After the hook, line is the most essential part of your fishing tackle. After all, it’s what connects you to the fish. There are loads of different fishing line manufacturers but the basic questions the angler has to ask him/ herself first is: mono or braid? Although there might be anglers who use one type of fishing line all the time, most of us use both. Whether I use braid or mono depends on the type of fishing but also on the conditions.

What are the differences between mono and braid?

Before we go into the specifics of fishing with braid and mono first let’s have a look at the main differences between braided and monofilament lines.

Mono

Monofilament line (mostly referred to as mono) basically means ‘single strand’. It can be made of different fibres, but most of the time it’s made of nylon.

Mono characteristics:

• High stretch. Under pressure mono lines can stretch somewhere between 20 and 30%.
• High abrasion resistance. Depending on the thickness of course, mono doesn’t break straight away when it scrapes past an abrasive surface.
• Much bigger diameter than braid for similar breaking strength. Although diameters vary, 10 lb mono has the same diameter as 30lb braid.
• Sinks
• Mono is cheaper than braid, yard for yard – although braid might be cheaper in the long run (more about this later).
• Quite stiff, especially in larger diameters.

Braid

Braided fishing lines have been around long before nylon was invented, although they have very little similarities to modern braided fishing lines (except that it’s braided). Originally made from natural fibres like cotton or linen they only had a fraction of the breaking strength of modern braids. Modern braids are incredibly strong. These lines are made from high tech fibres like Spectra and Dyneema, materials also used to make things like parachutes or even bullet proof vests.

• No stretch. This really is the biggest difference between braid and mono, giving it a completely different ‘feel’.
• Low abrasion resistance. Sharp underwater features will cut through braid without warning. The high breaking strength doesn’t help much when you hit a mussel or sharp rock.
• Low diameter. As stated above, this really is impressive.
• Buoyant. Spectra and dyneema float. Some brands have blended these materials with other ones to help the lines sink. This can be beneficial to carp and coarse anglers, to limit ‘line bites’ or to avoid spooking the fish.
• Yard for yard more expensive than mono.
• Much more supple than mono.

What does that mean when it comes fishing with braid or mono

Stretch

Mono’s stretch can make it hard to see bites, especially when fishing at distance. At the same time this elasticity can work in your favour when you’re fighting a big fish, because it limits the chance of the hook pulling out of the fish’s mouth. When you’re fishing close to snags, obviously stretch can be a problem. If you’re fishing 50 meters out, that means the fish can still take roughly 10 meters of ‘line’ with the drag closed.

Abrasion resistance

Because of braid’s limited abrasion resistance I recommend always using a mono or fluorocarbon ‘rubbing leader’. The added stretch also helps to avoid hook pulls. If you choose a leader of slightly lower breaking strength than your braid mainline the leader will always break first (saving you a lot of money). The only time when I don’t use a leader is if I’m shore fishing over rough ground, because the rig body performs that function.

Line diameter

Braid’s extreme low diameter means that it becomes a lot easier to reach longer distances. 10lb braid has a diameter of only 0.15mm which creates a lot less resistance on the spool. A thinner line also has advantages with species that are easily spooked. Braid also has advantages for sea fishing. The use of ‘continental style’ rods combined with fixed spool reels loaded with low diameter braid means bigger distances are much easier to achieve. Also, for rough ground fishing, using braid means you can use main lines up to 100lbs that are still ‘castable’. There’s no way you can do that with mono.

Braid is not as kind to your fingers as mono though, so unless you’re using a mono shockleader you will have to use a casting aid. There are loads of different finger stalls available, but I prefer to use the breakaway casting cannon. I also use it with mono because it helps me reach bigger distances. When you are snagged, it’s a good idea to wrap the line around a stick or some other cylindrical object before pulling for a break (make sure the coils don’t overlap). Braid, especially in thinner diameters, can be like cheese wire so be careful. Never wrap braid around your arm when pulling for a break.

Buoyancy

Because of braids buoyancy it means it can drag in the tide more than a mono line of the same diameter. As mentioned before it also means you will get a lot more ‘line bites’ when fishing for species like carp or bream. Using a mono or leadcore leader will help to keep your line on the bottom.

A floating line can be an advantage in float fishing, unlike with mono there’s no need to grease the line. I like using braid for my saltwater float fishing, because it eliminates ‘slack line’ or the line catching the rocks. I use a long mono leader though, to prevent tangles (more under suppleness).

Expense

In general, braid is more expensive than mono. But unlike mono, braid is not susceptible to UV damage and will last a lot longer. I tend to change my mono lines at least once a season, while with braid, I’ll happily use it two seasons or more. I also braid easier to work with after it had a bit of use. Braid straight of the spool can be a bit stiffer. A thing to keep in mind though, is to use a leader/ rig body of lower breaking strength than your braid mainline. That way your leader always breaks first, saving your more expensive braid.

