Best Braided Line For Trout

Braided fishing lines may have revolutionized the fishing industry, but these days they’re far from new technology.

Now braided line is thinner, casts better, and stands up to the rigors of serious fishing better than virtually any other type of fishing line.

So what’s the best braided line for trout?

Our favorite is the KastKing SuperPower Braided Fishing Line. It has the best balance between value, performance, and durability. But there’s no shortage of options.

As braided fishing line technology continues to improve and dozens of manufacturers offer up their products. It’s harder than ever to make heads or tails of what you’re shopping for.

So in this article, we’ll take the mystery out of shopping for braided line for trout and share our top five picks for buying braided line for trout. We’ll also cover some commonly asked questions that all anglers have when they switch from mono to braided line for trout.

Let’s dive right in and check out the five best braided fishing lines for trout available and take a closer look at their features and specs.

Best Overall – KastKing SuperPower Braided Fishing Line

Product Overview

This RUNCL top Striking an ideal balance between value, performance, and durability. The KastKing SuperPower braid is our choice as the best overall braided fishing line for trout.

This braid is made from polyethylene fiber, and it’s a 4-strand braid that provides excellent durability. Many braided lines for trout use eight or more strands to achieve a thinner line diameter without sacrificing strength. Still, this braid achieves superior strength while also maintaining a thin line diameter.

The line is treated with a petroleum-derived coating to provide slickness and suppleness. While protecting against UV damage and color fading. Whether it’s your first cast or your 1,000th, you can rest assured that your SuperPower braid will be up to the task.

KastKing SuperPower is available in 150 and 300-yard spools and a broad range of different tests from 6-80 pounds. Anglers can choose between low-vis grey, high-vis yellow, green, and blue. So you’ll have no trouble selecting the ideal line color for the waters where you fish.

Specs

• Spool Size: 150-300 yards
• Test Rating: 6-80 pound test
• Colors: Blue, green, grey, and high-vis yellow
• 4-strand weave
• Petroleum-derived coating

Pros

• Unbeatable price
• Excellent casting distance
• Excellent strength to line diameter ratio
• Color doesn’t fade
• Environmentally friendly spool material

Cons

• Not as smooth as a braid with a higher strand count
• Can get some wind knots

Runner Up – PowerPro Spectra Fiber Braided Fishing Line

Product Overview

Spectra PowerPro is the original modern braided fishing line, and it’s been a favorite of anglers everywhere for over 30 years. PowerPro is still the go-to choice of so many competitive anglers decades later, which is a testament to how well made and engineered this line is.

PowerPro is a 4-strand braid made from ultra-thin Spectra fibers. This line uses PowerPro’s Enhanced Body Technology. This provides a slimline diameter without compromising suppleness. This line is smooth as can be, but it can stand up to the most treacherous fishing conditions.

PowerPro Spectra has no memory, which allows you to bomb monster casts that seem to go on forever. The line has minimal stretch, which is a huge plus when you’re trying to muscle a big fish from cover or keep them from making a run into some rocky structure.

Spectra also makes several other PowerPro lines for technique-specific fishing. Such as trolling, downrigging, and ice fishing. The original PowerPro is available in moss green, red, white, and high-vis yellow. PowerPro is also available in the widest range of strengths, ranging from 3-250 pound test and spool sizes from 100-yards to 1500-yards.

Specs

• Spool Size: 100-1,500 yards
• Test Rating: 3-250 pound test
• Colors: moss green, high-vis yellow, red, and white
• Available in 3-250 pound test
• 4-strand weave

Pros

• Smooth feel despite 4-strand configurations
• Discounts for bulk spool sizes
• Available in the broadest range of test strength
• Tried and tested for over 30 years by the best anglers in the world
• Excellent knot strength

Cons

• Expensive for a 4-strand braid
• Limited color range

Most Sensitive Feel – SpiderWire Stealth Braid Fishing Line

Product Overview

Pure Fishing’s SpiderWire brand has fast become one of the most popular manufacturers of premium fishing lines on the market. With SpiderWire Stealth, they have a cutting-edge product that outperforms many of the braided lines on the market.

SpiderWire is made from Dyneema PE. A material that offers incredible sensitivity. While also exhibiting tremendous strength for its diameter. The result is a braided line for trout that’s tough as nails, smooth, slick, and allows you to feel even the most delicate bites.

