A fishing line is a flexible, high-tensile
cord
Cord or CORD may refer to:
People
* Alex Cord (1933–2021), American actor and writer
* Chris Cord (born 1940), American racing driver
* Errett Lobban Cord (1894–1974) American industrialist
* Ronnie Cord (1943–1986), Brazilian singer
* Co ...
used in
angling
Angling is a fishing technique that uses a fish hook or "angle" (from Old English ''angol'') attached to a fishing line to tether individual fish in the mouth. The fishing line is usually manipulated via a fishing rod, although rodless techni ...
to tether and pull in
fish
Fish are aquatic, craniate, gill-bearing animals that lack limbs with digits. Included in this definition are the living hagfish, lampreys, and cartilaginous and bony fish as well as various extinct related groups. Approximately 95% of ...
, in conjunction with at least one
hook
A hook is a tool consisting of a length of material, typically metal, that contains a portion that is curved or indented, such that it can be used to grab onto, connect, or otherwise attach itself onto another object. In a number of uses, one e ...
. Fishing lines are usually pulled by and stored in a
reel
A reel is an object around which a length of another material (usually long and flexible) is wound for storage (usually hose are wound around a reel). Generally a reel has a cylindrical core (known as a '' spool'') with flanges around the ends ...
, but can also be retrieved
by hand, with a
fixed attachment to the end of a
rod, or via a
motor
An engine or motor is a machine designed to convert one or more forms of energy into mechanical energy.
Available energy sources include potential energy (e.g. energy of the Earth's gravitational field as exploited in hydroelectric power g ...
.
Fishing lines generally resemble a long, ultra-thin
rope
A rope is a group of yarns, plies, fibres, or strands that are twisted or braided together into a larger and stronger form. Ropes have tensile strength and so can be used for dragging and lifting. Rope is thicker and stronger than similar ...
, with important attributes including length, material, weight and thickness. Other factors relevant to certain fishing environments include
breaking strength
Fracture is the separation of an object or material into two or more pieces under the action of stress. The fracture of a solid usually occurs due to the development of certain displacement discontinuity surfaces within the solid. If a displa ...
, knot strength, UV resistance, castability, limpness, stretch, abrasion resistance, and visibility. Traditional fishing lines are made of
silk
Silk is a natural protein fiber, some forms of which can be woven into textiles. The protein fiber of silk is composed mainly of fibroin and is produced by certain insect larvae to form cocoons. The best-known silk is obtained from the ...
, while most modern lines are made from synthetic
polymer
A polymer (; Greek '' poly-'', "many" + ''-mer'', "part")
is a substance or material consisting of very large molecules called macromolecules, composed of many repeating subunits. Due to their broad spectrum of properties, both synthetic a ...
s such as
nylon
Nylon is a generic designation for a family of synthetic polymers composed of polyamides ( repeating units linked by amide links).The polyamides may be aliphatic or semi-aromatic.
Nylon is a silk-like thermoplastic, generally made from pe ...
,
polyethylene
Polyethylene or polythene (abbreviated PE; IUPAC name polyethene or poly(methylene)) is the most commonly produced plastic. It is a polymer, primarily used for packaging ( plastic bags, plastic films, geomembranes and containers including b ...
or
polyvinylidene fluoride
Polyvinylidene fluoride or polyvinylidene difluoride (PVDF) is a highly non-reactive thermoplastic fluoropolymer produced by the polymerization of vinylidene difluoride.
PVDF is a specialty plastic used in applications requiring the highest pur ...
("fluorocarbon") and may come in
monofilament
A monofilament may refer to:
* Monofilament fishing line, a type of thread
* A monofilament as used in a monofilament test in a neurological examination
* Monomolecular wire
Monomolecular wire is a type of wire consisting of a single strand of s ...
or
braided (
multifilament) forms.
