Fishing line, fly fishing line, monofilament line, fluorocarbon, braided line

Fishing Line plays a major role in bait and lures presentation, in hooking fish, and in landing the fish. No single type of line is perfect for all fishing conditions, it depends of situation and location. In order to choose the best line, you should consider the size of the fish you are going after, freshwater or saltwater, the type of tackle being used, and other important factors including proper breaking strength, diameter, abrasion resistance, tension, UV resistance, stretch, flexibility, ultimate tensile knot strength, stiffness, visibility and durability, dynamic load impact, limpness and casting ability. The true measure of line performance is dependent upon all of the characteristics in combination. All of these characteristics play an important role in the overall performance potential of a line. Fishing lines can be made from different materials and manufacturing processes that have been refined or added to give you better lines to improve your catch rate and to get the job done.

Good fishing line is the base for successful and enjoyable fishing and one the most important equipment item for fishermen. It is very important to have a good quality line that's right for the job, then you will no blame your line if you lose a big one.
    For fishing in affluent cover, like rocks, best choise is a Monofilament line, designated tough, extreme or extra tough. For fishing in transparent water, the best choice is Fluorocarbon line, thinnest line which refracts not much light and disappears underwater, designed extra thin or extra limp depand on diameter. For fishing in vegetation water, like lily or bottom overgrown with moss or other algae, the best choice is thin and strong Braided line, or Fused line.

Monofilament Line

Hi Tech Premium Co-Polymer Super Strong X-Power Fishing Line made in Japan

It's a premium copolymer line made from special blend of pa6 and pa66 polymers to give a very high breaking strain with minimum stretch. Line has excellent transparency, suppleness and abrasion resistance to make it the perfect choice for professional anglers. The special copolymer blend has been developed and refined over the years to offer a consistent product with good knot strength, high impact strength and excellent handling. This line is suitable for both freshwater and saltwater applications where a very high level of consistency and performance are required this line is one of most versatile lines that is used worldwild in many different situations. Back to top

Main characteristics of Monofilament Line

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Fly Line

It carries the fly and leader across the water to the feeding fish and presents the fly according to the type of line and ability of the person casting. The rating of fly line is a measure of its weight when 30 feet of line are out of the rod. It is weight that causes rod to flex when casting. A higher rating will cast greater distances but will impact the water with greater disturbance. A lower rated line will be more delicate and will present the fly much more gently.
Fly fishing requires a balanced system - rod, reel, line, and leader all need to work together. It is important to match the reel and rod, to select the right line and leader, that matched to rod and reel, to ensure that your system works as a unit. There are a number of factors involved in choosing the proper fly fishing line.

Main characteristics of Fly fishing Line

Line weight of a Fly fishing line is ranked from 1 to 15, with 1 being the lightest and 15 the heaviest. Lighter lines are suited for delicate presentations and for casting light flies, also best to use line weights from 1 to 7 lbs for lighter fish such as panfish and most trout. For Largemouse Bass better to use a little heavier weight, from 7 to 9 lbs. Heavier lines are best for casting large, wind-resistant and heavy flies, heaviest lines an 8 to 15 lbs used for larger freshwater and saltwater fish.
Line taper helps you cast more efficiently, this why most fly lines are tapered. This taper varies in weight, diameter and thickness over the length of the line. There are five main types of taper, each to meet a specific purpose: Weight-forward (WF) taper, Double taper (DT), Level (L) taper, Shooting taper (ST) and Bass bug/saltwater (BBT) taper. Weight forward line is the best choice for most types of fishing. An alternative floating coating for those items when a smoother, higher floating line is required, combining some advance polymers with floating micro spheres creates a line with a dry and smooth finish that casts like a dream, lifts off the water perfectly and is a joy to use. This line is easier to cast, allows better control and longer casts. Back to top Combining some advance polymers with floating micro spheres creates a line with a dry and smooth finish that lifts off the water perfectly and casts like a dream. It is finer than WF line and is more easer to mend and roll cast, but more difficult to cast long distances, it also provides less wind resistance. Double taper line is the best choice for performing S casts or the roll cast, most useful on moving water. This line makes delicate presentations of the fly at short distances on small- to medium-size rives. The light taper on the front allows for the fly line to land on the water without creating a spectacle, and the weighted middle of the fly line allows for solid general fly casting. The double taper fly line also can be reversed and fished either end. Back to top
Level taper fly lines float extremely well due to their even weight and width. The advantages of fly lines are being supple for minimized drag and memory; they stretch to protect your rod and tippet, and do not absorb water for feather-like landing. It is the best choice for fly fishing with live bait and will work very well with every rod. Back to top
The front section of line is stout and short to form a casting loop. This line can be attached on the running line using monofilament, braided line or a very fine diameter fly line. A shooting line is the best choice for fast-running rivers and in extreme wind conditions. The combination of extra weight and width of the first 20 feet of fly line, combined with a thinner line for the remaining length of the fly line, which reduces air resistance and drag on the fly rod guide, can greatly increase casting distance in the hands of an experienced angler.

