Selecting the Right Bass Fishing Line: Braid VS Fluorocarbon VS Monofilament

Meet the Author

Shaye Baker started fishing with his dad in Alabama as soon as they could find a life jacket small enough to fit him. Competing with his father in local tournaments, Shaye quickly found a hunger for competitive bass fishing. He furthered his fishing career at Auburn University helping to establish the Auburn University Bass Fishing Club. While at Auburn, Shaye served as the President of the club and qualified to fish on the traveling team amassing six Top 5 finishes including two 3rd place finishes in consecutive FLW College Fishing National Championships. While beginning to dabble in the world of outdoor journalism, Shaye continued to fish semi-pro events finishing in the Top 5 in the Bassmaster Opens, FLW Costa Series and BFLs. Finding himself at a crossroads, Shaye chose to put down the rod and pick up the pen and camera to focus on his career in outdoor journalism. Shaye has had work featured in Bassmaster Magazine, FLW Outdoors Magazine, B.A.S.S.Times and the Japanese bass fishing magazine, Basser. Shaye has also had work featured on ESPN and Wired2Fish.com,FLWfishing.com and Bassmaster.com. While working with B.A.S.S., Shaye initiated and spearheaded their GoPro division which brought more video coverage to the fans than had ever been done before in competitive fishing. After his tenure with some of the best companies in the business, Shaye identified a need for competitive fishing where participation didn’t cost a fortune. By founding UPLOADED, the Online Fishing Series, Shaye established a free tournament series where anglers could film their fish catches and upload their videos to compete against other anglers for prizes.
When it comes to picking the right bass fishing line for any given technique, things can get a little tricky. You’ll find that most lines are interchangeable to an extent, meaning that most baits can technically be fished on several different types of fishing line. But the accuracy of your line choice shows up in the efficiency of your presentation, or lack thereof.

Chapter 1 - The Process of Selecting the Right Bass Fishing Line for Your Technique

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The Process of Selecting the Right Bass Fishing Line for Your Technique

For instance, try cranking with braid and see how deep your bait gets versus cranking with fluorocarbon. Or try punching with monofilament and see how many bass you get to the boat versus punching with heavy braid.
But I know, these two are pretty obvious right?
Well, I actually know anglers who will flip heavy monofilament as opposed to braid in tussock mats and some types of wood like vegetation. Why? Braided line is great for soft vegetation because it cuts right through it. But braid has a tendency to cut into wood like vegetation without being able to cut all the way through it. So when you’re trying to pull a fish out, your weight runs into the slice in the in the cover and the fish will likely pull off before you can get to it.

My dad also fishes a squarebill in shallow, heavy cover much like some anglers fish a spinnerbait. He uses oversized hooks and a really limber rod and believe it or not, braid. Now, this isn’t a common practice that I would endorse, but I can’t really condemn him for it. Because I have watched him pull 6 and 7-pound bass out of some of the nastiest stuff you can imagine. Honestly, if I had some of those fish bite the same square bill in the same lay-downs and put up the same fights, I don’t feel good about the percentage of them I could have gotten to the boat on 15-pound fluorocarbon versus his setup.
The point is, line selection isn’t as simple as one would think.
No one line is perfect for every scenario and anglers will have a difference of opinion from time to time on what works best for the same scenarios. Plus the relentless demand for stronger but more malleable and less visible fishing line has the line industry in a constant state of evolution. There are all sorts of hybrid lines on the market these days and more by the day it seems. But we’ll spend the majority of this article talking about the basic three types of lines and offer some guidelines on what works best for different scenarios.

Chapter 2 - The Three Main Types of Bass Fishing Line

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The Three Main Types of Bass Fishing Line

So the big three are braided line, fluorocarbon line, and monofilament line. These three lines are all very different from one another, while also having a few traits in common. Let’s start by identifying those similarities and differences.

Braided Line

Braided line offers the most strength with the least stretch in the smallest diameter. However, in order to do that, it compromises visibility since it is not transparent but instead made of woven fibers. Braided line also floats.

