Winter fishing line and its diameter
The fishing line is an important element, because it will determine whether the fisherman will be able to pull out his catch, no matter how massive it is, and whether this element will fail him at the last moment. In addition, sometimes the fish is afraid of the fishing line, so it doesn’t even swim close to the hook. All these points should be taken into account when choosing.
The choice of thin fishing line for ice fishing is influenced by the following points:
- In winter, the water is much cleaner and more transparent than in summer, so the fish can see the line well.
- In the cold season, the mood of fish is changeable, they become more “capricious”, which is why they carefully study it before swimming to the bait.
- When fishing in winter, baits should be light. This means that using dense fishing lines will not result in high-quality and natural play in the water. Therefore, the ideal option would be to use lightweight bait and thin thread.
Some people believe that winter fishing lines are thin and at the same time weak. Of course, there are also some of these on sale, however, in order not to make a mistake, you must carefully look at the information indicated on the packaging. The manufacturer always writes about the diameter and strength of the product. Products must meet all stated requirements. Although it is worth noting that the data on the box is not always true.
Important! Knowing the needs of fishermen, many manufacturers, thanks to modern technologies, began to produce strong, but at the same time thin fishing lines.
It must be said that the companies do not stop there and assure that in the near future they will be able to surprise fishermen with interesting new products.
What diameter of fishing line for winter fishing should I choose?
To decide what diameter of fishing line you need for winter fishing, follow the principle that the thinner the better. This is necessary so that the thread is invisible to fish in clear water. At the same time, it should be stronger than the summer one, because in winter there is the possibility of catching larger individuals. Thanks to modern technologies, even a thin 0.08mm fishing line for winter fishing has sufficient strength. Each product package indicates the diameter and strength rating. Tip: a special winter fishing line marked “ise” or “winter” has the optimal ratio of these parameters. The fishing method also affects the choice of fishing line diameter. When ice fishing with a jig, a line with a diameter of 0.06 to 0.01 is used, for a jig with a diameter of 0.3 mm to 0.5 mm, and for a spinner with a diameter of 0.15 to 0.2 mm.
Choosing the most catchy fishing line
Many people do not understand what it means that a fishing line has no memory, although everything is extremely simple. We are talking about the ability of the product to retain the shape of the object on which it is wound in a wet state. This usually concerns a reel, fishing rod or reel.
A good example is rigid fishing line. Probably, some have seen that during the next unwinding there are small changes on it, expressed in the form of twisting rings, which are difficult to straighten if the bait is light in weight. Such a thread will not allow you to play with the float the way it should be done. Therefore, during winter fishing you can forget about it. The soft option, of course, is a priority in this regard, although it has its drawbacks. These include rapid stretching and loss of original shape. This leads to winter fishing line quickly becoming tangled.
It must be said that some types of thread, which have a higher quality, stretch, but in them this defect is less noticeable, although it also exists.
When purchasing a product, you should also pay special attention to the abrasive resistance of the element. We are talking about resistance to wear and tear during use. This criterion was invented for a reason; it allows you to judge the visibility of the fishing line in water and on snow. Of course, the fisherman would prefer that the thread be visible, but this is a negative point regarding the fish, because, having noticed some foreign object, it may not even swim a meter to the bait, not to mention bite.
Some fishermen use monofilament together with large spoons and balancers - this is a good solution, as is the choice of braided cord. In this case, good strength will be achieved with a small diameter. The cord is usually used when going for large fish, because it can not stretch for a long time, which makes it possible to make sharp and strong hooks. At the same time, in severe frosts it is better to pay attention to monofilament fishing line, which does not freeze, which cannot be said about the cord.
Best fishing line
Beginning fishermen want to find out what the best fishing line is, not realizing that there are so many of them that it is not possible to name something specific. It should be understood that for each type of fishing a different thread is suitable.
The fact is that winter fishing is a collective name that includes many individual variations of fishing, for which it is necessary to carefully select the fishing line based on the breaking load. Most often, experienced people advise taking a closer look at branded fishing thread.
It should be noted that it is impossible to be guided “by eye”, because outwardly apparent similarities can be deceptive. So, one manufacturer provides maximum strength, while another provides only medium strength.
