#berkley wearing a coat for once

[crownomancer]

Finally doing a full sketch of these three. I love them. I still need to do proper ones of Harcourt and Chenery.

Ko-fi

[fluffykitty1999-blog]

Dog of the Military- Chapter 5

Lots of whumph here. And a bit of medical care.

Chapter 5- Triage

They got a room on the second floor- as soon as Roy unlocked the door, Ed strode in, albeit shakily. Roy expected the first thing the boy would go for was the bed, but to his surprise, Ed opened the door to the bathroom, turning on the tap and sticking his head under the water, drinking straight from the faucet.

The kid spent a good three minutes just drinking, and Roy realized with a sinking sense of certainty that Ed obviously hadn't been given water in a long time.

"When was the last time you drank anything, Fullmetal?"

"Last night. That lady- the Lieutenant- she snuck me a mug of water."

Ed strode out of the bathroom, falling into the closest bed and letting out a long sigh.

"And the last time you ate anything?"

"Uh... a day or two?" Ed mumbled into the pillow.

Roy felt indignation burn in his chest. "Right. So you get back and Banks threw you in a cell with no food or water for two days?"

"Pretty much."

Roy wanted to kick a hole in the wall. But he didn't. Ed sounded half asleep, anyways.

"Do you have any clean clothes?"

"Back at the fort, I think."

"Right." That was out, then. Roy would have to buy the kid something to wear- the kid's shirt was basically rags anyways.

"What else did he do to you, Fullmetal?" Roy tried to keep the anger from his voice.

"I don't wanna talk about it."

Roy wanted to push the issue. He really did. But he was pulled from his thoughts by a knock at the door.

"Hello?" he pulled the door partially open, only to be met with the innkeeper- a rather homely looking woman- who was looking at him tentatively.

She held a plate in her hands, and a fresh loaf of brown bread was sitting on it, as well as a mug of broth. "I brought you this." Despite the fact she was talking to Roy, her eyes seemed to search the room behind him. Ed really had been a sight- shambling, bloodied as he was, through her lobby a few minutes ago.

Roy looked over the offering, nodding. "Thank you."

He stepped out into the hallway, shutting the door behind him. "Is there a doctor in this town?"

The woman nodded. "Shall I send for him?"

"That would be helpful if you could, thank you."

The woman nodded, handing him the plate of food, before she scurried back down the hall.

Roy stepped back into the room- Ed didn't make a move at the sound of his entrance- he was still sprawled out on his stomach on the bed. Roy tried to ignore the blood stains on the back of the boy's shirt.

"Wake up, Fullmetal. The innkeeper was nice enough to bring you some food."

"Hmm?" Ed lifted his head, managing to turn over in bed and carefully sitting up, tearing into the loaf of brown bread as through his life depended on it and finishing the mug of broth in a few gulps before sighing in contentment and laying back.

"We need to talk about what happened to you, Ed." Roy spoke up from where he sat on his own bed.

"Do we really, though?" Ed mumbled. "I got the information, we're going home- that's pretty much what matters."

"Colonel Banks tortured you, Ed. To try and get that information. I intend on filing an official complaint against him for the imprisonment and torture of a state alchemist. If I'm going to do that, I need details on what happened to you."

"I got back and wanted to catch a train to Central asap. Colonel Banks wasn't going to let me leave without giving him the information. That's pretty much all there is to it." Ed said simply.

They were interrupted by a knock on the door. Roy stood, opening it to find a doctor- a rather careworn man with thick-rimmed glasses a a black medical bag- standing outside.

"Good evening, Sir. I was told you were in need of my services?"

Roy nodded. "Thank you for coming. Come in..."

The doctor stepped inside the room, looking over to see Ed lying on the bed and nodding.

"Good evening, young man."

"Hello." Ed narrowed his eyes, looking at Mustang. "Who's this?"

"This is the local doctor. He's going to check you over- since you refuse to talk about what Banks did to you, someone needs to treat your injuries..."

"I'm fine." Ed protested.

"Then prove it. Let him look you over. Humor me here, Fullmetal."

Ed frowned.

"Let's start by taking off your shirt, if you don't mind." The doctor gave Ed a reassuring smile. He had a kind face, despite his obvious age- the man looked like he'd been in his profession for decades, and probably had several grandchildren. It was different than the sort of young, sterile lab coat clad upstarts Ed was used to in the hospital. Ed didn’t like to admit it, but the man seemed... nice. For a doctor.

Ed sighed, but obliged, unbuttoning his white shirt and shrugging it off, trying to hide his wince as he did so.

Roy hadn't been prepared for the mess of injuries beneath the boy's clothing.

Half a dozen perfect circular burns spotted the boy's left side. Ed's ribs and chest were a splattering of black and blue, violet bruises blossoming on his torso. There was a rather deep cut on the bicep of Ed's flesh arm, in addition to his black eye, swollen lip, and the cut that ran over his left eyebrow and ended just after it crossed the bridge of his nose.

As shocked as Roy was, the doctor took in the scene before him with practiced professionalism, nodding solemnly.

"I'll need to clean these wounds, young man." He pulled a jar and some gauze from his bag, quickly but carefully swabbing the cigarette burns with moist gauze, dabbing them dry, and smearing a salve onto them before he was taping a bandage over them with meticulous but gentle hands.

He moved onto the wound on Ed's arm- it was three inches long, and rather deep, and he frowned, cleaning away the blood. "This will need stitches, I'm afraid."

"I don't like needles." Ed said firmly.

