6 Bass Fishing Line Sizes Every Angler Needs

By using a mono main line and leader, I can give my baits more lift with a Carolina rig. The baits won’t drag the bottom as much as they do with fluorocarbon, and that means more bites. Monofilament has been around for more than 50 years, and it was just about the only kind of line that bass anglers used for most of that time. It’s very castable, not very visible to the fish and it floats, so it’s the natural choice for floating baits. It also stretches more than braid or fluorocarbon, which can be good or bad. It can be daunting at first with so much information out there on of arrangements of rods, reels, lures, and fishing lines, not to mention hooks, sinkers, and bobbers.

Species like Snook and Drum are awfully suspicious in Saltwater flats. Fluoro gives a divide between your bait and the noticeable braided line in your spool. The only disadvantage of traditional braided lines is that they may be more visible to bass than monofilament or fluorocarbon. In heavy cover or low light conditions, though, that probably doesn’t matter. Unlike mono line, fluorocarbon fishing line does not float, so you should not use it for topwater fishing. That said, the fluoro line is very compatible with reaction baits and the soft plastic baits that get the bass biting.

There are tons of fishing line products available in all different styles, tests, and yards with brand names out of a science fiction movie… Spydernanopolybraid? Don’t worry about all of that, the best fishing line for beginners is a classic monofilament. Limiting fish time out of water, having tools to remove the hook nearby, and providing a gentle release are three easy catch and release practices. Catch and release angling helps provide more fishing opportunities for other anglers while giving fish the chance to grow even bigger. If you’re interested in keeping fish, remember to look at your local fishing regulations before bringing anything home.

I am not picky about brands but just be careful of the really inexpensive spools with a ton of line on them. Not going to name names but the 1000 yds spools for $8 should be avoided because they are going to hold lower quality mono with crazy memory issues. Memory is a concept I will cover further down in the Pro’s/Con’s. The more people fish, the better trained the fish become and the harder they catch. Finding spots or times where you see less angling pressure will generally improve your chances of catching fish.

This type of line generally has very little memory or stretch, which once again makes it to be sensitive to bites and allows for good hook-ups with fish. Because it’s thinner, it allows the angler to put heavier test line on his or her reel. Some anglers use 50- to 80-pound test, which allows them to fish in heavy weeds or brush and pull the fish out with no problem. It’s hard to break, though, if one get snagged on the bottom or in a tree.

The lower degree of stretch that fluoro line contains improves its sensitivity, as mentioned. I hope that you catch a lot more bass or at least have more fun trying. If fishing around a crowd is inevitable, try finesse and subtle tactics to help make your presentation look more natural than the person fishing next to you. However, if you feel comfortable going for other lines with other pound test ratings, then you can comfortably go for it .

Therefore, you will have to balance between the fishing line length and strength. In the early mornings and late afternoons, bass usually emerges from the deep so there is no need to use a long fishing line in such a case. Nevertheless, if the rain is light, you should also use a stronger fishing line than normal to increase your chances of success.

Thus, the bigger and stronger the fish, the heavier pound test line you’ll need. While some anglers may prefer to use 6-pound test in some situations, I personally believe that 8-pound test is more versatile. In most situations, you can use it for drop shotting, Neko rigging, wacky rigging, throwing a soft jerkbait, pitching a floating worm and skipping a shaky head around shallow cover. While it’s still thin enough to fool most clear-water bass, it also has just enough diameter to withstand an occasional rub against a dock post or rock pile. I also like mono for fishing certain treble-hooked lures like diving and lipless crankbaits. It makes it tougher for bass to “throw” the lures during the fight.

The more important con is that braid is very visible underwater, which is why it is often paired with a fluorocarbon leader. Braid also doesn’t knot well, and the fibers are difficult to cut so make sure you have a nail clippers or scissors, biting the line is not recommended. Braid is very strong at a smaller diameter, meaning you can spool a lot more of it on your reel and still have the same test as mono.

what weight fishing line for bass

Because it has about the same refractive qualities as water, it’s hard to see underwater, and though it stretches some, it’s more sensitive than monofilament. Baitcasting reels are typically used for more heavy or reaction-strike applications. You can use line anywhere from a 10lb to 25lb monofilament or fluorocarbon, and 30lb to 80lb braid line.

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Dion Liriano is a 51-year-old American zookeeper who has retired from the business. He was once a highly successful director of the Zoo and Aquarium, but he has since hung up his gloves and moved on to other ventures. Dion's passion for animals began at a young age, when he would help his father care for their family pets. This love grew exponentially when he started working at the zoo; Dion quickly became one of the most experienced keepers in the business. He credits his success to the relationships he built with both staff and animals over the years.

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