SUPERLINES FOR BETTER FISHING (sometimes)
By Bob Jensen

Several years ago the fishing world was introduced to superlines. Superlines have several characteristics that really differentiate them from traditional monofilament lines. FireLine was one of the first superlines available to anglers and is probably the most popular superline.

Superlines look different, feel different, and perform differently than monofilament. Superlines are of a different construction. They don’t stretch, so sensitivity is enhanced greatly. You can feel your jig crawling over and sliding down rocks on the bottom in thirty feet of water.

Since the line doesn’t stretch, hooksets are much better as well.

Superlines are usually of a much thinner diameter than a monofilament line of equal strength, so it is possible to get a crankbait to run deeper and a jig to fall faster on superline. In some situations, this can be an advantage.

I have had two experiences in the past couple of months that really convinced me that superlines will help an angler catch more fish in some situations.

The first was on a trip to Devil’s Lake North Dakota in late October. We were throwing crankbaits to shallow water walleyes. The best spots were points that had rocks and timber. The superlines allowed us to crawl the crankbaits over and through the rocks and timber, feeling everything as the lures worked through the fish holding cover. If we got snagged, the extremely strong line permitted us to pull the baits out. With mono, the lures would have been lost. Additionally, with the additional sensitivity, every strike was very obvious.

More recently, I was on the Mississippi River fishing with jigs for walleyes and sauger. We were working water down to about thirty feet in depth. The thinner diameter of the superline allowed us to use jigs that were lighter in weight, as the thin line cut through the water more effectively than a fatter monofilament line.

Again, sensitivity and hooksets were enhanced with the superline. The light biting walleyes were easily detected, and we caught more of them because our hooksets were better. We simply would have not detected as many fish in the deep water with mono, and we would have missed more fish due to the stretch in the line. Also, we were able to pull jigs from snags that would have been broken off with mono.

Ice anglers should consider superlines when working deep water also. You will feel more fish with a superline, and you will get better hooksets as well.

Using a superline can enhance your fishing in many situations. If you’re going to be ice-fishing in deep water in the next few months, give it a try. Keep it in mind for next years open water season as well, and see if it gives you a fish-catching edge.

For more fish-catching information, visit the fishingthemidwest.com website.