The doctor nodded, withdrawing a vial from his bag. "That's perfectly understandable, son. I'm going to ask you to close your eyes- you'll feel a pinch and a burn, but only for a brief moment."

Once the doctor was sure Ed had closed his eyes, he withdrew a syringe from his bag, drawing up some of the drug in the vial and carefully injecting a small amount of either side of the cut.

Ed frowned, twitching at the sensation. "What are you doing?"

"Just preparing the wound, son." the doctor set the syringe aside, threading a needle with practiced ease and expertly beginning to suture the wound. Ed didn't flinch as the needle pierced his skin, completely unaware. Roy realized he'd numbed the boy well enough that Ed didn't even realized he was being stitched.

"You can open your eyes now, son." the doctor made sure to tuck his syringe, needle and thread back into his bag before giving the boy the instruction.

Ed opened his eyes, looking surprised to see the wound neatly sutured shut. Before he could examine it too closely, the doctor wrapped a bandage around it, nodding to Ed.

"Now that all the open wounds are taken care of, I'd like to feel your chest and abdomen- check for broken bones and such."

"Okay." Ed said, though he narrowed his eyes, looking at the doctors hands. "But if your hands are freezing I'm gonna bite you."

It was such a childish threat that Roy was stopped cold for a moment, but the doctor simply laughed. "Of course, I know- nothing less fun than cold hands and stethoscopes." he rubbed his hands together for half a minute to warm them, looking to Ed for permission. "May I, young man?"

Ed nodded, and the doctor carefully ran his hands over the boy's chest and ribs, starting at the top and working his way down. He moved with a gentle but practiced ease. Still, Ed tensed up, sucking in a breath, when the doctor came across a rather sore area. The doctor saw how Ed tensed up and stilled. "Sorry, lad. It must hurt a bit there, yeah?"

"I wasn't sure if they were bruised or broken." Ed admitted, voice barely above a whisper. The doctor nodded sympathetically, before he continued down the boy's abdomen, carefully feeling his stomach before concluding. "Mostly bruised, one broken." he confirmed. Ed gave a tired nod.

"Any other injuries that need attention?"

"His back."

Ed glowered at Roy, looking betrayed, but he gingerly elbowed his way onto his stomach anyways.

Ed's back was less serious, but still marred by 3 rather large cuts. The doctor cleaned and examined them all, before nodding. "I think the smaller two will heal nicely with just some bandages, but I'll have to suture the deepest one." the doctor nodded to the four inch cut that was rather deep.

"Just get it over with then." Ed groused. Once again, he didn't complain as the doctor skillfully numbed the wound before stitching it, daubing more salve on all the wounds before taping a gauze pad over them.

"Now then, let's see to your face."

Ed rolled onto his back, letting the doctor carefully clean the cut above his eye and dab at his smaller scratches before sitting back.

There was a knock at the door, and the doctor strode over to open it. The inn keeper stood in the doorway, a steaming cup of tea in hand. "Ah, Mrs. Berkley, just as I requested. Thank you."

He pulled a small brown bottle from his bag, putting a splash of whatever medicine was inside it into the steaming mug of tea and handing it to Ed.

"Drink up, son."

Ed took a long sip, snacking his lips and frowning, making an odd face. "Tastes weird."

The doctor laughed. "Yes, it should. It's normally a strong tea, but it tastes better than the medicine itself."

"What medicine?"

"Just something to ease any soreness you might have and help you get some rest. You should drink it all- help to relieve any pain. Especially your chest."

Ed nodded, taking another long sip and closing his eyes, appearing to relax some. By the time he was mostly through with a mug, his eyes had grown heavy, and before long, Ed was fast asleep.

The doctor smiled down at the sleeping boy, carefully plucking the mostly-empty mug from the boy's hands and setting it on the beside table.

The doctor moved to clean his glasses, nodding to Roy. "Any questions for me..." he paused, squinting at the bars on Mustang's uniform "Colonel?"

Roy nodded, looking up from Ed's sleeping form. "What did they do to him?"

"You saw the cigarette burns yourself. Several cuts from a rather sharp blade, and contusions on his chest- I assume the boy was kicked quite hard."

"Will he be alright?"

"With time, I don't see why he won't make a full recovery." the doctor conceded. "Though I don't exactly understand who would inflict such injuries upon a boy..."

"Colonel Banks, the ranking officer at Fort Goldenfield. I'll be filing an official complaint against him, there's no excuse for what he did to my subordinate." Roy's charcoal gaze flared, before he turned his serious gaze to the doctor. "Would you be willing to write a statement in regards to Ed's injuries?"

"Of course." the doctor nodded. He pulled a small amber bottle from his bag. It contained a few pills. "I've given him a dose of laundrum- he should rest well through the night. If he's uncomfortable in the morning, give him two of these every four hours."

Roy took the pills, nodding. "Thank you for helping him. What do I owe you?"

"No need to settle that now. I assume I can send the bill to your military office, as well as the statement regarding Edward's injuries, Mr...?"

"Mustang." Roy quickly stuck out his hand, and the doctor shook it. "Colonel Roy Mustang."

Roy grabbed a pen and paper and quickly wrote down the address for his office in Central, giving it to the doctor.

"Right. Pleased to make your acquaintance, Mr. Mustang. I'll prepare the documents and mail them off first thing in the morning. I can stop in to see Edward tomorrow if you'd like, as well."

"I appreciate the offer, but I don't think we'll be in the area that long. We were planning on catching the first train to Central in the morning. If you think he's well enough to travel?"

"Ah, of course. I don't see any issue with him traveling. As I said, if he's uncomfortable give him those pills."

