Stren Crappie Mono=Junk

Bought some at Walmart today, expected it to be decent after reading online reviews. That's not the case at all.

The stuff will break if you look at it wrong. Don't have to strain at all to snap it with your hands. It practically unfurled itself into the trash can from all the memory.

The line looked nice and glossy, don't think I got an old spool.

Been using Crappie Maxx from BPS and it's at least twice as strong, although slightly larger in diameter (.17 vs .2mm in 4lb). It does have some memory but it's far from unmanageable. Dirt cheap too, 6 bucks for 3190 yards.

I tried it to no strength not bad on casting and memory but breaks easy.got my at Cabela’s


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This thread is a prime example of something I said a long time ago: no matter what your favorite line is, somebody else hates it.

I've been using the 2# Stren Crappie for over a year and love it. I've easily landed 4# catfish with it.

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Originally Posted by Atimm693

The stuff will break if you look at it wrong. Don't have to strain at all to snap it with your hands.

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But you're not fishing with your hands. :)

You've got a flexible rod and a reel with a drag. With that, you can land almost any freshwater fish with almost any 4# line.

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Originally Posted by deathb4disco

But you're not fishing with your hands. :)

You've got a flexible rod and a reel with a drag. With that, you can land almost any freshwater fish with almost any 4# line.

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It takes a medium grunt to break 4# Crappie Maxx with my hands. If I get hung by the hook point, I can usually pull the hook straight before it will snap. The Stren would break for sure.

Different strokes I guess, but I was sure not impressed, especially for the price, 6 bucks for 200 yards.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Atimm693

It takes a medium grunt to break 4# Crappie Maxx with my hands. If I get hung by the hook point, I can usually pull the hook straight before it will snap. The Stren would break for sure.

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You're comparing apples to oranges. As you said yourself, the Crappie Maxx is thicker (and therefore stronger). A .20 mm line is a 6# line, regardless of what the label says. A .17 mm line is a true 4# line. All else being equal, a thinner line will always break before a thicker one.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by deathb4disco

You're comparing apples to oranges. As you said yourself, the Crappie Maxx is thicker (and therefore stronger). A .20 mm line is a 6# line, regardless of what the label says. A .17 mm line is a true 4# line. All else being equal, a thinner line will always break before a thicker one.

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Trilene, BPS, Mr. Crappie, Crappie Maxx, and Vicious are all .007-.008 or .2mm in 4lb.

I expect line that's marketed as 4lb test to be at least comparable to other 4lb lines on the market. The Stren clearly falls short on that front.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Atimm693

Trilene, BPS, Mr. Crappie, Crappie Maxx, and Vicious are all .007-.008 or .2mm in 4lb.

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... and I'd be willing to bet they all break at around 6#. :) There are very few "true" 4# lines sold in the US.

And it's not just the 4#. Most lines will test 2-3# stronger than what the label says.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by deathb4disco

... and I'd be willing to bet they all break at around 6#. :) There are very few "true" 4# lines sold in the US.

And it's not just the 4#. Most lines will test 2-3# stronger than what the label says.

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My point being, Stren is marketed as a 4lb, it should be expected to have similar breaking strength as the competition, since apparently the industry standard is to make line that is a little stronger than the test rating.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Atimm693

My point being, Stren is marketed as a 4lb, it should be expected to have similar breaking strength as the competition, since apparently the industry standard is to make line that is a little stronger than the test rating.

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I agree that there are very few lines with the correct breaking strain printed on the box. I think the most accurate way to compare lines is by the diameter. Anything measured by thousandths of an inch or hundredths of a millimeter will be more accurate than 4#, 6#, etc.

Y'all just go buy you some trilene xl in 4 lb for casting/shooting or 6 lb for pushing/pulling and be happy LOL [emoji23]


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Disco is spot on......The USA is not in the same league as the rest of the world with fishing line. The rest of the world produces...and sells line that actually is the poundage it says it is. For most foreign companies putting a #test rating on the label is just a nicety they do. The end user goes by diameter......he knows by the diameter what the line will test out at. How we got into the habit of selling say 2# test line that is actually 3# test....or 4# test that is really 6# ....test....and so on is beyond me. When I asked a popular...at the moment...YouTube fisherman what brand and diameter his 1# test fishing line he said he was using I never got an answer....and I asked the question on 2 separate occasions. One pound test line is not sold here.....there is some mono sold in some sewing shops that says it is 1# test but it really is not. I would much prefer the lines sold in the USA to be properly labeled...a very few lines sold here are......P-Line CX Premium comes to mind...it is still made in Japan.

