Articles

Tight Lines
by Eric Peterson

For the past 3 years, I have been using Power Pro Braided Spectra Fiber Fishing Line, and have been recommending it to everyone that I do business with. As a Custom Rod Builder, I have seen the effects of the other braided fishing lines on the guides of many rods. Having a rod with quality guides lessens the chance of having any type of line grove your guides. Once your guides take on a grove, it will lead to line wear and guide failure.

Some of the first superlines introduced to the market were the Aramids, also known as Kevlar. Aramids have a high coefficient of friction, and are abrasive not only to the guides and line roller, but also to the line itself. Power Pro is made of spectrum fiber, which is composed of polyethylene, a slick plastic. Power Pro with Enhanced Body Technology results in a rounder and smoother line than any of the other braided lines on the market today. Power Pro has near zero stretch, no reel memory, the highest abrasion resistance, and unmatched sensitivity.

Power Pro will give you trouble free performance on all spinning and conventional reels. Unlike other brands of braided fishing lines, fishing with Power Pro is as easy as fishing with monofilament. Power Pro has the least amount of resistance of any of the other braided lines because of the smoother surface texture and its compact structure, which prevents water from entering into the braid. Having the ability to cast your line a greater distance using Power Pro, gives you a definite advantage over other anglers using monofilament. Bait fisherman have found this line to be a great advantage when the surf picks up. By using Power Pro you will have less resistance when the current pulls on your line. This, in turn, lets you use less weight to hold bottom. As an example: Monofilament line, when you would need 4-6 ounces of lead to hold bottom. When using Power Pro you would only need to use 2-4 ounces of lead to hold bottom. This will give you more control, a farther cast, and a better feel of the bait when a fish is picking it up.

Select Your Power Rating

There are 4 sizes of Power Pro that are commonly used in our waters. The 20lb. test line with a 6lb. mono diameter. This line size is primarily used for back bay flounder, fluke and weakfish. It is also an excellent size for freshwater use on bass, pickerel and perch. The 30lb. test line with an 8lb. mono diameter is a great all-round size for the surf and inshore fisherman. The 50lb. test line with a 12lb. mono diameter is your best choice for jetty, rivers and heavy jigging. Last is the 65lb. test with a 16lb. mono diameter. This line is best suited for wreck fishing, deep water jigging, and my favorite, live lining herring and bunker. These lines should give you more confidence and power to land that trophy fish. Power Pro comes in three colors: Moss Green, Hi-visibility Pink, and White.

Using Power Pro

As mentioned before, Power Pro has near zero stretch. When you set the hook, all that is needed is a gentle snap of your wrist. If you try and set the hook as you did when using mono, you will either pull the hook out of the fish's mouth, or rip its lips off! Remember that any movement at the rod tip is identical on the business end of your line. It's like fishing with a steel cable. When using Power Pro lines you will be tempted to set the drag higher than you normally would. Your line is rated higher than the rod, reel, and tackle that you are using, so set your drag to the size of mono that you would normally be using. This will give you better performance. When setting the hook a little line will play out, this will make up for the line's lack of stretch. Power Pro does not have the shock absorbing properties of monofilament and therefore you will need to use a monofilament leader. I recommend a 3-foot length of Seguar fluorocarbon material in either 20lb or 30lb. test. This will give you better abrasion resistance and presentation of your bait or lure, than if you were to use a mono leader.

Tying Up Your Power Pro

The best knot that I have found to use with Power Pro is the Uni Knot. This knot is used to connect to your terminal tackle, and connecting mono to Power Pro. Before you start to tie your knot you must pass the line thru the eye of your terminal tackle twice when tying with Power Pro.

Eric Peterson is the owner of Peterson Custom Rod & Tackle and High Tide Guide Service. He can be reached at (732) 280-5045 or at Petcustrod@aol.com for information and reservations.