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The Best Monofilament Fishing Line Brands
The monofilament line is a recent and much-welcomed addition to the world of angling, having brought with it innovations that make fishing that much easier and more fun. Among other characteristics, mono is ultra-sensitive, yet tough enough to withstand harsh weather conditions, underwater abrasions, and hard bites.
It has a winning combination of versatility and flexibility and is suitable for a range of applications, which makes it a worthy investment for anglers.
Now, if you’re curious to find out what exactly makes a mono line and what you should look for when purchasing one, then read on.
What is Monofilament?
Monofilament is made from PVDF or Fluorocarbon fiber, in combination with other polymers like extruded nylon. When the extrusion process has been done right, you’ll find that the line is robust, has good knot strength, provides smooth casting, and all the other technical features that anglers are after.
However, due to individual manufacturing bloopers, different lines vary in their strength, sensitivity, and cast ability, etc.
Nevertheless, a unique characteristic of a monofilament line is it’s invisibleness underwater. This feature makes it easier to catch more fish because they never see it coming.
What to Look For in a Monofilament Line
A few of the factors that determine a mono line’s quality and performance include its diameter, stretch, suppleness, smoothness, knot strength, memory, and abrasion resistance.
- Knot Strength: As a feature, knot strength is a ‘nice to have’ when it comes to mono lines, and can only be observed by first-hand experience when angling with the line itself. So it’s hard to tell whether the line can tie strong knots or not before you test it, and that’s where reviews from other anglers can be helpful.
- Diameter: A line with a lower diameter is always preferable, as it’s easier to store in the reel spool.
- Memory: The less memory a line has, the better because you want your casting to be smooth without always having to replace it.
- Abrasion Resistance: Resistance to abrasion refers to a line’s ability to withstand rubbing up against rocks and sharp teeth bites without breaking.
- Suppleness: A line’s suppleness often results in better castability overall, and a more supple line can be cast for long distances.
- Strength: Mono lines are usually available in various sizes with different test strengths, from a little 1 lbs bait fishing line, to ones that can handle 600 lbs targets. In essence, the stronger the line’s test strength, the better able it is to reel in big catches without breaking.
- Colors: Mono lines are also available in different colors to cater to different applications. The most popular among anglers is the clear variety, while ultraviolet blue is considered second best, with its ability to remain transparent underwater and visible above water. Some even glow in daylight and dark light, which makes for ideal night fishing.
- Accessibility: Lastly, the mono line is cheaper to produce, which makes it a more affordable option for most anglers.
Our Favorite Lines
This mono line is known for its ability to hold strong when angling for big game, and it’s versatile enough to crossover from salt water fishing to freshwater without a problem.
Apart from being abrasion-resistant, this line is also shock resistant, which gives it more power to reel in big fish.
The Trilene knot is recommended for this line to perform optimally, and it’s available in a wide variety of colors to suit different conditions and applications.
Pros
- The knots on this line hold up very well, and it doesn’t slip
- It’s available in a variety of colors including, solar collector, clear, green, steel blue, coastal brown and ultra-clear
- It’s available at a super affordable price
- With regards to the strength rating, what you see is what you get. Its strength rating is dead-on, and it never disappoints when catching big game
- It’s versatile enough for use in both saltwater and freshwater applications, although it is advisable to rinse it after use in saltwater
Cons
- This line is a bit stiff and not as versatile as one would expect. But it remains useful when casting reels and pitching in heavy cover
- This line has LOTS of spool memory
This particular line is made from extruded nylon, and it offers features such as superior shock resistance and long-term durability. It’s popular with saltwater anglers for its ability to handle coastal and offshore applications with ease. It’s available in sizes from 10 lbs. At 1275 yards, all the way up to 30 pounds at 400 yards.
Although this line can maintain low memory for a long time, it is advisable not to overfill the spool, as this will most likely lead to a birds nest type of situation. Also, this line works for a number of applications, especially saltwater fishing, as it maintains low visibility under water and yet is easily perceptible from above the water.
Pros
- Great price for the quality
- It’s long-lasting and durable
- Its available in various colors, namely; clear, smoke-blue, hi-vis gee, low-vis green
- Works for a number of applications including trolling, spinning and casting both on coastal and offshore locations
- Maintains low memory for a long time
- it’s solid and shock resistant
Cons
- It tends to get twisted up when the spool is overfilled, so try not to overload the spool with this one
- It’s a bit stiff for spinning reels and works better for casting bait
South Bend is an ultra-clear and abrasion resistant mono fishing line. It has a high knot strength rating, and its knots stay in place. You can get this robust line in different sizes and lengths, from 4 lbs at 1125 yards, to 60 lbs at 100 yards.