Monofilament Line (Mono)

Monofilament line is often the cheapest of the three options and probably the most widely used line across all fishing demographics because of its affordability and availability. But for the hardcore bass fisherman, it’s more of a situational line. It has a larger diameter based on strength than both braid and fluorocarbon. It is less visible than braid but has way more stretch. Mono also has more stretch than fluorocarbon and is more visible given the same line test.
So, what does mono really bring to the table? Like braid, mono floats.

Fluorocarbon Line (Fluoro)

Fluorocarbon line sinks. Which makes it a much better option for some presentations than mono but a much worse option for others. Fluoro has slightly more stretch than braid, but considerably less than mono. Fluorocarbon is probably the most common line used by hardcore bass fisherman because of what it offers in strength, low visibility, and its versatility across many techniques.

Chapter 3 - When to Use Each of the Three Main Options in Bass Fishing Line

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When to Use Each of the Three Main Options in Bass Fishing Line

Before we dive into what baits and techniques to use these different lines with, let’s talk about a couple of other uses.

Using Fishing Line as a Backing on Your Reel

When spooling up a reel with line, it’s a good idea to use a few feet of backing. Backing refers to the amount of line that you tie directly to the spool and use to take up space between the spool and the line that you’ll actually cast each time. If you tie a low-pound test fluorocarbon directly to the spool of your reel, you will use about twice the amount of line necessary and waste a lot of money on fluorocarbon that will never see the light of day.
Using monofilament line for backing on your reel helps save money and is actually necessary with braid.
Some reels have some sort of line tie at the spool, but most reels don’t. If you go to spool up braid by tying a slip knot directly around the spool of a baitcaster or spinning reel, the line won’t catch the spool and the loop will just slip as the reel turns. Thanks to the stretch of mono, you can cinch the knot down by pulling hard and when you release the tension, the loop will hug the spool much tighter.

There is a work around if you’re using 65-pound or higher braid on a baitcaster or wanting to tie braid directly to a spinning reel spool. Tie your slip knot around the spool and then cinch down as best you can. Then take a small piece of electrical tape and tape your line securely to the spool. Be sure the tape is as flat and smooth as possible to prevent causing noticeable inconsistencies in the line as you spool it up.

Also, be sure to not put too much backing on and not enough of your mainline. You don’t want to be able to feel the knot that connects the two as you cast. Ideally you want that knot to be 8 to 12 revolutions below the visible line at the end of your cast. That way the knot doesn’t affect your casting and you can re-tie several times before having to re-spool again.
I prefer a double uni knot when connecting lines.
I’ve used it for a long time with no issues so I have stuck with it. But the FG knot is also very popular, many saying its the strongest and thinnest. The Alberto knot is another popular knot. Videos for all three are linked at the bottom of this page.

Selecting the Right Bass Fishing Line When Tying Leaders

All of these aforementioned knots are also used to tie leaders. Many applications require the strength and low stretch of braid as well as the stealth of fluoro. In these instances, a braid to fluoro leader is used. Most of the time in bass fishing, leaders are used with spinning reels.

Spinning reels are notorious for causing line twists in mono and fluoro. The fishability of braid is less affected by these twists in the line which makes it a better candidate for spinning reels.
You’re also able to cast a little farther with braid than straight fluoro.

The Right Bass Fishing Line to Match the Type of Hook You’re Using

Grouping baits and presentations into these three line categories can be a bit of a challenge. One pretty good way to look at it is by the type of hook you’re fishing with. One big hook (jigs, Texas rigs, spinnerbaits, etc) lean towards either fluoro or braid most of the time. The next determining factor would be water clarity in deciding to go with braid or fluoro.

When fishing with treble hooks, you typically want to go with fluoro or mono, leaning towards mono on topwaters since it floats and fluoro on subsurface baits since it sinks. But again, it’s not always that simple. For instance, if I’m throwing a topwater on a large flat with hydrilla, I’ll use braid so I can cast the bait farther and hopefully get the fish out of the submerged vegetation.
So what we’ll try to do now is list out several common baits and what lines to use with each.