"Thank you doctor."

"Not a problem, not a problem. My number is on the medicine bottle, feel free to call if anything changes."

The doctor quietly left, leaving Roy in the inn room as night approached with a sleeping Edward.

Roy sighed, covering the sleeping blond with a blanket and locking the door to their room, stepping into the hallway to find a pay phone.

He had some calls to make.

Obligatory ko-fi button. Do you like papa Roy’s characterization here?

https://ko-fi.com/fluffykitty12

[werewolves-are-real]

Would you be able to share a snippet of the immortal Laurence fic? I am really curious.

A ropehangs around Choiseul's twisted neck, dangling upward in defiance ofgravity. Choiseul's dead eyes stare at Laurence and his mouth gapesin the middle of a bruise-splattered face. The frenchman's spinecontorts unnaturally, broken bones jutting from his arm.

Laurencejolts with surprise and reaches toward his pounding head. Choiseulstiffens, sightless eyes bobbing closer as he extends a hand.“Captain Laurence? Are you sure you were not hurt?”

Laurenceshakes his head. He closes his eyes to block the sight, then pressesa hand over his face, inhaling. Another hallucination - he should have taken Keynes’ suggestions more seriously. “Perhaps I ought return to myquarters,” he admits.

Helowers his hand. Opens his eyes. To his relief, Choiseul again lookswhole and alive.

He is also holding a sword.

Laurenceis only allowed a brief moment of confusion before Choiseul grabs his shoulder. In an instant Laurence finds himself in a choke-hold, gaspingas Choiseul holds the sword to his throat. “We are going to findTemeraire, quietly,” Choiseul says in his ear. “ - You suspectedme, perhaps; but you are too late. I am sorry – sincerely sorry –but I afraid you shall accompany me to France, Captain.”

The armaround his neck makes it difficult for Laurence to breathe. Astrange, baffled fury rises in his chest at this treachery. He makesa strangled protest which Choiseul evidently takes as an answer,because the French captain begins to slowly drag him in the directionof Temeraire's clearing.

It isnot an easy journey for either of them. Laurence gasps for everybreath, and as they stumble along he can hear the distant sounds offootsteps. The covert is never quiet; captains frequently spend thenights with their dragons and there are always grounds-keepers andharness-workers making late inspections. It is a miracle – orspectacularly bad luck, by Laurence's perspective – that theyalmost make it to Temeraire's clearing without discovery.

Theformations tend to be grouped together. They are just meters from theedge of Temeraire's clearing, and Laurence can actually see theImperial's dark hide rippling against the sky, when Maximus suddenlyraises his head above the treeline to their left. “You are late –oh,” says the Regal Copper. “You are not Berkley.”

Thereis a frozen moment as the three stare at each other. The situationseems to dawn on Maximus then. The dragon opens his jaws to roar justas Choiseul jerks backwards.

Themovement jolts his sword-arm.

ToLaurence it feels that his legs are cut rather than his neck. Hefalls limp, sliding uselessly from Choiseul's grasping hands to hitthe cold ground. Distant shouts reach his ears as Maximus roars, thewhole covert coming alive with noise. A distant voice yellsLaurence, Laurence. There is no chance of response; Laurence isdrowning on land, unable to speak past the burbling sea-waterexpelling from his stomach. It tastes strangely like copper.

Thevoice calls Laurence, Laurence. He should answer. He closeshis eyes instead.

Hesleeps.

____________________________ “Whereis Keynes,” someone yells.

“Hecannot be alive,” responds another voice, very low. “Look at thatblood, Lieutenant – John, let him go - “

Thesecond voice belongs to Berkley. Laurence remembers all at once whathappened – that he was attacked, that Choiseul is a traitor and noone knows. Laurence opens his eyes and tries to tell them.

Berkleyshouts and leaps away. Granby inhales sharply.

Granby,Laurence realizes, is the reason he can barely breathe; thelieutenant has both his hands pressed over Laurence's neck. He seemsto be wearing a red coat, which confuses Laurence before he realizesthat Granby is drenched in blood.

Laurencetries to ask where is Choiseul, but only a watery gurgleemerges. “Do not try to talk,” says Granby sharply. “ - CaptainBerkley. Pray tell Temeraire he is alive; I think Maximus is having atime of it.”

Thissuggestion is not made without reason. Distantly Laurence registers aloud argument above the shouts and calls around them. SomewhereTemeraire insists that they must let him go, that he must killChoiseul, defend Laurence; and Maximus, in turn, responds that “Ialready killed that French captain. Now you must let the doctors dotheir work if you want him to live. Stop squirming so much - you arevery difficult to hold, you know. This is why you should stopgrowing.”

Yes,Laurence remembers: Choiseul slit his throat. That is whyGranby looks so panicked.

Keynesarrives. It could take an hour or a minute; the world keeps flickingin bursts of the same dark, staticky shadows that distracted himearlier in the day. Once he grows confused because Granby is holdinghis neck with a hand that doesn't exist. It has been replaced by ahook, but when Laurence tries to ask about this everyone startsshouting, and then Berkley helps pin him down too.

Berkleylooks a bit fatter and much older, with an odd scar across his cheek,but otherwise he seems uninjured. Laurence tries to focus on himinstead.

Andthen he is lying on a bed indoors, and Keynes says “I think he isstable” while Granby sighs in relief.

HesitantlyLaurence reaches up to touch his throat, finding it swathed inbandages. People are still yelling outside. Choiseul is dead, heremembers distantly. Maximus killed him, unless that was a dream.“Temeraire?”