Terminology
Fishing
Fishing is the activity of trying to catch fish. Fish are often caught as wildlife from the natural environment, but may also be caught from stocked bodies of water such as ponds, canals, park wetlands and reservoirs. Fishing techniques inclu ...
with a hook-and-line setup is called
angling
Angling is a fishing technique that uses a fish hook or "angle" (from Old English ''angol'') attached to a fishing line to tether individual fish in the mouth. The fishing line is usually manipulated via a fishing rod, although rodless techni ...
. Fish are caught when one are drawn by the
bait/
lure dressed on the hook into swallowing it in whole, causing in the hook (usually
barb
Barb or the BARBs or ''variation'' may refer to:
People
* Barb (name), a list of people and fictional characters with the given name or surname
* Barb, a term used by fans of Nicki Minaj to refer to themselves
* The Barbs, a band
Places
* Barb, ...
ed) piercing and anchoring into the
mouthparts,
gullet
The esophagus (American English) or oesophagus (British English; both ), non-technically known also as the food pipe or gullet, is an organ in vertebrates through which food passes, aided by peristaltic contractions, from the pharynx to the ...
or
gill
A gill () is a respiratory organ that many aquatic organisms use to extract dissolved oxygen from water and to excrete carbon dioxide. The gills of some species, such as hermit crabs, have adapted to allow respiration on land provided they are ...
, resulting in the fish becoming firmly tethered to the line. Another method is to use a straight
gorge, which is buried in the bait such that it would be swallowed end first, and the tension along the line would fix it cross-wise in the quarry's stomach or gullet and so the capture would be assured. Once the fish is hooked, the line can then pull it towards the angler and eventually fetch it out of the water (known as "landing" the fish). Heavier fish can also be landed with a
landing net or a hooked pole called a
gaff
Gaff may refer to:
Ankle-worn devices
* Spurs in variations of cockfighting
* Climbing spikes used to ascend wood poles, such as utility poles
Arts and entertainment
* A character in the ''Blade Runner'' film franchise
* Penny gaff, a 19th- ...
.
Trolling
In slang, a troll is a person who posts or makes inflammatory, insincere, digressive, extraneous, or off-topic messages online (such as in social media, a newsgroup, a forum, a chat room, a online video game), or in real life, with the i ...
is a technique where one or more lines, each with a
fishing lure
A fishing lure is a broad type of artificial angling baits that are replicas designed to mimic real prey animals and attract the attention of predatory fish, using appearances, flashy colors, bright reflections, movements, vibrations and/or loud ...
at the end, is dragged through the water. Trolling from a moving boat is used in
big-game and
commercial fishing
Commercial fishing is the activity of catching fish and other seafood for commercial profit, mostly from wild fisheries. It provides a large quantity of food to many countries around the world, but those who practice it as an industry must often ...
as a method of catching large open-water species such as
tuna
A tuna is a saltwater fish that belongs to the tribe Thunnini, a subgrouping of the Scombridae ( mackerel) family. The Thunnini comprise 15 species across five genera, the sizes of which vary greatly, ranging from the bullet tuna (max len ...
and
marlin
Marlins are fish from the family Istiophoridae, which includes about 10 species. A marlin has an elongated body, a spear-like snout or bill, and a long, rigid dorsal fin which extends forward to form a crest. Its common name is thought to deri ...
. Trolling can also be used when angling in freshwater as a way to catch
salmon
Salmon () is the common name for several commercially important species of euryhaline ray-finned fish from the family Salmonidae, which are native to tributaries of the North Atlantic (genus ''Salmo'') and North Pacific (genus '' Oncorhy ...
,
northern pike
The northern pike (''Esox lucius'') is a species of carnivorous fish of the genus ''Esox'' (the pikes). They are typical of brackish and fresh waters of the Northern Hemisphere (''i.e.'' holarctic in distribution). They are known simply as a p ...
,
muskellunge
The muskellunge ''(Esox masquinongy)'', often shortened to muskie, musky or lunge is a species of large freshwater predatory fish native to North America. It is the largest member of the pike family, Esocidae.
