Reel Line

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A while back Keith put up a post about renewing his reel line. I was going to reply but then the post disappeared when the site experienced problems and was reset. So Keith, belatedly, here's my reply!
I had quite a detailed look at lines a few years ago and unearthed some test data which showed that far too may lines - mono and hi-tech - did NOT do what it says on the tin. Diameters varied quite a bit and in quite a lot of cases the breaking strain was overstated.
A few lines came out of the tests well, notably Preston Reflo Powerline. Now I know this is strictly a rig line, but nevertheless this is my preferred line for feeder and waggler fishing on commercials. There are three reasons for this, first, the measured diameters and the breaking strain for Powerline always exceeded the stated values in the tests, secondly, I use it with with the short (10/11') Drennan carp feeder and waggler rods specifically designed for commercials. These, like other rod brands of similar spec, have a soft all through action and more than compensate for any reduced stretch of the rig line. Thirdly, a rig line is fine for most commercials as you do not have demanding rocky ledges or snags which can damage the line.

The other key thing about lines, esp on commercials with big carp, is knot strength. A good friend of mine and a keen Thames barbel/carp angler, used to run one of our local tackle shops, and we tested all their stock lines for knot strength, and again Powerline fared very well, unlike some others which snapped at the knot at less than half their stated breaking strain.
Of course if you're wanting line for more demanding and snaggy situations eg River Severn with stiffer high test curve barbel rods, then you need a full blown mono with plenty of stretch and abrasion resistance, so here I would go for the Preston Reflo Power Max.
One other point, we didn't test any braid, but it supposedly has a high knot strength although I'm less sure about abrasion resistance, so you should definitely investigate that further.
Finally, when it comes to line, everyone has their own personal favourites and many anglers stick to lines they've got to know and trust over many years. So you will here a lot of different lines being acclaimed. I guess thats why there are still so many brands out there.

Btw what line did you go for in the end Keith?

[keith]

Tony,

Nice to see nothing gets past you.

It was something I gave a little thought to, I was fed up with stated lines saying they sank and others float, rarely did they do what they said on the tin.

Currently I have been using Daiwa Tournament ST line but have had it on for a few years. No real problems with it but it has started to look and feel tired.

Ideally I would prefer my waggler line to float and the bomb line to sink, so there is little movement on the actual waggler or bomb.

Will have a look at the Power Line option you stated.

Keith