Suppleness

Braid’s suppleness can be a blessing and a curse at the same time. Thin braids can cast a dream, but they’re also a lot more prone to tangles. ‘Wind knots’ are one of the most well known problems when casting with braid. And the thinner the braid, the more impossible it can be to untangle. The best way to limit the amount of wind knots is not to put too much line on your spool. What might be ‘spot on’ with mono, can be way too much with braid. I recommend leaving at least 4mm to the spool’s rim. For more info on wind knots and casting with braid, I found this post by saltstrong quite helpful.

When to use mono

Best line for beginners

If you are a beginner I would strongly recommend to start with mono. Mono can be way more forgiving than braid and tangles a lot less. Nothing is worse than getting a huge wind knot on your first cast. Also, because braid is so responsive there is always the risk of striking too hard or too early. Once you feel you can improve your fishing by using braid, go for it.

Best choice on the short range

For general fishing at close range I would always choose mono. It’s easier to work with, and the stretch can be a big advantage when fighting a big fish. Braid transfers movement from bait to rod tip much quicker, but this works both ways. The movement of your rod tip/wind/ current is transferred to your hook too and can spook wary fish. If you often get bites that don’t develop on braid, switching to mono can make all the difference. This counts as much for freshwater feeder fishing as for beach fishing for species like flounder.

When the weather is rough

Braid’s responsiveness can be a real pain in windy or choppy conditions. Because the movements are not cushioned by any stretch, your rod tip will be bouncing around constantly.

When to use braid

Lure fishing

If there is one type of fishing braid is very suitable for, it’s lure fishing. Unlike with stretchy mono, you can ‘feel’ absolutely everything, even at bigger distances or depths. It really helps when you’re fishing rough ground, because you can ‘feel’ the bottom structure. Not only are the chances of pulling out of a snag much bigger with braid, the chances of landing your fish are much higher too. Make sure you set your drag right though, as there’s not much give with braid.

Rough Ground sea fishing

Strong braids are great for fishing rough ground. It’s easier to stop a fish from diving into snags, and by using braid of an extreme breaking strength (80lb+) you’ll be surprised how much of your gear you get back. It might put a lot more strain on your tackle though, so be sensible. If you get snagged, use the ‘stick method’ mentioned earlier, pointing your rod towards the snag.

Carp fishing close to snags

If you’re carp fishing close to snags, braid is the way to go. Don’t use your baitrunner, keep your drag as tight as possible and stay as close to your rods as possible. As always with snag fishing, use safety rigs, to make sure the fish loses the lead if the line breaks.

Fishing at distance

For any type of distance fishing (whether carp, sea, or feeder fishing) braid is much better suited than mono. Mono’s stretch means a fish has to move several meters before anything is registered.

Which braid to buy

I’m by no means a braid expert, but for your average needs you can’t go far wrong with power pro. It’s durable, strong and not as prone to wind knots as other braids. It’s not cheap. I usually buy it straight from the US with Amazon (check the price here). There are a lot of cheap Chinese braids on the market, of varying quality. I’m quite happy with this ‘Spectra Extreme Braid’. The diameter might be slightly bigger than stated, but it’s incredibly strong. I tend to use this line in the higher breaking strengths for rough ground sea fishing, while I prefer power pro for the more ‘subtle’ work. Just be aware that it’s shipped from China, so depending on where you live it might take some time to arrive. Kastking braids are quite a decent power pro alternative too.

8 strand braids are becoming more popular, as they are a bit ‘smoother’ than 4 strand lines. The breaking strength/ diameter ratio is often also a lot better. I really like Daiwa J-braid X8. Kastking produces a more affordable 8 strand braid, shipped from China. Thinner lines will catch a lot less tide and wind and are nicer to fish with. Just be aware that even though the breaking strength is the same as some lines with a thicker diameter, abrasion resistance will also be less.

Braid and tackle

You don’t really need different tackle for fishing with braid. I never had any problems with braid damaging rod guides, not even on my cheaper rods. The same is true for reels. Some reels are said to be ‘braid ready’ because they have a rubber band on the spool. But with some mono backing any reel should work.

Braid fishing tips

• Only put as much braid on your spool as you need, using old mono for backing. For most of my lure fishing, a 150yrds of powerpro is more than enough, while the spool might take twice as much.
• Once your braid gets worn, instead of discarding it, turn it around. Now the worn line sits on the bottom of the spool, so you’re good to go for another year or so.
• Invest in spare spools. Instead of buying a new reel for each type of line, get some spare spools. This way it’s easier to switch from braid to mono and vice versa depending on the conditions you’re encountering.
• To get the mono backing/ braid level entirely right, it’s best to have a few empty spools or unused reels. Take the reel you want to use. Spool the braid on first, then add the backing (I use a double uni knot) and spool it on until you have the level you want (with the mono backing sitting on top). Spool this onto another spool/reel and from that one onto another one so the mono is sitting on top again. Then spool it back onto the reel you want to use again. This might seem like a lot of hassle, but it’s very hard to guess by eye how much backing you need. And remember, an overfull spool is a recipe for wind knots.
• The easiest way to get it right is to put the braid on first than add backing until you have the line level you like

Mono or braid? Which line do you prefer and when? Share your experiences in the comment sections below!

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