Mar. 31, 2025
Today we’re going to look at two of the three major line types for bass fishing as we discuss the similarities and differences of fluorocarbon vs monofilament fishing lines. You can fish the vast majority of bass fishing techniques with just these two line types, though there are some things you simply cannot do without braided line and others still that braid is more efficient with. But that conversation is for another day. Today, let’s look at fluorocarbon versus monofilament.
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Monofilament fishing line, often referred to as “mono”, is typically made of nylon pellets extruded into a single strand of nylon. Fluorocarbon line, or “fluoro”, is made from polyvinylidene fluoride pellets that are melted down and made into a single strand. So both lines are single strands of material, but those two materials have very different attributes.
You’ll notice that a few of the same attributes of these lines are listed in both the pros and cons lists, like the fact that monofilament line floats. That’s because some of these pros and cons are situational. For instance, when wanting to fish a bait along the bottom, the fact that mono floats is a bad thing and will work against your presentation. But when fishing with a topwater bait, this attribute of mono is a good thing and will help keep your bait on top of the water.
The adverse is true for fluorocarbon. Because it sinks, this is a much better line for fishing baits along the bottom. But also because it sinks, you won’t want to use this line with a topwater.
It is also situational as to whether or not the stretchiness of each of these lines is a good thing. Fluoro has less stretch, so it’s better for setting the hook on single hook baits and on long casts with treble hooked baits. But the stretch of mono is acutely beneficial when fishing close quarters with a treble hook bait, as it absorbs the shock of a sudden hookset and allows the fish to fight without running the risk of tearing the hooks free.
Monofilament is a great entry level line for anglers getting into bass fishing because it’s considerably more affordable than most fluorocarbon lines (though there are recent fluoro offerings like Basix from Seaguar that offer a quality fluoro for a more competitive price when compared to monofilament).
This line is also a little easier to cast, though the casting range is more limited because of the larger line diameters. Knots are also a little easier to tie with mono, and the knot strength is better. This takes a little more of the need for experience out of the equation, again making mono often the better selection for newcomers to the sport.
Mono is the better option for topwater baits primarily because it floats. If you were to try to fish a topwater bait like a Spook on fluoro, you’d have to work the bait with your rod tip up and constantly put in effort to keep the line from sinking and pulling the nose of your bait down.
The stretch of mono is also again a good thing with topwaters like poppers, when fishing them close to the boat. These baits have small hooks and the fish are often full of energy when they bite. So, the stretch of mono is very beneficial when hooking into a hard-fighting fish close the boat with small hooks.
Because of it’s affordability, mono is also a great line to use for backing on your reel. Even if you do have a presentation that fluorocarbon is better for, you’ll never need a full spool of it on a baitcaster. You can use mono to fill your reel about halfway and then use a double-uni knot (or some other line-to-line knot) to connect your monofilament backing to your fluorocarbon. Then finish spooling the reel with fluoro. In doing this, you’ll significantly cut the cost of spooling the reel as opposed to what it would have cost to use only fluoro.
Because of fluorocarbon’s lower stretch, higher strength with a smaller diameter, abrasion resistance, sinking characteristic and sensitivity, it’s a great line for many single hook baits like football jigs, swim jigs and Texas rigs. Mono is sufficient for setting small and thin treble hooks, but when trying to generate enough force for an impact hookset, the stretchiness of mono makes it hard to hook fish with bigger, bolder hooks.
These baits are also often fished around cover, so the more abrasion resistant fluoro wins out here too. And because many of these baits are fished several feet beneath the water’s surface, the fact that fluoro sinks allows the bait to get down deeper faster and stay there. The thinner diameter helps with this as well, as the line can cut through the water quicker than the larger diameter, equivalent pound test in mono would be able to.
Fluoro’s thinner diameter and ability to sink also helps decrease the bow in your line beneath the water, creating a more direct point of contact with the bait. In addition to fluoro already being more sensitive than mono, this vastly increases the sensitivity of your presentation as a whole, giving you the ability to maintain bottom contact better, as well as feel the differences in bottom composition and detect bites more easily.
These same attributes also make fluoro better for mid-depth and deep-diving crankbaits. Fluoro’s thinner diameter and innate ability to sink work in favor of the presentation where the thicker mono that floats would work against it.
Using a 12-pound fluoro with a deep-diving crankbait versus a 12-pound mono adds multiple feet to the bait’s depth range, helps it reach the bottom quicker, and allows for a much longer cast. All of this means the bait will be in the strikezone longer. And because of fluoro’s better abrasion resistance, it’s less likely to be damaged as it moves through rock, wood and other cover along the bottom.
Mono can be better for some shallow cranking and small wake baits. With a wake bait, you’ll want the lure to stay right along the surface. So using a larger diameter mono that floats will help here. In the same way, a 20-pound-test mono with its larger diameter will allow you to crank a square bill through a shallow area easier than 15-pound-test fluoro would, by taking away a bit of the bait’s ability to dive.
Fluoro has less memory than monofilament and a smaller diameter, which makes it easier to use on spinning reels. And because fluoro nearly disappears beneath the water’s surface, it is a much better line for finesse techniques in high-pressure situations.
The smaller diameter for the equivalent pound test and fluoro’s added abrasion resistance also allow you to use a smaller pound test than you could with mono, making the line even harder to detect in high-visibility, high-pressure situations, such as fishing a Damiki rig or dropshot in ultra-clear water.
These high-pressure situations aren’t relegated to finesse fishing with spinning gear alone either; this is another reason why fluoro is better for flipping and bed fishing when impact hooksets already make fluoro the clear choice.