“Heis fine,” Granby says. “Though spitting mad, and still trying toreach you; I will send word to him at once. He left Choiseul badlyhurt, though the bastard will still have a chance to hang, I suspect.And Lily and Messoria have Praecursoris under control.”

“Youwould be better served in taking care of yourself,” Keynes scolds.“The third serious injury in just as many months; at this rateTemeraire will turn into one of those over-anxious dragons, like poorNitidus, and never let you go anywhere.”

Laurencewould like to protest, except he is suddenly overtaken with apainful coughing fit. Granby hovers anxiously as he convulses – hismouth tastes painfully of copper again – and by the time  it passesKeynes has already left.

Laurencebreathes carefully and stares at he ceiling. “Temeraire is going tobe unbearable,” he croaks.

“Good!”says Granby. “I am starting to believe you need the watching.”

Laurencetries to reprimand him, but only chokes on another surge of his ownblood.

As faras retorts go it isn't very effective.

[fishingtel]

Best Fishing Line for Spinning Reels: Braid, Mono, and Fluorocarbon

From wind-bucking casts to bomb-evidence durability, heavy surf-casting fashions to tiny ultralights, an increasing number of anglers are spotting the blessings of spinning tackle.

Built hard sufficient for the likes of shark and marlin, flawlessly at home while combating catfish or pike, and best for panfish of all kinds, spinning reels are as much as any activity--and any length quarry--anglers face.

As we’ve mentioned before, there’s a spinning reel for any situation and species, and I’d count spinning reels because the maximum bendy alternative out there.

But to get the maximum out of your reel, you’ll need to choose the best line, and if you’re thinking what the best lines for spinning reels are, we’ve were given answers!

Below, you’ll find a complete manual to the professionals and cons of every alternative, as well as critiques of a number of our top picks.

A look at the best fishing line for spinning reels:

Braid

Sufix 832 - Best Braided Line for Spinning Reels Power Pro Monofilament

Stren Original - Best Monofilament Line for Spinning Reels Trilene Big Game Fluorocarbon

Seaguar Invizx - Best Fluorocarbon Line for Spinning Reels Trilene 100% Fluorocarbon Nylon is straightforward to color, and of course, it’s also to be had in clean. As a result, Stren Original is great for clean water and line-shy fish.

It’s also quite darn limp, allowing excellent casts. Knot integrity is without a doubt amazing with this tough mono, too, and its sensitivity is higher than you may assume. While now no longer the identical of the braid with the aid of using any approach, light moves aren’t going to be serious trouble if you’re spooling Stren.

This all provides as many as a few extraordinary lines, making Stren Original an alternative you need to reconsider. At its fine, while abrasion resistance is necessary and surprise energy is critical, I like knowing that my knots are going to keep like handcuffs!

Pros: Very low memory Excellent casting Night fishing options are to be had High-visibility options to be had Outstanding abrasion resistance Easy to tie Good sensitivity Cons: Heavyweight tests not available

Trilene Big Game Berkley Trilene Big Game, Green, 30 Pound Test-1760 Yard

Weights: 8, 15, 20, 25, 30, 40, 50, 60, 80, 100, 130

Colors: Clear, Green, Solar Collector, Steel Blue

Trilene Big Game steps up the mono test energy, handing over a heavy-weight overall performance that competitors Sufix 832.

For huge fish and unsightly fights, especially close to submerged debris, Big Game could be very tough to beat.

Offering massively higher surprise energy than braid, a whole lot-advanced abrasion resistance, and knot integrity top-notch strains can best dream of after I address the massive boys, I regularly attain for Trilene Big Game.

Big Game’s color palette bends in the direction of low-visibility alternatives which have confirmed their effectiveness on line-shy fish. For clean water, I’m now no longer certain that even the best fluorocarbons are higher than this line, mainly not whilst you don't forget the complete picture.

Knot strength is wonderful, or even in heavyweights, it’s smooth to tie. That’s something that simply can’t be stated for even the best fluorocarbon, and in nasty fights, a knot that holds may be the distinction among a fish for your touchdown net and not anything at all!

And as a way, as abrasion resistance is concerned, heavyweights of Big Game are as excellent because it receives. Whether you want a rock-stable leader or run this mono alone, it’s my preference any time I’m angling for large fish close to pilings, rocks, or submerged debris.

Pros: Very low memory Excellent casting Superb abrasion resistance Easy to tie

Cons: Average sensitivity Light tests are now no longer to be had Fluorocarbon Seaguar InvizX - Best Fluorocarbon for Spinning Reels Seaguar Invizx 100% Fluorocarbon 200 Yard Fishing Line (12-Pound)

Weights: 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 15, 17, 20, 25

Colors: Clear

Seaguar InvisX is possibly the proper line for crystal clean water, probably imparting close to-best invisibility. And for line-shy fish and heavy stress conditions, which could make a big distinction!

All fluorocarbons are tough to see, however, InvizX pulls far from the percent whilst you don't forget casting and knot energy. Spinning reels are going to conflict with fluorocarbon’s memory--that’s an incontrovertible truth--however, InvizX is excellent because it receives in phrases of limp, low-memory casting.

No different fluorocarbon that I’ve used or examined comes near in this front, and that is the best alternative I’d propose for the spinning tackle.

And for slick-as-greased-ice fluorocarbon, its knot energy is without a doubt unbeatable. With a well-tied Palomar, the mainline may supply earlier than the knot lets go, defying a quite tough and rapid regulation of fishing! Seaguar has to be doing a little actual magic backstage because is higher than even the fine nylon monofilaments!

