Remember when you were younger and you wanted to head out for a day of fishing? You thought little of the tools you were using, you cared was that there was line in your reel, a rod in your hand, that tiny two-tray tackle box and your best friend (your dog) at your side. Add a couple of sinkers and hooks and you were in business. It didn’t matter to you what kind of line you had, as long as you had some you knew that you’d have the best fish regardless of their size or type. Most fishermen have long outgrown this notion and have a stash of tackle, rods, reels and every type of filament tucked away ready to pull out at a moment’s notice for a day of fishing.

As a youngster, you’d have never believed that a day of fishing would involve choosing from three varieties of line, all with different uses and a variety of sizes. It would have never occurred to you to weigh the value of each line against the type of fishing you had planned you’d simply grab what you had and head off. Let’s take a look at the three categories that fishing line falls into and determine what works best for your needs.

Monofilament line is perhaps the most used – simply put, it’s the least expensive, it’s readily available and it’s sufficient for most type of fishing. Monofilament offers pliability which can be a great benefit. If you have a fighter on your line that simply doesn’t want to be caught, monofilament is strong and has enough give to allow you to reel him in.

The biggest problem with monofilament line is that it tends to spiral off of the spool while you cast, and the springy coils caused by this “memory” turn into knots and similar negative effects. The stretch can also be a problem, especially when you are trying to pull a largemouth bass from thick weeds, or trying to keep a big striper from ducking between rocks and getting away.

These problems are why braided line can be so handy. This fishing line is made from braided miniscule synthetic fibers. Unlike monofilament line, it does not have the memory problem nearly as bad, and is extremely strong for how thin it is. A 30-lb braided line usually has the diameter of an 8 lb. monofilament line, making it feasible to fill a small trout or bass-sized reel spool with 20 or 30 lb. test. Braided line isn’t without its drawbacks however, including little abrasion resistance and high visibility. You should fish with this line only when using a non-visible leader.

Initial marketing efforts of fluorocarbon lines were challenging – many anglers felt that its rigidity made spooling a challenge and that casting was problematic. Once fluorocarbon lines were enhanced, many fishermen discovered that this now popular line solved more problems than it caused. The fluorocarbon line is nearly invisible underwater which makes it perfect for those shallow waters and is also effective in deep water that’s clear. Many elect to create their leaders from fluorocarbons because it is highly abrasion resistant.

The right line can make all the difference between a successful fishing trip and a trip that lands you back at home staring at your empty freezer. Sure, fishing might have been a lot easier when we were children but just think about how much you’ve learned since then. A fishing trip should still offer as much adventure as it did when you were a child, but today, having the right tools and understanding how those tools work can make your fishing trips a lot more productive than they were all those years ago.

There are many different fishing supplies out on the market today. Some of the most popular supplies include: Daiwa BG90, Shimano Calcutta, and Daiwa Rods.