Although I’ve mentioned it every so often, I think it’s worth bringing up again: I’m not too far removed from being a broke college angler looking for any quality fishing tackle I could find at a reasonable price. Throughout that process of paying my proverbial dues, I developed a big-time affinity for cool gear without having to empty my checking account. So when I run across something that fits this criteria, I make darn sure to test it and if it turns out to be quality, I certainly let all of our readers know. It doesn’t matter if you’re a millionaire or just scraping by—everyone appreciates and deserves a good deal, in my opinion.
With that being said, I’ve become a really big fan of Yo-Zuri Hybrid Fishing Line. I don’t know what in the world took me so long to try it out but I’m sure glad I did. Starting at $7.99 per 275-yard spool, I think it’s absolutely a line you should consider trying. Let’s discuss it for a few minutes.
The Yo-Zuri Hybrid Fishing Line can be found at the following retailers:
A hybrid in all the right ways
Yo-Zuri Hybrid Fishing Line is actually the only fishing line that molecularly bonds nylon and fluorocarbon during extrusion. This results in a very cool blend of sensitivity, abrasion resistance with a little bit of stretch included.
The main knock I hear about fluorocarbon is that it’s too stiff and as you increase the line diameter, it becomes more difficult to manage on both casting and spinning reels. For many fluorocarbons, I believe that’s a valid point. The big issue a lot of folks have with monofilament is that it’s too stretchy which, of course, affects sensitivity and hook-setting power. Again, in many cases, I can understand the gripes.
This Yo-Zuri Hybrid, however, is a great combinations of the best characteristics of both monofilament and fluorocarbon. You can fish it in cold weather without it becoming too stiff or brittle, the smaller pound-tests behave quite well on a spinning reel when used as a main line and you can also pitch around thick cover without worry of breaking off.
What I’ve really liked it for
If you’ve read any of my stuff, you’re well aware I love a dang crankbait. You will never, ever see me on the water without several crankbaits rigged and ready on my front deck. Maybe I’m weird but I sure love ‘em.
Fluorocarbon is a weird beast when cranking. I primarily throw a plug in the 4- to 6-foot range and if it’s a small crankbait I’ll use 12-pound fluorocarbon; if I’m throwing a big-bodied squarebill plug I’ll use 15- to 17-pound fluorocarbon. So while I do prefer fluorocarbon in most situations for cranking, I’ve also learned that each brand and model isn’t the same. Some are stiff, some are slinky and some will break if they even get within a few feet of a rock.
I’ve been using the Yo-Zuri Hybrid while cranking and it has been outstanding. It has the durability of fluorocarbon and enough sensitivity to detect subtle bites from lethargic bass but it’s also just stretchy enough to allow for a slight hesitation in my hookset. Instead of a stiffer fluoro letting me feel the bite right away and risk pulling the lure and hooks away from the bass, I’m able to delay my hookset by just a few milliseconds which ensures the bass gets as many trebles in its mouth as possible.
So if you’re throwing a cranking and getting a bunch of short strikes or having an issue with setting the hook a bit too early, I strongly suggest trying a spool of this line in the diameters I mentioned. I’m willing to bet a lot of those short strikes are going to turn into caught fish due to the small bit of flexibility this line adds to the equation.
Handles well on the reel
I tend to have very little patience with coarse, memory-filled fishing lines. It’s just one of those pet peeves I have when it comes to fishing tackle. That’s why when I buy line, I usually splurge a little bit and get the best I can afford. If it avoids frustration and backlashes while I’m trying to catch fish, I believe it’s worth it.
Good news is, this Yo-Zuri Hybrid gives you very good manageability without breaking the bank. I’ve been cranking primarily with the 12-pound test as the temperatures drop and for a 275-yard spool, it only costs you $7.99. That’s an insane deal, in my opinion.
Usually when I see a similar price point on fishing line, however, I’m a little hesitant about the purchase—I think a lot of anglers are probably like that. But man, this stuff really behaves nicely on both spinning and casting reels. Once I get up to the 15-pound test, I’ll spray a little line conditioner on the spool about once a week because it can develop just a small bit of memory but if you think about it, what line doesn’t at the 15-pound mark? But the smaller diameters handle very similar to much higher-end and more expensive fishing lines without any special treatment.
Final impressions
As I mentioned earlier, I don’t know what took me so long to try this line and I’m a little embarrassed I didn’t try it sooner. I wouldn’t be afraid to use this stuff in a high-stakes tournament or in a fishery loaded with giant bass. I’ve developed a lot of confidence in it and I’m pretty excited to continue using it as I’m cranking away throughout the winter and prespawn months.
The Yo-Zuri Hybrid Fishing Line can be found at the following retailers:
