Taska's vanishing act
Deceptive is Taska’s first foray into the fluorocarbon main line and hooklink sector – which is fiercely competitive territory – but thankfully they have one of two aces with this new collection…
We always have a slight sickening feeling in our stomachs when a spool of fluorocarbon lands on our review desk. Why? Because the accompanying press release will tell us three things – the same three things which every “new fluorocarbon” press release tells us: (1) “it sinks like a brick”; (2) “it casts like a mono”; and (3) “it has an exceptional low diameter to breaking strain ratio”. And each time, after a dozen frap-ups around the butt ring thanks to its apparently “none wiry nature” (*cough*) we’re left disappointed. However, this press release, the one which has accompanied Taska’s first ever fluorocarbon main line, Deceptive, is different (read: less bullshit, more honesty).
So firstly, let’s start with some background data. This is the first time that this fluorocarbon, a 99% invisible underwater main line, has been released into Europe thanks to a special export licence granted to Taska by the Japanese manufacturer of the line.
Now for the meaty facts. Deceptive is available in two breaking strains: 16 and 20lb and this is where it gets exciting. With a diameter of just 0.33 and 0.37, both breaking strains are the thinnest on the market – and in some cases by quite some margin. This of course carries some advantages. Fluorocarbon, no matter who tells, is rubbish when it comes to casting. Its wiry, thick, heavy nature means it doesn’t filter through the rings with much finesse and grace. However, thanks to Deceptive’s low diameter it isn’t as restrictive as other fluorocarbons when it comes to whacking long distances and it does actually cast. Of course the 20lb version won’t cast as far, or as easily, as the 16lb one, but then its stronger brother benefits in other areas.
One such benefit is “its fast sinking qualities”. Both strengths do “sink like a brick” – amazingly so – meaning if you’re slack or semi-slack line fishing, this main line will be well down on the deck, but thanks to its larger diameter, the 20lb version will sink even faster and further out of sight.
Where Deceptive also outscores its slightly cheaper competitors is with its high abrasion resistance make-up. Thanks to a unique outer coating, it gives the line a tough finish, meaning it’ll give two fingers to weed, bars and snags.
And yes, you did read that right, for once in its life, a Taska product is slightly more expensive than its competitors’, but there’s a dead simple reason for that: this fluorocarbon is just better. It’s thinner, stronger, sinks better and get this, it does actually cast! So spool-up with confidence, keep it clean, and you’ll see the benefit with an megabit-busting iPhoto account at the end of the year.
SPEC SHEET
Name: Deceptive Fluorocarbon Main Line
Breaking strain: 16lb and 20lb
Diameter: 0.33 and 0.37mm
Spool size: 250 and 1,000m spools
Price: 250m: £27.99 and £29.99; 1,000m: £89.99 and £99.99
On-sale: now
Deceptive Flurocarbon Soft Hooklink
Design a hooklink from the same material as this truly awesome main line and you’re onto a winner. Now get Taska to give them their royal treatment and the end result is a range of three breaking strains running from soft (14lb) to medium (20lb) to stiff (30lb) to cover every fluorocarbon hooklink basis.
The 14lb version behaves very much like that of a soft monofilament, meaning it works brilliantly over a variety of different lakebeds. However, where it beats mono (hands down) is in its 99% invisible underwater make-up. The 20lb version, thanks to be of a more rigid nature, offers fantastic anti-eject properties and will create lovely stiff links – especially for the boom section on a Hinged Stiff Link. For really stiff links and for a Hinged rig with a boom which will really kick out, opt for the 30lb version.
All three, just like the main line, sink like a stone, have super strong knot strength and straighten lovely off the spool.