Article by Larry Jock
I’ve been using braided fishing line on all of my reels since around the year 2000 and can’t imagine ever going back to monofilament, even though in some instances where you want a little stretch in your line at strike, it would probably be better. I’m a big fan of the Momoi Diamond Braid and I really love the Daiwa Samurai braided line that really feels like silk. Although I used PowerPro braided line early in my switch from monofilament, I eventually stayed away from it because it felt so rough and really caused damage to the eyes on my fishing rod. Well, no more!
Dr. Dennis at Ake Marine convinced me to use the new PowerPro Super 8 Slick braided line and I couldn’t be more surprised or happier. This new line, like the Samurai braid, is smooth as silk. Hard to believe it’s PowerPro.
The smoothness comes from the line being constructed with 8 yarn Spectra fiber that is braided under high tension. The line is round like monofilament so it sails through you guide with ease. I’ve also had no problem with slippage when tying knots with the braid. I still like to use a double polymar knot when tying any braided line.
The line comes in 8 sizes between 10 and 80 lb. test and 4 colors (Aqua Green, Marine Blue, Timber Brown and Hi-Vis Yellow). Check with your local tackle shop for availabilty.
A new product just hit the market by an Australian Company called CGear. They have rolled out their Sand-Free Rugs and Mats that are designed to allow sand to flow right through it.
The rugs and mats have a dual layer weave design that utilizes gravity to prevent sand and dust from coming back up.
The difference between the Rug and the Mat is that the Rug has a smoother surface, more suitable for laying on, where the Mat has a rougher weave texture. The Mat has D-Rings positioned around it so it can be staked to the ground.
When the company sent me the product, I couldn’t quite think of how it would be of use to fisherman. However, the more I?thought about it, I can see several ways it would come in handy. Surfcasters would have a surface where they could place their rods and reels onto without having to worry about the effects of sand on their reels. Boaters pulling up on Assateague Island could lay the Mat out in front of their boat as a place to clean their feet before getting back into the boat.
The company also has a Sand-Free Tote Bag that features the same technology.
The Sand-Free Mat retails for $49.99 and the Sand-Free Rug goes for $45.99. The Tote has an MSRP of $24.99. Check with your local tackle shops for availability. You can also get more information on the products at www.cgear-sandfree.com.