Fishing line

[dburkhead]

I've been getting my tackle ready in anticipation of warmer weather to come when I can get out to the shore to drown a few worms.

I fish as light recreation (think of it as a form of meditation) and for the table. I'm not looking for trophies, a big "photo op", or even necessarily the greatest fight. I'm looking for dinner. To eat, or not to eat, that truly is the question.

With that as background before I respool my reels with fresh line, is there any real advantage (for my purposes) to the more "high end" fishline as opposed to the cheap nylon monofilament? Back when I was fishing as a kid, there were basically two choices: nylon monofilament and braided dacron. Now there is a whole confusion of choices.

Thoughts?

 

[Mrmonte]

Sufix Elite is a good mono IMO, cheap too! Its the only mono that I really use anymore. I trust it.

I keep most of my rods spooled up with Seaguar Florocarbon. It doesnt have as much stretch as mono. Better reaction time between your rod and bait, also not as visable to fish...so they say.


Id stick with a good mono if your just relaxing out by the pond on a lazy sunday afternoon. Do you know the palomar knot? Look it up if you dont. It is your friend. As long as your drag is set right and your using a good knot, things will be alright.

 

[pokey308]

berkley fireline. I love the stuff and it lasts a long time.

 

[jblomenberg16]

I'm not sure of your intended fish (Bluegill, Crappie, Bass, Catfish, etc.) But here's my . I fished in a local bass club before I got married and had a kid, and tried out a few different lines. I would fish 7 or 8 club tournaments a year on top of the normal weekend and evening fishing. A few things that I found out from that experience:

1. Put on new line every year whether you think you need it changed or not. I lost a nice fish in a March tourney one year that broke me off at the knot when I really wasn't even fighting hard. I tried retying a few times right after that and was able to snap the line myself testing my knot. I hadn't replaced my line yet that year and the rods had been in the garage all winter, and only thing I can figure is the line got brittle.
2. Expensive braids are nice if you really think you're gonna pull out 10lb-ers from a matted grass bed, or a forest of underwater laydowns. The reality is most of us won't, and end up really getting ticked off trying to cut the line when we are hung up and can't get un hung.
3. Premium monofilaments do seem to have an advantage over the lower end stuff. I noticed that I had far fewer backlashes in my casting reals with good line than cheap line. I also got a lot better feel when compared to lower end line.
4. Go with a higher test than you think you need, say from 8lb to 12lb, 14lb to 17lb, etc. It seems to make a diffence in stretch, and obviously in strength.

I actually became a pretty big fan of the Spiderwire mono (not the braid) and good old Berkley Big Game. Fireline is also pretty good, and served me well. Even when Crappie and Bluegill fishing the 8lb test was still thin enough to tie good knots in the smaller hooks, and wasn't grossly overkill.

Definitely put some work into learning to tie a good knot. As mentioned, the polymer knot is a good all around knot that is easy to tie, and very strong.

 

[glock34]

There are so many line choices today it can be hard to decide what is best for any one person. I think the type of reel is the first thing you need to take into consideration and then where you are fishing and of course for what. Spinning reels will not handle larger sizes for Line as what a baitcaster or even a spincasting might of eqaul size would take. Some people really like the braid for Spinning because it does not want to make big loops and come off. Jury is still out for me on the briad on Spinning reels

If you are using a baitcaster you can use Braid, mono or florocarbon with no issue of the reel handleing the line. Braid is great if you are fishing around grass or lily pads where you need to get the fish out or cut thru the vegitation. Florocarbon is great for its sensitivity and it sinks which is good but you need to be careful with the knots or you will burn the line and have issue (ask me how I know this). I think mono is the best all around for whatever you are doing.

I personally hit the water will fishing rods setup for every situation I might fine from Spinning reels with small line to Braid rigged up on a broom handle with mon and florocarbon rigged up in between.

I think is you get a decent quality line, Check it often for fraying, nics or cuts and retie when found, Use a good knot you and you are most of the way there to being happy with the line you are using.

 

[tuckdog]

Well put Glock34!!!

 

[woodsie57]

For spinning reels, look at the XL [extra limp] mono. Not expensive, doesn't coil up like cheaper line. Long casts, fewer tangles.

 

[rimfire_crazed]

All depends on what species your targeting and your gear. I've yet to find a "do it all" fishing line. Sixteen rigged rods in my boat and you'll only find one or two that have the same line on them.

 

[beclende]

For me it's berkley XL for panfish in the 4-8lb test range. I used their vanish line a lot in clear water lats year for bass....it's very durable and darn near invisible, but it is a bit pricier than mono. Those are my two suggestions, but as others have said it is going to depend on your reel type as the type of fish you are targeting and even the cover in the area. As far as needing to respool....always! I respool every few outings because I don't like it when they get away, lol!

 

[bwframe]

For me it's berkley XL for panfish...

This is my default. I'll play around with different brands and styles, but this WILL work. I've brought in 6# catfish on 4# line.

 

[darngolf]

If you are looking for monofilament for panfish and the occasional bass fishing, you might want to look at the bass pro shops brand of line. It is fairly inexpensive and you can get it in fairly large bulk spools to fill multiple reels and/or change line often. I am going to use it this year on my panfish set ups in 4 and 6 pound test.

 

[Mike H]

Look at fishing line kinda like "ammo". Its the main link between you and the fish!

 

[taylor10loc@yahoo.com]

as far as mono goes, Cajun Line is very inexpensive 330yds for 5$. ive never had any problem with it. only two types of lines that i have had problems with. the new berkley transoptic, and vanish. but that is my $.02

 

[tyler34]

for panfishing I like stren sensor. for everything else I swear by spiderwire. I still have a bunch of spiderwire fusion(my all time favorite line) but if I had to buy any it would be the stealth stuff. the old fusion and the current stealth are both spectra based lines, and if you don't know spectra is hardcore space-age stuff. Spectra Fiber - Products - Honeywell Advanced Fibers and Composites