Backlash!
Just hearing that word makes me sick to my stomach.
In order to prevent backlashes when fishing with a casting reel it is essential to take into consideration your casting technique as well as your equipment.
And it goes without saying that one of the most important pieces of equipment to make long accurate casts is your fishing line. However, with the variety of different lines on the market today(fluorocarbon, braid, monofilament, super lines etc.), it can be extremely difficult to distinguish which option is the best for your fishing needs.
For that reason, in this post let’s take a closer look at what is the best fishing line for baitcasting reels.
Let’s begin….
What is the best fishing line for a baitcaster?
Before we dive into this topic, here is a quick preview of some of my favorite lines on the market. Keep reading below for more information on what makes these stand out from the rest.
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
Monofilament, Braid or Fluorocarbon? Does It Really Matter? Is One Better Than The Other?
The answer is yes! Each fishing line has its own unique properties. Some things to think about before selecting a line is the amount of experience you have fishing with a baitcasting reel, the type of fishing you will be doing and where you will be fishing.
Why Choose Monofilament? Especially for beginners, Monofilament is a great option to put on your baitcaster. I recommend this for at least 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 fishing with a monofilament than other options on the market. More control of your casts is going to allow for longer more accurate casts and hopefully, result in fewer bird’s nests.
Secondly, in the event that you do experience a backlash, (which you probably will at the beginning we all do) monofilament is going to be way easier to get out than if you were to get one with a stiffer line such as fluoro or even braid.
Lastly, monofilament is cheaper. A few backlashes here and there, won’t hurt the bank.
Why Choose 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 this type of line only to fishermen who are very comfortable and are very experienced with a baitcasting reel.
Why Choose 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 very sensitive.
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 up with this nearly invisible 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
Features:
- 8 different fibers interwoven 32 times
- Abrasion Resistant
- Sensitive
One of the most popular braids amongst our readers is the Suffix 832 Braid. The reason it is so popular is simply 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 8 different fibers are used to construct this braid. Those 8 fibers are then interwoven 32 times per inch.
Let’s think about what that means for you as a fisherman. Let’s say that you go out and buy 150 yards of Suffix 832. In that single spool of braid, those 8 fibers are interwoven more than 170,000 times.
So what does that mean?
Will you have to fear losing a fish or your lure when fishing around heavy cover?
Absolutely not!
Without a doubt Suffix 832 is a quality braid that is abrasion resistant, designed for super smooth casts. In addition, it has been designed in a way to both to increase your casting ability and you will notice an overall increase in line sensitivity.
Powerpro Super 8 Slick Line
Features:
- Super smooth
When fishing with a casting reel it is important that you choose a fishing line that comes off the reel very smoothly. Even the slightest deviation off the reel is going to result in inaccurate casts as well as those ugly bird’s nests.
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 helps to reduce noise. This is especially important when fishing for fish that are easily spooked. PowerPro Super 8 Slick is a great line to sneak up on fish.
Stren Superline Braid
Features:
- Super line
- No memory
- Made with Dyneema Fibers
- Glide Coat Treatment
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
Features:
- Best of the best fluorocarbon
- Double Structure fishing line
- Abrasion-resistant
- Sensitive
- Invisible
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 so many 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 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.
The one drawback to the Tatsu is the price. Yes, it is a quality line, but it does come at a high price. However, don’t let that discourage you. If you don’t want to spend that much money on a single spool of Tatsu try ways to make it last. For example, you could either first back your reel with a less expensive fluoro or monofilament line or you can use this line as leader material.
For more information check out the following video:
Seaguar Abrazx Fishing Line
Features
- Designed to be fished around the heavy stuff
- Near Invisible Properties
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
Features:
- UV protectant coating
- Triple Resin Processing
- Nearly invisible
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 the 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
Features:
- Affordable
- Smooth cast
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 its strength properties, this is a pretty strong fishing line and is very versatile for many different fishing techniques.
Yo-Zuri Hybrid
Features:
- Hybrid – fluor and mono
- Easy to manage
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 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
thank you for telling me what kind of line to use on my baitcaster i use 65 pound braid because i live in northwest wisconsin and we have a lot of muskys and i use it for musky fishing also
I recently had my Garcia ambassador 5000, redone. I know it’s old, but I love it. My problem recently was, I was using braid and had a horrible backlash, so bad that I had to cut all the line off. That brought me to the big question. Since I am not a pro, what would be the best line to restring my baitcaster with? Guess I need more thought and study before the big decision.