Its appearance remains translucent underwater, and it can catch more fish due to its invisibility. It also makes fantastic braid backing and leader material. Overall, it’s the perfect line for novice anglers, as it’s ideal for catching smaller fish.
Pros
- This line ties strong knots that stay in place
- It’s sturdy and long-lasting
- It’s a super affordable line that makes for an ideal first line for beginner anglers
- Catches lots of fish due to translucent invisibility under water
- Makes for a fantastic leader or braid backing material
Cons
- This line doesn’t work for catching bigger game, and is more suited to catching smaller fish
This smooth and supple monofilament line is known for being easy to handle and boasts exceptional accuracy when casting for long distances. It goes through a Proprietary Extrusion Process as well as G2 precision winding during the manufacturing process, which almost eliminates the development of memory overtime.
Also, this line offers up to 15x more resistance against abrasions when compared with other lines on the market, and it has high tensile strength, which means you won’t lose your lure with this.
This versatile line can make a braid and a fuse, and it’s available in several test strengths from 4 lbs. to 20 lbs. Plus, you can get it in two colors, namely camo, and tangerine, which allows you to remain incognito to catch more fish. Lastly, it performs beautifully in all conditions and applications, from ponds with thick vegetation, to saltwater applications.
Pros
- This line has virtually no memory
- Great for spinning reels, and makes a great braided line and bait caster as well
- 15x more abrasion resistance than other lines
- It feels durable but handles easily, thanks to its limp texture
- It’s an incredibly strong line which doesn’t break under pressure
- It’s very supple and casts as smooth as silk
- Available in two incognito colors of camo and tangerine
- Available at a great price for the quality
Cons
- Suffix customer support could use some improvement
As the name suggests, the Stren Monofilament fishing line is perfect for reeling in catfish and other big game. It’s a tough line that’s able to resist abrasions from brushing up against rocks and other below the surface structure. It’s available in a variety of transparent colors, and it glows in the daylight as well as dark light, remaining highly visible to you and completely invisible to the fish.
The Stren is a durable line that can last for a long time. It’s able to retain its color and develops very little memory over time, allowing you to fish with it for longer.
It’s available in sizes and test strengths that range from 20 lbs at 200 yards to 10 lbs at 1250 yards. This mono line also handles well and has a great casting range. You can use this for a number of applications, and it’s a sensitive line that’s able to feel slight movements immediately. Lastly, it’s easy to tie knots on this line, and they hold up very well.
Pros
- This strong line glows under daylight and dark light, which makes it ideal for night time fishing, and it remains completely transparent even as it glows, so the fish never see it coming
- It’s available in different colors, including fluorescent orange, clear, green and fluorescent blue
- It’s durable and long lasting
- Available at an affordable price
- This line has extremely low memory
- It’s easy to tie secure knots that hold up exceptionally well
- Ideal for catfish enthusiasts or anyone wanting to catch big game
Cons
- This line doesn’t work well with fish like carp, as they have more visibility
- Some of the bright colors don’t work well in clear water conditions
The Spiderwise Ultracast is a co-polymer mono line, a combination which gives it more strength-per-diameter than your usual mono line, about 33% stronger to be exact. It has less stretch as well, which makes it more sensitive to bites and nibbles. Its sensitivity is further enhanced by its thin diameter, making for extraordinary bait action.
You can use this monofilament fishing line for various applications, whether you’re casting or spinning. In fact, this line casts beautifully and can go for very long distances. Comes as a clear, colorless line.
Pros
- It’s a super sensitive line that allows you to feel delicate movements instantly
- It’s strong and sturdy
- Comes at an affordable price
- This is a very supple line that can cast for long distances
- It’s easy to handle
Cons
- This line collects too much memory over time, but works great as backing for braid
- It tends to get tangled and knotted up for no reason
- It breaks quickly, so definitely not the best line for fishing big game
- Comes as clear colorless line, with no other color options
Go Fish!
As you can see, the mono line offers up a lot of benefits for anglers, from smooth casting, tying up strong knots and having low visibility, to resisting abrasions and providing exceptional strength and power to reel in big game without breaking.
These fantastic characteristics are what set this type of line apart from the rest, and it’s relatively cheaper when compared to other fishing lines, which makes it even more accessible and sought after. But the most endearing quality of a mono line is its versatility. You can use it with any reel, and some can transition from saltwater to freshwater without changing their structure.
Essentially, mono just makes angling fun and more accessible than before. And once you’ve loaded up with your spool of mono, the only question you’ll be asking is, anyone for a fishing trip?