Fishing Line

A good quality fishing line is essential for your angling success. There are three main types of line used for main lines and leaders:

Monofilament is the cheapest and most common. It is typically clear or green, and is a great all-purpose fishing line that can be used anywhere.

Fluorocarbon, is more expensive, but is becoming increasingly common. The line looks like monofilament but is virtually invisible underwater, which makes it an excellent leader for your tackle.

Fusion or Braided lines are made of woven or fused nylon or Dacron strands. This makes for a super-strong line with a much smaller diameter than monofilament. These lines are stronger per diameter than monofilament, but they are not as transparent and are more expensive. Generally they are used only as main line.

Choosing the right fishing line:
Here are some of the terms you might come across when you're shopping for line. Your local fishing tackle store can help you choose the line that's best suited for your needs.

Strength:
Line strength is expressed in terms of "lb test". The higher the number, or test strength, the stronger the fishing line. This number will be clearly labelled on any fishing line that you buy. It is very important to use the "test" strength line that's appropriate for the species you're after, and local fishing conditions. If your rod and reel are labelled with a suitable line weight or test, it is best to follow these suggestions, as it will help your equipment function properly.

For trout or similar sized species, six to eight lb tests are good main line choices. Leaders are typically lighter than the main line; four to six lbs tests are generally good for trout.

Visibility:
This refers to how visible the line is to the angler (not the fish). On the fishing line box it will generally be listed as high visibility, low visibility or invisible.

Size:
This is the diameter of the line. It will be labelled clearly on the box and is measured in either 100ths of an inch or 100ths of a millimetre.

Stretch:
Fishing lines, particularly monofilament and fluorocarbon, can stretch considerably. Line is usually labelled as no stretch, low stretch, moderate stretch and high stretch on the box.