Where To Buy Braided Fishing Line
Each fishing location and situation presents different challenges. In determining a fishing line for one situation can be extremely subjective, so these guidelines should be taken from a general standpoint.
where to buy braided fishing line
Fishing top water lures like frogs, poppers, spooks, whopper ploppers, shallow cranks/swim baits and many more work great with braided line because it floats and with no stretch can allow you to really move/activate these baits. Additionally, braid cuts through water better than other lines for less drag. There are monofilament lines that float as well, so perhaps looking at water clarity and surroundings (foliage, wood, open water, etc) should impact what line to choose.
While a monofilament line has a wider diameter than a braided line, it is also less visible in the water, making your bait more appealing and increasing your chances of a bite. Monofilament lines also come in a wide range of colors, allowing you to choose the right shade for the environment and weather.
Ultimately, the line you should choose is a matter of personal preference. When it comes to choosing between braided line vs. mono, what might be valuable perks to some anglers might be drawbacks for another.
The line you choose depends on your level of experience, fishing location and prey. Explore our blog series for more information on fishing and fishing apparel to get the most out of your outdoor fishing adventures.
We thoroughly researched the market, bought 8 of the best fishing lines available, and rigorously tested each one side-by-side to give you the information you need to make the right purchase decision for your needs. Our experts tested the selected fishing lines in nearly every possible environment, from rivers to lakes to bays. We made detailed notes on how each performed in metrics like strength, memory, and casting. When you're angling for the big one, the fishing line is one of the most important aspects of claiming success. We hope our detailed analysis will lead you to the right fishing line for you.
When considering the negatives, the only complaint we could really come up with was that the line almost has too much strength. If a lure or hook happens to get stuck, it's likely that you will lose it or have to clip the line because it's too difficult to break. The unique blue camo color might not work perfectly in all bodies of water, either, so it's worth taking into consideration what type of water you will be fishing in with this line. If you want the fishing line that is the number one all-around after weeks of testing with our experts, you'll find it with the SpiderWire Stealth.
The only real complaint we had about this line is its casting distance. While it beat out many of the monofilament lines we tested, it couldn't keep up with the braided ones in our tests. Overall though, if you want a nearly invisible line with great sensitivity and strength, the Berkley Vanish line is for you.
If you want the right combination of versatility, strength, and sensitivity at a low price, look no further than the time-tested Berkley Trilene XL. While this line lacks some of the fancy features found on the lines above, it makes up for it with quality and versatility. It had reasonably low memory for a monofilament line, which helped it resist kinks for better casting. Speaking of that, this was the best mono line when it came to casting performance. It ran smoothly through the guides on multiple rods and helped us place the bait right where we wanted it. It was also a very versatile fishing line, working equally as well in fresh and saltwater.
When it came to feel, KastKing SuperPower Braided line was about as sensitive as any line we've ever used. It consistently let us know when a fish was biting and helped us quickly set the hook as soon as they took the bait. It also gave us impressive casting distance and was respectable when it came to abrasion resistance. And being that it's a braided line, its diameter was far smaller than a similar mono line, meaning we could fit a lot of line on a small reel. This was especially beneficial when hiking out to a secret spot and wanting to bring the smallest and lightest gear possible.
The only downsides? For one, if you've ever tied a knot with braided line, you know how hard it can be. This line was no different and might even be more difficult than other braided lines. There was also the small issue of the die coming off on your hands when spooling it. Not a big deal, but not desirable, either. All in all, if you want a fishing line that will give you incredible feel, check out the KastKing SuperPower Braided.
If you need a no-frills fishing line that gets the job done in nearly any environment, look no further than the Berkley Trilene Big Game. It's wonderfully durable, resisting abrasion well. This was proven many times when we got a lure stuck in some rocks, and the line was nearly impossible to break even after scraping over the rocks many times. This line was also great for different fishing styles, whether it be casting with a lure or just dropping a hook with a worm on it. It was also one of the best when it came to knot strength. Once we tied a knot, we were confident it would hold.
