Line maker that revolutionised market celebrates half-century

More than 50 years after two Japanese chemical workers “had a hunch” about developing a new fishing line, Seaguar is celebrating a half century in the fishing tackle industry.

Nylon monofilament dominated the market at that time, but the inventive duo catalogued the advantages of a new material, noting that it absorbed less water, was impervious to UV rays, was fast-sinking and almost invisible under water.

They called it fluorocarbon. And it would go on to revolutionise the line market.

The extrusion process took several years to perfect, but in 1971 a new factory began production of Seaguar fluorocarbon fishing line. Following its initial introduction into Japan, the line was then launched into the US saltwater market in the early 1980’s, where it has become hugely popular.

“Since then, Seaguar’s engineers have advanced the quality of its fluorocarbon in many ways, improving knot strength, introducing double-structure lines and leaders and raising the bar on abrasion resistance,” says the New York-based company. “So that today it is the world leader in fluorocarbon line and leader material.”

Now, 50 years after Mr Ishi, a chemical engineer, and Mr Yoshida, an angler working on patents, began their game-changing work, the company is marking this year with ‘50 Big Ones,’ a contest inviting anglers to submit their favourite fish photographs taken between 1971 and 2021.

Anglers can vote for the pictures they think deserve special recognition here and the 50 winners will each receive a commemorative Leader Spool Management Bag containing three spools of Gold Label Leader. The contest runs until May 31, 2021, and is open to US residents aged 18 and over.