Best Braided Fishing Line for Anglers in 2018 – Top 5 Products Review
When it comes to fishing lines, monofilament is usually the favorite while the braided variety has taken the backseat. What you're missing with the latter is its awesome overall power that goes with its high knot strength minus the stretch. As it has made a comeback in the last couple of years, here are five of the best braided fishing line this year.
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**Below, you'll find our more detailed reviews, but you can also click the links above to see current prices or read customer reviews on Amazon.
Pros And Cons Of Braided Fishing Line - When To Use It?
Resistance to abrasion, breaking strength higher than its pound-test rating, and flexibility are some of the best traits of braided lines.
However, if it is indeed as advantageous as it seems, it is curious how it has been less popular compared to mono in recent years. Clearly, there are cons to it as well, but only when used at the wrong place and time.
Pros Of Braided Fishing Line
- Oftentimes twice as strong as mono
via www.amazon.com
At the same diameter, braided is much stronger than mono. Back in the days, they were made from cotton and linen, but these natural fibers have long been replaced by man-made materials such as micro-dyneema, polyethylene terephthalate or Dacron, and ultra high molecular weight polyethylene or Spectra.
Dyneema and Spectra are both known for having comparable yield strength to high-strength steels. In towboat communities, Spectra wires are preferred to steel wires for its lightness.
In fact, the fiber is used for cables and hawsers of ships since it floats on sea water. Dyneema, on the other hand, became even more valuable in 2007 as it was used in space to tether in for 30 kilometers the ESA/Russian Young Engineer's Satellite.
Dacron is a brand name for polyethylene terephthalate or woven polyester fibers, which is commonly used in containers and fiber for clothing to name a few. In fishing, Dacron is known to be rot and mildew resistant.
Fishermen who are out to get Tuna and other heavy fish as well as bottom fishermen who prefer Rockfish and Cod usually use Dacron for its strength and flexibility.
- More lines on your spool
With 1/3-1/4 the diameter of fluorocarbon or monofilament lines at a specific breaking strength, it is easier to put longer braided line on your spool on a smaller reel for the same strength.
This works very well for deep sea fishing since you do not want big reels to accommodate long lines.
- No stretch and less resistance
Another good reason for using braided lines in deep sea fishing is its capacity for less resistance to sea currents.
They work well for calmer waters or for fish species that bite gently on the bait as well, as they have no stretch, which makes the rigs highly sensitive to fish bites.
- Sinks, Casts, Trolls
When it comes to sinking, casting, and trolling, braided lines have it faster, farther, and deeper than mono lines.
They are so thin that they cut through the air easily. This makes a big difference when you need your line to reach a specific distance as quickly as possible or you will miss the sweet spot where your target is.
- Resistance to abrasions
via www.scout.com
Compared to mono lines, the braided variety is less likely to get cut off due to rubbing on underwater structures and rocks. It does not deteriorate from the sun compared to monofilaments.
With proper spooling and maintenance, you can leave braided fishing lines on your reel without worrying that it may lose its tensile strength or become brittle.
Cons Of Braided Fishing Line
- More expensive
If you are working on a budget, braided fishing lines may be a bit of a challenge since it is 3 - 4 times more expensive than mono.
The fact that it is susceptible to tangles and knots don't help either since once they do get tangled, most anglers would rather cut the line than spend hours untangling the knot.
In effect, this means you will go through your line quicker and may even need to get a new one sooner than your budget would allow.
- Puts additional stress on line guides, rods, and reel parts
The fact that braided lines are stronger than mono is also a disadvantage as it adds stress on the lines, reel parts, and rods. It is so strong that it can result to the line snapping into the bail if you try to pull and unhook it if it gets snagged.
Also, due to its strength and little to none shock absorption, setting a braided fishing line too hard may result to the hook getting ripped off the fish's mouth. This may also mean you will need to carry sharp scissors and clippers around with you since it is not easy to cut.
- It is highly visible under water
These lines come in various colors and most anglers use a leader to help hide the line under water. However, this does not deny the fact that using these lines will make it harder to catch shy fish in crystal clear water.
- No stretch
via Daiwafishing.com.au
This can be useful in some instances, but oftentimes, not having stretch means there is no give when an aggressive fish strikes thereby resulting to a snapped line. This is disappointing in the sense that you not only lose your fish, you may have also lost some of your line, your hooks, and your lures.
To address this problem however, some anglers use less drag and improvise ways on setting up a hook so it gives a little give when the fish bites the bait.
Best Braided Fishing Line on the Market
The lines included in this list are some of the best reviewed and well accepted brands or models in the market today. Although some of them do have disadvantages still, these lines have generally impressed anglers and consumers who have tried them out in the water. Here are five of the choices that you may want to try out yourself.
Via Amazon.com
This braid can withstand 10-50 lbs and is made with ultra high molecular weight polyethylene fibers. It comes with a higher tensile strength from 65 - 150 lbs and eight tightly wrapped and powerful strands to help provide smaller profile with strong knots for better casting.
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Via Amazon.com
It's interesting how this line creates more action in water as it works well with different types of lures while staying virtually invisible underwater. It also works pretty good with different kinds of fish species and is quite versatile in terms of whether you want to use it on freshwater or saltwater.
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Via Amazon.com
Suffix 832 has gained popularity for being one of the strongest and most durable small diameter braid sold in the market today. Its fiber technology features increase casting distance and better accuracy while reducing line vibration.
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Via Amazon.com
This line is made with Dyneema, the material that has become known to be one of the strongest man-made fibers. It comes in moss green to allow low-visibility underwater, as well as hi-vis yellow to allow visibility above water. Despite its thin diameter, this line is constructed to allow quiet, and smooth performance.
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Via Amazon.com
Despite being launched in 2013, Mega 8 Super Braid still remains to be one of the most sellable products in North America today. It is made from what has become known as the world's strongest fiber - ultra high molecular weight polyethylene fiber, which means it has zero stretch and state-of-the-art tensile strength.
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... And the Best Braided Line Goes to
Of the five brands and models mentioned, the winner has to be Piscifun Braided Fishing Line. It may be more expensive compared to Power Pro Spectra, KastKing SuperPower and Spiderwire, it has proven from its advantages, however, that it can live up to its price.
Like the other brands, Piscifun has its weaknesses, but these disadvantages are common to all kinds of brands. In other words, its advantages definitely outweigh its weak points.
In fact, it has all the pros and the cons that are mentioned in the list of strengths and weaknesses of braided lines. Piscifun Braided Fishing Line represents the best one as it helps you get the most out of your fishing trips this year.
You are in good company with this line. Don't get me wrong though, the other brands mentioned here are worth your consideration as well. At the end of it all, choose one that fits your style of fishing as well as the type of trips you want to take this year. Sounds exciting!
