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Line & knots · 4 min read
Braid, mono or fluoro? Pick the right line
Three kinds of fishing line, three different jobs. A plain comparison, and what to put on a baitcaster.
Short answer: On a baitcaster, braid is the everyday choice: 15 to 30 lb for bass and most freshwater. Add a fluorocarbon leader when the water is clear. Mono is the easy, forgiving line, and it's good for topwater lures and crankbaits.
The three lines side by side
| Braid | Mono | Fluoro | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stretch | Almost none | A lot | Some |
| In the water | Floats | Sinks slowly | Sinks |
| How well fish see it | Easily | Somewhat | Hardest to see |
| Thickness | Very thin for its strength | Thicker | Thicker |
| Knots | Palomar or uni | Easy to tie | Wet it, cinch slowly |
| Lasts | Several seasons | About a season | About a season |
| Best for | Grass, heavy cover, long casts | Topwater, crankbaits, learning | Clear water, leaders, worms and jigs |
Braid
Braid is made of thin fibers woven together.
- Thin and strong. 30 lb braid is about as thin as 8 lb mono. More line fits on the spool, and it cuts through grass.
- No stretch. You feel every tap, and your hookset reaches the fish even on a long cast.
- Easy to see. In clear water, tie on a fluorocarbon leader.
- Slick on a bare spool. Put a short layer of mono on the spool first, or a strip of tape, so the braid can't spin around the spool.
How strong on a baitcaster: 15 to 30 lb for bass and most freshwater. 40 to 65 lb for thick cover, catfish, pike and inshore saltwater. Don't go under 15 lb: thin braid digs into itself on the spool and causes tangles.
Our Aqua Weave braided line comes in several strengths, from 10 lb for spinning reels up to 60 lb.
Mono
- Stretchy and forgiving. The stretch works like a shock absorber, so treble hooks on crankbaits and topwater lures are less likely to pull out.
- Easy to handle and easy to tie. A good line to learn on.
- Sinks slowly, so it won't drag a topwater lure under.
- Wears out. Sun and heat weaken it. Replace it about once a season if you fish often, or sooner if it gets curly, chalky or nicked.
On a baitcaster, 12 to 17 lb mono covers most bass fishing.
Fluorocarbon
- Hardest for fish to see. Light passes through it almost the way it passes through water.
- Sinks. Good for lures you fish near the bottom: worms, jigs and deeper crankbaits.
- Tough. It handles scrapes on rocks and wood better than mono.
- Stiffer. Don't overfill the spool, and wet your knots before you pull them tight.
Most anglers use it as a leader tied to braid. You get the strength and feel of braid, and the low visibility of fluoro where the lure is.
How to add a leader
Tie 2 to 4 feet of fluorocarbon to the end of your braid with a double uni knot, then tie your lure to the fluoro. For bass, a 12 to 20 lb leader is typical. For inshore saltwater, 20 to 30 lb.
Spooling tips
- Fill the spool to about 1/8 inch below the rim. Too full means more tangles.
- Keep the line tight while you reel it on. Pinch it lightly through a cloth or between two fingers.
- Tie line to the spool with an arbor knot.
Aqua Weave braided line
From $34.99. Strengths from 10 to 60 lb.
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