Types of Fishing Line – The Ultimate Guide

Different types of fishing line

Back when your grandfather was fishing, he’d spool up a fishing reel with clear monofilament and hit the water. He didn’t spend hours agonizing over the different types of fishing line, searching for the best one. He used mono because that was the only gig in town. 

In many ways, I think we all long for a return to those simpler times. But trust me, no one needs to go back to when the tackle shop only carried one or two brands in a few different test ratings.

Walk into any tackle shop today, and you’ll be bombarded with many different types of fishing lines. There’s a litany of options, from monofilament to copolymer, braid, fluorocarbon, leader material, fly line, and more. 

Today, I’m going to cover the different types of fishing lines, their characteristics, and their uses. And, everything else you’ll need to know to select the right line for every fishing scenario.

Whether you’re steaming offshore for a trophy bluefin or hitting the lake for some smallies like crappie or bluegill. By the time you’ve read this article, you’ll be an expert at selecting the right type of fishing line for the job. 

The Characteristics of Fishing Line 

Before we jump into the different line types, it’s helpful to understand the characteristics of the fishing line. When you understand the features and properties of a particular line, it’s easier to select the right one for the job. 

Memory 

Memory is a characteristic that almost everyone sees as negative. Memory refers to a line’s ability to keep its shape as it comes off the spool. Line with lots of memory will coil up as it leaves the spool. When a line has lots of memory, it’s more prone to tangles and birds’ nests, negatively affecting the casting distance. 

Fishing line memory characteristics

Stretch 

A line’s ability to stretch can be both a positive or a negative depending on the situation. 

On the one hand, a stretchier line is excellent when you’re fighting larger fish. The line’s ability to stretch helps provide shock absorption, making it more difficult for the fish to spit the hook. A stretchy line can keep constant tension on the fish during the fight, making it more difficult for the fish to get away. 

But, stretchy line provides less feedback in the water. In other words, it’s not as easy to detect bites as it is with a line that offers little or no stretch. Setting the hook is also more difficult since a fishing line with lots of stretches doesn’t translate your motion to your lure.  

Shock Strength 

If you’re ever had your lure or bait entirely obliterated by a fish only to find out that he snapped your line in the process, you’re not alone. You’ve just received a powerful lesson in shock strength, and it’s something every angler will deal with at least a time or two in their life. 

Shock strength ties in closely with line stretch, as the stretch is vital for providing good shock strength. Lines that don’t have any “give” in them are more likely to be broken off by an aggressive strike from a large predatory fish. 

Abrasion Resistance 

A critical characteristic of any fishing line is its ability to withstand the cuts, nicks, and abrasions it will be subject to while fishing. Abrasion resistance is crucial if you’re fishing over wrecks, mussel beds, or a rocky bottom. Or if you’re targeting toothy fish, like spanish mackerel, that can easily bite through a line that doesn’t provide much abrasion resistance. 

Buoyancy

Some fishing line floats naturally, while other lines sink. Depending on the type of fishing you’re doing, this can be good or bad. A highly buoyant line is ideal for topwater fishing but less so for fishing the bottom or targeting a specific depth in the water column. 

You can still use a floating line in these scenarios because the weight of your sinker or lure will get the line down to where it needs to be. But, the line doesn’t travel straight up and down the way, a sinking line would. 

Visibility 

Visibility is another characteristic that’s important when selecting a fishing line depending on how you feel about the concept of fish being “line shy.” The marketing and advertising tell us that fish can spot fishing lines in the water, and smart fish know well enough to stay away from when they spot it.

Meanwhile, anglers have been pulling up trophy fish by rod and reel for centuries. I’m sure you can imagine how easy it was to see the fishing line of that day in the water. While it’s debatable whether visibility plays a role in your ability to catch fish. It stands to reason that keeping a stealth appearance underwater is a good idea.  

Color 

Color is another line characteristic to consider, especially if you put stock into the idea that fish can see your line underwater. Some anglers choose their favorite color, and that’s the line they go with. But there is some reasoning behind the different color fishing lines. 

