gnappi
Well-known member
After losing several large fish (and lures to snags) with Hybrid mono/fluoro line due to line breakage and a couple of improved clinch knot slippage I was faced with either going back to straight mono (on which I have never had a knot slip) or finding something new. I wound up trying out the black "Hercules" brand 4 strand 20 pound braid.
I'm "value conscious" and price was a major deciding factor and Hercules is a lot less expensive than other major brands, and there's no price uplift / penalty for odd colors like the multi-color line if you're the flamboyant type.
Anyway, this stuff rocks. I've had to pull on fish (and lures out of trees) without breakage or knot slippage I never dreamed I could with hybrid line. AT $19 (delivered) for 1000 meters it's a bargain, but so far I've only seen it available online at Amazon, Ebay, and direct from Hercules.
Regarding online "reviews"
At Amazon it got generally very good reviews. I like to use reviews as a weighing factor but sometimes you have to wonder what if any weight should be given to some negative comments.
Of the three worst reviews, one fellow fisherman gave it poor marks because he did not like the smell, another said the breaking strength was right, BUT it was more easily cut than other brands, and yet another crabbed that the color faded.
REALLY??? I mean are these fishermen or old ladies knitting? These comments are what makes someone happy with a product?
I bet the fellow that did not like the smell dunked his lures in garlic (my line does not smell), the too easily cut guy likely had a new nail clipper and the color fade guy was just a curmudgeon and was looking for something negative to say.
When I read stuff like this with such trivial issues and comments unrelated to the actual USE of a product I disregard them and go with the majority of comments, I hope you folks do too. Give it a try, I think you will find like me it's a line worth trying and switching over to.
I'm "value conscious" and price was a major deciding factor and Hercules is a lot less expensive than other major brands, and there's no price uplift / penalty for odd colors like the multi-color line if you're the flamboyant type.
Anyway, this stuff rocks. I've had to pull on fish (and lures out of trees) without breakage or knot slippage I never dreamed I could with hybrid line. AT $19 (delivered) for 1000 meters it's a bargain, but so far I've only seen it available online at Amazon, Ebay, and direct from Hercules.
Regarding online "reviews"
At Amazon it got generally very good reviews. I like to use reviews as a weighing factor but sometimes you have to wonder what if any weight should be given to some negative comments.
Of the three worst reviews, one fellow fisherman gave it poor marks because he did not like the smell, another said the breaking strength was right, BUT it was more easily cut than other brands, and yet another crabbed that the color faded.
REALLY??? I mean are these fishermen or old ladies knitting? These comments are what makes someone happy with a product?
I bet the fellow that did not like the smell dunked his lures in garlic (my line does not smell), the too easily cut guy likely had a new nail clipper and the color fade guy was just a curmudgeon and was looking for something negative to say.
When I read stuff like this with such trivial issues and comments unrelated to the actual USE of a product I disregard them and go with the majority of comments, I hope you folks do too. Give it a try, I think you will find like me it's a line worth trying and switching over to.