Fishing line connects the fisherman with the fish so it is important that you have the best fishing line to ensure it is strong enough to pull in your catches. While there are a number of fishing line options on the market, we wanted to capture what we consider the best fishing lines by each type: monofilament, braided, and fluorocarbon.
Table of Contents
Every angler knows that there is nothing worse than a sudden line break! Can we prevent it? Of course we can, by choosing the right line that will fit our fishing gear needs. In this article, we will discuss the most important fishing line categories and show you the best fishing lines on the market.
Types of Fishing Line
As stated above, each fishing line serves different purposes and different types of fishing. The type of line you use depends on many factors like fishing technique or target fish. The basic fishing line categories are fluorocarbon (fluoro), monofilament (mono), and braided fishing line.
Monofilament Fishing Line
Most anglers know the classic monofilament line since it was the original fishing line and is still very popular, especially in bass fishing. It is a single strand of nylon and it comes in different sizes and colors for many fishing applications. Additionally, monoline absorbs water which means it will cast funny once wet and it is easier to tie knots resulting in high knot strength.
And you can use it for spinning, match fishing, or vertical bottom fishing.
The best monofilament fishing line has low memory and is abrasion-resistant. Overall, manufacturers, use polymer and copolymer to craft it. The makers heat these materials until they become fluid and some special machines create the typical line shape. Afterward, they cool the line and wound it on spools.
Fluorocarbon Fishing Line
Since the first fluorocarbon lines were released in 1971 by Seaguar, fluorocarbon has quickly become one of the most popular types of fishing line. It can be used in bass fishing or freshwater fishing and is great when fishing with crankbaits, jerkbaits, chatterbaits, jigs, and swimbaits.Â
Fluorocarbon fishing lines use materials that have almost the same refractive index as pure water and that’s why they are invisible. In particular, they are made of carbon and fluoride bonds. Fishing tackle manufacturers launched it in many sizes and many fishermen admit that it is a revolutionary line. It’s particularly popular with bass fishermen.
The invisible fishing line increases the fishing efficiency and our recommendation is to use it as leader line since the transparency and durability make it great leader material. The only problem here is that many fluorocarbon lines on the market are not 100% fluorocarbon. Fluoro coated line is not fluorocarbon.
Braided Fishing Line
Since we are talking about the best fishing lines, we could definitely not exclude braided lines from our list! The braided line gives you the option to use heavier fishing tackle like heavier lures and it is supposed to be stronger. It is made of polyethylene fibers that are woven together that do not stretch.
The most common types are Spectra fishing line and Dyneema and they have 3, 4, 6 or 8 strands also known as clones. Good braided fishing lines are extremely inelastic (meaning high sensitivity for catches due to the lack of stretch) and they are coated with a special fluid in order to give you a smooth casting experience. Another benefit is that the braided fishing line has a small diameter which means you can fit more of it on your spool and it can cast further. The main disadvantage is that it is highly visible in the water.
Braided fishing line is good for bass fishing or fishing in thick aquatic weed mats with lots of vegetation so that the line doesn’t break when you need extra hard tugs to remove you set your hook or retrieve in these areas. Braid is also a popular fishing line choice for saltwater since you need to hold lots of line on the reel, be able to cast far, and be able to catch heavier fish, often during a battle with waves.
Best Monofilament Fishing Line
1. Kastking Masters Tournament Grade – Best Monofilament Fishing Line
Firstly, the first thing you will notice is that you will get all the benefits of the best monofilament fishing line ever made. Undoubtedly, it is a high-performance fishing line as it is extra soft and durable at the same time. Many anglers who used this line admit that it produces less friction and it will not apply much pressure on the fishing rod guides.
Experience an effortless fishing trip and enjoy the excellent castability with this KastKing Masters Tournament Monoline. True to its name, it is a tournament fishing line made of high-quality nylon. Surprisingly, there is no downfall here and fishermen can use it for the lake, sea, pond, or rivers.
It is a fast sinking line and it is available in seven colors suitable for every fishing environment. Better cast control and stability.
2. Sufix Tritanium PlusÂ
Another line made by Sufix is crafted of high-quality and density polymer, so we should definitely embed this line in the list with the best fishing lines. Landing a trophy fish is not difficult thanks to the monofilament Sufix Tritanium line. “Titanic” strength and really tight knots.
The line consists of polymer and several special anti-friction agents which you will feel once you hold the line in your hands. Designed to maximize efficiency and line control and allow a safe fish landing.
It is suitable both for trolling, spinning and surfcasting with heavy lures or topwater floating lures.
3. Berkley Trilene XL Monofilament Fishing Line
This is a great mono line that is ideal for a wide array of baits and techniques. It has a clear color and 0.009 inch diameter with a 6-pound test. The line resists twists and kinks providing smooth casting.
4. Berkley Trilene Big Game MonofilamentÂ
Undoubtedly, it is the best saltwater fishing line for two reasons. First of all, it is a special big game fishing line which means that it is shock resistant. Secondly, it has superb holding power so you can battle every big fish.