Choosing fishing line color
  • Clear – Ideal for all-around use, with low visibility in any water.
  • Chartreuse/Yellow – High visibility above water makes it easy to detect strikes and identify your line against others in the water. Equally visible underwater, so it’s best for conditions when visibility is poor. 
  • Red – Supposedly fish aren’t able to see red, and the line appears invisible to them. We’ve yet to confirm with any fish.
  • Blue – Provides solid visibility above water while disappearing when fishing in clear waters.
  • Green – Same premise as blue, but for water with a green color to it. Perfect for fishing where algae are prevalent. 
  • Camo – Camo line offers the practical benefit of changing color every ten feet. This allows an angler to count the color changes and drop their bait or lure to a specific depth.

Types of Fishing Line

Now that you know the characteristics and qualities of fishing lines, let’s discuss how they apply to the different types of fishing lines. 

Monofilament Fishing Line

Monofilament has been around since the DuPont company first marketed nylon fishing line in 1939. Mono offered some advantages over the dacron braid of the time, which was like baker’s twine. 

Monofilament fishing line

For one, it had low visibility underwater. It also offered excellent knot strength. But, it was stiff and difficult to handle. The early line also had high memory, retaining its shape as it was cast off the reel, making it prone to tangles. 

Still, the concept of the monofilament line was promising, and DuPont continued research and development. By 1959, Dupont had remedied many of the issues inherent to their earlier monofilament lines with the release of Stren, which is still a famous brand today.

Modern monofilament lines are made from plastic polymers, which are softer and make them easier to cast and handle. These lines also have lower memory, making tangles less of an issue than in the past. Plus, it’s inexpensive to produce, which makes it the most affordable option on the market. 

The softer line also absorbs shock exceptionally well, which can make it easier to fight a fish. But, its softness makes it more prone to abrasion, so it’s easier to get cut off by rocks or a toothy fish like barracuda.

Braided Fishing Line

Braided fishing line has existed for well over a century, and it’s become more popular than ever in recent years. Originally, braid had natural fibers like cotton or silk, and it had more in common with baker’s twine than the braid you see on store shelves today. 

Braid fishing line

The invention of synthetic fibers like Dacron and Spectra allowed manufacturers to produce braided lines with exceptionally high strength, relative to their diameter and minimal stretch. 

The benefits of braid make it ideal for offshore anglers and sportfishing. With its thinner diameter, anglers can load more lines onto a fishing reel than the equivalent test mono or fluorocarbon. This way, you can fish smaller, lighter reels than ever before. 

The thinner diameter is also less affected by ocean currents, allowing anglers to fish with less weight and lighter lures. Combine that with smaller reels, and you’re able to execute finesse techniques that were never possible in the past. 

Since braid has all most no stretch, it’s also easier to detect bites. This is a benefit when deep-sea fishing for species like lingcod, and any time you’re fishing for a species with a characteristically stealthy bite. 

On the downside, braid doesn’t allow light to pass through it as mono and fluoro do, so it’s highly visible to fish. It also isn’t very abrasion-resistant. Braid is also the strongest type of fishing line. But its exceptional strength sometimes works against itself, as it can be tough to snap the line if you get your rig stuck in some structure. 

Fluorocarbon Fishing Line

Throughout the middle part of the 20th century, companies like DuPont in America and Kureha in Japan continued to innovate. This culminated in the invention of the vinylidene fluoride resin fishing line. This material, better known as fluorocarbon, offered several advantages over traditional mono. It made it to market under the Seaguar label in 1971.

Fluorocarbon is a monofilament line, but it improves upon all the issues that have plagued traditional nylon mono. 

While nylon mono has low visibility in the water, fluoro masks its appearance even further. And it almost disappears underwater. Low visibility is an important consideration when targeting skittish fish spooked by fishing rigs or line. 