Origin of name
The name "muskell ...
and
walleye
The walleye (''Sander vitreus'', synonym ''Stizostedion vitreum''), also called the yellow pike or yellow pickerel, is a freshwater perciform fish native to most of Canada and to the Northern United States. It is a North American close relat ...
. The technique allows anglers to cover a large body of water in a short time.
Longline fishing
Longline fishing, or longlining, is a commercial fishing angling technique that uses a long ''main line'' with fish bait, baited fish hook, hooks attached at intervals via short branch lines called ''snoods'' or ''gangions''.[< ...]
, also known as a
trot line is a commercial fishing technique that uses many baited hooks hanging perpendicularly from a single line.
Snagging
Snagging, also known as snag fishing, snatching, snatch fishing, jagging (Australia), or foul hooking, is a fishing technique for catching fish that uses sharp grappling hooks tethered to a fishing line to externally pierce (i.e. "snag") into th ...
is a
fishing technique
Fishing techniques are methods for catching fish. The term may also be applied to methods for catching other aquatic animals such as molluscs (shellfish, squid, octopus) and edible marine invertebrates.
Fishing techniques include hand-gatherin ...
where a large sized hook is used to pierce the fish externally in the body (like a gaff) instead of inside the mouth, and is therefore ''not'' the same as angling. Generally, a large treble hook with a heavy
sinker is cast into a river containing a large amount of fish (such as
salmon
Salmon () is the common name for several commercially important species of euryhaline ray-finned fish from the family Salmonidae, which are native to tributaries of the North Atlantic (genus ''Salmo'') and North Pacific (genus '' Oncorhy ...
) and is quickly jerked and reeled in. Due to the often illegal nature of this method some practitioners have added methods to disguise the practice, such as adding bait or piercing the jerking motion.
Sections
Traditionally, only a single thread of line is used to connect the hook with the rod and reel. However, most modern angling setups use at least two sections of line joined with a
bend knot
This is a list of bends. A bend is a knot used to join two lengths of rope. They are used in a variety of situations, including climbing, sailing, and securing loads. Bend knots are classified based on their ability to be tightened or released, th ...
(such as the famously named
fisherman's knot
The fisherman's knot is a bend (a knot for joining two lines) with a symmetrical structure consisting of two overhand knots, each tied around the standing part of the other. Other names for the fisherman's knot include: angler's knot, English kn ...
). Occasionally a
swivel
A swivel is a connection that allows the connected object, such as a gun, chair, swivel caster, or an anchor
An anchor is a device, normally made of metal , used to secure a vessel to the bed of a body of water to prevent the craft ...
might be used to join the lines and reduce the bait/lure spinning due to the inherent line twisting from a fixed-spool reel.
* Backing is the rearmost section of the fishing line and typically used only to "pad up" the
spool of the
fishing reel
A fishing reel is a hand- cranked reel used in angling to wind and stow fishing line, typical mounted onto a fishing rod, but may also be used to retrieve a tethered arrow when bowfishing.
Modern recreational fishing reels usually have fitting ...
, in order to prevent unwanted slippage between the mainline and the (usually metallic and well polished) spool surface, increase the effective radius of the spooled line and hence the retrieval speed (
inches per turn), and to shorten the "jump" distance of the line release in spinning reels. The backing can also act as a reserve line in the case of fighting a powerful fish that manages to overpower the drag mechanism of the reel.
* Mainline is the main section of the fishing line, and the portion that primarily interacts with the rod, line guides and reel. This is the section that handles most of the
tensile stress
In continuum mechanics, stress is a physical quantity. It is a quantity that describes the magnitude of forces that cause deformation. Stress is defined as ''force per unit area''. When an object is pulled apart by a force it will cause elonga ...
when retrieving the line.
* Leader is the frontmost section of the fishing line that is attached to the hook/lure, and the portion that most likely will be in actual physical contact with the fish. Many larger, feistier
target fish warrants a strong mainline, which might make it too thick to thread through the eye of the hook, thus necessitating a thinner line to "lead" into the hook. Leader lines usually use high-
specific strength
The specific strength is a material's (or muscle's) strength (force per unit area at failure) divided by its density. It is also known as the strength-to-weight ratio or strength/weight ratio or strength-to-mass ratio. In fiber or textile applic ...
material with clear colors and water-like
refractive indices
In optics, the refractive index (or refraction index) of an optical medium is a dimensionless number that gives the indication of the light bending ability of that medium.
