The Misstatement of Diameters and Breaking Strains
of the Fishing Line

A critical issue for any angler concerned about being competitive.

Outlining the problem

There is a very serious problem within the sport fishing line market within the UK and Europe caused by the deliberate misstatement of diameter and breaking strain information on packaging by companies wishing to gain sales by making their products appear better than they actually are.

This situation has existed for many years but has grown increasingly extreme in the past five years. There is a great deal of comment and unrest amongst the more informed angler around the country as to how this can be allowed to persist.

The effect of this misrepresentation is to give those companies carrying it out an advantage in the market as consumers are led to believe that their products are stronger (and therefore better) than they actually are and therefore they will use products that will present less well or fail below the required breaking point.

The critical factor determining the performance quality of a line is its diameter and its breaking strain and the relationship between the two. The stronger a line is for its diameter the better.

There are two types of deception. Firstly simple exaggeration of breaking strain where companies claim considerably higher performance that is actually true in reality and secondly. Stepping of diameter where companies supply a thicker line than stated to increase the breaking strain.