasting combo.  both the 8lb test.  It's definitely better than the trilene mono that i use to use except for the memory, especially after i haven't fished for a while.  Could it be that it's too light of a line for baitcasters?  Other than that its been great it doesn't feel "dried out" like mono

Tin or RW do we spool the line clockwise or counter clock wise for spinning reels w/ the ultra softs?

[David P]

Rw, because you've never steering me in the wrong direction, I will this weekend re - spool 2 rods with my Ultra Soft #6 on spinning on both. I will do what you said, and fish them for the entire day. I sure hope this works!

[roadwarrior]

I don't have any other suggestions.

If that doesn't work, throw it away and get something else.

[David P]

Quote

I don't have any other suggestions.

If that doesn't work, throw it away and get something else.

I do know I spooled it on properly, BUT to my knowledge  I never tried to troll it and do that. I have high hopes that it will work, as you have been right on just about everything else.

I will throw this out there, to anyone looking to try another line. Cuda line for the price, is unbeatable. I've have it on 4 of my rods right now and am quite satisfied. 

[Tin]

When I do it I have it so the line is coming off the top of the spool. Never had an issue.

As for too light on baitcasters, is it loose on the spool? constant backlashes? There should always be tension on the line when reeling it in and fluoro should be put on tight, imo, like braid. Also how the line is coming off the spool could have something to do with how it, play with your magentic brake and spool tension. I had issues when I first started with it, since I started really paying attention to the adjustments on my reel, I have not had a problem since.

[mar]

When I do it I have it so the line is coming off the top of the spool. Never had an issue.

As for too light on baitcasters, is it loose on the spool? constant backlashes? There should always be tension on the line when reeling it in and fluoro should be put on tight, imo, like braid. Also how the line is coming off the spool could have something to do with how it, play with your magentic brake and spool tension. I had issues when I first started with it, since I started really paying attention to the adjustments on my reel, I have not had a problem since.

No backlashes at all and i can cast relatively far.  The line is on tight, too tight initially since i spooled it up to the brim and i had to take line off since it "poofed" up on me the next day fishing. ;D

I was unsure if i made the right line choice in choosing 8lbs test for Ultra soft on baitcasters since i fish very clear waters here.

Would i have the line coming off the top of the spool if i decide to put it in my spinning reel?

Regards,

Bert

[Tin]

I have it coming off the top on both reels when I reline them. Remember fluoro is almost invisible under water, so you can get away with using heavier line.

[Tokyo Tony]

Would i have the line coming off the top of the spool if i decide to put it in my spinning reel?

Probably, but it also depends on your reel size.  The Okuma reel I had some problems with (and again, this is freezing temps) is a little smaller than a Shimano 2500 size, so a larger reel should have less problems.  And I can see how trolling it behind the boat for a while to eliminate twist would help the problem.  Even if you do have that problem though it isn't a huge problem if you're aware of it.  Again, I love the sensitivity and strength of this line.

Headed out in a bit with that same setup to try my luck with some night trout  

[Hawgin]

One thing that I have done with this line that seemed to help was when I am putting the YZUS on the spool I run it through a rag I have dampened with a little bit of line conditioner (reel magic, KVD's, etc.) and then I spray it with a little every couple of times that I go out.    I have #8 on my spinning reels, and #12 on my baitcasters and I've not had any problems with memory or the line being stiff.   I have switched to Ultra Soft on every rod I have except my flipping stick.