The refractive index determines how much the path of light is bent, or ...
(thus harder to spot by the fish) such as
polyvinylidene fluoride
Polyvinylidene fluoride or polyvinylidene difluoride (PVDF) is a highly non-reactive thermoplastic fluoropolymer produced by the polymerization of vinylidene difluoride.
PVDF is a specialty plastic used in applications requiring the highest pur ...
(PVDF, commonly called "
fluorocarbon"), or even
stainless steel/
titanium
Titanium is a chemical element with the Symbol (chemistry), symbol Ti and atomic number 22. Found in nature only as an oxide, it can be reduced to produce a lustrous transition metal with a silver color, low density, and high strength, resista ...
wires to reduce breakage due to abrasion damage or fish biting. The leader line can also serve as a
sacrificial device
A sacrificial part is a part of a machine or product that is intentionally engineered to fail under excess mechanical stress, electrical stress, or other unexpected and dangerous situations. The sacrificial part is engineered to fail first, thu ...
, as having a leader rated at a designated breaking strength ''less'' than that of the rod and mainline helps to cap the transferred stress and protect those more costly gears/tackles from overloading and breaking (similar to how a
fuse
Fuse or FUSE may refer to:
Devices
* Fuse (electrical), a device used in electrical systems to protect against excessive current
** Fuse (automotive), a class of fuses for vehicles
* Fuse (hydraulic), a device used in hydraulic systems to protect ...
protects a
circuitry
An electronic circuit is composed of individual electronic components, such as resistors, transistors, capacitors, inductors and diodes, connected by conductive wires or traces through which electric current can flow. It is a type of electrical ...
), which will minimize loss and cost of repairs/replacements if the fish manages to overpower the angler's gear setup.
* Tippet or trace is used occasionally in
fly fishing, and serves as a secondary leader that thread to the much smaller and delicate
fly hooks.
History
Early lines
Leonard Mascall, in his book from 1596 titled “A Booke of fishing with Hooke and Line, and of all other instruments thereunto belonging.” followed in many ways after Dame Juliana Berners, has an excerpt establishing silk worms in the area of England at that time:
... ...
And another excerpt explaining compiling a silk leader-line for a catgut fly-line.
So back then there was silk and horse hair used for angling.
As written in 1667 by
Samuel Pepys, the fishing lines in his time were made from
catgut
Catgut (also known as gut) is a type of cord that is prepared from the natural fiber found in the walls of animal intestines. Catgut makers usually use sheep or goat intestines, but occasionally use the intestines of cattle, hogs, horses, mules, ...
. Later, silk fishing lines were used around 1724.
Modern lines
![Filet de pêche DSC00632](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e7/Filet_de_p%C3%AAche_DSC00632.JPG)
Modern fishing lines intended for spinning, spin cast, or bait casting reels are almost entirely made from artificial substances, including
nylon
Nylon is a generic designation for a family of synthetic polymers composed of polyamides ( repeating units linked by amide links).The polyamides may be aliphatic or semi-aromatic.
Nylon is a silk-like thermoplastic, generally made from pe ...
,
polyvinylidene fluoride
Polyvinylidene fluoride or polyvinylidene difluoride (PVDF) is a highly non-reactive thermoplastic fluoropolymer produced by the polymerization of vinylidene difluoride.
PVDF is a specialty plastic used in applications requiring the highest pur ...
(PVDF, also called fluorocarbon),
polyethylene
Polyethylene or polythene (abbreviated PE; IUPAC name polyethene or poly(methylene)) is the most commonly produced plastic. It is a polymer, primarily used for packaging ( plastic bags, plastic films, geomembranes and containers including b ...
