Line Selection

[rancid_crabtree]

I am from the old school and use strictly monofilament line for everything. I know there are Flourocarbon Lines and Braided Lines as well. Could someone please tell me the advantages of these other lines and what applications i should use them in to improve my fishing techniques. I would rather get input from here rather than have to read up on it.
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[morcey2]

Both of them are very low stretch, braided moreso than flouro, which can have advantages and divantages.

I use power-pro braided line on most of my rods and I love the increased sensitivity it gives me. It also casts significantly farther than mono or flouro and I can fit a lot more of it on the spool. I usually use a flouro leader a couple of feed long, but sometimes use mono.

Braided lines float (usually). Flouro sinks. Flouro is also effectively invisible in water. Braided lines are effectively invisible in water when it's the color of chocolate milk and the fish are blind.

The biggest issue I have with braided line is when I have a 'professional overrun' on one of my casting rods. Usually it's not an issue, but there are times it's just a nightmare to get untangled.

I haven't really used Flourocarbon other than for leader material.

Mono has the advantage when you're dealing with small hooks and treble hooks. The stretch makes it harder for the fish to throw the hooks.

One thing with braided line. If you get snagged, don't wrap it around your finger to pull it and break it. It _will_ cut you. It can also wear your guides if you have cheap ones.

Matt
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[sinergy]

One of the advantages of braided lines is you get thinner diameter lines with higher test strength. For example a 20lbs braided line would be about the same diameter of a 8 lbs mono line.

Another advantage of braided lines is the suppleness or flexibility. Braided lines are more like really strong thread
IMO it allows stick, cranks and lures to have a more natural movement in the water.

On the down side braided lines are tough to cut without a knife or good pair of shears, they can fray on the end making little more tough to needle through hook eyes and tangles are almost impossible to untangle.

All in all Ive pretty much switch out all my reels except for the ice reels with braided lines.
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[fishnate]

IMO don't get rid of your mono, it's great stuff. The other stuff is highly over rated for casual anglers. If you have 3+ dozen rods and reels rigged out for specialized uses get some braid and floro for special situations that benefit from thier use.

Braid is tough as nails and nearly stretch free great for deep jigging or throwing in brush. You can often pull a snagged bush out of the ground, that is if you don't bust your rod first. You would be wise to choose a specialty rod to use it on as it is less forgiving of mistakes when fighting fish and it can be rough on rod guides as mentioned.

Florocarbon is "invisible" and great for clear water. It's also low stretch and abrasion and solar resistant. It also sinks nicely. It was engineered for ultra clear salt water. Only spring water approaches that kind of clarity. A friend of mine swears by it for tippet material for fly fishing.

Quality mono (none of the 1000 yds of Walmart stuff for $2.50 garbage) has never failed me and it is forgiving in battle with big fish. Just another tool in the arsenal.
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[brookieguy1]

There's a newer line out for spinning reels from Berkley called Nanofil. It's not a braid, and is super limp and very strong for a small diameter. It casts a mile and has zero stretch. I've used it a bit and I like it so far, but it's quite pricy. Around $20.00 for 150 yards.
I still like P-Line Cxx-Xtra Strong mono for most of my jigging though.
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[flygoddess]

I too swear by fluoro for tippet, but fluoro has more stretch than you would think. That is one of it's attractions for me.
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[one8sevenn]

If I have any chance of getting snagged up, I use my braided lined rod & reel. It straightens the hooks out. It sucks to change baits however, but nothing a snap shivel can't change I use fluorocarbon on my panfish/river fishing pole, because it is invisible and allows for quick hook changes.
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