Mind Your Mono
I just posted my review of the nifty tool that no angler should be without: The monoMaster. It’s a fantastic device that holds waste monofilament and fly fishing anglers should really take to this.
As well, I’ve just discovered that there is another suggested solution to modern mono and the hazards it can pose when not disposed of properly. With a HT to MidCurrent, there’s an article in Field & Stream about a new “environmentally friendly” tippet material that is bi0-degradable called Bioline.
Merwin writes:
A “normal” 4X nylon tippet will be .007-inch and approximately 6-pound-test. Flyfishing-tippet is ordinarily scaled and sold by diameter, not pound-test. That means all spools of 4X should measure .007-inch, regardless of brand or strength. Unfortunately, Wright-McGill is not following that industry-wide convention and appears to be scaling the Bioline tippet sizes by strength instead of diameter.
That quibble aside, the Bioline tippet does seem workable as a leader material. And unlike discarded or lost nylon–which is a substantial environmental hazard–it will biodegrade fairly quickly. (The makers say, by the way, that full strength is retained for 8 to 10 months.)
The stuff is apparently quite expensive, but as production rolls out, it may get cheaper like other new things on the market. However, I have a couple of thoughts on this. It’s great that this stuff is bi0-degradable, but some anglers may see that as a justification to toss their wasted material without disposing of it properly because it will eventually break down. However, tangled bits and masses of mono can still pose a hazard to both humans and wildlife if just left there, as well as the eyesore it will be to the next person that comes along.
So it’s still a good idea to get a monoMaster or be sure to collect your waste material and bring it back off the water with you. Hopefully the manufacturer will get the problems with the correct diameter to match the standard X rating of tippet material too!
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