About L.J. Broutman & Associates...L.J. Broutman is internationally recognized as one of the leading independent research and testing organizations. Located in Chicago, Illinois, the firm specializes in polymers, composites, adhesives, glass, ceramics, construction materials and chemicals. Laboratory and field services are provided in the conduct of failure analysis, product testing and evaluation, research and development, and product and process design. The Broutman staff consists of more than 40 highly trained specialists who perform their evaluations in an ultra-modern 27,000 square foot testing complex in Chicago.

A partial client list of L.J. Broutman includes such names as Amoco Chemical, Chevron Oil Company, Martin Marietta, Motorola, Outboard Marine Corporation, Proctor and Gamble, United Airlines, Wilson Sporting Goods and the United States Department of the Navy.

The test. Each brand of 10-lb test line (please note 20-lb test exception) was measured for the diameter of the line itself. The measurement was taken in thousandths of an inch.

The results : The smallest diameter line was Berkley Fire Line (.0094 measurement in thousandths), while the largest diameter line was Maxima Chameleon (.0145). The smallest diameter monofilament was Berkley Trilene Big Game (0.0121) followed by Excalibur Silver Thread and Stren Easy Cast (0.0122).

A fisherman’s view: The diameter of a line can be important in several ways. Generally the smaller the diameter the better, so long as other properties such as castability, strength and resistance to abrasion are satisfactory. With smaller diameter lines, more line can be spooled onto the reel, giving the fisherman additional capacity to fight a fish. Secondly, smaller diameter lines generally are less visible to fish when in the water. Line diameter can also affect the castability of the line. Finally, a smaller diameter line will generally yield a better "action" as the lure is worked through the water. It is important to keep in mind that diameter is a major influence of performance and test results. In this case, Berkley FireLine’s diameter was smallest (.0094), Excalibur Silver Thread and Stren Easy Cast occupied the middle range (.0122) with Maxima Chameleon possessing the largest diameter (.0145).

TEST: ABRASION

The test.  The purpose of the Abrasion Test is to determine the line’s ability to maintain its integrity when subjected to abrasive material. For the test, similar length pieces of 10-lb line (please note 20-lb test exception) were attached to a 400-gram weight and pulled across a 150-grit abraser at a rate of 30 cycles per minute. Each brand was measured four separate times to determine the average number of cycles the line could withstand before failing.

The Results:The average number of cycles ranged from as few as 1 (FireLine and SpiderWire) to as many as 1,240 (Excalibur Silver Thread).

A fisherman’s view: Fishing lines are exposed to a constant barrage of abrasive materials (snags, mussel beds, gravel bars, Lilies etc.) which can cause small nicks in the line. A line’s ability to withstand those nicks determines how well it will hold up under the pressure of fighting a fish. In this case, Excalibur Silver Thread (1,240 cycles) was nearly ten times tougher against abrasion than the nearest competitor, Maxima Chameleon (132 cycles).

TEST: WET KNOT TENSION

TEST: WET, KNOT ULTIMATE TENSILE STRENGTH.

The test: The purpose of the Wet, Knot Ultimate Tensile Strength Test is to determine the amount of stress (a force per unit area, measured in pounds per square inch) each line experiences at failure. All brands tested are listed by the manufacturer to be 10-lb test, except for Spider Wire which was 20-lb test. Prior to the test, each line specimen was given 7 days of conditioning in a controlled environment with relative humidity of 50% and a temperature of 73 Degree’s F. All lines were then immersed in 80 Degree’s F tap water for a period of 2 hours prior to the test. Each line was tested wet with an overhand knot (ASTM D2256 Type "U") tied in the line. The conditioned sample was then placed on a tension machine (CRE Type) which recorded the pounds per square inch required to reach the breaking point. Each line was tested five times to obtain an average breaking point.

The results: The amount of stress ranged from a high of 98,100 psi (Excalibur Silver Thread) to a low of 57,200 psi (Maxima Chameleon).

A fisherman’s view: The Ultimate Tensile Strength Test provides a true picture of what ultimate strength performance is. What kind of strength does a fisherman’s favorite line really provide under conditions that most closely resemble actual fishing conditions? Under use, fishing line will be wet, with at least one knot tied in the line (normally to connect the lure or swivel to the line). Knowing the ultimate "strength" of a line is also important in knowing how to approach fighting a larger fish. But there are other advantages that include the ability to down size diameter while at the same time not compromising strength. Also, the advantages of increased lure performance, greater stealth and castability come into effect when one is able to down size line diameter. The results of this test show Excalibur Silver Thread (98,100 psi) and Spider Wire (96,400 psi) having the greatest Ultimate Tensile Strength

TEST: DYNAMIC LOAD IMPACT

The test The purpose of the Dynamic Load Impact Test is to determine the amount of sudden impact or shock that a line can withstand before reaching its breaking point. The amount of force is measured in pounds. In conducting the test, each line was sampled in 24" lengths with a "fisherman’s loop" tied at each end. The test section measures 20" from loop to loop. Each loop was cinched onto a 1/4" diameter hook that is part of a 10-lb free falling mass. The top grip is a clevis with a 1/4" diameter pin hung from a 50-lb high frequency load cell. The center length of the specimen lays over the clevis pin. The 10-lb free falling mass is then dropped onto the line from a height of 10". The single dynamic impact event is then monitored with a 100 MHz digital oscilloscope and the maximum load absorbed by the line prior to failure is measured and recorded. A total of 6 replicate tests are made for each of the 8 different brands.

The results:Maxima Chameleon had the highest resistance to shock (4.69 lbs), with Berkley Trilene Big Game (3.42 lbs), Excalibur Silver Thread (3.05 lbs) and Berkley Trilene XT (3.05 lbs) rounding out the top four.

A fisherman’s view: The Impact Test is an excellent gauge as to how much "impact force" can be applied to a line before it breaks. This is especially important when applying a hard hookset on a larger fish, where the line is subjected to a high degree of "shock." It can also be important when a hooked fish makes an unexpected turn or a hard run, again putting extra pressure on the strength of the line. In this case, Maxima Chameleon had the highest resistance to shock (4.69 lbs), with Berkley Trilene Big Game (3.42 lbs), Excalibur Silver Thread (3.05 lbs) and Berkley Trilene XT (3.05 lbs) rounding out the top four.

The test: The purpose of the Limpness Test is to determine the "manageability" and the memory of the line, which can affect ease of castability, presentation, lack of coiling, etc. Each line specimen was cut into 14" segments. The specimen was placed flat along the edge of a ruler, marking off the center 12" of the specimen, leaving a 1" tag on each end. A 3/8" diameter aluminum rod was then marked with a longitudinal line, with circumferential marks at 1-1/2" intervals down the length of rod. The line sample was then placed at the intersection of the circumferential and longitudinal lines on the aluminum rod. One of the tag ends was taped down just outside of the 1-1/2" test section of the rod. The specimen was then hand wrapped (without stretching) around the rod, leaving approximately 1/8" between wraps, so as to finish the wrap with the 12" mark of the specimen at the 1-1/2" mark on the rod. The remaining tag end was then taped just outside the 1-1/2" test section of the rod. The specimen was then conditioned for 24 hours at 75¡F and 50% relative humidity. The specimen was then removed from the test rod and a Water Gremlin PSS-B removable split shot was added to the midpoint of one of the tag ends. The other end of the specimen was then hung with the zero mark against the ruler on the test fixture. The specimen was then released to hang freely in a vertical plane for one minute. The position of the original 12" mark was measured and recorded. The test was repeated three times for each line to obtain an average.

The results: The results are listed in terms of vertical length (inches) after 1 minute, and the percentage of original length retained by each line. The top five lines include: Spider Wire (11.959"/99.66%); Stren Easy Cast (11.188"/93.23%); Berkley Trilene Big Game (10.125"/84.38%); Berkley Trilene XT (10.083"/84.03%); and Excalibur Silver Thread (9.979"/83.16%).

A fisherman’s view: Limpness in a fishing line can affect a number of characteristics. Lines that retain more of their original length are generally much easier to cast with less coiling or "memory." They are also much easier to handle and manage when tying knots, and they can provide for a better, more realistic presentation of lures. In this case, there were several lines that had similarly strong limpness numbers, maintaining at least 80% of their original 12" lengths: Spider Wire (11.959"/99.66%); Stren Easy Cast (11.188"/93.23%); Berkley Trilene Big Game (10.125"/84.38%); Berkley Trilene XT (10.083"/84.03%); and Excalibur Silver Thread (9.979"/83.16%).

TEST: CASTABILITY - DRY

The test: The purpose of the Castability/Drop Test (dry) is to determine the ease and speed of which a line can be "expelled" from a typical open-faced spinning reel. Each test was conducted with a Quantum¨ Iron IR4F open-face spinning reel and a Quantum 6-foot medium action graphite rod. All spools were filled to within 1/8" of the spool lip. A 5/8-oz rubber practice plug (Plastilite Corp. QP13P) with a size 2 ball bearing swivel (Danielson No. 2300SP) was attached to the end of each line. For each test, the rod with drop weight was positioned at a 45 degree angle, 120 feet above the bottom ground plate. The reel bail was opened with the line held against the side of the spool lip. The line was then released, triggering the electronic timer mechanism. The timer stopped when the practice plug made contact with the bottom ground plate. Drop times were recorded and then converted to velocity (feet/second). Each line was tested three different times to obtain average drop times and average velocities.

The results: Drop times ranged from as little as 3.82 seconds (Excalibur Silver Thread) to as much as 4.46 seconds (Maxima Chameleon). Average velocities ranged from 31.41 feet/second (Excalibur Silver Thread) to 26.93 feet/second (Maxima Chameleon).

