Does your choice of
fishing line really matter?
A lot of anglers,
especially weekend warriors, don’t think about their fishing line
beyond the test weights. But if you spend time pursuing freshwater
fish, this is a bit of “old school” thinking these days. Choosing
fishing line for both proper pound-test and structure can mean the
difference between catching freshwater fish like bass, walleye, or
catfish, and losing lures or live bait to snapped lines.
Why fishing line choices matter
There are three
types of fishing line on the market now, each with its own pros and
cons. Because there are so many different freshwater fish and ways to
catch them, it’s important to understand these differences between
types of lines.
Monofilament
Monofilament
fishing line is the older type that you probably have used most often,
even exclusively. And it’s still very useful in a wide range of
freshwater fish angling situations. So versatility is its biggest
advantage. Its drawback is a characteristic called “line stretch,”
which refers to how much it physically expands, length-wise.
Braided
To respond to
complaints about the stretching of mono fishing line, braided lines
were invented. They reduce this expansion, especially when fighting
freshwater fish you’ve hooked. And they impart superb feel to you
through the rod. The negative here is that they can be hard to tie
knots with vs. monofilament.
Fluorocarbon
The new
breakthrough in fishing line technology is fluorocarbon filament.
Among the advantages when going after freshwater fish: low abrasion,
very thin and nearly invisible in water, and it sinks, allowing for
deeper angling. The two negatives are: susceptibility to heat
damage, and it tends to unravel from the spool, especially when you
open a spinning reel’s bail.
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