SpiderWire is an 8-carrier braid with a compact round core, which offers up to 30% higher strength than other braids of the same diameter. Each carrier strand is coated in fluoropolymer, which helps make this perhaps the smoothest and slickest braid on the market.

More importantly, the fluoropolymer helps cut line guide wear and resists the braid digging into the reel. It also provides a much quieter presentation compared to other braided line for trout.

This line offers virtually no stretch. Has excellent color fastness, and its smooth and supple feel contributes to its superb knot strength. Which is an area where many other braided lines for trout fall short.

Specs

• Spool Size: 125-3,000 yards
• Test Rating: 6-100 pound test
• Colors: Moss green, high-vis yellow, camo, American Flag, and more
• 8-strand weave

Pros

• Excellent casting distance
• Doesn’t dig in on reels or wear at line guides
• Superior knot strength
• Available in a broad range of colors
• Stronger than the competition

Cons

• More expensive than some other options

Most Inexpensive – RIKIMARU Braided Fishing Line

Product Overview

For anglers looking to outfit several reels with quality braided line for trout, it’s usually a pricey activity. If you equip a few reels with a new line each year, you could end up shelling out $100 or more, depending on the size of your reels. That’s why brands like RIKIMARU are so great.

While the price is low, the quality isn’t. RIKIMARU braid is strong, durable, and highly abrasion-resistant. For lower test lines up to the 30-pound test, a 4-strand weave is used. While the heavier lines receive an 8-strand weave for greater strength without added line diameter.

This line has relatively low line memory compared to pricier brands, and it offers virtually no stretch. A proprietary coating helps improve colorfastness to ensure that your line stands up to everything the water dishes out.

Performance-wise, it’s virtually impossible to tell the difference between this braid and the top brands sold in tackle shops. But, it doesn’t quite offer the same smooth feel as the pricier braids. If you’re willing to sacrifice a bit in the feel department, you’ll be rewarded with a quality braided line for trout at an excellent price.

Specs

• Spool Size: 327, 1,094 yards
• Test Rating: 4-180 pound test
• Colors: moss green, ocean blue, high-vis yellow, multi-color, and dark grey
• 4-strand weave (4-30 pound test)
• 8-strand weave (40+ pound test)

Pros

• Excellent price
• Performance rivals the big brands
• Available in many colors
• Solid knot strength
• More colorfast than other bargain braids

Cons

• Doesn’t offer the same smooth feel as the pricier brands
• Larger diameter than the competition
• 8-strand weave only available for heavier lines

Best Value For Money – Oiscifun Onyx Braided Fishing Line

Product Overview

Piscifun is perhaps the best known of the smaller upstart brands. And they’re quickly building a reputation as the go-to fishing line supplier for budget-minded anglers. Their Onyx line of braid offers everything you could want in a braided line for trout at an excellent price that won’t eat away at your fishing funds.

A 4-strand weave is used for the lighter lines. While all lines over the 50-pound test use an 8-strand weave, which offers a tighter line diameter and an even smoother feel. However, even the 4-strand braids feel smooth and supple thanks to the nano-resin coating. Which also helps provide improved abrasion resistance.

The line offers a smooth and consistent profile that casts well, has virtually no memory. It resists wind knots, allowing you to bomb long casts with confidence. It stands up to heavy cover and structure well, and there’s no stretch at all, which makes it easy to muscle a big fish out from heavy cover.

Specs

• Spool Size: 150-547 yards
• Test Rating: 6-150 pound test
• Colors: Blue, moss green, high-vis yellow, black, and multi-color
• 4-strand weave and 8-strand weave options

Pros

• Great value for the money
• Excellent knot strength
• Available in plenty of colors
• Nano-resin coating helps protect line guides
• Casts well

Cons

• Not quite as smooth as the high-end options
• 8-strand weave only available for heavier lines

Braided Fishing Line FAQs

Anglers who are new to using braided line for trout naturally have some questions about how to get the most out of fishing with braid. So we’ve provided the answers below to make it easier for you to find everything you need to know before choosing the best braided fishing line for trout.

When to use braided fishing line?

After getting comfortable with using braided lines, most anglers rely on braid for the vast majority of their fishing. There are some techniques where monofilament lines are a better choice. Such as trolling or when you’re fishing in an incredibly rocky area where there are tons of different obstacles that can abrade your line.

