If you’ve never bought much fishing gear before, get ready to be intimidated by the different types of fishing line that are on the market right now. The more you know about fishing equipment, the better prepared you will be to buy the right stuff for your own fishing needs.

There really isn’t something at simple as plain old fishing line. The days of horse hair, silk, or linen fishing lines are long gone. Since the 1930s fishermen have used artificial materials like nylon, dacron, and the like. Today’s fishing line is yet another example of “better life through chemistry.” So here’s a quick introduction to modern fishing line.

Types of Fishing Line
There are superline, fluorocarbon, monofilament, and trolling type lines. Learn the differences between these types so that you can make an informed judgment when you need to buy line.

Superline: The braided superline type of line is best used in heavy cover situations. When you need to fish around wood cover, then the superline should be your choice.

Fluorocarbon: The fluorocarbon is the most popular used right now. This fishing line is nearly invisible in water. This can be used for trolling and right now most anglers use this type of line since this is positioned in between the no-stretch features of the braid and the stretch of the monofilament. This is a good choice since this effectively provides good sensitivity to hits and near invisibility.

Monofilament: The single stranded monofilament is the type of fishing line for the enthusiast who is just starting out. This type of line is friendly to new enthusiasts since the knots are easy to learn and this casts well. Choose this line if you have limited fishing know-how. Unfortunately, monofilament line has a memory problem and needs to be replaced frequently or it will “remember” the shape it used previously and assume it.

The trolling type on the other hand is the preferred choice of walleye anglers. It’s the lead core line that works here and this is weighted that allows the fisherman to present the bait a specific depth.

When you buy fishing line you have to consider its diameter, abrasion resistance, color, and stiffness.

• The diameter establishes the line’s test strength and improves the line’s durability.
• Lines are prone to harsh environmental conditions such as trees, rocks, and the weather so they are made to be resistant to abrasion as much as possible so that they won’t tear off or get snagged easily.
• Colors of the fishing line can be clear or blue fluorescent, low-visibility, low-visibility clear, high-visibility gold, coffee, and moss green. The colors serve different purposes and usually match the place where fishing is done. For instance, moss green is best suited in areas where there are thick algae or heavy vegetation while the coffee color is for the muddy areas and stained places.
• When it comes to stiffness, it is often that the larger the diameter, the stiffer the line.

How to buy fishing line comes in five easy steps

1. Choose between the saltwater or freshwater line.
2. Consider the size,shape and weight of the fishing line. Some types are more light and delicate and easier to roll cast; others are not as delicate but are harder to roll cast. The latter are better to be used in windy situations since they can resist the force of the wind because they are heavier. Fishing line is available in different weights: 4 lb, 10 lb, 12 lb, 20 lb, etc. The line weight should be strong enough for whatever fish you hope to catch.
3. Decide on the color of the line. A fisherman may want to follow the line once it has been thrown on the water. Usually one doesn’t have to worry about the color of the line being distinguished by the fish because it won’t be seen. The neutral-colored leader is the disguise.
4. Consider line retrieval. There are not a lot of variables in here so it is just attaching the line to the reel.
5. Grab something that will clean the line after it is used and before storing it. Dirt from the water enveloped the line so it must be removed so that the line would maintain its flexibility and can be used for a very long time.

The best line is strong, light, flexible, immune to the elements, and resistant to kinks and curls. If you thought that fishing line was simple to buy, it is but you have to know what you are looking for or ask a knowledgeable sales person. Fishing line is cheap, so there’s no excuse for buying poor quality line.

Recommended reading from Amazon:

• The Complete Book of Fishing Knots, Leaders, and Lines
• The Pocket Fishing Guide: Freshwater Basics, Hook, Line & Sinker

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!