IGFA rated lines

Tom Grene at Light house point custom rod and reel has a line tester in his shop if you want to get your line tested

Colby Uva was trying to explain this to me during the end of the year shark party. The IGFA rating isn't close to line rating. He had his Bullbuster line tested at IGFA. Hopefully he can chime in about this.

The IGFA has so many bogus rules that they have ruled themselvs out of the real record fish. If one of there brown nosers ant the one breaking the record they can find a bogus rule to disqualify the record. To my opinion the records are kept to show what is the biggest fish caught on a sportfishermans fishing pole. Too many rules. The rod cant touch the rail, the leader can be no longer than 15', must use circle hooks, must kill fish, and how much more I dont know. What ever ya do dont video tape it and let them see cause they will find something wrong.

The IGFA has so many bogus rules that they have ruled themselvs out of the real record fish. If one of there brown nosers ant the one breaking the record they can find a bogus rule to disqualify the record. To my opinion the records are kept to show what is the biggest fish caught on a sportfishermans fishing pole. Too many rules. The rod cant touch the rail, the leader can be no longer than 15', must use circle hooks, must kill fish, and how much more I dont know. What ever ya do dont video tape it and let them see cause they will find something wrong.

Yeah, I wouldnt dare film the battle of a record shark, that would definitely open the door for some disqualifications. Seems like the line test they do is where they could screw you. He said they test it in 5 different spots and take the average from those 5 readings. If all readings come out around 128lbs, except one that read 150...you lose the record. If I kill a 1800lb tiger this summer and send the line in...I honestly wouldnt sleep a wink.

The only rules that need to be focused on is the ones that excludes comercial fishires. I do not want the longline fish to be recorded with the rec fishermans fish. If a man can produce a video of a fish caught on a pole by one man, and his team at the leader, it should quailfy. Even if ya have to tie in to another pole to stop the fish, that should not matter but it does. So many rules.

does the old green Andy IGFA mono still test like it suppose to? or the cortland or gudebrod dacron?

does the old green Andy IGFA mono still test like it suppose to? or the cortland or gudebrod dacron?

Ande mono is probably your best bet. The braid is the one that breaks much higher than advertised. Years ago Saltwater Sportsman magazine came out with a story about doing tests with mono, I definitely remember that Ande mono broke just under what it called for. But then again, it was years ago and I would bet you the IGFA uses a different test mechanism when checking.

That would suck if you were record fishing, bought and spooled up with what suppose to been a IGFA tournament type rated line, caught a potential record, and the line when tested average 1lb over the limit!

That would suck if you were record fishing, bought and spooled up with what suppose to been a IGFA tournament type rated line, caught a potential record, and the line when tested average 1lb over the limit!

Exactly my concern.

What I recently learned is that when braided line says "IGFA Rated", or "IGFA Endorsed", its not. Its a selling point that is referring to how they use qualified materials in the line. Has nothing to do with what pound the braid breaks at. Mono is evidently much closer to what they advertise.

Has anyone on here ever sent in any line to get tested? I'm curious in what it came to. I'm going to send in mine next week.

Jacks a pretty cool guy.. I spent a day over at IGFA testing samples of all my Bullbuster lines (15-200lb test) with him the at IGFA before I began full production. The IGFA official test would be the "wet test". Basically what happens is they soak the line in a cup in water for at least two hours which weakens it by something like 5%. Anyways the line is strung up and put on the machine and is broken a total of five times. As the machine puts tension on the line it records data on a graph on the computer screen. It shows you the stretch of the line and when the line breaks it levels off at that point. The computer program then takes the mean (average) of then calculates the standard deviation. Obviously the line does not break EXACTLY at the same test every single time, but the less deviation you have the more consistent the line is.

Braid usually breaks WAY above what its rating says. So do many monofilaments. A rule of thumb for monofilaments is that lighter monofilaments have higher deviation, while heavier lb tests have very little deviation. Monofilament companies know exactly where each of their lines break and the standard deviation of each of their lb tests, but they asign their line classes to suit the purpose they are trying to sell the line. For example Ande Premium 15lb test may break around 19lbs, Ande can then use exact same line and call it "IGFA" line and rate it at 20lbs so that it breaks directly under where IGFA wants it to break for 20 and just by changing the label charge twice the price, for a gauruntee that it will break at IGFA standards.

In the Spring when Bullbuster Monofilament comes out with its full line of products, the labels will not only include the Bullbuster rating, but also the actual breaking strength and standard deviation, without charging twice the price. You get what you want from the line instead of being tricked, with selfish marketing schemes.
You can have thin and strong quality monofilament for the everyday fishermn, and if you are chasing records the same monofilament can be put to good use without making a dent in your wallet.

The machine that Colby is referring to is in this photograph. I think the IGFA said it was a $50,000.00 machine.

Trilene mono used to have a pay out to any records broke on theyr line. If that is still the case they are shure to have theyr stuff all ruled up. I will not ever be able to afford to put Igfa line on my 6 reels. I dont fish for a record anyway, I fish cause i love it. If it just so happens to be a record, so what, I press on as always. All the rules makes me want to just let it go.