Berkley "Fireline - Micro Ice" / Frabil Amplifier Rod

[kerosenecounty17]

Picked up a couple new toys yesterday and got to try them out today.  Thought I'd give everybody my review.

Berkley Fireline Micro Ice 4# line - Zero stars.  It's thin (1# diameter for 4# line), it's strong (it's rated for 4#, but I think you could probably load it to 8# or better when new), absolutely no stretch whatesoever, but the stuff has way, way too much memory for light panfish jigs.  Reduces sensitivity to basically nothing.  The line stays coiled slightly no matter what you do.  It might work for game fish where jig weight is 1/4 oz. or better.

Frabil Amplifier rod - 4 1/2 stars.  Very sensitive, unbelievably light.  I'd give it five stars, but we were only fishing in about 6' of water.  If it performs as well in 25', then I'll give it a 5.

Hope this info is useful to somebody.

kerosene

[fishin fool]

kerosenecounty17,
I found the opposite to be true of the Micro Ice.  I thought that it had much more sensitivity than the mono I used to use.  Of course all I used was Stren sensor in 4lb.  I have just this year bought some of the coldwater/ice fishing mono form Trilene and am eager to see how that performs.

[shwung79]

How much is that Amplifier going for?

[kerosenecounty17]

schwung79,

I paid $39.99 a piece for the two I bought.  I had to go three different places to find them.  I might have to pick up one in medium weight for walleye.

fishin fool,

I'm used to a light weight mono ice line, namely berkley's cold weather in 2# or even 1# when the going gets tough.  I was hoping that the micro ice would be more sensitive because of less stretch, but the mono just straight-lines better and gives better sensitivity IMHO.  I'm not real good at visually detecting bites, so I like to feel absolutely everything that's going on.

kerosene

[Big W]

What is your opinion about the St. Croix ice jigging rod vs. the Frabill Amplifier Rod?
Thanks,
Big W

There was a thin layer of ice spotted on the Mississippi backwaters near Goose Island.

[kerosenecounty17]

I can't say.  I haven't used the St. Croix before.  I've been using the Frabill Ultra Ice rods and the Genz series rods from Berkley and I would say the Amplifier is far and away more sensitive than either of those.

kerosene

[GatorSlayer]

If you are used to mono being perfectly tight, then I can see Fireline can be tough to get used to. But just because there are slight coils in the line, which will only be there until the line gets broken in, doesn't mean the Fireline isn't sensitive. Because there is no stretch, every little "tick" will be felt. It took me awhile to get used to at first, but eventually the line will lose the plastic like coating and will be just like a braided line, much like Gorilla Line, if you can remember way back when Berkley came out with it. The line also loses the dark color and turns to more of a gray then the black it is right now. I tried out some 6/2 this spring on casting tiny #5 Rapalas for eyes on Winnebago and loved it. It's strong enough to tangle with fish over 20", but thin enough to still give the tiny rapalas the best action possible and cast a mile. It also stood up to their teeth and the rocks very well and I was able to feel even the smallest weed on the bait.

I wouldn't toss it after one outing. Give it more time, or maybe just use it for jigging small spoons. Or if you are going to take it off your panfish rods, keep it for jigging walleyes. No stretch should be dynamite for that.

Just my opinions.

[kerosenecounty17]

Gator,

Exactly what I was thinking.  I'll probably switch it to a walleye rod.  I was using 1/64 oz rockers that just didn't have enough weight to pull it straight.  With a 1/4 oz. spoons or ball jigs I think it would work alot better.  Ever tried it for leaders on pike?  I noticed that the stuff is tough to cut through with the clippers and thought maybe something in a 14 # test might work insead of steel leaders.

kerosene

[fishin fool]

Kerosene,
I usually use rockers as well, otherwise its a teardrop of equal weight(1/64).  Last year I tried to fireline-micro ice.  Like Gator said, give a chance to age.  I found the line to be great for even these small jigs.  I was able to feel the bait and the fish much better than I had with mono.

[GatorSlayer]

KC17, I had some left over 20# Fireline from an old reel and I decided to tie up some leaders with it this year. Last year I used 14# fluorocarbon and I was more than impressed. We had a few bite offs, many from setting the hook too hard, but the number of flags compared to the season before was greatly increased. This year, however, I got three tip ups rigged with fluoro and three with Fireline and I will try to expriment when we go on pike expiditions. If I get a hot hole or two with the fluoro, I will probably switch it with a Fireline leader to see if it has any effect.

I'll just say this, last year I got my brother and my friend to switch over to the fluoro. One saturday out on Lake Puckaway, we landed 27 pike in 6 hours, with probably double that in flags. We lost/broke off/missed atleast 10 other fish out there. The action was non-stop, probably one of the most productive days for me.

[kerosenecounty17]

Thanks guys.  I'm going to try breaking the line in before I 86 it.  Maybe I'll swap the reel onto a summer rod and go do some casting off the shore.  The boat's already winterized and stored, so I'm not going to dig it out.  How long of a break-in period would you say it will take?

kerosene

[GatorSlayer]

I think it took me about 4 nights of casting for walleyes, probably about 2-3 hours each night, to notice a difference. You may just want to try rubbing the line, especially the last third of your spool that will be in use most, on something rough for a while to get the plastic coating off, maybe some small grit sand paper. I never delt with the 1lb diameter, so I don't really know how much is too much, meaning how much it takes to break in the line vs. wrecking/destroying the line.

[fishin fool]

I didn't even give a break in period.  I put it on the reel and used it that day.  I did notice it was limper on the last trip than it was on the first though.

[Mr.Seaguar]

One of the guys I fish with uses Fireline 4/1 in the greenish color. I wouldnt say I was real impressed either. Not just from line limpness but just overall lack of bites. I got 2 bites for his 1. Its true that the line hung in very slight coils but he was able to detect bites OK. The fish wouldnt even come up to his bait on the vexilar. Nighttime walleyes wouldnt mind Im sure.

[GatorSlayer]

Let me just add this, it all depends on where you are fishing whether this line can be benificial or not. Say you do majority of your fishing under 15 feet (maybe even up to 20) of water, then light mono or fluoro would more likely be your choice. But say you're hoisting perch on Mendota at depths up to 80-90 feet, then the Fireline would be a huge advantage. Not only would the no stretch detect bites better than a stretchy mono, but it would also sit better (less to no coils) than with standard micro-jigs because of the 1 ounce weights/rods used to get your bait back down quickly. So, as another way to decide on which line to keep, consider the depths/techniques you will be using. Just some more food for thought.

[Mr.Seaguar]

GS those are very good points. I also might add that the locations I fished with this fellow were high traffic areas where the fish have seen most tricks.