The success of any fisherman, be it a newbie or a more experienced one, can be highly influenced by the choice of fishing line. I believe once you have embarked on your fishing adventure, you wouldn’t want to deal with a damaged or broken line and ruin your trip. Being constantly in the water, rubbing on rocks and being bitten by all sorts of fish will certainly cause a low quality fishing line to break down quickly. That’s why it’s so important to take the time and find the right one for your specific needs.
The choice of fishing line should depend on various factors, including your fishing style, the specific fish species you’re targeting and your method of lure presentation. Don’t forget to take into consideration the water conditions where you plan on fishing. Also, will you be doing saltwater or freshwater fishing? For instance, for catching big fish in saltwater, you need a strong line that can withstand the weight of the fish and is highly resistant to abrasion caused by rocks, weeds and other saltwater elements. While line strength is vital for catching bigger fish, when landing a small catch, flexibility plays a great role. A flexible line provides long casting distance, enhanced precision and doesn’t twist as easily as a strong, stiff one. There are various types of fishing lines that differ in design, casting capacity and strength.
Monofilament Lines
Many fishermen opt to buy monofilament fishing line due to its enhanced water resistance and great knot strength. This one is very easy to use which makes it ideal for both professionals and beginners. Plus, it’s quite inexpensive and it offers excellent performance. When you buy monofilament line you get great line strength at a thin diameter and medium levels of stretch and flexibility. It comes in many different colours to provide great visibility in the water, and due to its thin diameter, it’s almost invisible to the fish.
Fluorocarbon Lines
The fluorocarbon type can be used as a leader material and a main line. It doesn’t absorb water at all and it remains flexible at all times. Due to its high density it sinks a lot quicker than other types of lines, allowing you to fish deeper underwater. Fluorocarbon lines have a reflective index very similar to that of water, so they’re almost invisible to fish. They’re very resistant to abrasion, but tend to damage easily when exposed to sunlight and are not the recommended choice for tying fishing knots since they are a lot stiffer than monofilament.
Braided Lines
Consisting of several strands of fibres fused together, braided lines are very strong and don’t stretch at all. They absorb only a small amount of water, providing enhanced sensitivity underwater so you can feel almost every fish bite. With a braided line you’ll be able to quickly cast at long distances, plus it is great for fishing at different depths. However, it tends to become slippery so you’ll need to tie knots to maintain its strength and flexibility.