,
Dacron
Polyethylene terephthalate (or poly(ethylene terephthalate), PET, PETE, or the obsolete PETP or PET-P), is the most common thermoplastic polymer resin of the polyester family and is used in fibres for clothing, containers for liquids and foo ...
and
UHMWPE
Ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene (UHMWPE, UHMW) is a subset of the thermoplastic polyethylene. Also known as high-modulus polyethylene, (HMPE), it has extremely long chains, with a molecular mass usually between 3.5 and 7.5 million amu. T ...
(Honeywell's
Spectra or
Dyneema
Ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene (UHMWPE, UHMW) is a subset of the thermoplastic polyethylene. Also known as high-modulus polyethylene, (HMPE), it has extremely long chains, with a molecular mass usually between 3.5 and 7.5 million amu. T ...
). The most common type is ''
monofilament
A monofilament may refer to:
* Monofilament fishing line, a type of thread
* A monofilament as used in a monofilament test in a neurological examination
* Monomolecular wire
Monomolecular wire is a type of wire consisting of a single strand of s ...
'', made of a single strand. Fishermen often use monofilament because of its buoyant characteristics and its ability to stretch under load. The line stretch has advantages, such as damping the force when setting the hook and when fighting strong fish. On very far distances the damping may become a disadvantage. Recently, other alternatives to standard nylon monofilament lines have been introduced made of copolymers or fluorocarbon, or a combination of the two materials. Fluorocarbon fishing line is made of the
fluoropolymer PVDF and it is valued for its
refractive index
In optics, the refractive index (or refraction index) of an optical medium is a dimensionless number that gives the indication of the light bending ability of that medium.
The refractive index determines how much the path of light is bent, or ...
, which is similar to that of water, making it less visible to fish. Fluorocarbon is also a denser material, and therefore, is not nearly as buoyant as monofilament. Anglers often utilize fluorocarbon when they need their baits to stay closer to the bottom without the use of heavy sinkers. There are also
braided fishing line
Braided line was one of the earliest types of fishing line, and in its modern incarnations it is still very popular in some situations because of its high knot strength, lack of stretch, and great overall power in relation to its diameter. Braids ...
s, ''cofilament'' and ''thermally fused'' lines, also known as 'superlines' for their small diameter, lack of stretch, and great strength relative to standard nylon monofilament lines. Braided, thermally fused, and chemically fused varieties of '
superlines' are now readily available.
Specialty lines
''Fly lines'' consist of a tough braided or monofilament core, wrapped in a thick waterproof plastic sheath, often of
polyvinyl chloride (PVC). In the case of floating fly lines, the PVC sheath is usually embedded with many 'microballoons' or air bubbles, and may also be impregnated with silicone or other lubricants to give buoyancy and reduce wear. In order to fill up the reel spool and ensure an adequate reserve in case of a run by a powerful fish, fly lines are usually attached to a secondary line at the butt section, called backing. Fly line backing is usually composed of braided dacron or gelspun monofilaments. All fly lines are equipped with a leader of monofilament or fluorocarbon fishing line, usually (but not always) tapered in diameter, and referred to by the 'X-size' (0X, 2X, 4X, etc.) of its final tip section, or tippet. Tippet size is usually between 0X and 8X, where 0X is the thickest diameter and 8X is the thinnest. There are exceptions to this, and tippet sizes do exist outside of the 0X-8X parameter.
''Tenkara lines'' are special lines used for the fixed-line fishing method of tenkara. Traditionally these are furled lines the same length as the tenkara rod. Although original to Japan, these lines are similar to the British tradition of
furled leader. They consist of several strands being twisted together in decreasing numbers toward the tip of the line, thus creating a taper that allows the line to cast the fly. It serves the same purpose as the fly-line, to propel a fly forward. They may be tied of various materials, but most commonly are made of monofilament.
''Wire lines'' are frequently used as leaders to prevent the fishing line from being severed by toothy fish. Usually braided from several metal strands, wire lines may be made of
stainless steel,
titanium
Titanium is a chemical element with the Symbol (chemistry), symbol Ti and atomic number 22. Found in nature only as an oxide, it can be reduced to produce a lustrous transition metal with a silver color, low density, and high strength, resista ...
