questions about rubber coated line

[Ty]

I picked up 6 older beaver dam tip ups off of craigslist this week, and they all came with some sort of rubber coated line on them. I like the idea of how it won't freeze to its self or the ice and won't tangle as bad as regular line, but I have been using standard ice line for as long as I can remember, and I know that it works well. I'm just wondering if anyone out there uses it and what they think about it. 

[esox_xtm]

Vinyl coated line is OK and has some applications where is does better than uncoated line. For example, any tipup that does not have a submerged spool would benefit, Windlass tipups would be one.

You can try it out as long as it's spooled up but I find it a little stiff or wiry, needing some extra care over time and there is reduced line capacity per pound test. For line maintenance I use a silicone based fly line cleaner. This keeps the line clean, even more ice resistant than it already is and helps the coating retain it's original softness.

[52isntbigenough]

I basically walleye fish all winter. That line is way too stiff and does not come off spools smoothly once it gets older. It can also get small kinks. Personally, I'd rip it off and spool up some braid off musky reels if you have them.

[Svengalli]

Personally I don't use the stuff.  When I was in my teens I tried it on a windlass and it definitely didn't freeze up as bad but it's too stiff and kinks fiercely.  I ditched the windlass too, at -30 the windlass would jig for 30 seconds or so and then freeze  .  If you have a tip up with a submersible spool than use a nice thick braided Dacron.

[Mainedog]

I had some of that vinyl coated line once.  Too much memory (kinky)...like a giant spring.
Never caught a fish on any of the tip ups it was on.  It has been thrown out long ago.
MD

[thomasthepikehunter]

I decided to use the stuff all last season because so many people recommended it. I will tell you that regular dacron is going back on all my tip ups. I would guess it would help with spools that are above the water as was stated, but with 99% of tip ups, it is a terrible line. It expensive, its really thick, it has memory, no stretch, and it froze just as much as regular dacron. When fighting the fish, I want line to stay where I throw it, and come out as I need it. Coated line springs wherever it wants, and seems to cleat itself around every ice chunk. It was tough fighting fish with no stretch at all, and fish were much more likely to spit the hook. You can only get 25-30 yards of it on a beaver dam or other smaller spooled tip up. It was near impossible for me to find a 100 yard spool of the stuff. I like the cabelas dacron, and a 500 yard spool of it is around $17. The very cheapest coated tip up line I can find on the internet is around $6 for 25 yards. Thats $120 for 500 yards! That's more than twice the price of 500 yards of super braid PowerPro, and all coated tip up line is is rubber coated string. Dacron lasts longer too.

[Hellraiser]

it is a great idea but like most new ideas its not practical.  its pure crap junk not even worth recycling just throw it away.

[Svengalli]

it is a great idea but like most new ideas its not practical.  its pure crap junk not even worth recycling just throw it away.

Maybe we're talking about different things, the coated line I used was nearly 20 years ago and even then I had seen it being used for a number of years before that.

[esox_xtm]

I'll agree, it's not a new idea; been around for at least 30 years that I know of. Really not very different from fly line. Sure isn't a solution for every situation but does have it's applications.

[Retiredbum]

Use dacron,,   The coated has to many spring kinks. All my lakers have dacron.

[thomasthepikehunter]

One line I was thinking of trying is the tar coated "bank line." I have never heard of it being used on tip ups, so I never did try it.

[MDeppe]

Dont use the tar covered line I tried it, good for limb lines in the summer but cold water it is as stiff as can be.  Also the tar doesn't let the line slip through your finger to easy if the fish decides to run.  I wouldn't want to risk losing a big fish.  Use it for limb lines or jug fishing for catfish where it does well.