Types of Fishing Lines

No matter how or where you’re fishing, you need a fishing line. More importantly, you need the right kind of line.

Fishing Line Characteristics

Before we jump into the different products out there, there are a few basic terms we need to cover.

Memory: When you pull a line off your spool, does it hang straight or curl up? That’s memory.

A line with a lot of memory tends to kink or knot as you reel in. It also messes with your presentation and makes it harder to cast far.

Stretch: A Stretchy line keeps tension better as you fight a fish. It also takes some of the punch out of big head shakes.

However, stretch gives you less precision and feedback, and makes setting the hook tougher.

Shock Strength: Another advantage of having some stretch is that your line is less likely to snap under sudden pressure.

This is shock or impact strength, and it stops hard-hitting fish from breaking you off.

Abrasion Resistance: Ever get cut off by rocks while fishing? You need gear with more abrasion resistance.

All modern lines are pretty abrasion-resistant, but more high-end materials tend to handle scratches better.

Buoyancy: Some line floats in the water, and some sink. They’re both useful in different situations.

A floating or buoyant line is great for topwater fishing. The sinking line stays taut in the water, giving you more precision at depth.

Visibility: If a fish sees your line, it can get spooked and put off biting. To avoid this, people usually use low-visibility lines in clear water.

You can also use colored lines to match the depth and shade of water you’re fishing.

Monofilament: The Old Faithful

“Monofilament” is a fancy way of saying “single thread.” That’s exactly what this is: a single piece of plastic, usually nylon, that’s stretched out and set into a thin tube.

Pros and Cons of Monofilament Fishing Line

The main selling points of monofilament are that it’s cheap and easy to use. It casts smoothly and holds knots better than most lines.

Mono also has relatively low memory and is easy to pick out if it backlashes or “bird’s nests.” If you do have to cut it out, it’s recyclable, which is always a bonus.

Mono has a lot of stretches, meaning high shock strength but much less precision than its rivals. It’s very buoyant, which is great for surface lures but terrible for bottom baits.

It comes in a range of colors to help with visibility.

The main downsides of mono are that it doesn’t last very long and is much weaker than other lines of a similar diameter.

When to Use Mono

It also makes fighting fish less punishing by keeping tension on the line.

Copolymer: A Classic Improved

Copolymer fishing line is essentially an improved version of monofilament. It’s made in the same way but with two or more materials instead of one (usually different forms of nylon).

Pros and Cons of Copolymer Fishing Line

It has lower stretch than mono while maintaining shock strength.

Tying knots and casting are still a breeze, and it has an even lower memory. It’s also stronger than mono for its size and is more abrasion-resistant.

The only real drawback with copolymer is that it’s more expensive.

And because it’s still nylon-based, it can get damaged by the sun and heat just as quickly.

When to Use Copoly

The short answer is, whenever you want

Fluorocarbon: Fishing in Stealth Mode

The Fluorocarbon line is made in the same way as mono, but from much denser material.

Pros and Cons of Fluorocarbon Fishing Line

Fluorocarbon’s main perk is that it’s practically invisible underwater.

It isn’t much stronger than mono or copoly, but it’s super abrasion resistant and lasts much longer than other lines. It can stretch, but only under a lot of pressure.

This means high shock strength without any loss of precision.

Fluoro is extremely sensitive and gives feedback even when slack.

Knots tend to fail if they’re not tied right, and the line’s high memory can make it tangle and kink at the drop of a hat.

It is expensive.

When to Use Fluoro

Fluorocarbon is a fast-sinking line, so you’ll mainly use it with jigs, drop shots, and other precise bottom tactics.

Its primary use is for fishing in very clear water. Many people also attach a few feet of fluoro as a leader.

Braid: High Price, Low Profile

Braid is completely different. It’s made by weaving together several strands of polyethylenes like Dacron, Spectra, and Dyneema. This produces a super-thin line.

Pros and Cons of Braided Fishing Line

The braided line is made with anywhere from four to 16 strands

It is built to last and is the strongest line pound for pound by miles.

Braid has no memory, letting it flow freely without kinking. It also has no stretch. This gives you complete precision with the trade-off of lower shock strength.

The downsides?

Braid stands out like a sore thumb underwater, is hard to tie knots with, and can get cut off by toothy fish.

It is the most expensive line of the bunch.

When to Use Braid

Braid is perfect if you’re fishing in low-visibility waters or need a lot of line on your spool.

Deep dropping and precision jigging are common uses.

It’s also great for working weeds and heavy vegetation, as it will slice right through rather than getting caught up.

You’ll normally find braid on spinning reels, but you can use it on any type of reel, as long as it’s decent quality.

Types of Fishing Line: One for Every Occasion

There’s no definitive “best fishing line.” Every style has its advantages, drawbacks, and ideal scenarios.

Popping in clear water? Stick with mono.

Battling big game species? Beef up with fluorocarbon or keep things light with a braid.

More than anything, choosing the right line is about personal preference. Everyone fishes differently, and half of us still use whatever we first learned.

Try a few out and see what you like most. That’s the real decider.