Level Lines

[tenkaranewbie]

just wondered if anyone on the forum has experimented with level lines when fishing tenkara style?

i currently only use furled type leaders and wondered what the limitations and advantages of Furled leaders over level line and level lines over furled type leaders.

Kind Regards

[chriscreeler]

I mostly use level lines now. I bought some Seagar Ace .40mm stuff and then some.33mm later.The first is good in a breeze and the .33mm stuff when it's calmer.Recently I got a Tenkara USA line,and it is slightly better,a bit stiffer and easier to pull the memory out.All these lines are difficult to see in some lights but they can be painted [Humbrol enamel],which I find perfectly OK. When I started I twisted up a couple of lines from fine flurocarbon mono,[the twisting engine made out of Technic Lego]and also a furled line from polyester thread dressed with linseed oil,but now they hardly come out of the box.There's lots of good sound information about all this and more on Chris Stewart's site. Best wishes, Chris Pearce.

[Simon]

As yet I have not tried a level line, however during a shed clear out I came across a spool of “AMNESIA MEMORY FREE MONO SEA FISHING LINE YELLOW”. I have made up a leader with loops at both ends, also a loop for attaching it to the Tenkara tip. How do others attach level lins to the Rod? Also has anyone else tried this line? Hopfully weather depending I shall try it out this weekend and report back my findings.

Simon.

[cm_stewart]

There are two ways you can attach a level line. You could tie a perfection loop in the line and attach a separate loop of the same cord or fly line backing you'd use on your furled lines. That way the level line can be attached the same way as your furled line.

The method I use is a bit harder to describe without a picture, but I have pictures and instructions at the bottom of the level line page of my site: www.tenkarabum.com/level-line.html

I have used Amnesia, and it suffers from the same problem as nylon mono - it just isn't very dense and so will not cast as well as fluorocarbon. You can cast it, but it won't work as well, particularly in a breeze.

[leckie]

I have mostly used furled leaders and the few occasions I have used level lines, I found it awkward to cast as they were monofilament lines and coiled up pretty bad, so I gave up pretty quickly and reverted back to the furled leader.
However, I was up in the loft at the weekend and I came across a 60m x 20 lbs test spool of scierra fly line backing which only cost £3.99. I think this might just be the ticket as it has no memory whatsoever, hi vis yellow and cheap. What more can you ask for
I will give it a try the next time I am out after the grayling, hopefully within the next week or so.
I'll let you know how I get on.

leckie

[Deleted]

I use the fluoro orange level lines available from Chris at Tenkarabum.

Its very visible, I couldn't find anything in the UK with similar properties.

Bill

[leckie]

springwell,
Thanks for the information regarding your recommendation of the fluoro orange level lines available from Chris at Tenkarabum.
I looked at the Tenkarabum website and was very impressed and can see me buying some items from there in the near future.
I have just purchased a couple of spools of fluorocarbon of 12lb and 20lb test just for a trial. The fly backing line is quite good, better I think than monofilament but will do a few comparisons with fluorocarbon when the gales subside a bit and I can get onto the river.

leckie

[Deleted]

Aug 6, 2010 10:38:26 GMT @tenkaranewbie said:

i currently only use furled type leaders and wondered what the limitations and advantages of Furled leaders over level line and level lines over furled type leaders.

Here is an article I wrote that outlines some of the differences between furled and level lines: www.tenkaratalk.com/2011/06/how-to-choose-a-tenkara-line/

[leckie]

Jason,

Thanks for the information provided in your blog. it's very clear and informative. By the way it's a great blog that you have created. Lots of good information for us newbies to ponder over.
I also like the video that you have on your blog about attaching a level line to the lillian. I was creating a perfection loop and treating a level line attachment exactly the same as a furled line. I can see that the recommended method that you show is far simpler, so I'll be using that method in future.
Also the cartoons about the tenkara fisherman are ace.

tight lines

leckie

[Deleted]

Thanks Leckie! Glad you found it useful!