Power Pro Line
September 29, 2008
Part One
My fishing partner was in a foul mood.
He’d attempted to cast too far into a light breeze and wound up with a miserable backlash as a result. Now, 20 minutes later, he was still picking and pulling on his tangled monofilament and practicing his profanity in the process.
“I guess I’m going to have to cut this @##@^&* line and replace it,” he snarled. “You got an extra spool of that braided line you’ve been bragging about? Maybe I can get you to help me get it on this bleeping reel so I can get back to fishing.”
“Yeah,” I said, “I’ve got an extra spool of 20-pound test. You’ll recall I tried to get you to use some of it last time we were out. You don’t need my help getting it on your reel; just follow the instructions on the box. There’s a cutter right on the box so you don’t have to fool around using a knife or scissors.”
The spool I handed my companion that morning was Power Pro braided line. He was right about me having bragged about it. I started using this dandy braid shortly after it was introduced. It didn’t take long for me to learn to love it. Today, besides using it for fishing, it’s the line you’ll also find on both the level wind and spinning reels I use for casting exhibitions around the country.
“Why don’t you take it out of the box?” my partner asked as I handed him the spool. “I thought you said I wouldn’t need any help?”
“Take a look at that box before you get to feeling too sorry for yourself,” I replied. “If you can read better than you cast or listen you’ll find all the instructions you need right there on the box. Just run the line up through the hole provided for it, close the cover back down and you’re ready to go.”
My pal did a little more fussing and fidgeting before he got things figured, but it didn’t take him all that long. When he was ready I showed him how to use the right knot to attach his new Power Pro to the few yards of monofilament I told him to leave on the spool of his reel. In a couple more minutes he was holding the box snugly between his knees as he filled his level wind reel with braided line.
“Well,” he said once he’d snipped the line with the cutter provided for that purpose on the corner of the box, “every now and then you’re right about something. This box is a heck of an idea. Do all of the different tests come packaged that way?”
If you were to talk to the guy I was out with that morning now he’d tell you he was glad I introduced him to Power Pro braid. Today he’s got it on at least half of his level wind reels. My guess is it’s just a matter of time until he also starts using it for at least some of his spin fishing.
And whatever kind of reel he chooses to fill with this small diameter, super strong line, he’s a cinch to welcome how easy the new box it comes in makes that job. Follow the simple instructions and you get away from all of the tangles and twists sometimes associated with the task.
What the Power Pro folks have done is package their line in a specially designed box of stout plastic. You open the top flap of the box, run the line up through the holes provided for it, close the top back down and you’re ready to go.
One of the easiest ways to actually reel the line onto the spool is to place the box holding the line between your knees. You can apply whatever pressure is required with your knees to assure that the line goes onto your spool snugly.
What I normally do is first attach whatever reel I’m going to fill to my rod. I then pull the end of the short length of monofilament I’ve already put on the reel up through the bottom guide on the rod. I then pull the Power Pro out of the hole in the box and attach it to the short length of monofilament. Once that’s done it’s a matter of simply placing the box between your knees and turning the reel handle until the spool is filled to capacity.
You’ll find this procedure is also pictured on the new EZ-spool box. Like I advised the friend I told about in the beginning, simply take time to read the instructions and you’ll be in business.
There are some other important do’s and don’ts associated with Power Pro braided line. I’ll get into what they are in my next “Pick of the Products” column.
-To Be Continued-