It additionally gives advanced sensitivity over Stren Original, mainly while your line is slack, making it a wonderful preference for finesse programs like drop-shot rigs and Carolina- or Texas-rigged worms.

If I had been deciding on a fluorocarbon mainline for my spinning reels, I’d be achieving for InvisX!

Pros: Fantastic casting Excellent sensitivity Awesome knot energy Remains clean Cons: Not available in heavyweights Expensive! Tips For Selecting the Best Line for Spinning Reels Special Concerns for Spinning Tackle Because they characteristic a hard and fast spool, spinning reels are excellent at bucking the wind, and from fishing for crappie on breezy days to surf-casting from a blustery beach, they’re my first preference while the weather’s iffy for casting.

But the downsides of that constant spool are two-fold.

First, as you step up in diameter, you increase friction against the lip as you cast, decreasing performance relative to a baitcasting reel. In my enjoy, this isn't always a massive hassle, however, if top-notch-lengthy casts are the order of the day, try and preserve the diameter as little as feasible and transfer to braid if you could.

Second, that constant spool sits perpendicular to the rod and its guides. As your line rests at the spool, it’s compelled right into a tight collection of circles, and the stiffer the line, the extra “memory” of this form it'll maintain as you cast.

Those coiling loops create friction towards the guides, reducing casting distance significantly.

You have to preserve this in thoughts whilst you choose the line to your spinning tackle, and excessive reminiscence alternatives like maximum fluorocarbons simply won’t cast in addition to trendy mono or braid.

Braid Braided line is woven of various numbers of Spectra or Dyneema polyethylene fibers, once in a while with the addition of others like GORE. It also can have coatings brought with the aid of using the manufacturer, enhancing water resistance, handling, and abrasion resistance.

Very, very sturdy for diameter, it lets you spool on pretty a chunk of line or step up in energy extensively over trendy mono or fluorocarbon. It’s additionally extraordinarily limp--bearing nearly no reminiscence--and this allows wonderful casting overall performance.

And due to the fact, neither Dyneema nor Spectra loves to stretch, braid is good for tough hooksets and finesse strategies that call for the remaining insensitivity. In comparison to mono, that could stretch as a whole lot as 25%, assume simply 1% to eight% stretch from the braid.

Excellent sensitivity, tough hooksets, nearly no reminiscence, and coffee diameter--those are the blessings of braid that spinning reel fanatics need to preserve in thoughts.

But braid has weaknesses, too, and they’re well worth understanding.

Because the braid would not stretch, it gives terrible surprise energy. When subjected to unexpected pressure, it simply can’t take in the impact, and instead, it can destroy off nicely below its rated check energy. That loss of stretch additionally makes it loads less complicated for fish that like to leap and shake to throw a trap.

Moreover, Dyneema and Spectra are very slick materials, and due to that, they have got a tough time binding on themselves. The result is that the braid reveals terrible knot integrity, regularly pretty much half of its rated test energy. For instance, TackleTour’s checks found out median knot energy of simply 49%.

For a 20-pound check, meaning that your line will begin to enjoy knot failure at simply 9.8 pounds!

Braid is likewise very susceptible whilst you don't forget abrasion.

We examined braid head-to-head with fluorocarbon and mono, the usage of moist strains, and together with mono of equal diameter. Our outcomes had been clean: braid presented massively decrease abrasion resistance than both of its competition, arms down. Experts believe us. “The fact that braided line is synthetic with the aid of using wrapping more than one strands over the pinnacle of every different approach than the ones strands can separate. When they do separate--and they may each time something tough scratches the floor in only the proper manner--they permit water to go into what becomes a sealed floor. When they open up, the water that receives in wears them, and that put on can bring about breaks. Trust us while we are saying that the one's stresses will bring about massive fish getting away.”

Finally, Dyneema and Spectra are very tough to color, and clean simply isn’t an alternative for braid. In clean water or with a heavy-weight braid, you’re going to overlook line-shy fish.

Pros: Super sturdy for diameter Very limp and casts nicely Ultra-sensitive Excellent hooksets Cons: Low surprise strength Poor knot strength Very poor abrasion resistance Highly visible in clearwater Braid: Our Assessment On the spinning tackle, the braid has plenty to recommend it.

It casts extraordinarily nicely, and the slim diameters play to a spinning reel’s strengths. On windy days, facet-with the aid of using-aspect with casting address, you’ll observe the distinction, and for the maximum part, wind-blown knots shouldn’t be a problem.

Braid additionally gives intense sensitivity and tough hooksets, making it best for single-hooked applications, deep jigging, and any situation in which you've got lots of lines out.

But knot integrity is a hassle, and also you’ll need to run a heavier check line than you want to enhance energy. Remember--you’ll best get approximately half of your line’s rated test strength on the knot, so run line that’s approximately 2X the strength you want.

Since Dyneema and Spectra can’t be made translucent, braid isn't always an awesome preference for crystal clear water except you’re walking a mono or fluorocarbon leader.

And for fishing around rocks, pilings, oyster shells, or anything else abrasive, I propose skipping braid altogether. It simply can’t take that type of beating, or even only a contact of touch can seriously weaken your line.

For abrasion resistance, switch to mono or fluorocarbon.

Monofilament Nylon mono is what most of us older guys grew up with, and ditching this confirmed alternative for fancier lines isn’t usually smart.

Far harder than you may realize, our tests found out that mono is as abrasion-resistant as fluorocarbon, with the brought gain that because it stretches below load, it without problems returns to its authentic length. Fluoro won’t, and that deformation weakens the road pretty a bit.