Bass bug/saltwater taper is like a regular weight forward except that the front taper section is shorter. This design helps with heavier wind-resistant flies with a minimum of false casting, hence its use for catching feisty bass or bigger saltwater fish. Bass bug/saltwater line is the best choice for quick casts, for fishing large poppers and hair-bugs, heavy flies.

Backing Line

Fly Line Backing is the long length of the extra thin, high-visibility line attached to the rear end of your fly line, which enables you to land fish that can run farther than the length of your fly line. Backing line adds length to your fly line, helps you land big fish that run with your line, and also keeps your reel spool full, making line retrieval faster and minimizing line recoil. This generally comes in 20-pound test suggested for fly line weights less than 8 (bset using for for bass, trout and other freshwater game fish) and the 30-pound test for use with 8-weight line or higher, for larger fish, such as salmon, striped bass or bonefish. Smaller diameter increases the backing capacity of every fly reel and reduces backing drag in the water.

Leaders

To make the most delicate presentations of your bait, or another way of letting your fly or other selected lure hit the water like a natural bug you need a special, tapered length of line that connects your fly line to the fly. The fly is then tied to the thinnest part of the line called the tippet, which ensures there won't be a big splash that scares away that big fish.
    Leaders come in a system that helps you match the size of the tippet with the weight of your fly. These tippets carry an "X-rating" based on their diameter ranging from 0X, the thickest and strongest to 8X, the thinnest and weakest. 4X and 5X 12 foot leader are used most often for trout, 6 foot and shorter leaders are best with sinking or sink-tip lines, 9-foot leaders are perfect for small streams. 9 foot leader works well with dry flies, wet flies and nymphs on fast-moving water, 12 feet or more leader is great in slower water where you really need extreme delicacy.

Extruded from hi quality copolymer nylon and tapered using latest precision technology, this specially designed knotless tapered leader is great for a smooth turnover and accurate presentation, for effortless and precise casting. A shorter leader is very helpful in improving control and accuracy.

The braided leader are strong and very convenient for casting in a fly and tenkara fishin that can help the anglers cast longer. The braid leader has a small hollow air core, and very little stretch, making it very sensitive. It is great for slow moving or still-water dry fly fishing when high stealth is required.

Furled leader improves casting and presentation all types of flies from tiny dry flies to heavy streamers and nymphs in every type of water on small inland streams, crystal clear spring ponds and large lakes. Nylon monofilament leaders rely primarily on their stiffness to effect a smooth transfer of power from the fly line to the tippet and fly.

Braiding is a form of weaving using multiple strands of material to create a round tube-like strand. The air core tends to absorb and hold water, discharging it in a fine mist pattern during each cast. Braided leader butts are generally much bulkier than the furled leader butts since they have this hollow core.
The furled leader is constructed of densely twined strands, they are made with a single strand of material, looped around the pegs of a jig, in an interlocking pattern, to create the desired taper. Once looped, the leader is then straightened out, and twisted very tight, until it looses about 10% of it's original length. At that point the two ends are brought back together and the leader is allowed to untwist, or furl onto itself. This creates a solid strand with a spiral twist, and a fair bit of stretch. The furled leader butt is entirely solid throughout the cross-section of its diameter and absorbs or holds no water. A furled leader uses its mass and suppleness. They also acts as a shock absorber protecting against over striking and preventing light tippets from breaking while playing a fish. The leader behaves much like a spring; storing and releasing energy as force is applied or relaxed.

