Whether you’re a die-hard, dyed-in-the-wool slow pitch jigging fanatic or a surfcaster, there’s one thing you’re going to have to square away every time you strip and respool your favorite reel: what fishing line should you use?
This short post will break down some of the considerations, such as the advantages and disadvantages, of each.
Before you snap and buy that Yo Zuri 40 lb braid, you might want to brush up on why we have three different types of fishing line in the first place.
Monofilament
Monofilament, which is made of a single strand of extruded nylon polymer (though it can be made from a mix of polymers), is the most affordable type of fishing line, and by a pretty wide margin.
But price alone is not why some anglers religiously spool up with monofilament, or mono, as it is more commonly known.
Monofilament, since it is made of nylon, has a bit of stretch, and is the only type of fishing line for which this is the case. This means that monofilament can absorb hard hooksets and boatside head-thrashes with a lower risk of breaking. It also means that it will stretch a bit when you go to set a hook, which means that it’s more forgiving on fish with more delicate mouths.
Monofilament is also relatively abrasion resistant, which makes it a fairly tough choice, which is a good thing considering its price. However, it’s also relatively buoyant, which means it’s not the top choice for anglers running deep baits that don’t want the buoyancy of their line to interfere with lure action.
With all of this being said, monofilament is also unforgiving when it comes to cinching down knots. If you don’t tie the knot correctly or wet the line first, when you pull on the knot to shore it up, you may damage the line, weakening the breaking strength - so always be careful.
Another drawback of mono is that it is highly susceptible to damage arising from exposure to chemicals like gasoline, as well as a notable intolerance for UV exposure. That means you can’t leave your spools out there sitting in the sunlight for prolonged periods of time or the line will break down.
Fluorocarbon
Fluorocarbon generally looks identical to monofilament, and like mono, is made of extruded polymers. However, unlike monofilament, fluorocarbon has little to no stretch and exhibits better UV resistance.
Also, and very importantly, fluorocarbon, also referred to as fluoro, has a refractive index that is nearly identical to water. In layman’s terms, this means that when fluoro is submerged, it is almost impossible to see - not just to our eyes, but to fish eyes. This makes fluoro an exceptionally popular option as a leader material, especially when targeting fish that are leader shy.
All of this being said, fluoro is more expensive than mono, so it’s rarely used to fill an entire spool - often it is used as a leader or a shock leader. Another thing to be careful with when using fluoro as a leader is that it is not shock-resistant. A sharp boatside thrash from a fish can easily break a fluoro leader if it’s too light.
Another note regarding fluoro is that it is denser than mono, which means it sinks, as a general rule, which makes it preferable when fishing lures that are denser than water - like spoons and slow pitch jigs.
Braid
Lastly we have braid, which is made of a few strands of braided polymer, commonly polyethylene. As a result, braided line is sometimes referred to as PE line; it is sometimes simply referred to as braid.
Braid has several distinct advantages when compared to both mono and fluoro. For one, it has virtually no stretch, which makes it the most sensitive when it comes to detecting light strikes, especially when you have a lot of line paid out. Since it doesn’t stretch, it is also the best at securing aggressive hooksets, again, especially when you have a lot of line paid out, wherein stretch in a line would be a deficiency.
Braid is physically tougher, more durable, and more abrasion resistant than both fluoro and mono, which makes it ideal when fishing around snaggy cover, such as rocks, wrecks, or reefs. It also tends to last longer under similar circumstances than both mono and fluoro.
Another thing about braid, especially for surfcasters, is that braid will be much, much thinner than either mono or fluoro of the same pound test rating. That is, Yo Zuri 40 lb braid, for instance, will be much thinner than 40 lb mono or fluoro. This means you can fit more line on the spool, and that you can cast much farther.
Stock Up on Yo Zuri 40 Lb Test Here
As you can see, there are numerous advantages and disadvantages associated with all three types of fishing line. What you should use really depends on what works for you. Most slow pitch jigging is done with a braided spool and a fluoro leader, while some surfcasters might opt for braided main line and a mono leader, or just spool the entire thing with mono. Ultimately, do what works for you and learn from experience.