Regards


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US lines are marketed for extra strength. Alphahawk mentioned CX premium, I haven't personally tested it for break strength, but it is probably pretty close to what it says. Trilene XL is another line that breaks pretty close to the stated lb test. But then you have CXX and Trilene XT that are advertised for abrasion resistance and strength. Both of those are a thicker diameter than the other two, and break way over their advertised break strength.

So if we truly want to compare lines we need to compare by diameter and not lb test rating. Don't feel ripped off because one breaks easier UNLESS you compare it to a line that is the same diameter. I feel more ripped off when someone sells me a "tuff" line when really they just sold me 10 lb line and told me it was 6.

Good fishing


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Video I came across recently on line diameter:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F0N2wLYvvp4

Another one:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5SsNtIY2hYA

I've had excellent results with Mr Crappie 4# Hi Viz. It's all I use for crappie even when I spider rig.

Good videos. Here is an article, with chart, I found several years back. It really shows how much that most US lines are over the #test rating......pretty eye opening.


https://japantackle.com/japanese_silk/


Regards


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Most all of us have a favorite line, there are a lot of reasons for that. I shoot docks 99% of the time, stren 6lb and 2lb has become my favorite line. Shooting docks is different from casting or longlineing, the main thing I want is a line that doesn't tangle very much (you will get some with any line). Stren crappie for me has very few tangles and is very soft allowing you to see the hit as soon as it happens. I used most of the lines above like most of you I think some are junk and some are fair. Stren breaking has not been a problem for me but I don't put that much pressure on my line. Use what works for you, I have several spools of stren crappie and love it. Have not tried the 4lb because no one local has it, but will it I find it.

I am a Stren man. Been using it for 60 years. Hope to use it another 60. The best line for you is the line that you think
works best for you.

I will first say that I have been using Stren products since my teens and I turned 61 a while back. Trilene stuff didn't work as well for me, so I stuck with what I knew. I have 3 brands of 2lb line and see differences in all 3, memory and castability being foremost due to the light jigs I use. I have the Stren Crappie hi vis in 2lb and like it fine and find no extreme weakness so far. Also have some in clear and like it as well but I can't see it too often, but I had to give it a try. I also have some in green that has terrible memory and because of that, doesn't cast near what the others do. It will come off as soon as I find the other line I have to replace it, and I do believe it's trilene. I also use 2lb Nanofil and due to it's lack of abrasion resistance I use a leader of blue Stren 4 lb, and so far see no need for the flouro nor it's high price.

4lb line that I have used for 10+ years is BPS Offshore Angler Tight Lines. Good strength, hi vis and 4000 yds for $6. Also used 6, 8, and 10lb and had good success with them all.

Trilene XL is the best of the plain jane mono lines IMO. I just wish I could find 4# hi-vis in it. Not sure if they even make it.
Currently using Stren gold (not the crappie version) and Viscous, and have no complaints so far.

I got a smokin deal on some Yo-Zuri line a couple of years ago. I got one giant spool ( lifetime supply) of 12# pink that I use for almost all my Baitcasters reels. The YZ 12 has comparable breaking strength to Trilene 17. I also got several 600 yard spools of 4# and a few others in various sizes. The YZ 4# line is absolutely perfect for me, great strength and I can cast 1/16 stuff a long way if I need to. Memory is good, and it’s a co polymer so you kind of get the best of mono and flours in one line.

I’ll probably use up the last of the 4# when I refill my reels next time. Then I’ll have to go shopping.

I got a smokin deal on some Yo-Zuri line a couple of years ago. I got one giant spool ( lifetime supply) of 12# pink that I use for almost all my Baitcasters reels. The YZ 12 has comparable breaking strength to Trilene 17. I also got several 600 yard spools of 4# and a few others in various sizes. The YZ 4# line is absolutely perfect for me, great strength and I can cast 1/16 stuff a long way if I need to. Memory is good, and it’s a co polymer so you kind of get the best of mono and flours in one line.

I’ll probably use up the last of the 4# when I refill my reels next time. Then I’ll have to go shopping.

Trilene XL (4# low visibility green) or Mr. Crappie (4# hi-vis or 4# Camo)....IMO