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Lines
Choosing the Correct Line
There are a variety of lines available to modern day bass fisherman. They come in different materials and line sizes (measured by weight and sometimes distinguished by line diameter).
The most popular line type today is fluorocarbon. Fluorocarbon line is very clear in the water making it difficult for fish to see it. It also has very little stretch which is important making good hook sets especially on long casts.
One of the properties of fluorocarbon line is that it sinks. This is beneficial when you are fishing lures that you want to get down near the bottom. It is not what you want when fishing a topwater lure as the sinking line with detract from the lures action.
Monofilament line, which has been around for a very long time, used to be the go to line for almost all fresh water fishing. It has a larger diameter than fluorocarbon (with equal line strength). It also floats which makes it one choice for topwater baits. Since it is softer than fluoro, it has less abrasion resistance so it is not the best choice when fishing in areas that have jagged rocks or trees in the water.
Braided line has the highest strength per line diameter by a wide margin. It is very thin. In fact, 20 pound test braid will have a similar diameter to 10 pound fluorocarbon!
Braided line floats so it is a good choice for topwater lures. It also has the ability to cut through weeds. That is why it works well when fishing in heavy weeded lakes.
Another type of line to consider are what are termed 'super lines". These are made from fused polyethylene or other types of fused plastics. They are very strong, they float and have good abrasion resistance. They are also very thin for their strength but are more visible in the water than mono or fluoro.
Click the Line Pictured to find it on Bass Pro Shops website.
What Line to Choose?
Here is a general guide to use to get started. Remember that water clarity is a factor when considering what type and line size to use. Typically southern waters tend to have more color and less visibility than northern waters. Of course, this is a general statement and will not always hold true. With that said you might need to adjust your line size accordingly.
Spinning Rod Set Ups
My recommendation for a basic spinning rod would be 8-10 pound test fluorocarbon line. If you plan on doing a lot of topwater fishing go with monofilament with 10 pound test.
Another possibility is to use one of the super lines now out on the market. An example would be Berkley Fire Line or Spiderwire (10 pound test).
At some point you may want to switch to using braid (10 pound) as a main line and using a leader of fluorocarbon. This will require the use of a specialized knot (see our section on knots).
Baitcaster Line Choices
Spooling up a bait caster will require a little heavier line than a spinning rod. A good starting point would be 14 pound fluorocarbon. Again, if you are planning to do a lot of topwater fishing go with mono instead because of it's ability to float.
Another choice would be braided line. You can go with a heavier weight because braid is so thin. I would caution you that backlashes with braid can be tough to remove so if you are new with a bait caster start off with fluoro or mono.
How Line Diameter Affects Lure Depth
When fishing with moving baits such as crank baits, bladed jigs and swim baits the line size will effect the depth that a lure runs. For example. Let's say you are fishing with a diving crank bait that is advertised to go down to 12 feet. It may reach that depth with 10 or maybe 12 pound line but if you have 14 or 17 pound line on your reel you will lose a couple of feet in diving depth. It is just something you want to be aware when choosing line.
Take a look at the videos below on how to correctly spool line on a spinning reel and a baitcaster.
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