1 hour ago, fissure_man said:

 

This is not true at all.  You can prove it to yourself by tying some mono to a tree and pulling gently, then doing the same with braid.  It doesn’t take much strain to change the ‘feel’ of a line, especially on a long cast.  Dragging a lure on bottom with say 40’ tight line, the difference in feel between mono and braid of the same diameter is dramatic.

 

For the OP – if you think the ‘stiffness’ of your setup is costing you fish, you might also consider a less powerful, longer, and/or slower action rod (that’s still sufficient for hook setting). 

 

The “shock absorption” of a rod is consistent through the fight, whereas the actual linear stretch of a “stretchy” line depends on how much line you have out.  The most stretch occurs at the start of the fight (hook set) which is exactly when you don’t want it.  Closer to the boat, when line stretch would be more desirable, the “stretchiness” is reduced because the fish is on a shorter leash.

 

Instead using your "feel" use a didgital or spring scale and mark the line using a sharpie 36" apart and apply known force until you see the line stretch, them write down the force in pounds and the measure the amount the line moved. After doing some factual testing you can make statement if true or false!

What you "feel" as stretch is actually coeffient of drag, the line trying to cut through water creates a bow in the line.

Tom

 

1 hour ago, PatrickKnight said:

 

I was looking at lines with a diameter of around .010 to .011, I learned a while ago its more important to look at diameter than lb test.

Sunline Defier Armillo Nylon 11 lb test is .0108 dia, low stretch for mono and good abrasion resistance...but expensive.

Tom

If I start losing a lotta fish, 1st thing I look at is my hooks. 99% of the time, my hooks are dull & time to change em out. 

3 hours ago, WRB said:

Instead using your "feel" use a didgital or spring scale and mark the line using a sharpie 36" apart and apply known force until you see the line stretch, them write down the force in pounds and the measure the amount the line moved. After doing some factual testing you can make statement if true or false!

What you "feel" as stretch is actually coeffient of drag, the line trying to cut through water creates a bow in the line.

Tom

 

I'm going to split the difference and say you're both right (you and FM)  I've marked and tested more than my fair share of line types, and in many cases, literally ounces of pressure is all that is required to start seeing line stretch. That said, having to overcome line bowing underwater is also a very real thing and could certainly make someone think their line is stretching a lot when in reality, it isn't. 

 

Berkley's former engineer (Paul Johnson) has written extensively on the subject of line properties. Well worth tracking down some of his stuff for those wanting to know the real scoop on line mechanics. Line diameter plays a big role in real world applications as does line distance when it comes to the amount of force that actually gets applied in any given scenario.

This isn't rocket science, simply look up the properties of Nylon, the material that all monofilament line is made from. You have tensil strength, yeild strength and elongation.

The property that is under discussion is yeild strength, that is the force that starts a material to move under pressure..it yields. Elasticity comes under elongation is the amount the material can move and return to it's original size before failing at it's ultimate strength.

plastic has a property call creep, moving under pressure over time,  that property also affects knot strength and stretch. 

I tested materials, including extruded filaments, using a Instron machine that records elongation and strength properties for decades.

Tom

In most uses, ‘yield strength’ refers to the stress level which causes the beginning of plastic deformation.  Measurable elastic strain occurs before the onset of plastic yielding in all but the stiffest and most brittle materials (or 'squishy' things like play dough).  It is well known that nylon mono fishing line can withstand substantial elastic deformation before ‘yielding’ permanently.

 

Line drag and having a bow in your line does affect ‘feel,’ but that’s why I specified matching diameters, or pulling on line tied to a tree.  If you drag a jig across your lawn with mono vs braid you can clearly feel the difference, with negligible line resistance in the air.  I actually just did this to make sure I’m not losing my mind

 

At stresses below its yield strength, mono fishing line behaves more or less elastically under tension, where stress (force/area) is related to strain (stretch per unit length) by an elastic modulus (stress/strain).  If you’re saying that no stretch occurs in mono line before plastic yielding, you’d be saying that it’s infinitely stiff or completely non-elastic; neither is true.