Colored fishing lines

Are more visible for you on the water, so you will able to follow the line after cast. They are generally bright fluorescent colors in yellow, orange, lime green or natural shades of green, peach, buff or brown. For sinking lines, better to use less visible color like brown, olive, dark green or black. The line's construction contains camouflaged lead what connects line and fly, it helps don't scare a fish away with line color.
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Density

How your line behaves on the water depends on its density or line type, which affects its buoyancy. Fly lines are produced in various densities, floating, neutral, sink tip, intermediate, slow sinking, fast sinking, very fast sinking, and a few in between.

Types of materials

Monofilament line

Is a thin string made of polymer, a single strand of fiber, know as nylon fishing line. Nylon Monofilament is a single-component item, which is formed through a compressing process in which fused plastic is formed into a strand through a die, it is a co-product of crude oil conversion. The most benefits are of its strength, availability in all pound-test kinds, and low cost. It comes in many different colors such as white, green, blue, clear, and fluorescent, suitable for different situations. Monofilament can absorb water resulting in loose knots, and its sensitivity can decrease when it is wet.
    Monofilament degrades with time and can weaken when exposed to heat and sunlight. When stored on a spool for a long time, it may come off the fishing reel in coils or loops. A premium grade nylon monofilament line is high quality and more abrasion-resistant, have a lot of additives what makes line stronger. It is also more expensive than a regular monofilament line, it is more consistent in strength, color, and diameter.
    Monofilament is best suited for freshwater fishing in streams or lakes because it is forgiving, they stretch better and less visible in water. Bad because Mono also has a lot of stretch, it's harder to set the hook with stretch, except if the fish are being finicky and not slamming the lure when they bite. Monofilament gives you the extra time you need to let the fish get it in it's mouth before you set the hook. A limp, flexible monofilament line is the best for spinning reels. It won't be as strong and will have more stretch, but it will work best for casting and retrieval. A stiffer line is best for baitcasting reels. It will be more abrasion resistant.
    Because mono floats, you can keep the spinnerbait right up near the surface more easily, especially on long casts. It is often important to keep a spinnerbait near the surface so fish can't get a good look at the lure, and mono allows you to do this easily.
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Co-Filament line

Is also made of nylon, but it has an inner and outer wrap for added resistance to wear and tear while still providing sensitivity, stretch and durability. This basically uses an inner and outer cover of nylon to improve the line's ability to withstand wear and tear.

Braided line

It is made of Spectra or Micro-Dyneema fibers, extra strong and thin synthetic fibre what 10 times stronger than steel, woven together into a strand of line. Braided line consists of interlaced stands of nylon, what make a multifilament line named Dacron. Braided fishing lines have low abrasion resistance, much more then Monofilament, extremely strong and have no stretch, you can feel everything at the end of your line. Braided lines will last much longer than monofilament lines will. Many manufacturers add a coating to hold the braid together, increasing its durability and strength.
    Braided lines are thinner and limper than monofilament, which allows you to cast further and cuts through the water better. They have the advantage of being able to cast long distances and strong enough to resist the weight of large fish. This lines are very visible in the water, so a long leader is usually required. Wind knots are common with braided lines because it is very limp. The same with scratch, braided lines become much weaker so you need to watch for broken braid strands. Braided line mainly used as a backing material for fly fishing reels. Also braided line is excellent for all spinning reels.
    Because of its thinness, durability, abrasion resistance, sensitiveness, ultra strong, extra tough and other factors braided fishing line was acknowledged as the best line in most fishing situation. Different colors are best to use in different situation. Moss Green - best suitable for heavy weeds water. Clear Blue Fluorescent - indispensable when the sun is already out and you need to see the line above the water. In spite of the line is good visible above surface - it's almost invisible under water. Brown line is best when you fish in troubled or dark waters. Low Visibility Clear line better to use when you fishing in mega clear, transparent waters. High Visibility Gold is good to use lines when you are trolling several lines at the same time.
    If you are fishing in light cover, clear water, or rocky terrain, generally fluorocarbon is the better choice because it's less visible, highly abrasion-resistant around sharp objects like rocks, and still has low-stretch for good hooksets and feel. If you are fishing thick cover or stained and muddy water, braid is generally your best choice. You can get away with visible lines in thick enough cover, and nothing beats braid when it comes to pulling fish out of heavy cover, especially thick weeds. Braid will cut right through that stuff.
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Fused line