Mono also stretches, once in a while to as a whole lot as 25% of its length.

That’s each excellent and bad.

It’s excellent in that extend offers advanced surprise energy. It additionally makes it very tough for bass or marlin to throw a lure because the mono’s supply glues the hook to its lip.

But it’s worse whilst you want sensitivity or tough hooksets, and for single-hooked lures, you'll observe a distinction proper away.

For treble hooked programs, even though, mono is quite a whole lot top dog. Especially whilst you don't forget that mono tends to float, it’s an excellent preference for topwater.

As Bobby Lane explains, mono is good “for fishing sure treble-hooked lures like diving and lipless crankbaits. There, the stretch presented with the aid of using mono is an advantage. It makes it tougher for the bass to ‘throw’ the lures in the course of the fight. The stretch is also beneficial while it is cold or the bass is finicky and also you want them to maintain the bait simply an instant longer so that you can hook them.”

Mono additionally knots extraordinarily nicely, without problems surpassing each braid and fluorocarbon in this metric. For instance, while TackleTour examined the knot strength of common mono like Trilene XL, they determined that it become exceptional: line verified to be 10-pound test held 9.7 pounds on the knot!

Mono may have trouble with memory, and it’s a much cry from the braid. But it’s nothing like fluorocarbon, either, and mono also casts well.

And considering that mono is available in quite a whole lot any color you need, together with numerous kinds of clean, it’s a superb preference for fishing in a scenario in which line visibility could make or break your day.

Pros: Excellent surprise energy Superior knot energy Casts well Low visibility Cons: Poor hooksets with single hooks Low sensitivity Mono: Our Assessment Mono is a wonderful preference in extra conditions than you may imagine.

For tough fights with large fish, its advanced surprise energy does make a distinction. And if you have a 30-pound pike unexpectedly determine to make a run for it, you’ll be happy you’re walking mono to take the strain!

Mono additionally ties nicely, presenting rock-stable knot integrity. That offers me lots of self-assurance in tough fights in which knot energy goes to be examined.

Available in a huge style of low-visibility colors, it’s outstanding while the water’s clean, too.

But it’s now no longer best. All that extend approach that hooksets may be weaker than you’d like, mainly if you have lots of strains out. And for strategies that call for sensitivity, mono isn't always the best preference.

Overall, I’d propose excellent mono as your go-to line alternative, switching to braid or fluorocarbon best while mono won’t get the activity done.

Fluorocarbon Fluorocarbon has earned an area in my tackle box, and I assume it merits an area in yours, too. The manner I want to think about fluorocarbon is as a braid substitute for crystal clean water.

Fluoro consists of polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), a thermoplastic that’s each more difficult and denser than nylon. That creates a few thrilling properties, imparting blessings that might be regularly disregarded with the aid of using anglers.

The leader promoting factor of fluorocarbon is that it’s touted as being much less seen than mono, even though it’s well worth noting that scientists insist that fluoro is NOT invisible in water.

In practice, I’d say that it’s as a minimum as invisible as mono, and possibly even higher. Your mileage can also additionally vary, however, fluorocarbon is undeniably much less seen than braid, and while you could see the lowest just like the lower back of your hand, fluoro starts to make actual sense.

Fluorocarbon sinks, however now no longer like lead-center strains!

Note that fluoro sinks at approximately two times to a few instances the charge of mono.

That makes it tremendous for deep, clean water however awful for topwater programs in which you don’t need your line dragging your trap below. It also can be exceptional for deep-diving crankbaits while the water could be very clean.

But here’s the thing: fluorocarbon’s density makes it a whole lot extra touchy than mono, and even as now no longer the identical of the braid with the aid of using any approach, in which line visibility is a hassle, I’d attain for fluoro for finesse strategies that appoint a single hook.

It’s additionally quite darn hard, and my checks vicinity it on par with mono in phrases of erosion resistance.

The downsides to fluorocarbon should not be ignored, however.

First, it’s slick and doesn’t knot well, though it’s usually higher than braid in this front.

In TackleTour’s testing, the excessive-quit fluorocarbons they reviewed experienced knot failure at a median of 63.5 percent in their examined tensile energy. That approach that for the common 20-pound fluorocarbon, knot failure will start at simply 12.7 pounds of pressure!

InvizX is an outlier, and that’s one cause why it’s our pinnacle--and best--choose out for the spinning line.

Second, that extra density creates a capability hassle. Fluorocarbon tends to stretch extra than similar mono, however, it takes extra pressure to provoke that deformation. When it does elongate below load, however, it doesn’t need to go back to its authentic length, and a number of the stretches are permanent (approximately 5%)--yielding a weaker line!

Finally, that density makes fluorocarbon much less pliable, giving it extra reminiscence than its competition and usually proscribing casting overall performance. For spinning reels, that’s a deal-breaker, and the best InvizX cuts, in my opinion.

Pros: Very low visibility Sinks quicker than mono More sensitive than mono Cons: Poor knot strength Poor casting Deformation below pressure Fluorocarbon: Our Assessment For spinning tackle, maximum fluorocarbon lines preserve an excessive amount of reminiscence. The exception, in my experience, is Seaguar’s InvizX.

That stated, fluorocarbon’s sturdy healthy isn’t casting distance, however as a substitute low-visibility and excessive sensitivity. For that cause, it’s possibly fine to think about fluoro as a braid substitute while the water’s as clean as a swimming pool.

