A fishing line is one of the most underrated yet most important pieces of fishing gear. Without the best fishing line, all of the gear in the world will not help you in catching fish.
There are a few things to understand when it comes to fishing lines. Test weight is one of the biggest factors.
Test weight determines the breaking strength of the line you are using. It also makes a difference in sensitivity and lure/bait control.
Color can make a lot of difference. Many fish species have excellent eyesight and can tell if something does not look right.
Then you have monofilament, braid, and fluorocarbon lines. Depending on the species of fish you are going for can make a difference in the type of line to use.
In this article, I am going to cover several brands of the best fishing line. I am also going to cover the different types of lines, how to use them, and much more.
Fishing Line Types
- Monofilament
- Braided
- Fluorocarbon
Monofilament
Monofilament fishing line, also known as mono, is made from a single fiber of plastic. Cheaper to produce, most fishing lines today are made of mono.
Mono lines come in a variety of diameters and tensile strengths. Mono lines are produced in several different colors, such as clear, white, green, blue, red, and fluorescent.
Monofilament is made by melting and mixing polymers and then extruding the mixture through tiny holes. This forms strands of line, which are then spun into spools of various thicknesses. The extrusion process controls not only the thickness of the line but its test line weight as well.
Mono has many other uses as well. It is sometimes used in medicine to test a sense of touch. It is also used in special effects. Because of its transparency, it makes objects tied to it appear to float.
Other uses for monofilament have been in string trimmers, musical instrument strings, sewing thread, and used in piercings.
Braided
Braid fishing line is one of the oldest types of fishing line. It is still very popular today.
Because of its knot strength, lack of stretch, and overall performance, many fishermen use braid as the “go-to” fishing line.
Braids were originally made from natural fibers such as cotton and linen, but natural fiber braids have long since been replaced by braided or woven fibers of man-made materials. Dacron, spectra, or micro-Dyneema are the common materials braided into a strand or line.
A braided has little to no stretch. This makes the braid very sensitive to the slightest nibble by a fish.
The downside to braid is it is not very abrasion-resistant. It can easily be cut on a rock or other debris in the water.
Fluorocarbon
The fluorocarbon lines are made of many different compounds. Fluorine, chlorine, and carbon, along with synthetics made from hydrocarbons, make up the basic fluorocarbon fishing line.
One of the best parts of fluorocarbon is its low visibility. It is almost invisible to fish in the water.
Fluorocarbon is very abrasion-resistant. This can be important when fishing in rocky areas or areas with logs and other debris.
Because of the materials used to make fluorocarbon, more energy is felt through the line when a fish bites. This makes it one of the more sensitive fishing lines.
Waterproof Fishing Line
Fluorocarbon is waterproof. If you have never considered a fishing line to be waterproof or not, there is a difference.
Lines such as mono can actually absorb water. This can cause them to lose sensitivity. This can also cause a fishing line to lose strength over time.
Fluorocarbon does not absorb water and holds the same sensitivity and strength no matter how long you fish it.
Another plus to fluorocarbon is that it offers excellent hook-setting power. Even at long distances, it is a superior fishing line for setting a hook.
Best Fishing Line
- Best Braided– 8 Carrier – KastKing SuperPower Braided
- Best Mono Fishing Line – Berkley Trilene XL Monofilament
- Best Braided – 3 Carrier – PowerPro Spectra Fiber Braided
- Best Braided Option for Spinning Reels – 4 Carrier – Piscifun Braided
- Best Copolymer – 8 Carrier – SpiderWire Ultracast Invisi-Braid Superline
- Best Fishing Line for Bass – Stren High Impact Monofilament
- Best Fluorocarbon Line – Berkley Vanish
1. KastKing SuperPower Braided Fishing Lines
Best Braided Fishing Lines Option – 8 Carrier
STRONG KNOT STRENGTH – Dynamically incorporated strands in KastKing SuperPower Braided Main Line allow you to easily tie more solid tie knots. You can even tie an improved clinch knot.
The special proprietary treatment (without a waxy coating) allows the supple line to zip through the guides to your target and gives you better lure-swimming action.
Low memory – This helps you achieve better, farther casts with less chance of wind knots.
Greater abrasion resistance – KastKing braided decreases the likelihood of losing your “big one”!
Ultra-high sensitivity and zero stretch – For superior hook setting that increases your catch ratio.
Smaller diameter – Compared to other brands allowing you to spool more lines onto your spinning reels.
Pros:
- Very smooth casting
- Resists abrasion well
- Works great for ocean fishing
- Far exceeds test strength
2. Berkley Trilene XL Monofilament Fishing Line
Best Monofilament Fishing Line
This could be the best Trilene ever! This monofilament lines are stronger and smoother than ever its predecessors.
The improved formula has 20% greater knot strength and over 50% greater wet strength! 20% more flexible, enhancing the maximum manageability that has made Trilene XL famous.
Smooth casting resists twists and kinks. Incredible strength for confidence and control, sensitive, good feel for structure and strikes. And versatile, outstanding for a wide variety of baits and techniques.
