Travel, Leisure and Recreation

When we were much younger, everything seemed to be so much easier when we wanted to fish. All we really cared about was having the pup travelling along with us, any rod would do and the little two-tray tackle box. We didn’t need much, hooks and sinkers did it for us. We didn’t really pay much attention to what we were using for line and regardless, we felt that we caught the best fish! Today, look around and see how many rods and reels you now own and check out how many different types of line you now have stashed away in the closet.

Today’s tackle industry offers a wide variety of fishing line types. For most mainstream fishing needs (such as freshwater, offshore, and saltwater), there are three basic categories of fishing lines: monofilament, fluorocarbon and braided. Each serves a unique purpose and has its own exclusive characteristics.

Since monofilament line is the most common, we’ll discuss this type of line first. Monofilament is inexpensive, strong and remains the most used fishing line on the market. Since it’s somewhat pliable, and stretches if it’s under tension, monofilament line is great if you find yourself with an aggressive fish on your line.

One of the downsides in the stretching capacity of monofilament is that it tends to remember the shape it was in. This means that when you cast the coils tend to remember the shape and this can create a coiling form in your line. These coils can easily turn into knots and that will make it impossible to easily cast your line. Inevitably, this means that when you least expect it (or want it) your line will suddenly be nearly impossible to cast smoothly. While the stretch in your line might be helpful if you have an aggressive fish on your line it can be problematic if that fish heads off to hide between rocks or worse yet in a batch of weeds. Monofilament is not meant to help you in these situations; it can only aggravate the issue.

Some of the issues with monofilament line can be avoided by switching to a braided line – though braided lines have their own issues. One of the most significant pitfalls to the braided line is its visibility. Braided line is best if used with a low or non-visibility leader or the fish will have too much warning! One of the best things about braided line is unlike its cousin the monofilament line it doesn’t have a great memory and is far less likely to develop knots as a result of coils and kinks. Another great thing about braided line is that it is very thin and also very strong. An eight pound monofilament line is about the same diameter as a thirty pound braided line – and it is great for fishing for small mouth bass or trout. Due to braided lines low abrasion resistance it is not the best line if you’re going to be fishing in an area that will cause your line to rub a great deal.

Fluorocarbon lines are the premier line for many fishermen. Fluorocarbon lines had a bad name when they first came out because so many felt that it was too rigid. This rigidity often created issues spooling and casting. Since technology has evolved, these problems seem to have lessened over time and far more fishermen feel this line solves far more problems than it had initially created. Many anglers have discovered that fluorocarbon is perfect for creating leaders – this is because fluorocarbon line is highly abrasion resistant. If you’re fishing in deep water that reflects a lot of light or shallow waters, the fluorocarbon line could be just right since it is nearly invisible.

Each kind of line available today is a different tool for you to use to make fishing easier. When used correctly, each will help you catch more fish too. So, I suppose that fishing was much simpler when I was a kid, but then again so was my overall familiarity and knowledge of fishing. I could have probably continued to fish in that simple manner, but the desire to learn and catch bigger and better fish reeled me in. As I fished and began to learn more and more about fishing, I discovered the advantages of choosing the right line, lure color, etc. Fishing may not seem as simple as it once did, but I sure am glad that I understand how to utilize the tools that are available. They have certainly helped me add fish to my freezer.

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