Fishing French Wire Trace
3
21/07/14 9:11 PM Fishing Owl Page 1 of 3 file:///Users/C.V.HARTMAN/Desktop/S.A.%20FRENCH%20TRACE%20.webarchive The French Revolution in steel trace is about to reach South Africa Supple Knotable Wire For Predator Traces A year ago I sat in tackle importer Tatlow & Pledger’s offices and listened to Frenchman Luc Bertrand describe how multiple strands of fine steel wire created what appeared to be a cloud of mist in the air as they flowed from a unique machine, before coming together to form a 49-strand steel trace so soft that it had the suppleness of nylon. Though the image of this "steel mist" stayed in my mind, it seemed a little far fetched. But today I dipped my hand into a tangle of 130 and 275 lb steel trace, and felt it slither through my fingers as though I was trying to pick up quicksilver. I knew then that the use of steel trace in South Africa was about to undergo a revolution. Be scared, toothy critters out there, be very scared ... Cannelle is the name of this French product that Luc Bertrand was then introducing to the South African market, and it comes in such a variety of forms – including pre-made traces – that the intelligent angler will do a little homework to learn about the stuff and which type is best suited for his particular application. For myself, steel trace had always been a pretty simple subject --you didn’t use it at all if you could avoid it, but if you had to use it then it was a question of stiff mono wire or somewhat more supple seven-strand wire, plain or nylon coated. Those were the choices. Cannelle, however, is rather more sophisticated than that. For a start the user needs to know the difference between braids, strands and microcables. So, in this brief introduction to the world of Cannelle, that seems a pretty good place to begin. Braid, as the name suggests, consists of crossing fibres amongst themselves to create a smooth and supple trace that will not unravel. It also allows the use of several materials that would be incompatible if actually bonded together – in other words, the various fibres that go into a braid are not all the same, some being composed of materials designed for suppleness, others for strength, others for resistance to sharp teeth; braided together, they form an ultra fine, supple trace that resists the toothiest fresh and salt water predators. Supratress, Powerflex and Fibraflex are the names to look for in Cannelle braided steel trace. Strand is a cable composed of many metallic wires of varying diameters twisted together. Cannelle’s seven-strand Multiflex and Nylflex are not much different to what’s been available in South Africa until now, but the 19-strand Megaflex is in a different league entirely and can be considered midway between strand and Microcable, a much more complex product that consists of seven strands combined to create a 49 wire cable of extreme fineness, suppleness and strength. Supraflex is Cannelle’s top microcable. Tying steel trace has always been a problem, but with the higher quality Cannelle traces that problem no longer exists. If you can tie a knot in nylon, you can tie it in a Cannelle braid or microcable. And Cannelle traces are available from the 49 strand, 200 kg Seafighter Microcable range right
description
Fishing French Wire Trace
Transcript of Fishing French Wire Trace
21/07/14 9:11 PMFishing Owl
Page 1 of 3file:///Users/C.V.HARTMAN/Desktop/S.A.%20FRENCH%20TRACE%20.webarchive
The French Revolution in steel trace is aboutto reach South Africa
Supple Knotable Wire For Predator Traces
A year ago I sat in tackle importer Tatlow & Pledger’s offices and listened toFrenchman Luc Bertrand describe how multiple strands of fine steel wirecreated what appeared to be a cloud of mist in the air as they flowed from aunique machine, before coming together to form a 49-strand steel trace sosoft that it had the suppleness of nylon.
Though the image of this "steel mist" stayed in my mind, it seemed a littlefar fetched. But today I dipped my hand into a tangle of 130 and 275 lbsteel trace, and felt it slither through my fingers as though I was trying topick up quicksilver. I knew then that the use of steel trace in South Africawas about to undergo a revolution. Be scared, toothy critters out there, bevery scared ...
Cannelle is the name of this French product that Luc Bertrand was thenintroducing to the South African market, and it comes in such a variety offorms – including pre-made traces – that the intelligent angler will do a littlehomework to learn about the stuff and which type is best suited for hisparticular application.
For myself, steel trace had always been a pretty simple subject --you didn’tuse it at all if you could avoid it, but if you had to use it then it was aquestion of stiff mono wire or somewhat more supple seven-strand wire,plain or nylon coated. Those were the choices.
Cannelle, however, is rather more sophisticated than that. For a start theuser needs to know the difference between braids, strands andmicrocables. So, in this brief introduction to the world of Cannelle, thatseems a pretty good place to begin.
