Fishing line comes in three materials and every argument about it comes down to four properties: how much it stretches, how visible it is, how thick it is for its strength, and whether it floats. Nylon monofilament stretches and is cheap; fluorocarbon, a PVDF polymer Kureha first spun into line in 1971, is nearly invisible and sinks; braided line, gel-spun polyethylene under the Spectra and Dyneema names, has no stretch and a fraction of the diameter. Know those four and you can pick a line for any technique; the diameter table and the technique list below have the numbers.
Twenty-pound braid is as thin as six-pound mono. Same number on the label, a third of the diameter in your hand.
Start here
- Fishing gear — the five gear decisions.
- Fishing reels — spool capacity, and why braid changes the size you need.
- Fishing rods — the line rating on a blank is a range for the power, not a limit.
- Lures — the line for each lure family is on its hub.
The three materials
| Property | Monofilament | Fluorocarbon | Braid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stretch | 25–30% | 10–15% | About none |
| Refractive index (water 1.33) | 1.62 | 1.42 | Opaque |
| Sinks or floats | Near neutral | Sinks; Seaguar’s demonstration: 30 cm in 15 s against 40 s for nylon | Floats |
| Diameter at 20 lb | 0.016–0.018 in | 0.015–0.016 in | 0.009–0.010 in |
| Abrasion | Moderate | High | Low; frays on shell and rock |
| Memory | High | Moderate to high | None |
| Ageing | Poor in sunlight; replace within months | Excellent; a year or two | Excellent; years |
| Knots | Ties easily | Wet the knot; a dry, rushed knot fails | Braid knots: Palomar, FG or double uni to a leader |
| Cost per yard | 1–3 cents | 5–15 cents | 4–10 cents |
| Best at | Trolling, topwater, circle-hook rigs, beginners | Leaders, clear water, bottom contact | Main line for casting, jigging, frogs, grass |
Strength versus diameter
The question asked most often is whether 20 lb braid is stronger than 20 lb mono. Rated strength is the same by definition; the difference is diameter. Measured on Berkley Trilene, Berkley Vanish and SpiderWire Stealth, 20 lb test runs 0.016 in for mono and fluorocarbon and 0.010 in for braid; 50 lb runs 0.028, 0.029 and 0.014. PowerPro’s own chart puts 20 lb braid at the diameter of 6 lb mono and 50 lb at 12 lb. Thinner line casts farther, cuts through water and wind, holds more on the spool and lets a crankbait dive deeper; the cost is that braid is visible, frays on rough cover and bites into itself under load, so drags are set lighter and a leader is tied on.
Which line for which technique
Tactical Bassin’s Matt Allen and the other bass instructors converge on a short list. Finesse in clear water: 10 lb braid to a 5–8 lb fluorocarbon leader. Texas rigs and flipping: 40 lb braid to a 12–17 lb mono leader, or 15–20 lb fluorocarbon straight. Crankbaits: 10–14 lb mono or 12 lb fluorocarbon, because the stretch keeps trebles in. Jerkbaits: 12 lb fluorocarbon. Drop shot: fluorocarbon, because it sinks. Frogs and punching: 50–65 lb braid with no leader. Topwater: mono or braid, and on fluorocarbon Allen is blunt: “fluorocarbon sinks. Use it for topwater and it will drive you insane!” Catfish anglers run 20–50 lb mono or 30–65 lb braid on the main line with a 20–40 lb fluorocarbon or mono leader, for abrasion on the bottom rather than invisibility.
Leaders and colour
A leader answers two of braid’s weaknesses at once: fluorocarbon at the lure is nearly invisible and takes the abrasion, and wire stops a pike or musky biting through. Six to twelve inches of wire is enough to prevent bite-offs; 12–18 in of fluorocarbon covers most lure fishing; the FG knot is the slimmest connection and the double uni the easiest. On colour, the question asked most often, the honest answer is that no line is invisible; fluorocarbon comes closest, hi-vis braid is for the angler’s eyes and gets a leader, and green or clear mono disappears well enough in most water.
Where to go next
The pages under this hub go deeper on braided line and its diameter table, on fluorocarbon versus monofilament, on leaders, on the best braids by strand count and price, and on line for bass by technique. The hooks hub covers the other end of the line.