The line is available for 10, 12, 14, 17, and 20 lbs. (4.5, 5.4, 6.35, 7.7, and 9 kg) tests. Line lengths are 110 yards (100 meters).
Pros:
- Casts very smooth
- Has a very sensitive feel
- The green color fishing line hides well in the water
- True to test the strength
3. PowerPro Spectra Fiber Braided Fishing Line
Best Braided Line – 3 Carrier
The thin diameter of this line is going to give lures more action in the water and the kind of presentation that anglers dream about. The three ends braided construction and near-zero stretch make this the most sensitive line PowerPro has ever offered.
Whether you fish for trout, walleye, panfish, or bass, this microline will change the way you think about fishing forever.
Pros:
- Breaking strength is very strong
- Very high abrasion resistance
- Works very well on spinning rods
- It doesn’t fray
4. Piscifun Braided Lines
Best Braided Line for Spinning Reels – 4 Carrier
Piscifun comes in tensile strength from 6 lb to 150 lb. Anglers will have the perfect line for any situation, such as freshwater or saltwater, surf fishing, ice fishing, trout fishing, or bass fishing.
The thin diameter helps you easily tie a solid knot both on your fishing hooks and the fluorocarbon line.
All the Piscifun braided lines were tested by professional techniques. Piscifun strives to provide you with a tournament-level fishing line.
The precise diameter gives you a farther cast and fewer wind knots. You will enjoy its great abrasion resistance under the heavy and tough cover.
Pros:
- Very high breaking strength.
- Easy to tie.
- Low to no memory.
- Light and easy to cast with lightweight lures.
5. SpiderWire Ultracast Invisi-Braid Superline
Best Copolymer Line – 8 Carrier
The best of SpiderWire’s performance will be found in Ultracast because it is the highest quality, best performing series in the SpiderWire brand.
Only the best technology and most advanced nylons, fluoropolymers, and High Molecular Weight PE fibers qualify for an Ultracast fishing line.
Other Features Include:
- Ultra Smooth 8 Carrier Braid
- Unique Package With Thin Profile – Less Weight! Less Waste!
- Innovative Cold-Fusion Process
- Translucency For Near Invisibility
- Extremely High Strength-Per-Diameter
Pros:
- True to test strength.
- Low visibility in the water.
- Casts are very smooth.
- Low to no memory.
- Does not wad or knot up.
6. Stren High Impact Mono Fishing Line
Best Fishing Line for Bass
Stren is a name recognized by most anglers. For years fishermen have relied on the strength and durability of the Stren fishing line.
Extremely durable and well suited to every saltwater pursuit from the bay and coastal fishing to blue water.
With a great combination of strength, durability, and impact resistance, it delivers the type of performance that serious coastal and offshore anglers demand. For their casting, spinning, and trolling reels.
Shock resistant for fighting, line-punishing gamefish. This is a line that earns its place on any anglers reel.
Pros:
- Excellent quality for the price.
- Holds its strength well after several uses.
- Low visibility in the water.
- Holds up well to hard-fighting fish.
7. Berkley Vanish
Best Fluorocarbon Line
Fluorocarbon is great for those finicky fish that have too good of vision underwater. If you need to be stealthy, then it’s best to go with a trusted fluorocarbon line like the Berkley Vanish.
It has great abrasion resistance, so you don’t have to worry about your line breaking if you’re fishing near rocks. It has a near-identical refraction index to water, so not even the sharpest fish will see it.
If you’re not having luck with your mono leader or direct braid setup, give fluoro a try.
Frequently Asked Questions
Mono line. A classic line option for any fisherman, monofilament is an individual nylon fiber easy to work with. This allows you to change lures rather quickly. It also comes in a variety of colors for the hard-to-fool bass.
Braided lines are recommended for spinning reels. One reason is due to its lack of stretch.
Braid fishing line comes in sizes from 8lb to 65lb test.
When in doubt of what size line to use, most anglers agree 10lb test is going to handle most average fish.
Braid offers the ability to finesse lures and baits better than most lines.
Most anglers say to fill or spool all the way to the top.
Power Pro Braid is among the top braided lines.
When tying braid to mono line, first, you have to tie a loop in the braid using a surgeon’s end loop, spider hitch, or Bimini twist and lay the leader alongside the loop.
Pinch the leader and the end of the loop and wrap the leader around the doubled braid eight times, then bring the tag back through the braided loop.
Pull on the braid until the knot tightens and seats. Clip off the tag end of the mono.
Insider Advice
Most anglers have their own opinion as to which line is the best. Whether it be brand, style, or test strength.
However, different lines are made with different fish species and fishing techniques in mind. This is the reason you may think your line has failed you when you hook a fish and it breaks.
When in fact, it may simply be the wrong type or style of line for the species of fish you have hooked.
Or maybe your line performs great during the summer, but in the fall and winter, it wads up.
This is due to some lines not performing well in cold weather, whereas some of the other brands do.
It is a good idea to research the line you are looking at thoroughly. Purchase to make sure it is designed for the conditions and species you are fishing.
There is not much more that is as disheartening than getting that big, trophy-worthy fish almost in your hands and hearing the line SNAP!
Founder & Angler 
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