Line share similar features with the braided line types. Fused fishing line consists of multiple layers of microfilaments spun together with polyethylene fibers to maintain sensitivity, strength and a small line diameter while keeping the line limp for easier casting and distance. These fibers are thermally fused together applied with a separate coating to produce a single strand of mega thing and ultra strong line. The good is this kind of lines has very good abrasion resistance and sensitivity, great strength, they are thinner and provides great hook sets. The bad is they are highly visible in water.

Fluorocarbon line

Line is made of a polymer of fluorine boned to carbon. It comes closest to the refractive index of water, making it almost invisible under water and visible above the surface. It is especially important when fishing in clear and transparent waters. It is not affected by the sun's UV rays unlike a Braided line, resistant against gasoline and battery acid, so it last longer. It does not absorb water unlike a Monofilament line, what makes the line stronger and keeps its strength. It does not float at surface, making it sink faster, quicker and deeper. It has a low stretch and harder surface so it is more resistant to sharp fish teeth and wear. Optical density is lower which makes the line less easily discernable.
    The big advantages fluorocarbon has is greater abrasion-resistance, lower-stretch and it is much less visible to fish. When fish through heavier cover, fluorocarbon resists abrasion much more than mono. It's low-stretch help to feel more bites. However only Monofilament with it's high-stretch allows you to "pop" or "bowstring" your lure out of snags, heavy cover or snaggy environments more easily than Fluorocarbon. Braided line is great to fish in thick grass however fluorocarbon is the better choice because it still has low enough stretch to rip it free of weeds, and it is less visible in the water. Fluorocarbon is the most versatile of the line types for most applications except floating swimbaits since it sinks. In this case, monofilament (which is buoyant) is a better choice.
    Fluorocarbon is a good choice for fishing spinnerbaits because of its enhanced sensitivity, lower stretch and greater invisibility. Also fluorocarbon does have some stretch to it and will prevent you from snapping your line when casting very heavy baits, like happened with braid, when the spool will suddenly stop in mid-cast for some reason (line come to a screeching halt) and your swimbait to fly off into the trees or deep water.
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Diameter

determines the line's pound-test strength, the weight line can hold before it breaks. The higher the tensile strength, the thinner a line will be for a given breaking strength. The thinner the line, it is more sensitive, and this helps you to see and feel the smallest fish bites. Diameter affects wind resistance (distance and accuracy) in casting; water drag (the weight you need to anchor a still-fished line in a current); the thickness of knots (the amount of resistance they're encountered sailing through the guides). Diameter must be compatible with the rod you are using. You don't want to loose a fish as well as you don't want the fish to break the line, and off cause you don't want your pole breaking. Smaller diameter lines and lower pound test lines are better suited for spin-casting or spinning reels. Bigger diameter is better for bait-casting reels, and even heavier for saltwater fishing than for freshwater. But don't forget about fun, most anglers choosing the lightest line possible and increasing the challenge of landing a big fish with lightest line.
    The diameter of a line is important for several reasons. The smaller diameter is better, as long as other properties such as casting ability, abrasion resistance and strength are acceptable. Smaller diameter lines are less visible to fish when in the water; it will produce better action as the lure is worked through the water. With smaller diameter lines, more line can be spooled onto the reel, giving the fisherman additional capacity to cast farther and also to fight a fish.
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Line characteristics

