What is Copolymer Fishing Line?
The material, length, and weight of a fishing line are important determinants of its use. The choice of a fishing line for a particular application depends mainly on its breaking strength, castability, stretch, visibility, and knot strength. There exist various kinds of fishing lines which have different combinations of these properties.
Types of Fishing Line
There are four major types of fishing lines that anglers use which are monofilament, braided, fluorocarbon, and copolymer.
Monofilament Is a line made of a single plastic fiber. It is characterized by a high amount of stretch which is why it is quite forgiving when fighting a fish. This makes it perfect for beginners and also for those on a tight budget.
A braided line is made up of woven fibers of artificial materials. These lines are known for their high power to diameter ratio and make an excellent choice for baitcasting reels.
A fluorocarbon line is made up of organic compounds which consist of fluorine, chlorine, and carbon. These lines have low visibility compared to other materials and are often used in clear waters.
Lastly, copolymer lines are those made from more than one polymer as their name suggests. These polymer combinations are chosen in such a combination that makes them stronger than an individual polymer. This factor makes copolymers great for heavy fishing applications.
Copolymer Fishing Line
A copolymer fishing line is one that uses a combination of polymers as the base material. Usually, two different types of nylon are combined to maximize strength and resistance. Often copolymers are made out of a single plastic fiber, though this fiber contains multiple polymers, they can technically be classified as monofilaments.
Copolymer lines are made by stretching the material into one straight line. Using multiple polymers allows manufacturers to fine tune the properties and features of the line; they can have greater control over stretch, strength, resistance, visibility, and all the other important factors as they are able to combine different materials in different ratios.
Advantages of a Copolymer Fishing Line
A copolymer line has far more advantages than any other type of line in various scenarios. First, copolymer lines are generally much stronger than other fishing lines. The combination of two nylon polymers reinforces strength into the material and at the same time, increases its impact and abrasion resistance. Owing to this, copolymers do not snap easily.
The stretch of copolymers is quite high for the amount of strength it has. These properties allow copolymers to be less than half the diameter of their monofilament counterparts and still have the same strength. This thinness allows you to carry more of the copolymer line on the same spool.
Copolymer vs. Monofilament
Monofilament and copolymers have comparable yet contrasting characteristics. Copolymer lines stretch less than monofilament and allow sturdy hooksets while monofilaments stretch more and allow some play for the fish.
Copolymers are much stronger than monofilament at the same diameter. This means you need a much thinner copolymer line to match double the thickness of a monofilament. Thus, copolymer clearly wins in the strength aspect.
As a thin copolymer is strong, more of it can fit onto any spool. This allows you to cast longer distances with copolymer lines. Finally, unlike monofilament, copolymer lines do not retain spool memory. This reduces the risks of unspooling or tangling during casting.
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What is Copolymer Line Used For?
Copolymer fishing lines are versatile enough for different types of applications. The high strength, as well as decent stretch, makes a unique combination of properties of copolymer fishing lines. This mix is a great choice for medium and heavyweight fish that are always ready to fight. However, their application is not limited to these fish. Copolymers can be thought of as an all-rounder which performs well in most fishing scenarios.
Thanks to its moderate sinking profile, copolymers are also used for suspension rigging and swim baiting. When you are aiming for a certain depth, copolymers are the way to go. Their strength and stretch along with high durability and low visibility make copolymers an excellent choice to go deep into the water. As a result, deep water crank baiting is perfectly within the scope of copolymer lines.
The same traits give copolymers full marks for its sinking profile and makes them a good choice for fishing in harsh conditions where rocks, weeds, and any other obstacles might hamper you. It is safe to say copolymer lines have qualities that make them suitable for a wide variety of fishing applications.
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