Moreover, it allows far and smooth casting without putting much effort. Apart from that, it is abrasion-resistant equipped with extraordinary strength and balance. In general, monofilament lines are considered to be thick lines.
However, with the Berkley line, you will realize that it has an extremely thin line diameter and that makes it one of the best fishing lines.
Best Fluorocarbon Fishing Line
1. Seaguar Red Label Fluorocarbon Fishing Line – Best Fluorocarbon Line & Best Line for Baitcaster
If you tend to scrape the line against a rock or tree trunk all the time, with this line you will not have to worry about that. Seaguar Red Label fishing line has excellent tensile strength and is highly abrasion-resistant. The manufacturers designed this special fluorocarbon line so you can keep up the balance and perform long-distance casts. This fishing line is made by the creators of fluorocarbon fishing lines so you can bet that they know their stuff.
The stretch levels are extremely low and many anglers say that it is almost invisible in the water. Additionally, there are many sizes and pound tests available.
2. Berkley Vanish Fluorocarbon Fishing Line
A pure fluorocarbon fishing line made by Berkley, one of the most popular fishing equipment manufacturers. The line diameter is .009″ so it can fit almost any spinning reel and offer great line capacity. The “vanish formula” has such low visibility underwater that it nearly invisible to fish since it refracts light similar to water.
Many anglers tested this line and they are impressed due to the invisibility and high performance in the water.
3. KastKing FluoroKote Fishing Line – 100% Pure Fluorocarbon Coated
Lastly, we would like to present the KastKing FluotoKote Line which has extremely low stretch. Besides that, it is 100% coated with fluorocarbon so it will not be highly visible. A nice fishing line at an affordable price that can be used for all fishing circumstances.
Whether you are a beginner or not, this line will not disappoint you. Imagine a solid strong co-polymer line core coated with special fluorocarbon material. This special construction and design make it sink easier and faster than common monofilament or fluorocarbon line.
Best Braided Fishing Line
1. Power Pro Spectra Fiber – Best Braided Fishing LineÂ
This line is one of the best choices on the market coming in an ample variety of sizes. It is not necessary to say that it is a high quality and extra-durable line. Why?
Because it is made of Spectra. Spectra is a material used by many bulletproof jacket manufacturers. Braided line is definitely one of the best fishing lines and their main characteristic is that they have zero elasticity.
The Powerpro Spectra line is a strong fishing line and sensitive of course just to feel every bite. In addition, the line comes with a small plastic spool and you can spool it directly from there on the reel.
2. Piscifun Braided Fishing Line
The Piscifun Braided line has a superior strength and it comes in two types, 4 and 8 strands. This brand is popular for its high quality fishing tackle products. Furthermore, it is a good choice for every angler as it is suitable for almost all fishing techniques, saltwater and freshwater.
The zero stretch levels make it extra sensitive and once you hold the line, you will realize that it is perfectly round. Roundness plays an important role because it makes the cast easier.
Finally, it offers superior line capacity because the line diameter is extra thin. Piscifun constructed the line using a special precision braiding process and that’s why it has a perfect shape. Many people find it difficult to load a reel with a braided line.
However, you can spool this line easily just like monofilament line.
3. KastKing SuperPower Braided Fishing LineÂ
Next in line is another KastKing SuperPower braided line, but it is slightly different than typical braided lines. KastKing knows that when anglers do not rinse the reel spool with water after every fishing trip, saltwater and dust corrodes the line. Consequently, they constructed the SuperPower Braided line with a special coating which protects it from UV Rays and saltwater.
For people who are looking for strong knots and high abrasion resistance, this braided line is a perfect choice. The hallmark of reliability, the SuperPower line, comes in different sizes and five colors.
There is also a multiple color fishing line which you can use for both freshwater and saltwater conditions. As a result, water absorbs these colors.
4. Hercules Pe Dyneema Braided Fishing Line 8 Strands
Looking for a tough fishing experience and adventure? Well, this is one of the best fishing lines for this purpose! If you take a closer look at the specifications you will see that there are two types with 4 strands (10-100 pounds test) and 8 strands (10-300 pounds test).
Undoubtedly, this line will pass the test of time thanks to the Dyneema high-density material. The color of the line is black which means that salt water or fresh water can easily absorb it and decrease the visibility levels.
Surprisingly, the memory is extremely low so you will not have any line twists or loops.
Which Fishing Line Should You Choose?
There is no doubt that this question is a major concern for all of us avid anglers. The truth is that there is no specific rule, but a basic approach. First of all, the fluorocarbon line is invisible so we can use it as a leaded line to attach our lure or bait.
If your target fish are large, for example for big game fishing, you should use a braided line. Braided is a great option for trolling, casting, or spinning. On the other hand, for drifting, catfishing or jigging, a monofilament line is a good option.
It depends on the fishing technique and target fish.
Conclusion
Finally, we tried to arm you with the most valuable information you need in order to choose the best fishing lines. The main rule is to understand for which purpose you will use your line. Each technique has different characteristics and needs and each line is suitable for several purposes.
Thank you for reading and hopefully our article was helpful for you. Stay tuned on fishedthat.com