Gliss Line revisited - Review

Kdog

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A while back, someone posted questions about Gliss line. At the time, I had not used it although I had a spool and a combo spooled up and ready but no real info. Now, that has changed, I have been using gliss all spring ~40 trips say around 200 hours so feel comfortable posting a mini review.

I am using the 18# 0.006 diameter and the 8# 0.004 diameter.

First, I would be using the 8# a lot more except it was very hard to located a decent quantity. I was able to locate 1000yd spools of the 18# so ended up there for most applications.

First, the 8# test is a bit difficult to thread into jig eyes mostly because it is so thin and limp and my older eyes just cannot tell my hands what to do. The 18# test is a bit bigger thus easier to see. still the limpness makes tying on new baits a bit of a chore but practice makes perfect.

Visibility does not seem to be an issue for fishing and IMHO, bite percentage is no different than fluorocarbon.

Knot strength. I have been using the venerable UNI knot with great success 6 wraps,  4 wraps I get slippage, 5 wraps seemed ok, but I felt it had some slippage 6 wraps, the 1/8" - 3/16" tag seems to stay and no apparent slippage. Did try a pitken knot which I love for fluorocarbon but it is not suitable for gliss. Best strength seems to come from doubling your line through the hook eye, but IMO this is not practical in the field.

Early this spring used gliss with blade baits rigged to a barrel swivel followed by a fluorocarbon leader. I did superglue the knot and fished all day and often 2-3 trips before re rigging, never lost a swivel. so feel comfortable saying it really holds with superglue.

I have caught over 100 keeper walleye/saugeye from 16 - 18 inches this spring and several between 19 and 26 inches which I throw back just do not feel they are the best eating. Have no lost a fish due to broken line so the fraying/abrasion resistance for me does not seem to be an issue. Fish a lot of rock and submersed timber and not having line issues.

I tape my spools with double sided tape before spooling and it does not matter what line I use but having learned from braid it is important.  My buddy decided to try a spool full and did not listen to me, caught a big carp and we watched the spool get emptied and rarely heard the drag sing. line was pulling off the sppol and spool was not turning.

Since early April, fished exclusively Jig and Crawler , Jig and plastic and occasionally tied jigs (when walleye bite dies, we go Crappie fishing).  Varied cover and line has not let me down.  Will straighten hooks and I have for the first time straightened hooks with a fish on. More about that when I get to drag adjustments. 

Overall, line has been an outstanding performer. What I have learned is as follows:

- Spooling, fresh spool, use double sided tape on the spool, I have a bunch of 1/4" wide 1-1/12 long strips precut and just peel the backing and apply to the spool. tie on the line and it stays.

- Adjust drag based on rod/reel combo, ignore line strength.  This line is way stronger than most liight tackle can handle plus line stretch is almost 0 so setting hooks is easily overdone.  I set my drags with a 4# weight for most poles and my UL get set with a 1# weight. If you hear the drag when you set the hook, you are probably going overboard.

- Casting distance, most likely you will notice a considerable increase in distance I have 2 identical combo and tried early on one with tatsu 6# test and the other with 18# gliss.  The gliss was easily 10 yards farther every cast and three different people had the same results. Really handy for bank fishing.

- If you are accustomed to braid, first thing you will notice is how quiet the line is. Although  I kinda like the braid sing, it is not necessarily a good thing. First couple casts, you will notice right away is this line lays flat on the water. seems to have zero memory.

- As with all lines, watch for fraying, cuts. This line is so thin that damage from sharp rocks and some trees will affect the strength. gliss has gotten some bad press but IMO it is false. There is just not much left if the line gets cut on a rock

- knots... lot of confusion on that one, I have been using a double thru the eye uni knot and have not had a problem. I think doubling thru the eye is important  as is getting the knot tight to start. A touch of superglue is not necessary but when I pre-rig at home, I use it for some added confidence. Play with your knots I tried the pitzen knot which is fast to tie and works in a lot of situations but will not work with Gliss. Trial and erro is not a bad thing, but is something best done in you garage/workshop/backyard. Check this link and play --- http://www.netknots.com/fishing_knots/all_fishing_knots

- Twist, I fished some rooster tails a couple times and Gliss does not do well with a bunch of twists. I did find however that it would untwist if you just let the line float downstream a while. I now use a good swivel and flur leader for rooster tails!!!!!!!!!!

- Direct tie. I have fished a lot of different conditions and techniques and have no problem with direct tie. Line is thin enough the visibility is not an issue for me. Having said that, when I fish where I know I will loose a lot of jigs, I use a swivel and a fluoro leader simply because its easier to retie with fluoro than gliss.

-Durability - I have been using the same line all spring and although it is now a bit faded, still strong and supple. Last night we went to a favorite creek for saugeye and I caught a huge carp ~30 incher on my first cast. Wore him out and did not feel like getting wet, so I just cut the line as soon as I got it into the shallows and made proper identification. 

Getting close to spooning weather, but I do not think I will change line just yet.  I will change for fall not beacuse of durability but because do not want to take any chances. For me, the fall walleye fishing is without a doubt the best and too much fun to worry about tackle.

Hope this helps someone. Gliss may not be an all season line, but I'm going to try it anyway. Thus far, I have been very happy with it, good price and great performance in many conditions.
 

hookup

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Nice write up Dog

Have never used it myself, but noticed right away the diameters you posted.  Typically 6# mono's .010 and I compare everything to that.  Diameter's are even thinner than the Tectan that I love - but Tectan's hard to find & not good on abrasion resistance.

Any comments on abrasion resistance?  I fish allot of rocky ledges & structure.  I like the write up on strength, but sometimes them dang smallies want to drag the line over a rocky ledge.
 

Kdog

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Abrasion resistance seems good except over rock ledges where IMO you would need steel wire to stand a chance. Last night, I was see sawing a jig over and through a rock pile (shale and limestone) finally caught whatever was messing around in that hole. Straightened the hook and never saw what I suspect was a big catfish. Abrasion resistance is relativemost of the creeks I fish will cut holes through tennis shoe soles in one trip. aint found a line that will resist that. I did try tectan a few years ago and tossed it after the first 5 break offs. I can fish jigs until I loose them which unfortunately is all too often. The gliss will cut the @#$@ out of you so I carry a wood dowel that I can wrap and pull without getting cut.

Some claim poor abrasion resistance but I dont cast into trees and drag jigs back over the branches. stumps and submersed timber I fish and snag on a regular basis and have not noticed any unusual damage. I do not think this line is as abrasion resistant as tatsu but feel it is comparable to suffix 832. The problem is with line this thin, any nick is gonna cause a weak spot. I've had several smallies run under shale ledges and cut the line, but that trick works for every line i've ever seen.
 

hookup

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but feel it is comparable to suffix 832

I think you just sold me to try some ... now to figure out the diameter I want to try.
 

Kdog

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Revisiting... Used it with Jigging Raps ................. not recommended
Also, windy weather leads to a lot of wraps on rod tip..... that superfine line sucks when it wraps.

Overall I still think its a great line, but is not the end all of fishing line.  After aout 2 hours of fishing jigging wraps, line was shot, still strong, but fibers were separating and it looked like flat dental floss. Wrapped in hooks and made a mess, rod tip wraps became impossible to deal with.  A buddy was using nano fil with great success but until my line crapped out, I was catching more fish. Does not do well with twisting....I think I said it before but need to re-emphasize, DOES NOT LIKE TWISTS. It is now off of my main rods, still on the UL's and my crappie jigging pole.  I think it has a place, but most of my fishing needs something else.  For now, its back to tatsu and halo.
 
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