InvizX additionally excels at knot integrity, in contrast to a lot of its competition. That makes me quite assured in a tough fight, though the hassle of deformation remains trouble that problems me.

Overall, in conditions that call for sensitivity and invisibility, I’m now no longer certain that I’d use fluorocarbon in preference to braid with a sturdy mono chief.

Final Thoughts We desire that this newsletter has helped you cut your choices, choosing the proper strains to your situations and desires whilst you’re fishing spinning tackle.

For more information check out our: Best Fishing Line for Spinning Reels.

[the-chronicles-of-homo-sapiens]

#DieCisWhiteScum

In the headquarters of the SJW Confederate, formerly UC Berkley, the aging Matriarch of the Confederate, Anita Sarkeesian, is about to complete the final solution: The elimination of the straight white males which will end all evil in the world. In the pit of her private safe space is Robert White, the last cisgender, white male in the world.

           “Ahahhaah!” shrieked Sarkeesian from her MacBook where she was writing a post on Tumblr about White’s extermination. Her post was on his execution and the male-skin coat that she would make out of him once he was dead. “Once I’m done with this, the world will be devoid of all evils!” Her venom and contempt towards him seemed to boil out and exit her with every word she spoke. Even the walls of the safe space had to be coated with an acid-proof compound so that her hatred didn’t destroy the room. “But, what is my crime?” asked White tentatively. He didn’t want to get the hose again. “Why am I going to be extinguished?” he probed.

           “What do you mean why?” condescended Sarkeesian, “It’s not like you’re a white cisgender male whose breed has committed countless atrocities or anything.”

           Robert, after thinking about this, asked, “How exactly have I been sexist, racist, or homophobic?”

           “Because You were born male!” boomed Sarkeesian, her anger flooding the room, “Everyone knows that all straight white males are sexist, racist, and homophobic.”

           “How does being born as I was make me a vile creature?” probed White, “Furthermore, how isn’t it racist, sexist, and gender-prejudiced to say I’m evil because of those attributes?”

           Sarkeesian, now turning away from her desk and starting towards the pit, with her red eyes drilling into Robert and her red hair appearing as though it was on fire was ready to implode on herself; she wanted to give him the hose again. “You moronic pig!” Sarkeesian began, “You are cis, white scum; you can’t be racist towards garbage humans like you because you have privilege. Your breed has caused all the evil of this world, and your inferior brain cannot be reformed! And now that artificial insemination has been perfected and robots can perform society’s menial and dangerous labor we can dispose of you like the disposable trash you are! Your reign of terror is over; in case you haven’t noticed, you take the lotion and put it on your skin now! And, if I were you, I’d shut up unless you want to get the hose again.”  

           “Name one thing that men, the entire gender, have done that’s evil.” White said. He had hatched a plan to free himself and end the reign of Sarkeesian’s colonization of the once free American people.

           “Seriously?” snorted Sarkeesian through her hate-filled trap, “Don’t you think that evil men and the income inequality they made is a manifestation of what the patriarchy did before we took control?”

           “Although there was a time when women did receive unequal pay” started in Robert, engineering his first blow, “the Equal Pay Act ended that in American society.”

           “No!” erupted Sarkeesian, “They still made seventy-seven cents on the dollar compared to men!” She reached over to get the hose.

           Robert, the refined scholar, had trapped the insidious insect in his web. “Um, actually,” he started in to end his first haymaker argument, “the US Department of Labor showed the wage gap to be a six to seven percent gap when different variables were accounted for. Although they never released a reason for this gap, many experts like feminist Christina Hoff Sommers argued that the gap was most likely caused by different life choices and not sexism.”    

           “Hiss!” screeched the serpent, revolting away from the damning evidence that her narrative was false and dropping the hose. Her normally white complexion began to pucker and blister and turn black. Robert’s first phase was beginning to come to fruition. “That statistic is false!” roared Sarkeesian, “The US Department of Labor was part of the Patriarchy!”

           White grinned, he had her trapped now. He began again, “Really? Then why did the AAUW, a women’s rights organization have the same stats? Furthermore, wasn’t it JFK, a man, who signed the Equal Pay Act? Why would a man try to end sexism?”

           “He was simply an advocate for women.” Scoffed Sarkeesian, “He had guilt for being a part of the despicable caste. Besides, it doesn’t excuse the sexism in the STEM fields that occurred in the days of the patriarchal US Government.”

           Robert’s genius was leading Sarkeesian into another trap. “If JFK had sympathy for women, that proves that not all men are sexist pigs. And if a womanizer who had multiple affairs could do something like that, think about what men who didn’t sleep around thought about women’s rights in that so-called sexist era.” countered White, “But, what’s this thing about job discrimination?”

           “Oh, I’m sorry. I forgot that women didn’t face discrimination in STEM fields in the 21st century.” Blasted Sarkeesian.

           “You know,” approached White, “I always heard about women in STEM. Why did I never hear about feminists advocating for more women on oil rigs or being heavy equipment mechanics or welders? Feminists never talked about women in industrial fields being nonexistent come to think of it. And, now I hear that robots will be doing these jobs. Why wouldn’t you just have women fill those roles?”  

           “Why would we want to do menial labor?” Sarkeesian replied bitterly, “Besides, we didn’t have the educational opportunities for either STEM or industry.”

           “Is that why scholastically girls fared better than men, were given the same ability to go to university, and that trade schools like UTI extended their services to females by the 21st century? And, how do you know that some women wouldn’t want jobs in industry? Shouldn’t your argument be for women doing whatever they want and not just STEM. I mean, your confederate outlawed women being housewives and mothers.” swung Robert.