Braided line is the go-to choice for most anglers outside of these few instances. Braid is especially important for power and finesse fishing techniques. As it’s stronger and more sensitive than monofilament lines. Fishing heavy cover, flipping, and pitching are excellent examples of times when the braided line is by far the best choice.

What color braided fishing line is best?

Braided lines are easier to see than monofilament underwater. But anglers can match the best color for braided fishing line with their conditions. In clear water, colors like blue and white are the least visible. When fishing in dirty or stained water, moss green, grey, or camo are preferable.

Considering that most anglers use a leader when fishing with a braid, there’s no need to worry about how visible the braid is underwater. Since the part of the line that fish would actually see would be monofilament or fluorocarbon. Which is much less visible underwater, you don’t have to worry about spooking a line-shy fish.

When fishing with a leader, the concern shifts from reducing visibility to increasing it. Braid’s fine diameter makes it difficult to see, especially on sunny days. Fishing with a super-visible color like high-vis yellow, lime green, or neon blue will allow you to see your line easily. And will enable you to detect any changes in the line that may show a bite.

How to tie braided fishing line?

Braided lines are a bit more challenging to work with than mono or fluoro, but you can tie knots every bit as strongly using braids. In fact, some knots work exceptionally well with braided lines you’ll want to add to your repertoire.

For tying braided line for trout to a monofilament or fluorocarbon leader, the uni-to-uni knot (double uni knot) is a tried-and-true knot. A uni-to-uni knot is also the easiest line-to-line knot to learn how to tie, so it’s ideal for those just getting started.

Learn how to tie this useful knot by following the steps below:

• Take the braided line for trout and monofilament line so that they are parallel to each other
• Take the tag end of your braided line and loosely drape it over both the braided and mono lines, forming a loop
• Bring the tag end of the braid through the loop
• Bring the tag end over both lines and through the loop another four times
• Pass the tag end out through the loop and pull it to loosely form your first uni knot
• Take the tag end of the mono line and drape it over both the braided and mono lines to form another loop
• Repeat the process of tying a uni knot by bringing the tag end of the mono over both lines and through the loop three times
• Take the tag end of the mono line and pull it to form your second uni knot
• Pull gently on both the braid and mono lines, so the two uni knots begin to move toward each other, but don’t allow them to touch yet
• Cinch down on the tag end of each knot to tighten
• Pull on both lines to cinch the two knots against each other, completing the knot
• Trim the tag ends as tight as possible to allow for easy, unobstructed casting

For tying knots to terminal tackle like lures, swivels, or hooks, the improved clinch knot is one of the strongest and most popular options. Here’s how to tie an improved clinch knot when using braided line for trout:

Should I use a leader with braided line for trout?

When fishing with a braided line for trout, you should almost always use a leader. Some bass anglers don’t bother tying on a leader when fishing in especially cloudy or stained water and utilizing power techniques. With this exception, you’ll want to use a mono or fluorocarbon leader in virtually any other setting.

Using a leader helps to reduce your line visibility. It provides shock absorption and stands up better to rubbing against rocks, bridge pilings, and toothy predators. Some anglers use a lighter leader than their mainline to offer the most natural presentation possible. While others prefer a beefier leader to stand up to a fight with a large fish.

What is the best way to cut braided fishing line?

Cutting braided fishing line is one of the most frustrating tasks an angler must complete. While it seems so simple, cutting braided line for trout is much more complicated than cutting through mono or fluoro. This is because of its stranded configuration.

Traditional tools like nail clippers, snips, scissors, or angler’s pliers have a hard time cutting braid and will leave behind a messy, frayed end. To cut braid cleanly and consistently, you’ll need to invest in a tool to cut braid.

Most of the tools on the market closely resemble a small pair of scissors, with one crucial difference. While most scissors have two blades that are ground to a knife-edge, braid scissors have one blade with a knife-edge and one blade with a serrated edge. The serrated edge allows you to quickly and cleanly cut through braid in one pass.

Final Thoughts

Experienced anglers look for every advantage they can get to ensure they’ll catch fish every time they hit the water. Using braided line for trout is one of those advantages.

Of the products reviewed above the KastKing SuperPower braid stands out as the best option.

We’ve discussed our top five braided fishing lines for trout. Regardless of the option you choose, by using a braided line for trout, you’ll be well on your way to catching a monster trout this season.