Walking the (ultrathin) line

Berkley NanoFil is a new kind of fishing line made of gel-spun polyethylene. It’s not braid, fluorocarbon or monofilament.

What is it?

Berkley NanoFil, is a new kind of fishing line made of gel-spun polyethylene. It’s not braid, fluorocarbon or monofilament. It’s made by linking together nanofilaments (uber-small strands) of Dyneema, which is touted as being “the world’s strongest fiber” (possibly even stronger than your oat bran). For example, Dyneema is 15 times stronger than an equivalent piece of steel, yet it is very flexible and quite durable. Berkley calls NanoFil a Unifilament fishing line.

What does it do?

It does some of the things that existing lines do (zero stretch, high sensitivity), but also brings new and desirable qualities to fishing line. The two main draws here are the casting distance and the teeny-tiny line diameters available (which partially explains the freakish casting distances). This line is very smooth to the touch, and is said to run through your line guides effortlessly.

Why do I need it?

For your spinning reel fishing. What you may not need for bass fishing, however, is the 1-pound test that has a 0.001-inch diameter. Leave that to the trout guys.

How do I use it?

You’d most likely use it when you need your line diameter to be at an absolute minimum. For example, 6-pound-test NanoFil has a .005-inch diameter, whereas normal monofilament measures in the .009-inch vicinity.

What sets it apart?

Well, the fact that it’s the first line of its kind is pretty neat, and you likely won’t find anything like it for a while. The tiny diameters, zero memory, high sensitivity and unparalleled smoothness all make NanoFil a light tackle guru’s dream. The selection runs from 1-, 2-, 3-, 4-, 6-, 8-, 10- up to 12-pound-test. The 12-pound-test diameter measures in at an incredible 0.008-inch. The color is listed as Clear Mist, but it’s a semi-translucent, not-quite-opaque whitish color.

How much?

A 150-yard spool (1- to 12-pound test) is $19.95, a 300-yard spool (4- to 12-pound) will go for $38.95, and the 1,500-yard bulk spool (4- to 12-pound) will set you back $179.95.

For more information:

Berkley-Fishing.com; 803-754-7000

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