Though fluorocarbon lines are becoming increasingly affordable and monofilament lines are more transparent than ever before, there are still plenty of stark differences to note when discussing fluorocarbon versus monofilament lines. Abrasion resistance, smaller line diameter and lower stretch are among key aspects that make fluorocarbon the better choice for a wide variety of baits. But the ease of use, stretch and ability to float of mono make it the better choice at times as well.
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The key is to not get too bogged down in this conversation and instead perfect your craft overtime. At the end of the day, each of these lines are serviceable in many of the same situations. So don’t think you need to have 10 reels spooled up with a variety of line sizes in each line type to start with. You can do a lot with one reel spooled with either 15-pound test mono or 15-pound test fluoro, and you can fish the majority of bass fishing techniques fairly well with a combination of these two.
Braid is very strong for its diameter, and it has virtually no stretch. Because it’s the thinnest of the line types (by breaking strength) and very soft, it casts well. Because it’s the most opaque and visible of the line types, many anglers choose mono or fluoro in clear water. Because braid floats, it’s a viable choice for floating lures. Because it’s the strongest of the lines (by diameter), it’s the obvious choice when fishing in extremely thick or coarse cover. Anglers who are flipping, pitching or punching heavy cover often opt for braided line testing 50 pounds and more.
Best Bets
Berkley Fireline®, the world’s first “superline,” was introduced in . It’s neither a conventional braid, nor a monofilament. The thermally, micro-fused Dyeema® fibers are 3- to 4-times stronger than monofilament offering a true memory-free line that casts long and remains strong.
Berkley x5 offers top-shelf braid performance that won't empty your pockets. It has an advanced 5-carrier construction with a polyethylene core for maximum strength and superior abrasion resistance. x5 is ideal for fishing in thick vegetation and heavy cover. Offered in Berkley’s highly visible crystal color for easy strike detection, Berkley x5 delivers affordable performance.
Berkley x9 offers an extremely smooth and strong line at affordable pricing. The 9-carrier construction with a polyethylene core keeps x9 perfectly round, letting it smoothly flow through rod guides for exceptionally long casts and low friction. x9’s high-strand count enhances wear resistance for fishing abrasive structure while providing superlative knot strength.As you can see, there are many considerations when choosing the right line. However, armed with a bit of knowledge, the task should be much simpler.
Monofilament is strong, but far less strong than braid for its diameter. It has significantly more stretch than either braid or fluoro. Because it floats and is translucent, it’s an excellent choice for fishing floating topwater lures. It is generally more castable than fluoro, but less castable than braid.
Berkley Trilene XL is a leader in the monofilament world. It has the best properties of mono and is extra-limp (XL) so it casts extremely well. The stretch inherent in mono makes it a viable choice for any baits with treble hooks. Trebles rarely get the kind of penetration that single hooks do, thus a little stretch can help to keep fish on the hook through steady pressure. Lines with less stretch are less “forgiving.”
Best Bets
Berkley Trilene XT® and Trilene XL® are both outstanding monofilament choices. Trilene XT (Extra Tough) excels when fishing baits in abrasive environments—areas where extra toughness and abrasion resistance is a plus. Think, for instance, running spinnerbaits through weedy environments. Trilene XL (Extra Limp) excels when a supple monofilament is required. It’s especially popular on spinning gear because its limpness reduces line memory as well as tangles and spooling issues.
Fluorocarbon is roughly as strong as mono for its diameter, but far less strong than braid. It has more stretch than braid and stretches differently than mono. As you pull mono, the line begins to stretch almost immediately; fluorocarbon only begins to stretch after a given load has been applied to it. Because it sinks, fluorocarbon is generally a poor choice for fishing floating topwater lures. It’s the least cast-friendly of the three, but because it has the same refractive qualities as water, it’s an excellent choice for clear water fishing conditions.
Berkley Trilene 100% Fluorocarbon is a breakthrough in this line type. It’s an extremely castable fluorocarbon and basically disappears in water. It may be fishing’s most versatile line. It’s a great choice for crankbaits, spinnerbaits, soft plastics and just about anything except floating topwaters.
Generally, lighter, thinner lines will impart more action to your lures, so going a little lighter can mean more bites. Heavier lines of any type give you more strength but may mute lure action. When fishing “dirty” water with less than a foot or two of visibility, there’s little reason to go “light” or to choose a less visible line like fluorocarbon or monofilament.
Got it? That’s a lot to take in; a lot to remember. But once you get it, you’re ready to make the kind of informed decisions that will improve your fishing.
No line is always best for any fishing situation. Every line choice is a compromise of sorts. If you want the strength of braid, you can’t have the forgiveness and stretch of monofilament or the clarity of fluorocarbon. If you want the near invisibility of fluorocarbon, you can't have the floating quality of braid or monofilament.
We have wonderful fishing lines today — the best ever devised — but no one line can do everything. No line has all of the great qualities without any of the sacrifices.The line you should choose depends on three primary factors: your lure or hook choice, the water clarity, and any cover or obstructions in the water you’re fishing. Armed with that information, you're ready to make an informed decision that will benefit your angling.
Best Bets
Berkley FluoroShield® is a new fluorocarbon-infused co-polymer (more than one polymer) line offering the clear characteristics of fluorocarbon with enhanced abrasion resistance. Better yet, FluoroShield offers the suppleness of monofilament, making it a very castable choice for both spinning and casting gear.
Berkley 100% Fluoro Professional Grade has been the benchmark in fluorocarbon lines for years. Like Fluoroshield, Berkley 100% Fluro Professional Grade offers a distinct softness that spinning enthusiasts appreciate. Additionally, Berkley 100% Fluoro Professional Grade tangles less than conventional fluorocarbons.
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