superfly Posted October 31, 2006 Posted October 31, 2006 Some where along the way I heard that fluorocarbon has a higher specific gravity than mono. So the theory was to use fluoro for nymphing and mono for dry flies. Does it matter. Any thoughts on this.
mizzouflyfisher Posted October 31, 2006 Posted October 31, 2006 It's definitely true that fluoro seeks faster than mono. I always refer to fluoro as more dense, but not exactly sure what the reason for the faster sink rate is. I'm sure somebody can shed some light on this issue. Mizzouflyfisher
Danoinark Posted October 31, 2006 Posted October 31, 2006 Here is an excellent discussion on just this issue that will give you the answers and more. http://www.georgepoveromo.com/fluorocarbon.htm Glass Has Class "from the laid back lane in the Arkansas Ozarks"
Terry Beeson Posted October 31, 2006 Posted October 31, 2006 OK... the old plastics guy is gonna come out in me now... Very good article, Dano... And it made me think about looking at some "hybrids" for making leaders. Specific Gravity and Density go hand in hand... just different ASTM methods to obtain numbers. Monofilament, being made of nylon, has a Specific Gravity (SG) of just over 1 (around 1.03 to 1.05) which means at its given state, it is "slightly" heavier than water and should "slowly" sink. However, the fact that nylon absorbs moisture makes the "leader" have a SG closer to 1.0. This, along with factors such as surface tension (think of a drop of water "hanging" on the lip of a glass) and dynamics (think of dropping two pieces of paper from 5 feet up. One in sheet form, one wadded up... Which one will hit the floor first?) will keep the mono leader "afloat"... especially if it has had any kind of surface treatment. However, because it is close to a 1.0 SG, mono can be used to nymph fish with the use of a little bit of more dense material pulling it under.... say... lead (11.4)/ brass (8.5)/ copper (8.75) / tungsten (19.6) weighted fly or shot. The lower the SG for the leader, the "harder" it would be for the weight to pull it down under the surface. So... mono could be considered a great "all around" leader material. Flourocarbon, on the other hand, is made of a very dense material called polyvinylidene fluoride or PVDF. Its SG is around 1.8-1.9 which means it is almost twice as dense as water. Its density is compared to that of sand or clay. Another factor is that it does not absorb water. Surface tension and dynamics still come into play here, but long story short, a flourocarbon leader will, indeed, sink without any help. With only that in mind, flouro is "better" for nymph type fishing and no good for dry fly fishing. Now, there are several other factors to consider: Light refraction Knot strength Suppleness - memory Stretch (elongation) Tensile strength Bottom line, in my opinion, is that dry fly fishing is best done with mono leader and tippet. For nymphing, it is a choice you have to make for yourself based on personal taste and situation. Now... one last thought... Has anyone tried to develop a propylene or ethylene (0.9 - 0.96 SG) type leader for dry fly fishing? If not, I wonder why not? By the way, this is why propylene yarn is good for indicators and parachutes... Just my opinion, for what it's worth... and that ain't much... TIGHT LINES, YA'LL "There he stands, draped in more equipment than a telephone lineman, trying to outwit an organism with a brain no bigger than a breadcrumb, and getting licked in the process." - Paul O’Neil
gonefishin Posted October 31, 2006 Posted October 31, 2006 Dang Beeson what did you do swallow an encyclopedia??? I dont know all the specifics about the two lines but what I do know is I use mono, flouro and braided lines. To me they are just more tools in my aresonol of fishing goodies. I rarely fish top water. So for me I can adjust the rate my lure/bait falls by using different lines. Abrasion resistance is a great thing when fishing around rocks or riprap. I would rather be fishin'. "Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well-armed lamb contesting the vote." Benjamin Franklin, 1759
Terry Beeson Posted October 31, 2006 Posted October 31, 2006 Dang Beeson what did you do swallow an encyclopedia??? Comes from years of breathing fumes of PVC, nylon, polyester, urethane, and polypropylene from extruders, injection molding machines, and blow molders... TIGHT LINES, YA'LL "There he stands, draped in more equipment than a telephone lineman, trying to outwit an organism with a brain no bigger than a breadcrumb, and getting licked in the process." - Paul O’Neil
superfly Posted October 31, 2006 Author Posted October 31, 2006 Terry, Thanks for the FACTS on the line theory I heard. You most be a genius. See you on the water some day. Matt
Terry Beeson Posted October 31, 2006 Posted October 31, 2006 Boy, have I got YOU fooled!... (Dano... na-na-na-na-boo-boo... I beat you to it... ) TIGHT LINES, YA'LL "There he stands, draped in more equipment than a telephone lineman, trying to outwit an organism with a brain no bigger than a breadcrumb, and getting licked in the process." - Paul O’Neil
RiverRunner Posted November 1, 2006 Posted November 1, 2006 I used a Fluoro leader this weekend on my initial fly fishing foray, and did not like it a bit. It tended to coil extrememly bad and had a lot of memory. I used some fluoro when I was bass fishing and did not like it a bit. I used it as a Carolina Rig leader, and it tended to explode when I set the hook. Of course, I was using a 7' "pool cue" and 50 lbs test braided line as my main line. Speaking of braided line, I would think that it would be a good tippet for dries, if you can get it small enough, since it floats. Of course, I am not enough of an expert to be commenting on this anyways.
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