As already mentioned, the thread should be the strongest, but with a small cross-section.
If you plan to fish with a jig, then the diameter of the fishing line should be 0.10 mm, and its length should be at least 50 meters. This is an ideal option for catching small fish whose weight does not exceed half a kilogram. If you want to return with a trophy, you will need to take care of purchasing a thread with a cross-section of at least 0.12 mm. At the same time, it will be necessary to purchase another 50 meters of fishing line.
In this case, it is necessary to fish with weighted jigs and lightweight spinners. When planning to hunt with balancers and vertical spinners, you should take care of a fishing line with a thickness of about 0.14-0.16 mm. Such a thread has a low cost, absorbs various jerks of fish, and also has moderate rigidity.
If you plan to fish for pike perch, and also at a sufficient depth, then you need to purchase a rigid thread, the cross-section of which will be at least 0.18 mm. This is necessary in order to avoid tangling the fishing line, and also to successfully hook fish, which is not easy to do at depth.
Monofilament line
This line stretches well and often has a dark color (black, green, red) so that it is clearly visible in the snow.
Advantages:
- has good stretch, which helps when landing fish
- has high elasticity, which avoids tangling
- has good knot strength
- of all types of fishing lines - the most affordable
Flaws:
- short-lived, tends to dry out due to natural factors
- due to stretching, low sensitivity
Based on the experience of our experts and feedback from experienced anglers, we have selected the 3 best monofilament fishing lines for winter fishing:
Gamakatsu Super G-Line
-5%
Line Gamakatsu Super G-Line 0.12mm 50m 395 RUR
Line Gamakatsu Super G-Line 0.12mm 50m
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Premium Japanese fishing line, 50 m reel serves as the main winter fishing line. Has a protective coating that protects against exposure to ultraviolet rays. It also has a special Extreme Abrasion coating that prevents exposure to the environment and temperature, as well as abrasion upon contact with snags and various underwater obstacles. Super G-Line has no memory, is very strong at the knots, is universal and is equally suitable for both winter fishing and other types of fishing. Expensive, but reliable and flexible. It won’t let you down when biting a large fish!
Sunline Siglon V ice fishing clear
-20%
Sunline Siglon V ice fishing line clear 50m 0.4/0.104mm 243 ₽
— 48 ₽
195 ₽
Line Sunline Siglon V ice fishing clear 50m 0.4/0.104mm
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Specialized Japanese fishing line for winter fishing. Triple coating with resin minimizes the moisture-absorbing properties of nylon, preventing freezing of the fishing line. Thus, Siglon V Ice Fishing retains all its properties at the lowest temperatures. And thanks to its sufficient rigidity, it practically does not get tangled even in strong winds. The presence of thin diameters and an affordable price make this fishing line very popular among winter fishing enthusiasts. Siglon V Ice Fishing is an excellent choice for both jig and balance fishing.
Sufix Ice magic
-5%
Sufix Ice magic winter fishing line 50m 0.155mm transparent 320 ₽
Fishing line Sufix Ice magic winter 50m 0.155mm transparent
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Line with a wide temperature range, great for fishing in warm and cold water. It has high strength, has virtually no residual memory and combines softness and elasticity, with a high breaking load at the nodes. Sinking, which allows the use of lighter baits. The best price-quality ratio.
Fishing with a float rod
Before choosing the best fishing lines for winter fishing, you need to decide whether it will be a float rod or not. In this case, it is necessary to carefully select the element. If you fish with a float, you should use a universal thread. It is good because it can be used to hunt fish at various depths, up to 20 meters. Moreover, we are talking about both a body of water with a current and standing water.
Important! When choosing a fishing line manufacturer, you should not forget about the necessary factors that affect the quality of fishing.
When planning to fish at depth, you need to choose not only a hard thread, but also one that does not have a memory effect. If you don’t do this, you may miss the moment of the bite.
In winter, some fishermen catch fish on a girder. It is simple and at the same time reliable, allowing you to catch a predator. If it is necessary to select a fishing line, preference is given to a product with a cross-section of 0.35 mm. When changing the load, it is possible to fish even at a depth of up to 15 meters.
