# fireline?



## twistertail (Apr 10, 2004)

How is the crystal fireline? I've been using the black for a long time and always use a mono leader, do you still need to with the crystal? It says you can't see it under water.


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## promag (Aug 21, 2011)

I like the crystal. It depends on what application for the leader also what size you use. I troll harnesses with 14lb and the harness is basically a leader. I use the 8 lb for jigging and don't need a leader for the lakes around Ohio but in clear lakes it may be needed. It all comes down to your application.

promag


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## twistertail (Apr 10, 2004)

Mainly creek fishing for smallies, crappies, rockbass etc. I think what I have on there now is the 8lb test but probably going with the 4lb. I've had the same line on for over 8 years and still very little memory and I have not noticed any issues with strength. I'm just down to where I've only got about 20 yards left before i'm into my mono backing. What I do like about using a mono leader is when I snag up and break off its usually just the mono I'm losing.


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## Big Joshy (Apr 26, 2004)

many people do not like this line, because of high visibility "looks white in the water" and bad fraying. Everyone has different experiences with it based on how they use it obviously some really like it.
I did not like it for the above reasons and stopped using it within a few weeks of trying it.


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## twistertail (Apr 10, 2004)

Is it just the white that you had the problems with? I've had the black, I think it actually says smoke on the package, for years and havent had problems with fraying. I'm a cheap skate and hate to spend $30 on a spool of line and end up not liking it!


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## Northern1 (May 9, 2012)

I have fireline smoke on 2 of my rods (I have suffix 832 and powerpro on my others). I tried crystal once and hated it. I changed it after two times out. It tangled, bent, couldn't cast. Just terrible line. Stay with the smoke, or even go to the green if you need visibility.


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## Big Joshy (Apr 26, 2004)

I thought the crystal acted significantly different than the smoke fireline. It frays way faster and seems weaker to me.


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## Shaggy (Oct 24, 2008)

Big Joshy said:


> I thought the crystal acted significantly different than the smoke fireline. It frays way faster and seems weaker to me.


Seems like a good time to remind people that just because two products have the same name doesn't mean they both have to be the same stuff. I wouldn't have any trouble at all believing a company would take the name of a quality/good selling product and put that name on cheap crap to boost profits.


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## Bad Bub (Jan 17, 2006)

I've used the crystal as well. It's definitely "stiffer" than the smoke and the coating didn't soften up very well for use on a spinning reel.

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## Northern1 (May 9, 2012)

Shaggy said:


> Seems like a good time to remind people that just because two products have the same name doesn't mean they both have to be the same stuff. I wouldn't have any trouble at all believing a company would take the name of a quality/good selling product and put that name on cheap crap to boost profits.


That's a good point. Berkeley has so many other products they sell from lures to rods. What's some cheap line going to do to them? They're probably considering what it could do FOR them. I just have never heard anything good about this line. I actually think there was a thread on it about 6 months ago, all with the same reviews.


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## fredg53 (Sep 17, 2010)

In a nutshell it sucks

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## Big Joshy (Apr 26, 2004)

Fireline does have a "break in" period where it will soften and be more user friendly.
I dont use the newer fireline because of the stiffness. The original fireline was different and softer than the stuff they sell now from what I have seen. Im a big fan of spiderwire stealth still, which is way better than the original spiderwire.


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## tadluvadd (Feb 19, 2012)

it is very visible in clear water.it works best in stained water,and if you treat it as you would most braided lines,it works great.


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## Bad Bub (Jan 17, 2006)

Like Joshy said, it needs a few hours on it till it starts softening up. A solid day of throwing a spinnerbait or buzzbait usually does the trick. I used to love the original fireline. But back then the choice of braids were pretty slim, and most weren't very good. I've since gone to suffix 832 and suffix performance braids. Just a lot easier to handle from the start.

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## Northern1 (May 9, 2012)

Big Joshy said:


> Fireline does have a "break in" period where it will soften and be more user friendly.
> I dont use the newer fireline because of the stiffness. The original fireline was different and softer than the stuff they sell now from what I have seen. Im a big fan of spiderwire stealth still, which is way better than the original spiderwire.


+1 Spiderwire was my first non-monofilament line back in the day. I had stealth on my spool not too long ago as well. I think they only make line, is that correct? So you know that its going to be quality.


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## whjr15 (Jun 16, 2005)

For years, I used to use the black fireline on all my reels and loved it. Then I tried the crystal on one, but hated it -- definitely not the same. Now I use Powerpro braid on all reels, and love it even more than I did the Fireline.


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## Bad Bub (Jan 17, 2006)

Northern1 said:


> +1 Spiderwire was my first non-monofilament line back in the day. I had stealth on my spool not too long ago as well. I think they only make line, is that correct? So you know that its going to be quality.


Spider wire is made in the same building as fireline. Both are pure fishing branded products.

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## spfldbassguy (Mar 23, 2009)

The Fireline Crystal isn't worth the money imho. To me it seemed like an inferior version of the regular Fireline. Me personally I like Fireline (smoke) but I love Power Pro alot more.

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## twistertail (Apr 10, 2004)

So its sounds like I'm not going to get what I'm used to either way. So what is the differenece between a braided line and fireline? The fireline says its fused, is that the same as a braided line? I've never used anything other than mono and the smoke fireline.


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## whjr15 (Jun 16, 2005)

twistertail said:


> So its sounds like I'm not going to get what I'm used to either way. So what is the differenece between a braided line and fireline? The fireline says its fused, is that the same as a braided line? I've never used anything other than mono and the smoke fireline.


Think of braid as a tiny diameter "rope." It's round, whereas Fireline is flat.


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## Bassbme (Mar 11, 2012)

Fireline is still flat? I thought they had started making it round? I don't know because I don't use it. 

To answer the question concerning whether a fused line and a braided line are the same..... no, they're not. Fused lines may start out as multi filament lines, but then they fuse them together so they become a mono filament line. At least that is my understanding of the process. I believe Fireline is gel spun polyethylene fibers that are fused using heat. Hence Fireline..... 

Braided line is just that...... it's multiple fibers that are braided together. I think most braids use Dynema fibers these days. When they first came out they used Kevlar fibers. Braided lines aren't as slick as a mono filament line is, just because of the way it is constructed. Although they are making slick, or slicker braided lines. I have yet to use any of the slick braids so I'm not sure how slick they are. Personally I very rarely use braided line. I just don't like it as well as fluorocarbon or nylon mono filament lines, so I only use it for very specific purposes .... like getting fish out of heavy cover, or fishing a hollow bodied frog in heavy cover.

Don't quote me on what the various lines are made of though. I'm probably wrong lol


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## Big Joshy (Apr 26, 2004)

the newer slick lines are not as abrasion resistant as the true braids from what I have seen. I tried powerpro slick 8 and liked it at first but it did not hold up and seemed weaker than powerpro of similar diameter. Used 3lb nannofil and it frays too much for my taste. Used some 12lb nannofil trolling for crappie today and it seems much tougher than the smaller diameters.


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## promag (Aug 21, 2011)

I have tried all the different colors of fire line and they all are the same. Same make up and everything only the color is different. The only changes that very between the colors are what the effect the sun takes on different colors. (Black) or smoke absorbs light and with water soaked into the somewhat used line will cause dry rot. Other colors like the (white) or crystal are deteriorated by the water as well usually I notice that the line separates but doesn't loose much strength. I do very much believe that there isn't much difference between the color lines other that the color itself. 

promag


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## Kidsatplay (Aug 18, 2012)

I use the crystal for perch rod and it does not catch any less perch then a rod with mono. if anything I can feel more of the nibbles on the line then mono and I catch more.


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