How to choose
Three steps: material, then type, then colour.
Three steps: material → type → colour. Choose the material by technique and bottom, then the type within it, then a colour for how you watch bites.
Step 1: choose the material
| Material | In a line | Suits | Not for |
|---|---|---|---|
| PE braid | Thinnest, most sensitive, floats, opaque | Spinning main line (with a leader), distance, heavy weeds tied direct | Rubbing directly on rock or shell |
| Fluorocarbon | Clear, sinks, abrasion-resistant, on the stiff side | Leaders; bottom-contact main line on a baitcaster; Carolina rigs | A full spinning spool (memory, wind knots) |
| Nylon | Supple, stretchy, cheap, knots well | A first main line, topwater trebles, trolling | Deep-water bite watching, when you need sensitivity |
| Ester | Thin, sensitive, almost no stretch, brittle | Ultralight spinning (tiny jigheads, micro lures) | Big fish, cover, hard hooksets |
| Wire / titanium leader | Bite protection | Pike, muskie | Fish that cannot bite through line |
The three most common setups: spinning = PE main line + FC leader; baitcaster bottom work = FC tied direct; topwater trebles = nylon, or PE + a nylon leader.
Step 2: choose the type
| Material | Type | Why choose it | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| PE | x8 | Round, smooth, quiet: spinning main line, finesse, distance | Braid · carrier count |
| PE | x4 | Cheap and tough: weeds tied direct, frogs, flipping | Braid · carrier count |
| PE | Sinking PE | Wind and current bow; vertical work | Braid · other braid types |
| PE | Fused line | No wind knots: ice, light spinning | Braid · other braid types |
| PE | General braid (heavy coating) | Beginners, one spool for the boat | Braid · other braid types |
| PE | Dacron | Backing, trolling, tip-ups | Braid · other braid types |
| Fluorocarbon | Soft FC | Natural small-lure action, easy on spinning, knots well | Fluorocarbon · soft vs stiff |
| Fluorocarbon | Stiff FC | Abrasion, direct feel, runs straight with fewer tangles | Fluorocarbon · soft vs stiff |
| Nylon | Plain nylon | Cheap, knots well, forgiving | Nylon |
| Nylon | Copolymer / FC-coated nylon | Between nylon and fluorocarbon | Nylon |
For all 11 line types side by side on every trait, see the fishing-line cheat sheet.
Step 3: choose the colour