Density - mass per unit level. It affects a line's weight, sink rate, and responsiveness to moving air or water on solid, single-strand lines. Multi-stranded lines have a much lower effective density than single-strand lines made of the same material, because of their larger diameter.
Stiffness normally adds strength to a line; the stronger lines are also stiffer lines, the larger the diameter, the stiffer the line. The limper lines are designed for some types of reels to make casting easier and for open waters where trees and rocks or other structures are a problem.
Limpness is the manageability and memory of the line, which affects the ease of casting ability, presentation, lack of coiling, etc. Limpness in a fishing line can affect a number of characteristics. Fishing lines that retain more of their original length are generally much easier to cast when there is less coiling or memory in the line. Lines are also much easier to handle and manage when tying knots.
Flexibility - pounds per square inch (psi), it is modulus of elasticity or modulus of flexure. A softer, more flexible line will generally allow a lure or live bait more freedom of action than a stiffer line.
Elasticity or Stretch - Keep a line from breaking under pressure or shock impact. But also it could cause a knot to slip, or keeps you from feeling a bite. From the most to the least stretchy: monofilament and braided nylon, wire, Dacron (Micron and other polyesters), new polysynthetic microfilaments (Spectra, Kevlar...). Under normal fishing pressures, polyester braids are stretch-free. Nylon and the other synthetics make fishing lines are almost elastic. Monofilament looses 10% of its tensile strength near the breaking point. Kevlar does not yield before breaking.
Breaking Strength (test strength) - the weight the unknotted line can support. Most line materials weaken when they absorb water. The international Game Fish Association uses line-strength classes: 1,2,4,6,8,10, 15, 24, 36, 60 kg, corresponding to 2, 4, 8,12,16,20,30,50,80,130 lb. For a fish to qualify as a line-class record, the line must break at or under the weight of its class.
Shock Resistance or Dynamic Load Impact - is the amount of force or sudden impact (measures in pounds) that the line can handle before it breaks. The impact resistance is a sudden, violent loading of stress. It usually occurs when a big fish hits a trolled lure, or fisherman strikes to set the hook, or when a battling fish jumps. The stretchier the line, the more impact-resistant it is. This is very important when a hooked fish makes an unexpected turn or a hard run, again putting extra pressure on the strength of the line.
Abrasion Resistance is a line's ability to withstand all that rubbing, chafing, wear, and tear. Fishing lines are abrasion-resistant because it is subjected to harsh conditions--rocks, tree stumps and the weather. Fishing lines are exposed to a constant barrage of abrasive materials (line guides, weeds, stumps, brush, grass, rocks, pilings, etc.) which can cause small scratches in the line. A line's ability to resist these nicks determines how well it will hold up under the pressure of fighting a fish. Good line is the one that can withstand scuffing, nicks and the normal wear-and-tear from repeated casting. Monofilaments now also come in special designs to improve abrasion resistance in extreme fishing conditions. Monofilament "hard" lines are more abrasion-resistant than "soft" lines. Wire lines more abrasion-resistant than soft lines, but the multi-stranded wires are surprisingly prone to abrasion failure. Multi-stranded lines have a much less resistant to abrasion than single-strand lines made of the same material. Braided-wire lines hold better than twisted wire, with cable-laid wire somewhere in between.
Wet Knot Tension is the amount of force (in pounds) required to break the line. Wet Knot Ultimate Tensile Strength Test is the amount of stress (force per unit area, measured in pounds per square inch) each line experiences at failure, it is an average breaking point. Keep in mind that the overhand knot is perhaps the most destructive knot on fishing line. Just once you cinch down on this knot, the overhand knot will actually cut into the line and the line will break. Never use the Overhand Knot with fishing line!
While fishing, fishing line will be wet, with at least one knot tied in the line (connection of the lure or swivel to the line). Knowing the true strength or the ultimate strength of a line is very important to know on how to handle fighting a larger fish. The larger the diameter of the line the higher the line will score in tension testing. Biggest advantage is ability to use a smaller diameter line while having higher strength that will increase lure performance, greater stealth and casting ability.
Dry Casting ability or Wet Casting ability (when the fishing line is wet) is the speed of how fast and easy a line comes off the spinning reel spool when casting. The faster the line comes off, the easier it is to cast with greater accuracy and control. When the line flows freely off the spool, without binding or dragging through the reel and rod guides, the fisherman will be able to quickly adjust his accuracy to the performance of the line. The result is longer, more accurate casts.
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Visibility

Monofilament nylon gives line makers the opportunity to make virtually invisible fishing lines. It is good fish don't see it, but it makes more difficult the line control.

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