Braid, as the name suggests, consists of crossing fibres amongstthemselves to create a smooth and supple trace that will not unravel. It alsoallows the use of several materials that would be incompatible if actuallybonded together – in other words, the various fibres that go into a braid arenot all the same, some being composed of materials designed forsuppleness, others for strength, others for resistance to sharp teeth;braided together, they form an ultra fine, supple trace that resists thetoothiest fresh and salt water predators.
Supratress, Powerflex and Fibraflex are the names to look for in Cannellebraided steel trace.
Strand is a cable composed of many metallic wires of varying diameterstwisted together. Cannelle’s seven-strand Multiflex and Nylflex are
not much different to what’s been available in South Africa until now, butthe 19-strand Megaflex is in a different league entirely and can beconsidered midway between strand and Microcable, a much more complexproduct that consists of seven strands combined to create a 49 wire cableof extreme fineness, suppleness and strength. Supraflex is Cannelle’s topmicrocable.
Tying steel trace has always been a problem, but with the higher qualityCannelle traces that problem no longer exists. If you can tie a knot in nylon,you can tie it in a Cannelle braid or microcable. And Cannelle traces areavailable from the 49 strand, 200 kg Seafighter Microcable range right
21/07/14 9:11 PMFishing Owl
Page 2 of 3file:///Users/C.V.HARTMAN/Desktop/S.A.%20FRENCH%20TRACE%20.webarchive
down to the whisper-thin 3,5 kg Megaflex fly tippet, composed of 19 strandsand designed with fly anglers in mind.
In all, importers Tatlow & Pledger are bringing in 31 different Cannelletraces These include the 49-strand Seafighter range, from 23 to 185 kg; the49-strand Supraflex, in 6, 9 and 12 kg; Megaflex fly tippets from 3,5 to 11kg; the Supratress Steel Braid from 5 kg to 55 kg; the 19-strand Megaflex in3,5 kg to 14,5 kg; and the 19-strand Megamarine in 30 kg to 185 kg.
MYSTERY
It was, above all, the fineness of these traces that first impressed me. As Iread the literature, I found myself wondering how anybody could combineso many wires and yet still finish with a product that is far thinner than nylonof a comparable strength. The answer remains a mystery to me – and toCannelle’s opposition – but Luc’s description of a cloud of mist coalescinginto a single line began to make more sense.
And then there are Cannelle’s "Stewart System" pre-made Megaflex 19-strand traces, looped at one end to maintain 100 % strength and featuringa second, sliding hook mounted above the fitted hook. This sliding hook isheld in position by a narrow silicone sleeve and can be moved up or downthe trace by the angler, but doesn’t slide easily enough to be moved bycurrents or casting.
On a recent trip to the Zambezi, Gauteng angler Grant Webster becamethe first South African to test this new trace against one of the toothiestcreatures that swims in our part of the world, freshwater or salt. The result,fishing a drifted fillet on a light bass rod, was a lovely 6 kg tigerfish. Thedeceptively thin Megaflex trace withstood the tiger’s attack remarkably well,even though those razor teeth did manage to sever two of the 19 strands.
INVISIBLE
Cannelle importer Mark Pledger was so impressed with Cannelle’sstrength-to-thickness ratio that he tried the somewhat radical experiment ofusing a short trace of Megaflex when fishing plastic baits for bass on aCarolina rig. His reasoning was that the Carolina rig is fished right on thebottom, which means that the steel trace would be virtually invisible fromabove. The result, he says, has been a marked improvement in his strike
21/07/14 9:11 PMFishing Owl
Page 3 of 3file:///Users/C.V.HARTMAN/Desktop/S.A.%20FRENCH%20TRACE%20.webarchive
ratio.
The idea that bass will strike at a steel trace more readily than a nylon oneis pretty amazing, and raises interesting possibilities for marine fishing.Yellowfin tuna anglers, for example, have long known that tuna are wire-shy and will strike more readily on bare nylon than on steel trace.
The problem, of course, is that tuna have teeth, and although they’re notline-cutting teeth, they will wear through even fairly heavy nylon during alengthy struggle. Even so, most Cape anglers choose to fish nylon leadersand take their chances. But up in warm Natal waters, where the strike is aslikely to be a razor-toothed king mackerel, wahoo or barracuda, fishingwithout trace is risky even when you know there are plenty of yellowfinaround.
So it’s a fair bet that tuna anglers will soon be experimenting with Cannelle.And then the whole rock-and-surf department, where the potential forCannelle’s many trace materials is enormous. The brand is too new inSouth Africa to have been tested in salt water at the time of going to press,but make a note of the name – chances are, Cannelle is going to play apart in many future "big-fish-that-didn’t-get-away" stories.
