03/06/2023
Helpful Information on Fishing Lines
Monofilament
Becoming prevalent in Australia from the 1950s, these lines were, and still are cheap to produce and have remained popular for certain types of fishing (game, rock & beach, and some bait fishing). Made of a single fibre of plastic or nylon, mono lines remain extremely popular in the market.
STRENGTHS
Excellent abrasion resistance – suited to harsh environments such as rocks, coastal edges, oyster estuaries and freshwater granite gorges.
Ability to stretch – or “give” can be important to keep the hook in the fish.
High knot strength and easy to use
Relatively cheap
WEAKNESSES
Memory problems
Ability to stretch – in deep water it can be hard to feel bites
Damage or deterioration from UV rays
The best way to combat these problems is to change your mono line regularly or at any sign of wear.
Recommended Usage:
Backing – bulk or filler of a reel. Mono line is frequently used for backing purposes to fill out the spool length of a reel, saving money on more expensive braided line.
Beach, game and bait fishing scenarios
Harsh environments such as rock, coastal and oyster fishing
Jumping fish such as marlin, mahi mahi and sailfish
Braid (GSP / PE Line)
This newer more advanced type of line was developed by the Dutch, and quickly perfected by the Japanese and US in the 1980s and 1990s. A braided line consists of braiding or weaving fibres into the strand of a line. These “wonder lines” have spurred recent innovation, resulting in the specific and high quality fishing gear that is used today.
STRENGTHS
High knot strength
Lack of stretch – useful in situations where precise, immediate and sensitive movements are required. Very beneficial for fish with a sensitive bite and in deep water applications.
Much smaller diameter compared to mono lines – often around ⅓ diameter of mono line. This can allow for a larger length of line to fit on a spool, and can provide less resistance to sea currents.
Floats – suitable for surface fishing
Not susceptible to UV rays
Does not absorb water
WEAKNESSES
Lack of stretch – hard hitting fish can cause the line to break or the hook to come out of the mouth.
Poor abrasions resistance
Highly visible in water – highly visible to fish. This can be overcome by using a monofilament or fluorocarbon leader to reduce line visibility at the tip.
Recommended Usage:
Deep water fishing and jigging (yellowtail, kingfish)
Targeting fish with a gentle bite
Ultra light tackle lure fishing (bream, whiting, bass or flathead)
Soft plastic fishing (snapper, mulloway etc.)
Bait casting reels used in trolling
Heavy tackle surface luring (giant trevally, big blue water sport and game fish)
Dacron
Commonly used as a backing line, Dacron line is a braided line made from polyester fibre. It is thicker and takes up more space on the reel compared to other types of braid line.
STRENGTHS
Durability
Abrasion resistant
Low stretch
WEAKNESSES
High maintenance
Difficult to spot abrasions
Absorbs water – needs to be cleaned and dried to avoid rot during storage
Recommended Usage:
Used primarily for game fishing and fly fishing as a backing line
Fluorocarbon
Fluorocarbon is a single strand collection of compound material (fluorine, chlorine, carbon and synthetics) that is gaining popularity as a mainline. It is inherently similar to mono line though has different usages due to its properties.
STRENGTHS
Refractive index – similar to water. Material is close to invisible when immersed in water.
Density – less slack in the line
Abrasion resistant
Naturally sinks
Sensitivity
Does not absorb water
WEAKNESSES
Knot slippage
Less line memory can cause problems when casting on spinning reels
Recommended Usage:
Ultra light casting in clear water situations
Sub-surface lures or baits due to its sinking properties
Situation Specific Main Lines
Fishing Station also caters for many situation specific main line types. We have expert staff available to assist in these areas.
Recommended Usage:
Lead copper lines
Fly fishing lines
Leader / Trace Selection – Types of Leader
Mono Leader
As explained above, monofilament line is made of nylon, and is still one of the most commonly used leader types, primarily due to its low cost.
STRENGTHS
Cost effective
Stretch
Abrasion resistance
WEAKNESSES
Not as abrasion resistant as fluorocarbon
Damage or deterioration from UV rays
Recommended Usage:
Bait fishing (surf, reef, boat)
Deep water jigging
Trolling
Fluorocarbon
Fluorocarbon is commonly used as a leader material, primarily due to its near invisible state under water. Anglers can use braid or mono as their main line, and use a fluorocarbon leader to not spook line-wary fish.
STRENGTHS
Near invisible under water
Abrasion resistant
Naturally sinks
Sensitivity
Does not absorb water
WEAKNESSES
Knot slippage
Stiff material
Expensive
Recommended Usage:
Ultra light casting in clear water situations
Sub-surface lures or baits due to its sinking properties
Premium leader for all fishing applications
Single Strand Wire
The use of a heavy, abrasion resistant leader is important when fishing in hostile environments, or when hunting fish with sharp teeth. Made of thin stainless steel, single strand wire is light but very strong and ideal to secure your lure.
STRENGTHS
Resists corrosion – can be used more than once or stored on the boat for weeks at a time
Cost effective
WEAKNESSES
Prone to wire kinks due to single strand
Visible in the water – many anglers use a very short trace (
