The most popular fishing line in boat fishing is the nylon monofilament one. The qualities which justify this supremacy are essentially three: easy availability, affordable price and, above all, the user-friendly junctions that it makes possible.
Nylon is divided into different fishing line classes; specs are printed on every reel and include length, diameter and breaking load. Both length and diameter are two essential units of measurement to fill fishing reels while breaking load deserves some reflection. The breaking load is the resistance of a monofilament when subject to progressive tension by special dynamometers. “Hi Vis” nylon deserves a special mention. Thanks to its fluorescent colour, in fact, it becomes quite visible out of water in any light condition and becomes almost invisible under the surface.
Remaining within the world of nylon monofilament fishing lines, it is important to distinguish the different terminal tackle categories. Compared with reel nylon, terminal tackle nylon is a little more rigid and rough and therefore good for catching big preys.
As for fluorocarbon, in this case, too, a distinction should be drawn, not only in terms of cost but, above all, in terms of quality and performances. The best option is offered by 100% fluorocarbon monofilament terminal tackles. The monofilament wire is totally invisible in water and its refractive degree is 60% lower than conventional lines. Highly resistant, it maintains its breaking load even after a long period spent in water. Moreover, it is salt-and UV-resistant.
All high-quality monofilament lines are durable if well-cared and well-kept. In addition to wash the reel with some fresh water regularly, it is important to inspect the fishing line in order to make sure that it shows no signs of wear. If the fishing line is abraded or ruined, it needs to be replaced. A trick consists in holding the monofilament line in your fingers and test its quality.
Often, wear is limited to the terminal section of the line which can be easily removed in order to have a good rig.
If, on the contrary, you realize that your nylon fishing line is ruined but you can’t buy a new one at that precise moment, my advice is to invert reel monofilament wires so that the ruined part stays at the bottom while the new part is at hand…Simple, cheap and brilliant!