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Torrid Time

Richard Isaacs said:
Interesting reading there joe.
I’ve always gone by what’s written on the spool and stuck with what’s worked in the past. I used GR60 for years and it’s been brilliant line. I found it wasn’t quite as supple as I wanted and swapped it with fox Exocet green in 16lb a good while ago. Now I look at that chart the line I’ve swapped to has a lower breaking strain yet I’ve more confidence in it than ever with a nice string of double figure fish on a small snaggy very weedy river. I’ll be sticking with It as I have full confidence in it but it’s interesting to know that I’ve actually swapped to a weaker line on paper.
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GR60 - "it wasnt quite as supple as I wanted"

You can say that again, let's get it right - it's practically tow rope! Ok that's a slight exaggeration, but supple it ain't. But it didn't bother me that much. Most of my casting is done by an underarm lob, and I've never used it for hooklengths. It is strong for the diameter and has excellent abrasion qualities, it knots well which is super important and it's consistent, without too much memory, although it is a bit springy. I started using it mainly because the likes of Terry Hearn swore by it for hauling out monster carp on snaggy gravel pits. I switched to Pro-Clear mainly because Stef was raving about it, and he's not one for using premium tackle for the good of his health. It's definitely more supple than GR60 and the TB tests rate it stronger. Sadly its no longer available, so I'll have to switch back to GR60 if this seasons experiment with braid doesn't work out. Or maybe GR60X assuming that's still available?
 
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Joe Winstanley said:
GR60 - "it wasnt quite as supple as I wanted"

You can say that again, let's get it right - it's practically tow rope! Ok that's a slight exaggeration, but supple it ain't. But it didn't bother me that much. Most of my casting is done by an underarm lob, and I've never used it for hooklengths. It is strong for the diameter and has excellent abrasion qualities, it knots well which is super important and it's consistent, without too much memory, although it is a bit springy. I started using it mainly because the likes of Terry Hearn swore by it for hauling out monster carp on snaggy gravel pits. I switched to Pro-Clear mainly because Stef was raving about it, and he's not one for using premium tackle for the good of his health. It's definitely more supple than GR60 and the TB tests rate it stronger. Sadly its I longer available, so I'll have to switch back to GR60 if this seasons experiment with braid doesn't work out. Or maybe GR60X assuming that's still available?
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It is like toe rope and that was one of its Brilliant qualities it just wasn’t a very tidy line. It laid messy and Was quite known for dropping the odd loop onto the spool as well. It was pretty awful for rolling baits. Wasn’t anything like the Exocet for freely flowing unhindered through the rod rings.
I agree it was fabulous with knots.
Now I went onto the fox Exocet simply by recommendation which is something I’m always skeptical of doing but I tried it and before I caught on it I just started to appreciate how much more can be done with it and how well it laid on the reel and seamlessly flowed through the rings. No spring or loops
Anyway I caught on it time after time 11’s 12’s 13’s 15’s hit and hold, through snags, weed etc.
I’ve bought back damaged line....... who hasn’t but it’s held out when needed. It’s 20quid a spool which fills 4 reels so It’s a bit dearer than GR60 but it’s worth it imo.
 
Jim Ufton said:
Forgot to mention to ian, pike are fairly regular to pellet and boilies on the dove, i've also had perch to pellet, would be interesting to see if others have had similar on other rivers,,,
Regards
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Iv had a couple of pike on pellet both times hooked in the scissors. Iv also foul hooked one in the belly. Iv had more on meat. It makes you wonder at times when you hook something and it snaps your hooklink if it was a pike and the lines caught its teeth
 
carphideout.co.uk

12 Best Carp Fishing Lines (2021 Update!) - The Carp Hideout

Top 12 Best Carp Fishing Lines featuring Fox Exocet Mainline, ESP Syncro, Korda SUBline and Berkley Big Game! All you need to know about the best carp line!
carphideout.co.uk carphideout.co.uk

Top 12 Carp lines rated.

I’ve been using ESP syncro last 2 seasons in 12 & 15 and can’t fault it.

The above guide rates Berkley big game very highly for knot strength and abrasion resistance.
 
Graham Elliott said:
Wot I said earlier Joe / Richard.

The GT80 is fairly springy.

The GR60 even more so.

Thats why I prefered the GT80.
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I'll have a look at it. Need to find a 10lb mainline (ideally light green) to replace the 10lb Pro gold I use for tenching now its no longer available. Choice between GR60x, GT80 or Subline I think.
 
Mark Swaby said:
I see so many diameters stated on spools and rarely are they accurate when you put a micrometer to them . Breaking strains and thick lines mean not a lot when ripped against a brick or branch if their abrasion resistance is poor. I remember seeing an abrasion test done on a large number of lines the test involved a heavy weight and a piece of sandpaper the line was drawn backwards and forwards across the sandpaper under tension of the weight. The winner was Ghost line ,I seem to remember it did something like 3x more than the next best line tested. What I will say is I learned by my mistakes back in the day and I learned quickly. I use Korda subline in 15lb or 12lb and like the way it is on the spool. I tend to use back leads so a heavy line means not a lot to the fish. There should be no excuse these days for straightened hooks and broken lines and leaving tackle in fish, the information is out there
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How do you know if a hook is going to straighten if it's from a make and packet you'd previously had no trouble with? I recently got an Animal size 8 straightened by a modest carp, yet never had a problem in the past. I had also tested the rig by pulling from a fence beforehand, as I always do. So I'm not sure how there is an element of "no excuse" if you get caught out by the odd rogue hook?
 
Alex, when I get a chance on the Colne they are usually big fish in hit and hold situations. I have to make my set up as reliable as possible and it is. I use very thick in the wire hooks Nash gaper d/s or continental hooks from carp r us (I think they pride themselves with never having a hook straightened on a fish). To me animal hooks would be a bit too thin in the wire but I would use them to trot bread for chub. I look after a stretch of river and often hear the straightened hook or snapped line story. Sadly even after advising the angler on what tackle to use to extract the fish after his last loss.
 
Mark Swaby said:
Alex, when I get a chance on the Colne they are usually big fish in hit and hold situations. I have to make my set up as reliable as possible and it is. I use very thick in the wire hooks Nash gaper d/s or continental hooks from carp r us (I think they pride themselves with never having a hook straightened on a fish). To me animal hooks would be a bit too thin in the wire but I would use them to trot bread for chub. I look after a stretch of river and often hear the straightened hook or snapped line story. Sadly even after advising the angler on what tackle to use to extract the fish after his last loss.
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Yep I agree. Animal hooks aren’t the right tools for this game
 
Mark Swaby said:
Alex, when I get a chance on the Colne they are usually big fish in hit and hold situations. I have to make my set up as reliable as possible and it is. I use very thick in the wire hooks Nash gaper d/s or continental hooks from carp r us (I think they pride themselves with never having a hook straightened on a fish). To me animal hooks would be a bit too thin in the wire but I would use them to trot bread for chub. I look after a stretch of river and often hear the straightened hook or snapped line story. Sadly even after advising the angler on what tackle to use to extract the fish after his last loss.
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It is a small carp water that I haven't fished much and I started using Korda curve shank but kept losing fish. I've never had a problem with animal hooks before and used them a lot in the 10-12 size range when using maggots and landed plenty of barbel on them. But admittedly I haven't used the sizes 8 and above much, as I prefer Continentals but didn't have any barbless and kept losing fish on the Kordas. But I will take note of the views and my own experience and leave the larger Animals in the tackle box.
 
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