Fluoro is also harder and more abrasion-resistant than monofilament or braid. This makes it more resistant to nicks from heavy structures or toothy fish. This factor is a massive benefit because anglers can catch more fish without having to re-tie their rigs. Or worse yet, worrying about losing a fish because of a line failure. 

While fluoro doesn’t stretch as much as mono does, it still offers more stretch than braid. And provides some shock-absorbing properties when you’re fighting a big fish. 

Fluoro also has less memory than nylon mono, making it more resistant to tangles and birds’ nests while casting. 

Lastly, fluorocarbon is very resistant to UV damage. Traditional monofilament damages easily in sunlight. And after enough exposure, it becomes brittle and prone to breakage. Fluoro is much more resistant to this damage, giving it a longer lifespan. 

Given all the benefits of fluorocarbon, you may be wondering why you’d ever considered a different type of fishing line. Fluoro blows away the competition by virtually every major, except for one critically important one: price. Fluorocarbon is the most expensive line to produce, and spooling up your fishing reel with fluoro could cost as much as $100 depending on the line specs you need.

If you are thinking about investing in some fluorocarbon fishing line, check out our other article Best Fluorocarbon Line, where we share our top five picks.

Copolymer Fishing Line

Copolymer lines are a relatively recent development and an answer to an obvious problem. The advent of the fluoro fishing line has provided anglers with a premium product that offers better properties than other line types. It’s also significantly more expensive. 

Copolymer lines are a combination of two filaments, usually nylon monofilament and fluorocarbon. The resulting copolymer line provides advantages over mono. Such as enhanced durability, less stretch, and more UV resistance. And, it’s much less expensive than 100% fluorocarbon. 

Fishing Line Leader Material

Leader material is any terminal fishing line attached to the reel’s mainline. In most cases, the leader material is either nylon mono or fluoro. And most lines marketed as leader material have enhanced abrasion resistance compared to the standard line.  

Fishing Wire

While fluoro and even mono offer decent abrasion resistance. Some fish species, including sharks, barracuda, and sizeable predatory game fish, have teeth that chop through the fishing line like a hot knife through butter. When targeting these species, traditional line material isn’t an option.

Fishing line wire leader

That’s where the fishing wire comes in. Fishing wire is available in single-strand and braided varieties, and they usually wind onto the mainline on your reel. The metal wire provides superior abrasion resistance, allowing you to land toothy fish even as they’re biting on your line. 

Fly Leader

Fly leader is a specialized fishing line designed for fly fishing outfits. Fly leader is made of a synthetic material coated in PVC. The primary material is weighted, providing casting distance and determining how the line behaves in the water.

Some fly leaders float on the surface, which makes them ideal for topwater fishing. Other leaders are partially or fully sinking, allowing anglers to present their flies at specific points in the water column. The line can also be weighted at different points to improve casting distance or allow for subsurface presentations. 

Tippet Line

Tippet line is the terminal line used when fly fishing for species like trout using light or ultralight gear, and it’s equal in diameter or thinner than the fly line. Tippet is ultra-flexible, virtually invisible, and allows for a very natural presentation. Tippet is also beneficial because it extends the life of your leader line, which is expensive. 

If you change flies often, the taper of your leader line would be cut away a few inches every time you tie on a new fly. Tippet line, which is usually around 2-3 feet in length, becomes your defacto leader material. And you’ll be cutting that back instead of your actual leader when you tie on. 

The Advantages of Mixing Fishing Line Types

Different types of fishing lines have inherent pros and cons. By mixing fishing line types, you can enjoy the best characteristics of one type of line while using another type to mitigate its drawbacks. 

For example, many anglers load some monofilament line onto a reel as a backer because it’s cheap and spools easily onto the reel. From there, they’ll add about triple the amount of braid as the mainline for the reel because it’s sensitive and allows for a textbook hookset. Last, they’ll add a fluorocarbon leader for a stealthy presentation and abrasion resistance. 

How to Tie Braid to Monofilament or Fluorocarbon 

There are dozens of ways to secure braid to mono. But there are two tried and tested knots that I find myself coming back to whenever I’m tying braid to mono or fluoro.  