           “Shut up!” Flared Sarkeesian, her hair being engulfed in flames, “Men never let women up in society in that era. And besides, you’re straight. That means you’re a homophobe you bigot!”  

           “And how do you plan to create that argument?” began Robert, still cool as a cucumber.

           “Because straight people in the days before the confederate treated homosexuals and trans people so well.” countered Sarkeesian.

           “And how exactly does being straight make me homophobic or transphobic?” struck White, beginning another haymaker against his lotion-bearing foe, “Being straight doesn’t mean I hate those who aren’t. Nobody liked the Westboro Baptist Church; their neighbor intentionally painted his house to resemble the pride flag as a mockery. And how does not wanting to have sex with a trans person make me transphobic? Come to think of it, how is saying that it’s wrong to be cisgender or straight any different than saying it’s wrong to be trans or homosexual?”    

“Shut your fact-speaking mouth!” howled the evil matriarch. She was now on the floor writhing in agony and trying to bury her head into the floor; sadly, the floor was concrete and not sand. “And you forget that you’re white.” Sarkeesian cowed, “Being white means that you have the original sin of slavery and the continuing sin of institutional racism towards minorities!” Finally, unbeknownst to her, she had fallen right into Robert’s punji pit.

           “Coming from a confederacy filled with atheists, I find it ironic that you talk of an original sin.” Robert said, now with a massive grin on his face, “Don’t you think it’s obscene to punish people for things that happened centuries ago?”

Sarkeesian began to go into full-blown convulsion now and her skin began to blister everywhere.

“Furthermore, if you wish to talk of slavery, I am certain that you know that more slaves were imported to Portuguese and Spanish territories than to America” White continued to orate, “And, whites and blacks both flocked to the abolitionist cause; moreover, by the time you usurped power, nobody except inbred bumpkins who humped horses were slavery apologists. And, slavery can be seen throughout all of human history. Slavery is not a skeleton in the closet of United States history: Slavery is a skeleton in the closet of human history.”

           Sarkeesian, the de-facto devil, was now back on her feet; she thought that she could derail Robert. She began to reel back in her prized catch, “You forgot institutional racism.”

           “You mean the all whites are racist narrative? Then why was the cow cornholing club known as the KKK mocked by anybody with a brain?” Robert White struck back, “And, if you’re speaking of the so-called atrocities exposed by Black Lies Matter, you need to examine the fact that Michael Brown was a thug that robbed a convenience store and attacked a cop. If you care to talk of the politics side, consider that Trump was dragged out of office in 2018 by the American people because he tried to ban Mexicans and Muslims; the people that did so proceeded to tar and feather him on the White House lawn.”

           Sarkeesian, now desperate to strike the final straight white male down — she didn’t want to waste all that lotion — posed one final point, “No cis white male ever did anything to better society. You still belong to the same dead caste as Hitler.”

           “Really?” scoffed White. “No predominantly white nation sent their men to fight and die to stop Hitler? What about Enlightenment thinkers like John Locke who spoke of individual rights? Wasn’t Thomas Jefferson against slavery? Didn’t great scientists like Einstein and Hawking make life better for us with their theories? And, aren’t you like Hitler? Your plan to exterminate my kind is called the final solution. You literally want to wear my skin as a coat for Carl Sagan’s sake!”

           Sarkeesian still persisted in her counterclaim, “You are so sexist, racist, and homophobic that you cannot name one woman or minority or LGBTQ individual that has made life better! Hah!”

           “Elizabeth Blackwell was the first American female doctor.” Robert White began to shoot Sarkeesian down in her frivolous angle, “Rosalind Franklin, the true discoverer of DNA’s structure; for the record, biology classes did talk about her. Sally Ride, American physicist and the first female Astronaut; she also happened to be lesbian. Neil DeGrasse Tyson was a black astronomer who intrigued many minds and became a public figurehead for science. How about Barrack Obama who served two terms as US president? If you think Muslims are worthless, you must be ignorant of the Islamic Golden Age. And, let’s not forget the countless civil rights advocates who fought for actual rights; you are a disgrace to Susan B. Anthony, Dr. Martin Luther King, and all those who fought for true equality and not the totalitarianism that you have the gall to call equality!”

           “How do you know this?” questioned Sarkeesian, still on the floor.

           ” Because I’m not blind.” began White, “I see both men and women as capable of achieving the same success. Neither gender deserves to be superior or inferior to the other. What you identify as or who you see as attractive is nobody’s business but your own. Regardless of skin color, nobody should be discriminated against. Whether cis white male or trans black attack helicopter, we need to treat everyone with dignity and make judgements based on character and merit.”

           Sarkeesian looked up. Puzzled, she probed “But, that’s what the SJW Confederation stands for.”

           “Is that why you have exterminated all straight white males but me?”  

           “Oh! my Flying Spaghetti Monster!” Exclaimed Sarkeesian, “You have exposed our true nature! Noooo!” And with that, Sarkeesian’s satanic body melted and decomposed into a pile of goo on her safe space floor.

           Luckily, in her haste Sarkeesian left the rope used to lower the lotion down at the bottom of White’s cell; he hoisted himself out of the hole using it. He then proceeded to disband the SJW Confederate and re-established UC Berkeley as a college dedicated to teaching what true equality meant. The United States Government was reestablished under the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. In American high schools, history textbooks didn’t whitewash history; however, history classes now taught that these past events do not justify modern-day “oppression Olympics.” The practice of affirmative action was removed from the American college system. And, for the first time in over a century, people were judged not by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.