Although it had many upsides, there were some downsides to consider. This line had the most stretch of all the lines tested. This diminished its feel quite a bit, so we missed more than a few bites, and trying to set the hook was a problem several times. It also has a fair bit of memory, so expect to have some issue if you leave this on the reel for an extended period. Overall, this line was great for a range of styles and techniques. So, if you need a line that can handle the rigors of everyday fishing, you might want to give the Berkley Trilene Big Game a try.
Testing took place in streams and lakes around Mammoth Lakes, California, Jackson Hole, Wyoming, and the coast of Southern California. To get a range of testing environments, we also fished from shorelines and boat decks. We wrangled several fishing buddies to head out on the water with us to give feedback on each product, and in the process, dozens of fish were hooked, landed, and released. This helped us get a lot of experience with each line. We gained insight through intentional in-the-field testing to get a feel for the sensitivity, as well as the versatility and memory. Once we understood each line's advantages, we compared them in side-by-side real-world use to tease out the differences. Our field testing, combined with side-by-side inspections and comparisons, both informed our overall assessments.
Our lead reviewer, Kit Smith, is a life-long angler. He's fished streams, lakes, oceans, and bays for over three decades. Kit's initial fishing experiences include catching halibut and salmon in the San Francisco Bay and alpine stream and lake fishing in the Central Sierra. Later, he moved to Colorado to attend college, where he continued to perfect his angling craft. Kit spends a lot of his free time fishing and reading about fishing gear to stay up to date on the latest products and trends in the world of angling.
During field testing, the five metrics that we assessed for each fishing line are Strength, Memory, Casting, Versatility, and Knots. Below, we'll discuss the importance of each, as well as which lines stood out among the competition.
When it comes to maximum strength, the SpiderWire Stealth Blue Camo-Braid and the Berkley Vanish Fluorocarbon take the top spots. While the 20-lb SpiderWire line we tested takes the cake for the toughest fishing line, proving to be nearly impossible to break, the Berkley Trilene Big Game also ranks high in this category. Of course, strength can come at a cost, as we found out when getting a hook or lured snagged in some rocks. You'll most likely have to cut the line and probably lose your lure if either of these gets stuck.
When you're trying to drop your bait in a specific spot or get a lure to where a fish just jumped, casting distance and control is critical. There were some standouts based on this metric. The Berkley Trilene XL gave us impressive casting distance and accuracy on several different rods, especially for a mono line.
The true king of casting in our tests, though, is the SpiderWire Stealth. With a special coating and braided construction, this line made us look like pros every time we sent a lure flying. Of course, as one of the most expensive lines we purchased, we learned that casting performance comes at a cost.
With as many knots as you'll tie on a fishing trip, we think this is an important metric to include when assessing lines. Traditional mono lines are the clear winners here, which wasn't a surprise since monofilament lines are almost always easier to tie than braided ones.
There was one braided line that did an admirable job in this category, however. The SpiderWire Stealth was much easier to tie than any other braided lines in our line-up and provided excellent knot strength.
One of the best lines tested was the Berkley Vanish Fluorocarbon. It made tying many knots a simple task, including the ever-popular Clinch and Uni knot. But many of the mono lines were just as easy to tie, including the Berkley Trilene Big Game and the Stren High Impact Monofilament. If you get easily frustrated with a line that's hard to tie, you'll want to consider one of these fishing lines.
Braided fishing lines are definitely going to make it into the conversation at some point when talking to any experienced angler about their tackle. This is because they offer certain advantages over monofilament and fluorocarbon lines that can be convincing enough to start using them on a regular basis.
Our braid is a fraction of the diameter of monofilament or fluorocarbon which allows you to pack amazing quantities of heavy line on small reels. Because of this braid has revolutionized big game fishing with light tackle. Anglers are constantly landing bigger and bigger fish with lighter and lighter tackle, and reels are being designed JUST to handle braids tensile strength capacity. 041b061a72