Double Uni Knot 

The double uni knot is a time-tested classic that anglers of all skill levels use regularly.

How to tie double uni knot
  1. Overlap the mono line and braided line by about 3” on each side
  2. Wrap the mono end around the braid, creating a loop
  3. Pass the mono end through the loop 3-4 times
  4. Cinch down the mono end to tighten up your first uni knot
  5. Wrap the braid end around the mono, creating a loop on the opposite side of your uni knot
  6. Pass the braid end through the loop 3-4 times
  7. Cinch down the braid end to tighten the second uni knot
  8. Pull the mono line and braided line so the knots meet
  9. As pressure is applied, the knot will continue to cinch down, improving its strength
  10. Trim both tag ends tightly

GT Knot

The GT Knot is easy to tie and with higher breaking strength than virtually any other knot. 

How to tie GT Knot
  1. Loop the mono or fluoro around itself
  2. Wrap the free end of the mono around itself twice
  3. Pass the free end of the mono through the loop from step
  4. Pull the free end until the knot flips to create a loose figure 8 shape
  5. Take the braided line and pass it down through the first loop and up through the second
  6. Place a finger between the braid and mono lines
  7. Wrap the braid around the mono 6-8 times
  8. Pass the free end through the loop you’re holding with your finger and cinch down
  9. Pull the mono and brain line so the knots meet and cinch down
  10. Trim the tag ends

How to Tie Fishing Line to a Reel

Securing your line to the reel spool is critically important, both for fishing reasons and for your wallet. If the line isn’t properly secured on the reel, you’ll experience slippage when you land a fish.

If you’re lucky, you’ll be able to set the hook and still reel the fish in. But if the line slippage is severe, you’ll end up quite literally spinning your wheels and getting nowhere as you reel. 

If the line isn’t correctly gripping the reel spool, you will need to remove it entirely. Unfortunately, it’s tough to reuse once you take it off the reel. Whenever it’s happened to me, I’ve chalked it up as a loss and replaced the line with new. 

Tying on Monofilament or Fluorocarbon Line

To tie a new line onto a reel spool, you’ll begin by tying an arbor knot. 

Arbor knot to tie fishing line to reel
  1. Loop the line around the reel spool, crossing the short end over the line coming from the spool of line
  2. Tie an overhand knot around the line coming from the spool of line, forming a slipknot
  3. Tie an overhand knot at the free end of the line to create a stop for the slipknot
  4. Cinch both knots down, and pull on the line coming off the spool until the knot is tight against the reel spool
  5. Trim the tag end as close as possible

Tying on Braid

Most fishing reels have smooth spools that don’t grip braided line well, making it much easier for the line to slip. To prevent this, most anglers start by tying on some monofilament line of an equivalent test or greater than the braided line they’re going to use. 

To tie braid onto a reel, start by securing some mono to the reel with an arbor knot, then tie the mono to braid with a double uni knot. The double uni is the best knot for this application because it maintains a low profile. Adding mono before the braid helps prevent slippage. It also allows you to pad out the line on the fishing reel with inexpensive mono so you can use less pricey braid. 

Spooling the Reel

You can spool the reel manually, but the process is much easier if you have some tools for the job. It’s easy to create a jig for yourself using stuff you have lying around the workbench. But if you’re going to be spooling new reels often, you may want to consider purchasing a fishing line spooler. Read our other article Best Fishing Line Spooler to learn how to easily re-spool your fishing reel.

The key to correctly spooling a reel is maintaining constant tension on the line as it’s spooled onto the reel. Tension ensures that the line sits tightly against the line beneath it, eliminating slippage.

Final Thoughts 

Now that you’re armed with everything you need to know about the different types of fishing line, apply what you’ve learned and take it to the water!

Check out our fishing tackle buying guides and reviews designed to help you navigate and find the best fishing tackle available. Consider the characteristics and properties you need most in your fishing line, and you should have no trouble choosing the perfect line for your setup.

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