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What is the Best Fishing Line to Use?
Most anglers like to troll, cast, jig, or use live bait. Here are 3 tips, explaining the best fishing line to use in each of these cases, to maximize your fishing catching!
1) Casting & Retrieving Baits
The best line to use while casting & retrieving lures, is monofilament fishing line, with a fluorocarbon leader.
Your main spool should be filled with monofilament fishing line & then add about 6 – 10 feet of fluorocarbon leader. This is the perfect line combination for casting & retrieving lures.
(If you do not have any fluorocarbon leader line, then using straight monofilament is still o.k. – just not as good as noted above)
2) Jigging or Using Live Bait
When fishing with jigs or when fishing with any kind of live bait rig, the best line to use is a braided line, with a fluorocarbon leader.
Your main spool should be filled with braided line (remember to use some sort of backing on your spool prior to spooling up with the braided line) and then add about 10 feet of fluorocarbon leader. This is the perfect line combination to use while jigging or using live bait.
If you do not have any fluorocarbon leader, then you can substitute with monofilament line. It’s not as good as the fluorocarbon, but it will do the job.
Do not run straight braided line to your jig or live bait as the fish will see your braided line & possibly not strike.
Always use a fluorocarbon leader or monofilament leader any time you use braided line and you will definitely get more strikes & catch more fish!
3) Using Down Riggers, Planner Boards, or Simply Trolling/Flat Lining
When tolling/flat lining or when using down riggers or planner boards, the best fishing line to use is either straight fluorocarbon fishing line or braided fishing line.
Both options offer no stretch, but the preferred fishing line would be to use fluorocarbon.
Braided fishing line is very thin & will have a tendency to “slip” out of your release prematurely, while down rigging or using planner boards. This could cause you plenty of frustration, not to mention take up your valuable fishing time.
Fluorocarbon line will stay securely in your release & offer low stretch & low visibility, which is perfect for trolling/flat lining or trolling with down riggers & planner boards.
4) Summary
So if you happen to have a reel that came with a spare spool, it’s a good idea to have each spool with different line, so that you can easily switch line/spools, to accommodate the type of fishing you are doing.
As always, good luck on the water and good fishing!
PS: Check out 5 quick tips on understanding fishing line for more information
You can leave a response, or get your fishing questions answered.
August 14th, 2009 at 4:39 am
if you do not have any fluorocarbon leader then you can substitute with monofilament line it`snot as good as the fluorocarbon but it fish will see your braided line and and possibly not strike. thank you
August 18th, 2009 at 9:12 pm
Hello Harry,
If you do not have fluorocarbon line, monofilament will also work just fine for you. It’s important to put a leader line on to your braided line.
Just last week end, a good friend of mine was out with his 2 boys. His one son caught 10 bass, he caught 5 bass and his other son did not catch any bass.
The son with 10 fish had a long leader line attached to his braid. The father had a short leader line & the other son who did not catch any bass, did not have any leader line at all on his braid.
Leader line definitely makes a difference. Thanks for writing in & good fishing!