Let's talk REAL cost...

[FlyRod]

...of line, that is...

Specifically, the difference between braid and mono/fluoro.

For reference, based on "Street" prices:

Braids:

Stren Microfuse Braid, 300 yds, #20 test: 32.99 Cost per yard: .11
Sufix Performance Braid, 300 yds, #20 test: 28.99 .0966
Power Pro Braid, 300 yds, #20 test: 24.99 .0833
Western Filament TUF Braid, 300 yds, #20 test:19.99 .067
NOTE: P-Line Spectrex IV Braid comes in a 500 yd spool .076
of #20 for 37.99.

OK, so we have a variety of types and prices for braid.

Monofilaments:

P-Line CX Premium, 300 yds, #20: 8.39 .028
Stren Original, 550 yds, #20: 15.99 .029
Berkley Trilene XL, 330 yds, #20: 7.99 .024
(fluoro-coated mono) P-Line FloroClear, 300 yds, #20: 9.99

Fluorocarbons":

Berkely Vanish Transition (Gag!), 250 yds, #20: 16.99 .068
P-Line Halo, 200 yds, #20: 24.99 .125
Seaguar CarbonPro, 200 yds, #20: 18.99 .095

Now, take the CPY and multiply by, say, 60 yards.
In the case of Stren Microfuse, you get...$6.60 per fill.
For the "high-end mono", Stren Original...$1.74 per fill.
For the "high-end" fluoro, P-Line Halo...$7.50

Now that you grasp what I'm doing, you can do further comparisons. But my point is; When some folks are asked, for example, "Why don't you use braid?" the response is "Too expensive!" But is it REALLY? (Especially compared to the price of Halo?)

OK, let's fill Lil' Zookie's reel with Stren Original, 60 yards worth. One fill=1.74.
Now let's fill Lil' Rebbie's reel with P-Line Halo. One fill=7.50
Now lets fill Kindly and Crafty Uncle Fly's reel with 60 yards of Microfuse.
One fill=6.60
Already I've got the Halo beat, but wait! If I want the invisibility of fluoro down near the business end I need a P-Line CFX leader, say 2 METERS at .64 per meter. OK, add another 1.28 to my 6.60, for a total of...lemme see...7.88.
Of course, I have one advantage and one disadvantage with the fluoro leader. Plus side: I get several re-ties without losing ANY of my braid...nice.
Down side: If I break the leader off at the *&%^$! J-knot, before I've gotten a yard or so of re-ties out of it, I lose some cents. Of course, I lose about 7-9" of both braid and leader when I add a new one, but that's a fair trade.
Now, chilluns, here's the kicker...
EVERY TIME someone has to re-tie, or suffers even a short breakoff, when using mono or flouro, they are that much closer to having to respool. Also, line abrasion, depending on the cause, can cost several feet of line in order to re-tie above the damage. Hmmmmmm.
You might say "Yeah, but sooner or later your braid is gonna fray to the point where YOU need to respool." True, but since I've lost LESS line than you have, especially if using a fluoro leader, all I have to do is REVERSE the line on the spool and "Voila"..."NEW" line toward the foe.
So. let's now cut the fill cost for ME in half, since I can get "twofers" on the original fill. Let's see here...not counting leader cost, since I don't use a leader all the time anyway...that comes to, WOW!...3.30 per "fill".
Remember too that braid is unaffected by age and heat AND CANNOT KINK, unlike mono and fluoro, so if all else WERE equal, you'd still have to respool far more often than I.
A couple of my reels have the same braid they received almost three years ago. They been through rain, shine, fire and brimstone, and even a few backlashes and that line is still up to the task.
Now, Reb will tell you, as I have, that I use FloroClear and some monos for their qualities in certain applications...everything has it's niche. But for someone to say "Braid costs too much!" Wellllllll...read it all again.

FR
With wayyyyy too much time on his hands!