, or a combination of metal alloys coated with plastic.
Stainless steel line leaders provide:
- bite protection - it is extremely hard for fish to cut the steel wire, regardless of jaw and teeth strength and sharpness,
- abrasion resistance - sharp rocks and objects can damage other lines, while steel wire can cut through most of the materials,
- single wire (single strand) leaders are not as flexible as multi strand steel wire, but are extremely strong and tough,
- multi strand steel wire leaders are very flexible, but are somewhat more abrasive and more damage prone than single strand wires.
Titanium fishing fishing leaders are actually titanium-nickel alloys that have several very important features:
- titanium leader lines are very flexible, regardless if they are single or multi strand lines/wires,
- these lines are very elastic - they can stretch up to 10% without permanent damage to the line itself - perfect for hook setting,
- these lines are knottable just as nylon monofilament lines,
- surface is rather hard and abrasion resistant - great for fishing toothy fish,
- titanium wire is corrosion resistant and can last for a long time, even surpassing stainless steel wires,
- due to the strength and elasticity, titanium wires are almost entirely kink-proof.
Copper,
monel
Monel is a group of alloys of nickel (from 52 to 67%) and copper, with small amounts of iron, manganese, carbon, and silicon. Monel is not a cupronickel alloy because it has less than 60% copper.
Stronger than pure nickel, Monel alloys are res ...
and
lead core fishing lines are used as heavy trolling main lines, usually followed with fluorocarbon line near the lure or bait with
fishing swivel
A fishing swivel is a small, usually ball- or barrel-shaped device used in angling to connect sections of fishing lines, consisting of two rings linked via a thrust bearing pivot joint. The line from the rod and reel is tied to the ring at proxim ...
between the lines. Due to their high density, these fishing lines sink rapidly in water and they require less line for achieving desired trolling depth. On the other hand, these lines are relatively thick for desired strength, especially when compared with braided fishing lines and they often require reels with larger spools.
Environmental impact
Discarded monofilament fishing line takes up to 600 years to decompose. There have been several types of biodegradable fishing lines developed to minimize the impact on the environment.
[Bird, Lev]
Environmentally-Friendly Biodegradable Fishing Line
''chum-bucket.com'' Retrieved March 15, 2017
See also
*
Ultra high molecular weight polyethylene
Ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene (UHMWPE, UHMW) is a subset of the thermoplastic polyethylene. Also known as high-modulus polyethylene, (HMPE), it has extremely long chains, with a molecular mass usually between 3.5 and 7.5 million amu. T ...
*
Braided fishing line
Braided line was one of the earliest types of fishing line, and in its modern incarnations it is still very popular in some situations because of its high knot strength, lack of stretch, and great overall power in relation to its diameter. Braids ...
*
Fishing
Fishing is the activity of trying to catch fish. Fish are often caught as wildlife from the natural environment, but may also be caught from stocked bodies of water such as ponds, canals, park wetlands and reservoirs. Fishing techniques inclu ...
*
Fish hook
A fish hook or fishhook, formerly also called angle (from Old English ''angol'' and Proto-Germanic ''*angulaz''), is a hook used to catch fish either by piercing and embedding onto the inside of the fish mouth (angling) or, more rarely, by impal ...
*
Fluorocarbon
*
Fly fishing
*
Monofilament line
Monofilament fishing line (shortened to just mono) is fishing line made from a single fiber of plastic material, as opposed to multifilament or braided fishing lines constructed from multiple strands of fibers. Most fishing lines are now nylon ...
*
Multifilament fishing line
Multifilament line, also referred to as ''The Super Lines'', is a type of fishing line. It is a braided line which is made up of ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene (UHMWPE), a specialty polyethylene polymer that makes a extremely thin line f ...
External links
*Fishing line: How its mad
*Fishing line: How to put line on spinning ree
References
{{fisheries and fishing
Fishing equipment