What properties should a high-quality fishing line for winter fishing have?
• Optimal price
The cost of high-quality fishing line should be appropriate; when choosing the cheapest product, be prepared for rapid abrasion and low strength. To avoid problems with fishing line during fishing, give preference to products from the middle price category.
• Abrasion resistance
The smoothness of the thread and the absence of knots on the surface are a sign of a high-quality thread. Resistance to abrasion when ice fishing is a very important factor for a fisherman. After all, it happens that during winter fishing, the ice edge can damage the thread.
• Softness and lack of memory
It is in winter that it is especially important that the fishing line does not tend to curl into rings. The thread, which has a memory property, forms spirals when unwinding, which reduces the likelihood of hooking a fish on time. For winter fishing, softer models with no memory are suitable.
• Tensile strength
The tear resistance rating can even be checked manually if there is any doubt about the information provided by the manufacturer. For winter fishing, it is better to use stronger fishing line options. If you need a good fishing line for winter fishing, how to choose a video from users on resources for anglers will help you make your choice.
• Diameter matching
Many manufacturers underestimate the diameter of the fishing line, and the thicker the thread, the more noticeable it is to the fish. Therefore, not only the declared diameter matters, but also the actual one. This means that when purchasing, it is better to use a micrometer to accurately determine the cross-section.
Rating of the best winter forests
Today there are many manufacturers on the market that offer the best products. It is impossible to say that there is some kind of rating, since everyone chooses those products that will work flawlessly under certain conditions.
Again, it should be noted that no one will compile a rating, but the lines that are in greatest demand will simply be presented.
Among these:
- Berkley FireLine Micro Ice Fused Original. This fishing line for a winter fishing rod is ultra-strong and thin. Due to the uniformity, it is possible to fish with light baits and feel the bite well. It must be said that gear of this type is almost invisible in the water due to fluorocarbon leashes. As for the breaking load, it is in the range of 1.8-4.5 kg.
- Berkley Trilene 100 Percent Fluorocarbon Ice. The advantage is that the bobbin can be wound completely. At the same time, you should not be afraid that it will get tangled or break. Distinctive features are: thinness, lack of memory and transparency.
- Northland Tackle Bionic Ice Fluorosilk. This thread is a new generation thread, more advanced. Thus, the copolymer core is framed with fluorocarbon. As for the benefits of coating, there are several. This is almost complete invisibility in a pond, quick immersion, resistance to ice freezing and water-repellent properties.
- Power Pro Ice-Tec. This element boasts a special coating that protects against low temperatures. In addition, thanks to new technology, it is possible to increase the breaking load.
- Silver Thread Trout Line. The presented line was created in order to fish for river trout. However, after some time they began to actively use it for ice fishing. We can say that this thread is the strongest, it has an excellent breaking load, as well as impeccable performance indicators. In addition, it is hypersensitive.
- Sufix 832 Performance Ice Braid. This line is produced using the Y6 digital weaving method. This nuance makes it possible to increase the breaking load several times, while remaining soft. It can be used during severe frost.
- Sufix Invisiline Fluorocarbon. If you make a rating of fast-sinking elements, this one will come in first place. This thread is intended for catching pike perch, as well as small fish. This is possible due to the fact that the fishing line is completely invisible in the water. One of the main advantages is its resistance to abrasion. This is especially important when fishing for fish on ice.
- Vicious Panfish Ice. This is one of the copolymer types of threads that has a number of advantages. Some of these are: resistance to erasure, lack of memory, hypersensitivity, minimal stretchability, and more.
The fishing line for winter fishing must be dense and have a certain diameter depending on the reservoir, fish and other factors. When choosing a thread, you must pay attention to its characteristics indicated on the packaging.
How to avoid falling for a fake
Sometimes unscrupulous sellers, under the guise of a quality product, sell a cheap fake. In order to “not get hooked,” you should learn to determine where the product is good and where it is not.
Important! The fluorocarbon that fishing line is made from comes from fluorocarbon, which does not burn.
To figure it out, just hold a lighter to the tip and see what happens. Nylon will definitely melt, but flucarbonate will only char slightly.
