Mono vs Braid

By: admin Mood: - Terminal Date: May 15, 2007 Music: None

 Monofilament line is the most popular type of line used by anglers. Because it is available in all pound-test varieties, has a low cost and is made from only one type of fiber, it is the most widespread type of line. It can be used on spinning, spin casting and bait casting reels. Monofilament lines are generally not used for deep-water fishing as it can take on water and its sensitivity will decrease, as well as it having a reputation for loosing knots under such conditions. However, monofilament line is virtually undetectable when submerged in water, which is of course its greatest plus.

Monofilament line can weaken when exposed to heat or sun, and therefore comes off the spool where it has been stored in coils which can prove a nuisance by becoming tangled quite often. It is therefore advisable to replace the line every fishing season or even more frequently, depending on the amount of wear and tear it has received.  Despite all its apparent draw-backs, this is the most widely used type of line because it is cheapest and comes in a variety of colors and strengths.

The counter-part to the monofilament line is the braid line. This type of line is the strongest there is in relation to its diameter. Braids are made by weaving man-made materials into a line, hence making this type of fishing line quite resistant to abrasions. This line is so strong that you may have trouble breaking it when you get a snag, so a fish is even more unlikely to break it in a struggle. The obvious advantages of such strength – to name only one - is for bass fishing, which are known to put up quite a fight. In contrast to the monofilament line, the braid line is used for deep-sea fishing where strength and durability are of the utmost necessity. The braid line has a much smaller diameter and no stretch (whereas the mono line has considerable amounts in comparison), so every movement of a biting fish can be picked up. However, braided lines are in general much newer to angling and are considerably more expensive.

 Due its tough nature, the braid line can – and most often does – cause abrasions to your hands, fishing rod and reel. It is often advised to wear something protective on the hand handling the line most, or wrap the index finger in a protective tape to prevent cutting. Unlike the monofilament line, braided lines are opaque in the water, and are therefore known to spook fish somewhat, since they can see it and move away. Use braided lines if you are fishing in murky water, or at night. The opaque nature of the braided line is especially undesirable when you are fishing with a lure that a fish can see for a long time before choosing to bite.

 Encompassing all the above points, it is usually in your best interest to use a monofilament line at the end of a braided one as a leader, to minimize the visibility of the line to the fish, yet still play on the strength of the braided line to catch bigger specimens known to put up a fight, or jump out of the water as trout often do. When trolling, mono line is the best to use, because the stretch it provides is an added asset. The braid line can actually cut into itself when wound on the reel, and can become quite messy when back lashed. Although mono – on a per-reel basis – is almost half as expensive as the braided line, the cost does not end up being as much of a factor because it needs to be replaced a lot more often. In general, to get the best of both worlds, use a braided line for strength with a mono line tied onto the end for the invisibility needed to get fish to bite. The widely used Uni-Knot is the standard for tying these two lines together.