The fluorocarbon stress test checks a viral claim: that if you pull fluorocarbon close to its breaking strength, let it relax, and pull again, it breaks at a fraction of its rated strength and you lose the next fish. A lot of you sent me the Odyssey Offshore clip making that case, so on this How 2 Tuesday I tied a bimini in 12 pound fluorocarbon, pulled it near max, let it relax, and pulled again, repeating it on a scale to see whether my line lost the strength his apparently did.
Listen now: press play in the player above and follow along.
Not in my test. The viral claim from Odyssey Offshore is that pulling fluorocarbon close to its breaking strength, letting it relax, then pulling again makes it break at a fraction of its rated strength. I tied a bimini in 12 pound fluorocarbon and pulled it to 10 pounds, let it relax, pulled to 11, let it relax, then pulled again and it still had not broken at 13.33 pounds. It finally broke at 13.38, and across repeated stress cycles my line held above its rated strength rather than losing 50 percent. I could not reproduce the failure he showed.
Odyssey Offshore posted a popular Instagram video saying he noticed that when you stress fluorocarbon close to its breaking strength without breaking it, then put it back down, you lose the fish. His tests showed fluorocarbon breaking at a fraction of its sticker rating after that stress, while monofilament held its strength across repeated pulls. He still likes fluorocarbon for its other qualities, but his takeaway is to retie after a big fight. Many of you sent me that clip and asked whether it is true.
Fluorocarbon has the same light refractive qualities as water, so it does not shine underwater the way monofilament does. Mono catches light and shows a shine all the way through it, which can make it very visible in certain conditions even when it is thin. Fluorocarbon, by contrast, refracts light like water, so it is more camouflaged, so you can often get away with slightly heavier fluorocarbon than you could with mono. Those advantages are why anglers reach for it even granting everything in the stress-test debate.
Yes, that is just good practice regardless of how the stress test comes out. If you catch a fish that fights really hard, like a grouper trying to pull you into a hole, it is smart to put on a fresh leader and retie before the next bite. When the bite is hot and heavy it is hard to make yourself do it, but it is cheap insurance. Even Odyssey Offshore, who likes fluorocarbon, plans to change leader and retie after a good fish, and I agree with that habit.
I left the 12 pound fluorocarbon on the spool and tied a bimini in the end so the bimini, not the connection, would be the strong point. I zeroed the scale, wound up some line, and pulled to about 10 pounds, then let it relax as if I had fought a fish. I reset and pulled again to 10, then 11, let it relax, reset, and pulled a third time. It had not broken at 13.33 and finally gave at 13.38 pounds. Same line, repeated near-max pulls, no loss of strength that I could measure.
Quite a few of you sent me the Odyssey Offshore video about fluorocarbon, and I appreciate it. His point is interesting: stress fluorocarbon close to breaking, let it relax, pull again, and he says it fails at a fraction of its rating, while monofilament holds. He still likes fluorocarbon, he just reties after a big fish. I had no idea if that was true, so I said let us test it. I lay out his argument in the episode, so press play in the player above.
Here are the steps I walk through in this How 2 Tuesday. I cover the detail behind each one in the episode.
I unpack each of these in the episode. Press play in the player above.
I pulled my 12 pound fluorocarbon to 10 pounds, let it relax like I had fought a fish, then pulled again to 10, 11, let it relax, and pulled a third time. It had not broken at 13.33 and finally let go at 13.38, so far I am not finding the same thing he is. My line held above its rating through repeated stress. I read every number off the scale in the episode, so press play in the player above.
Even though my test did not show fluorocarbon losing half its strength, retying after a hard fight is just good practice. Catch a grouper that tries to bury you in a hole, pull hard, get it up, and it is worth putting on a fresh leader before the next drop. The trouble is doing it when the bite is on fire. I talk through when I force myself to retie in the episode, so press play in the player above.
As of this test, my fluorocarbon was just as strong after I pulled it near max, let it relax, and pulled again. I could not reproduce the big strength loss from the viral clip, and this would need a lot more research before anyone calls it settled.
If you find something different with your line, I want to hear it. Either way, retie after a tough fight. Press play in the player above.
How 2 Tuesday is my weekly series where I break down one fishing skill at a time, from knots and casting to gear, tactics, and the habits that make you a better angler. Watch and listen to every How 2 Tuesday episode from Tom Rowland.
fluorocarbon · Odyssey Offshore · monofilament · bimini twist · Black Rifle Coffee · grouper · leader stress test · How 2 Tuesday · Saltwater Experience
I'm Tom Rowland, a professional fishing guide based in the Florida Keys, host of the Tom Rowland Podcast, and the longtime host of the Saltwater Experience television show. On the podcast's How 2 Tuesday series I break down one practical skill or lesson at a time, from fishing technique and gear to the habits that make you a better angler, in short, focused episodes you can put to use right away.
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