Chapter 4 - Bait Specific Bass Fishing Line Choices

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Bait Specific Bass Fishing Line Choices

Football Jig – Always without fail fluorocarbon. Fluoro sinks, has low visibility, and the low stretch needed to drive a big hook into a fish. I use 15 to 20-pound test depending on the cover and clarity.

Finesse Jig – Like the football jig, straight fluoro always. I use 12 to 17-pound test depending on the cover and clarity.

Texas Rig – When fishing offshore, I go with fluorocarbon, again because it sinks and has low stretch. I use 15 to 20-pound test depending on the cover and clarity. But when fishing a Texas rig in shallow, stained water around heavy cover, I’ll often move to braided line, 30 to 40-pound test depending on cover.

Crankbait – Always fluorocarbon, 10 to 15-pound test when fishing a deep diver. The smaller the line diameter, the deeper the crankbait will dive. When fishing shallow around heavy cover I’ll go to 15 to 17-pound test fluoro.

Jerkbait – Always fluorocarbon. I’ll use 10 to 12-pound test typically. Moving up a little if I’m around particularly big fish. But you can’t really use heavy line and gear with jerkbaits because at some point the hooks will bend if the line and rod don’t give first.

Lipless Crankbait – In open water or when yo-yoing the bait, I’ll use fluoro in the 12 to 17-pound test range depending on the size of fish and length of cast needed. The smaller line throws farther. If I’m fishing around heavy vegetation and ripping the bait out of the grass, I’ll use braid, typically in the 40-pound test range.

Small Swimbait on a Jig Head – If I’m throwing this on shallow flats or points, I’ll use a baitcaster with 12 to 17-pound fluoro. If I’m targeting fish deeper than 12-feet, I’ll usually for to a spinning rod with a braid to fluoro leader. Even though the braid floats, it’s a small enough diameter that the benefit of being able to cast the bait farther with braid outweighs the negative of having a little bit of upward resistance from the braid. I usually use 10 to 15-pound braid tied to 8 to 10-pound fluoro.

Chatterbait – I use fluoro in clearer water with sparse cover, but I use braid in stained water or around heavy cover. I do realize that’s not the same approach that many of the greats with a Chatterbait like Brett Hite take. I talk in depth about my reasoning for this and dive into what  Brett and others do with a Chatterbait and why in this piece, Chatterbait: Everything You Need To Know About The Vibrating Jig.

Spinnerbait –
Clear water and sparse cover, like the Chatterbait I go with fluoro, 15 to 17-pound test. But in stained water or around heavy cover I switch to braid. In the 40-pound range typically.  

Swim Jig – The swim jig is like the Chatterbait and spinnerbait. I’ll use braid when I can (40-pound) if the water is stained or if I’m fishing heavy cover. If not I’ll go with 17 to 20-pound fluoro depending on cover.

Sight Fishing Beds – Except in extremely heavy cover for really big fish, I’ll always use fluoro. Typically in the 17-pound range but working all the way up to 25-pound test if need be. For more on bed fishing, click here.

Frog – Always braid. I use 40-pound test in open water and loose cover. Step up to 50-pound test in moderate cover and go to 65-pound test in dense cover like mats. For more on frogging, click here.

Punching – Always braid. Usually 65-pound test. For more on punching, click here.

Flipping Shallow Wood – Whether this is with a jig, tube, or other Texas rigged bait, I’ll go back and forth from braid to fluoro. Again it all depends on the cover present and water clarity. Anytime I’m power fishing shallow around heavy cover, I want to use braid to minimize the likelihood of breaking my line against the cover. But sometimes the conditions just don’t allow for it and you have to move to fluoro. I like 40 to 50-pound braid for this and 17 to 20-pound fluoro.

Big Flipping Jig in Vegetation – Always braid, 50 to 65-pound test depending on cover. See more about flipping a big jig here.

