How To Choose The Best Fishing Line For A Baitcaster

Backlash! Just hearing that word makes me sick to my stomach. When fishing with a casting reel it important not only to consider your technique, but your equipment as well. One such important piece of equipment is your fishing line. However, with the variety of different lines on the market it may be difficult to select which one is best for you.

For that reason, we are going to discuss in this post what we would consider to be the best fishing line for a baitcasting reel.

Let’s begin….

Here is a quick preview:

Best braided fishing lines for a baitcaster:

• Suffix 832 Braid
• Powerpro Super 8 Slick Line
• Stren Superline Braid

Best fluorocarbon fishing line for a baitcaster:

• Seaguar TATSU Fluorocarbon Fishing Line
• Seaguar Abrazx Fishing Line
• Sunline Super FC Sniper

Best monofilament fishing line for a baitcaster:

• Berkley Trilene XL Mono

Best Hybrid fishing line for a baitcaster:

• Yo-Zuri Hybrid

We will discuss each of these lines individually below, but before we do that, let’s talk about the different types of lines available.

Monofilament. Especially for beginners, Monofilament is a great option to put on your baitcaster. I recommend this for three reasons.

First, it is much easier to cast a baitcaster with a monofilament than a braid or fluorocarbon. This is because a casting reel requires you to control the cast with your thumb. Many fishermen find that they have more control with a monofilament fishing line.

Secondly, if you do backlash, which you probably will at the beginning (we all do) it will be easier to get out.

Lastly, monofilament is a  cheaper fishing line. A few backlashes here and there, won’t hurt the bank.

Braid. Braid is durable and abrasion resistant. It is because of this, that many fishermen choose to use it on their baitcasting reels when they will be fishing around heavy cover, rocks, trees or docks etc.

However, for a beginner, braid can be very difficult to control. If and when you backlash, braid can also be very difficult to get out. I would recommend a braid line only to fishermen who are very comfortable and are very experienced with a baitcasting reel.

Fluorocarbon. Fluorocarbon has some great properties that make fishing with it very desirable. For one, it is nearly invisible in the water and it also a very sensitive fishing line.

However, fishing with it on a casting reel can be a challenge. Make sure you are comfortable fishing with a casting reel before spooling it with fluorocarbon line.

Another important thing to consider is that fluorocarbon can be expensive.

A backlash with fluorocarbon can be costly not only of time but money too.

Now that we have an idea of what type of fishing line we might be looking for, let’s take a look at some of the best fishing lines on the market for baitcasting reels.

What is the Best Fishing Line For A Baitcaster?

Suffix 832 Braid | Best Braided Line For A Baitcaster

One of the most popular braids amongst our readers is the Suffix 832 Braid. The reason it is so popular is because it is a solid fishing line.

Fishing with it on a baitcaster is no different.

What does 832 mean? The reason why it is called 832 is because there are 8 different fibers that are interwoven 32 times per inch. So if you buy have 150 yards of braid those 8 fibers are interwoven more than 170,000 times. What does that mean?

It means that Suffix 832 Braid is a quality braid that is abrasion resistant, designed for super smooth casts. It is designed both to increase your casting ability and you will notice an overall increase in line sensitivity.

Powerpro Super 8 Slick Line | Best Line For A Baitcaster

When fishing with a casting reel you want a fishing line that is going to be smooth. If there is any deviation during the cast the results are going to be an ugly bird’s nest.

One braid that really excels at its super smooth casting capabilities is the Powerpro Super 8 Slick Line. Many have even described casting with this line to be as smooth as silk. That is exactly what we are want to hear when shopping for the best line for a baitcaster.

Because it is so smooth doing the cast, this gives you more control and it also help to reduce noise. This is especially important when fishing for that fish that are easily spooked. This is a great line to sneak up on fish.

Stren Superline Braid

Another great braid that doesn’t get much attention is the Stren Superline Braid. This braid is a superline made with very strong Dyneema Fibers.

It is highly abrasion resistant making it a great option when fishing around rocks or other obstacles. If you are looking for a good fishing line that works well with topwater lures, this may just be your answer.

The line is coated with a special glide coat giving you that much-needed smooth casting when fishing with a casting reel.

Another unique feature that I haven’t found much use for, is that it actually glows under a black light.

Learn more about the features of this line in the following video:

Seaguar TATSU Fluorocarbon Fishing Line | Best Fluorocarbon Fishing Line For A Baitcasting Reel

When you think of fluorocarbon fishing line what brand comes to mind?

No doubt the first name that comes to mind is Seaguar. Why is that? It is because Seaguar is the one fishing line brand that makes different kinds of fluorocarbon.

One such line, that I like to call their ‘cream of the crop’ fishing line, is the  Seaguar TATSU.

The reason I really like Seaguar TATSU is because it is a double structure fishing line. What this means is that it is basically two lines in one. What this gives you is an abrasion resistant, super sensitive, nearly invisible fishing line for your favorite casting reel.

While Seaguar makes a variety of different fluorocarbon lines on the market, I would say Seaguar TATSU is their best.

For more information check out the following video:

Seaguar Abrazx Fishing Line

Another great fishing line made by Seaguar is Seaguar Abrazx.

As the name applies, this fishing line is designed to be super durable and super abrasion resistant.  This is exactly the fishing line you want to be throwing when fishing around laydowns, heavy cover, stumps, docks etc.

Choose Seaguar Abrazx and you can fish with peace of mind knowing that you got yourself a durable fishing line.

Best of all, it is 100% fluorocarbon. What does that mean? It means that even though it is abrasion resistant it doesn’t lose those near invisible properties that are the exact reason we choose to fish with fluorocarbon in the first place.

Learn more about Seaguar Abrazx in the following video:

Sunline Super FC Sniper

What would you like to see in a fluorocarbon fishing line? No doubt a fishing line that is invisible. Being invisible you will get you more bites, and it will be more resistant to UV light making your expensive line last much longer.

Another great benefit is low stretch. This can help with casting, especially casting with a baitcaster. Lastly, a durable line. One that will allow you to fish around heavy cover.

One such line that offers all of the aforementioned qualities is the Sunline Super FC Sniper.

One unique feature to the Sunline fishing lines is the triple resin processing. This helps to make the line both water-repellent and abrasion resistant.

Berkley Trilene XL Mono | Best Monofilament For A Baitcaster

One thing that is essential when fishing with a baitcaster is you need a fishing line that will allow you to make a smooth cast. If you can’t do that, you are going to find yourself with backlash after backlash.

A great fishing line especially for beginners is the Berkley Trilene XL Mono.

The reason I decided to add the Berkley Trilene XL Mono to this list is because it allows for that smooth cast that is going to give you more control of your reel and lure.

More control means, fewer backlashes, and fewer backlashes mean more fish!

Even though mono isn’t known for it strength properties, this is a pretty strong fishing line and is very versatile for many different fishing techniques.

Yo-Zuri Hybrid 

Before bringing this post to a close, I just wanted to highlight one of my favorite hybrid lines the Yo-Zuri Hybrid.

If you are having a hard time deciding between fishing with a monofilament or a fluorocarbon line this is a great option for you because you don’t have to decide between them.

It is the perfect combination of fluorocarbon and mono. It gives you the strong abrasion resistant qualities of a fluorocarbon line. At the same time, it is easy to manage and gives you some stretch, making it great when fishing with lures with treble hooks.

I would definitely consider fishing with Yo-Zuri Hybrid when using a casting reel.

What do you think is the best fishing line for a baitcaster? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

For more information on fishing line, enjoy the following links:

Fluorocarbon Advantage
Mono vs Braid
Mono vs Braid vs Fluorocarbon