A fisherman’s view: Castability can be described as how fast and easy a line comes off of the spool when casting. The faster the line comes off, the easier it is to cast with greater accuracy control. In general, a fisherman wants a line that comes off the spool quickly without binding or dragging through the reel and rod guides. If the line freely flows off of the spool, the fisherman will be able to quickly adjust his "accuracy" to the performance of the line. The result is longer, more accurate casts. In this case, Excalibur Silver Thread came out on top with a drop time of 3.82 seconds (31.41 feet/second).

TEST: CASTABILITY - WET

The test: This test is identical to the Castability/Drop Test (dry), with the addition of the line being wet during the testing. Each spool was submerged under water for 10 seconds prior to each test/time. Each line was tested three separate times to obtain an average drop time and average velocity (feet/second).

The results: The fastest drop time was 3.78 seconds/31.72 feet per second (Spider Wire) while the slowest drop time was 4.39 seconds/27.36 feet per second (Maxima Chameleon).

A fisherman’s view: Castability can be described as how fast and easy a line comes off of the spool when casting. The faster the line comes off, the easier it is to cast with greater accuracy control. In general, a fisherman wants a line that comes off the spool quickly without binding or dragging through the reel and rod guides. If the line freely flows off of the spool, the fisherman will be able to quickly adjust his "accuracy" to the performance of the line. In this case, Spider Wire (3.78 seconds or 31.72 feet/second) narrowly edged Excalibur Silver Thread (3.89 seconds or 30.86 feet/second).

A QUICK VIEW OF THE COMBINED RESULTS

The eight tests performed on each of the individual fishing lines provide a credible barometer of performance in the areas of diameter, abrasion, tension, ultimate tensile strength, dynamic load impact, limpness and castability (both wet and dry). From these tests, a fisherman may assume similar performance potential under actual fishing conditions. Each of the eight characteristics plays an important role in the overall performance potential of a line. However, a fisherman should also consider the tests in combination when making a choice of lines.

The COMBINED Results: To provide an overall picture of performance, each of the lines were ranked in their order of finish for each of the eight tests. The line with the best performance in each test was ranked first (1), followed by the next best performer (2, 3, 4 and so on). The line with the poorest performance in each test received the 8th place ranking for that test. On a combined ranking basis, the best possible total score would be 8, with the poorest possible score being 64. Excalibur Silver Thread had the best overall ranking (19), while Maxima Chameleon had the poorest overall ranking (48).

A fisherman’s view: Each line displayed certain characteristics of strength among the eight different tests. However, the true measure of line performance is dependent upon all of the characteristics in combination. On the water, all of the characteristics (diameter, abrasion, tension, ultimate tensile strength, dynamic load impact, limpness and castability) come into play. Based upon these tests, Excalibur Silver Thread demonstrated the greatest overall performance of any of the lines, ranking first in three of the tests (abrasion; wet, knot ultimate tensile strength; and castability - dry) and scoring an overall total of 19.

Copolymer Line Features and Advantages.

Introduced nationwide in 1985, copolymer fishing lines are the result of polymerizing two or more nylon monomers to create a copolymer. The copolymerization process provides increased molecular bonds and greater density resulting in a stronger, more stable fishing line. The result is that the nylon is doubly reinforced, allowing for greater strength from a smaller diameter line. Non-copolymer lines or homopolymers do not possess these advantages.

What are the advantages of a copolymer line? Abrasion Resistance Due to the unique molecular bonding of copolymer lines, they possess a much higher resistance to breaking due to nicks in the line. Copolymer lines will resist breaking longer under the worst conditions, such as rubbing against rocks, stumps and other underwater structure.

• Thin Diameter A line with a small diameter does many things. It allows an angler’s lure to dive deeper, as there is less resistance as the line cuts through the water. Because there is less hindrance from the line, lures will perform more accurately with their desired action.
• High Knot Strength Most line breaks occur at the knot. In fact, no matter how strong the line is, tying a knot in it can weaken the line by as much as 50%. Copolymer lines have the least loss of strength at the knot, when compared to other non-copolymer monofilaments. This is due to the dramatic tensile strength advantage that copolymer technology provides.
• Light, Limp, Supple Copolymer line feels much different than traditional monofilament. It’s supple and hangs limp off the spool. Without tension and memory, the limp line passes through the rod guides unrestricted and smoothly. Fishermen have noted that they can cast a bait with a copolymer line up to 30% farther than with conventional monofilament.
• High Impact Resistance Similarly, just as copolymer technology enhances tensile strength, so does it affect shock or impact resistance. This advantage provides one the ability to use smaller diameter lines, gaining obvious advantages, without the loss of strength or control.
• Low Spool Memory Most conventional nylon lines (homopolymers) are so stiff with tension that they habitually take on the rounded form of the reel spool. This is known as "spool memory" and is responsible for most backlashes and "bird nests" in baitcasting reels, and for the "slinky coiling" of spinning reels. With copolymer lines, spool memory is reduced. A few casts and retrieves will straighten out a copolymer line, even if it’s been stored on the reel for long periods.
• Virtual Invisibility Copolymer line almost disappears once placed underwater. This is called the "mirror effect."  Because the surface of the line is highly polished, it acts as a mirror, reflecting its surroundings and blending in.