Beginners Guide to Fishing

A Guide to finding a fishing line to Fit your needs.

Now to the fishing line. Which would be best? This again, depends on what you are going to be fishing for, and what conditions you are going to be fishing in. There are many types of fishing line on the market today, from the basic monofilament, to fluorocarbon and braided lines. Each has a useful purpose for different types of fishing, and fishing styles. You can find many brands that cost less and give you a lot more fishing line than the more popular brands. But the cheaper brands tend to be of much less quality. And will break sooner than the more popular brands of fishing line such as Stren or Berkley. Personally, I will not skimp on the fishing line. Nothing will make you more angry than to lose a monster bass, or trophy striper because your fishing line broke, or your knot didn't hold because of poor quality fishing line. The more expensive brands usually have a breaking point beyond what their label says is the lb test strength. Plus, they give better casting versatility.

For a beginning fisherman I'd start out with a good clear/blue fluorescent monofilament with a lb test strength to match the size and fight of the fish you are going for. If you are going to be fishing for pan fish, (bream, crappie, etc) a 2lb to 4lb test line should work fine. If you are going for larger, more aggressive fish like largemouth bass or smallmouth bass, use a line between 8lb and 20lb test, leaning to the heavier test for heavy cover and rough conditions. (Check your reel instructions for maximum line size)

As your fishing knowledge grows, and your amount of fishing rods and reels grow, (they will), you will learn more about and try different types of fishing line such as braided, or fluorocarbon lines. Each fishing line has it's purpose for different types of fishing, and fishing conditions. But if you only have one or two rods and reels, changing the line every time the conditions change will seriously put a crimp your fishing. So the all-purpose fishing line will do for now.

Below are a few more facts about fishing line.

Monofilament Fishing Line

Monofilament will stretch to absorb shock, and will not damage guides and spools, and is available for a variety of applications, in a wide variety of colors and sizes. Although monofilament line has changed a lot over the years, it still has the characteristics that made it so popular to begin with. Its has a forgiving nature, and enough stretch to keep from pulling lures out of the lips of fish or damaging reels with drags set to tightly. Among the many advantages of modern monofilament is that it is available in highly tuned versions and colors to match specific fishing conditions or techniques.

New Breed Monofilament Fishing Line

Chemists have discovered a way to reinforce the molecules of nylon. This chemistry is called "Reinforced Polymer Matrix". Unlike coatings applied during the production process, the Reinforced Polymer Matrix is created during the initial formulating process, which gives the line a built-in reinforcement through the entire cross-section and length of the line. More than 20 different physical properties affect performance within a conventional monofilament line. Balancing those properties produces varying degrees of limpness, strength and abrasion resistance. These fishing lines diameter falls into the "castable" range but has a toughness index that is very high. It is slightly stiffer when it first comes off the spool, but, once it hits the water, even under a slight load, a unique characteristic comes into play. The stiffness drops dramatically and the line takes on a totally new low-memory characteristic.

Fluorocarbon Fishing Line

Fluorocarbon is almost invisible in water, has low stretch, and sinks faster than traditional monofilament lines, it has high abrasion resistance, and is highly resistant to UV rays. The marketing effort for fluorocarbon focuses on its invisibility, but it's really a tough line that will stand up to a lot of abrasion and abuse. When fishing in clear water or in highly pressured areas, this fishing line performs great. Fluorocarbon lines are also great for ice fishing, where clear water can be a challenge to the fisherman.

Color Selection

Sometimes you want to see your line and other times it isn't important, but you never want a fish to see it. The following color guidelines will help you make the decision on which color to use in a particular body of water, based on the techniques you are using.

Clear/blue fluorescent is illuminated by sunlight above the surface, making it easier to see when casting, retrieving or trolling. This color remains clear under the surface so it's nearly invisible to a fish. Low-visibility lines blend into most underwater environments and it's a good choice for situations where the strike is slower or fishing pressure has made them bite shy.

Low-visibility Clear is great for clear streams or lakes where fish that seem unwilling to bite.

High-visibility Gold is a bright colored line that makes it easier to see detect strikes or to monitor your line position when you troll several lines or fish in a current. Many fishermen prefer this color for low-light conditions such as dawn, dusk and night fishing.

High-visibility Coffee is great for fishing in muddy, stained waters where you want your line to blend in with the mercy water conditions.

High-visibility Green works best in waters with heavy vegetation or algae.