Topwater With Treble Hooks – For close quarters topwater fishing, I’ll use mono (15 to 20-pound). It has the ability to stretch in a close to the boat battle to prevent the fish from pulling off the treble hooks. But if I’m making long casts and expecting to get bit from a long distance, I’ll use braid to ensure a good hookup and help make the longer casts. The fish also have a chance to wear down before getting to the boat and making really hard runs in close quarters.
You still want to be careful close to the boat to avoid the fish pulling off.
Back off your drag a little during the fight and be prepared to give the fish the rod a little if they make a big pull close to the boat, but for the long casts and ensured hookups, 30 to 40-pound test braid is key.
Dropshot – Braid to fluoro leader. I use 10 to 15-pound test braid tied to 6 to 12-pound fluoro depending on the size of fish and cover present. If I need a heavier line size, I’ll usually change to straight fluoro on a baitcaster. See more about the Dropshot by clicking here.

Neko Rig – Braid to fluoro leader. I use 10 to 15-pound test braid tied to 6 to 12-pound fluoro depending of the size of fish and cover present. If I need heavier line size I’ll usually change to straight fluoro on a baitcaster. See more about the Neko Rig by clicking here.

Shaky Head – Braid to fluoro leader. I use 10 to 15-pound test braid tied to 6 to 12-pound fluoro depending of the size of fish and cover present. If I need heavier line size I’ll usually change to straight fluoro on a baitcaster. See more about the Shaky Head by clicking here.

Ned Rig – Braid to fluoro leader. I use 10 to 15-pound test braid tied to 6 to 12-pound fluoro depending of the size of fish and cover present. If I need heavier line size I’ll usually change to straight fluoro on a baitcaster. See more about the Ned Rig by clicking here.

Wacky Rig – Braid to fluoro leader. I use 10 to 15-pound test braid tied to 6 to 12-pound fluoro depending of the size of fish and cover present. If I need heavier line size I’ll usually change to straight fluoro on a baitcaster.

Flick Shake –Braid to fluoro leader. I use 10 to 15-pound test braid tied to 6 to 12-pound fluoro depending of the size of fish and cover present. If I need heavier line size I’ll usually change to straight fluoro on a baitcaster.

Chapter 5 - Shaye’s Favorite Bass Fishing Lines

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Shaye’s Favorite Bass Fishing Lines

Braided Line – Sufix 832

Fluorocarbon Line – Seaguar InvisX

Monofilament Line – Trilene Big Game

Braided Line – Sufix 832

I use a lot of braided line. I’ve used braid from 10 or 12 companies over the years. I found Sufix 832 a few years ago and haven’t done much looking sense. I have had no issues with it. It’s strong, limber, holds color fairly well, and lasts a long time. I have also sampled Fitzgerald Fishing’s braided line in recent years and have had good luck with it. I know those guys well and know the thought and attention to detail they put into their products. I feel comfortable also recommending their Vursa Braided lines. But as of right now, those are the only two I would spool up. I’m certain there are other good options out there as well. But for me, once I find something that works I stop looking. And Sufix works.

Fluorocarbon Line – Seaguar InvisX

Fluorocarbon can be very, very expensive. I’ve used several different fluorocarbon brands and had good luck with a few. But I have always come back to Seaguar InvisX. It is not cheap, but it’s Seaguar’s middle of the road fluoro. I have noticed it’s little better than there cheaper, Red Label line, but not any better in my opinion than Seaguar’s top end AbrazX or Tatsu. Tatsu may be a little softer, but not an extra $15 a spool softer in my opinion. If someone were to give me Tatsu and InvisX, I’d certainly use the Tatsu. But for 95% of the population and presentations, InvisX is a great investment when looking for a line that won’t break and won’t break the bank.

Monofilament Line – Trilene Big Game

Tried, true, and cheap. I’ve been using this stuff since I was a kid. There’s certainly other comparable lines out there and perhaps even better ones. But I’ve never had any problems with Big Game and it’s readily available almost anywhere, so I’m never stuck having to try something new if I’m at a tournament and run out.

Chapter 6 - Fishing Knot How to Videos

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Fishing Knot How to Videos

Double Uni Knot

FG Knot

Alberto Knot