The 6 Best Fishing Lines For Baitcasting Reels
Geoff Stadnyk in Fishing Accessories on
Baitcasting reels changed the face of fishing forever when they were released.
Up till then, spinning reels ruled the roost, particularly in bass fishing circles.
The first low-profile baitcast reels were released in the US in 1978 and were popular for big game fishing from the start.
Of course, we pretty much only had monofilament lines to use back then.
Today, we are spoilt for choice in both baitcaster and fishing line options.
Common types of fishing lines are fluorocarbon, monofilament nylon lines, and braided lines.
Each has its pros and cons and is best suited to specific uses.
Baitcasting reels perform well with different types of lines so it can be hard to go wrong in choosing a good fishing line.
But let’s find out which particular line is best for your baitcaster reel for more fish.
The improved formula used in the manufacture of the Berkley Trilene monofilament-based line has made this durable line better than ever.
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Improved nylon material has made the fishing line extra smooth with a claimed twenty percent improvement in knot strength and a whopping fifty percent improvement in wet strength.
Best Suited Fishing Application
Berkley Trilene XL Smooth Casting monofilament line is an excellent choice for use on a baitcasting rig on your next fishing trip.
The super-smooth line significantly reduces the odds of a backlash occurring when your lure hits the water.
This fishing line type comes in various color options and is suitable for virtually all water conditions.
The Berkley Trilene XL line is a monofilament fishing line so it floats in water.
This characteristic makes the line suitable for topwater or surface lure fishing and for use in areas where heavy underwater structures can cause a sinking line to get stuck.
The same line is a firm favorite with both novice and experienced bass anglers.
Berkley Trilene XL monofilament line is a forgiving line in terms of shock absorption.
The baitcaster fishing line has just the right amount of stretch to avoid hard-hitting fish from snapping the line when the bait is struck.
This strong line is available in a two to thirty-pound line test.
The Seaguar Red Label fluorocarbon fishing line has built up an excellent reputation over years of use. The main line is part of the casting fluoro lines as opposed to being strictly a leader line when fluorocarbon lines first started out.
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The Red Label line is made from a polymer called polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), which gives the line the incredible abrasion resistance fluorocarbon is well known for.
Best Suited Fishing Application
The Seaguar Red Label line is available in options up to the twenty-pound test, making the fishing line well suited for inland water fishing applications.
The Seaguar Red Label line is only available in clear color, allowing sunlight to pass through without refracting light for near invisibility when submerged underwater.
This helps produce more bites in clear water as the fishing line likewise has a very thin diameter when compared to monofilament types.
The Seaguar Red Label fluorocarbon line is a sinking line, so it is well suited for applications where your bait needs to get down deep in the water to catch fish.
The fluorocarbon line does not absorb water and therefore doesn’t decrease in strength while in use.
Fluorocarbon fishing lines can be springy and more challenging to use, particularly on smaller reels or when the line is new.
Correctly filling new lines for baitcasting reels spool will reduce the risk of backlashes.
The Seaguar Red Label line is a very sensitive line, so activity at the bait is transferred to the angler superbly.
The line has some stretch but being physically harder than nylon lines, it does very well when long casts and hook sets are required at longer distances.
This fishing line for baitcaster is available in popular line sizes, from two to twenty-pound line tests.
The Power Pro Spectra Fiber line is a very thin, superbly strong braided fishing line.
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The Power Pro Spectra line is a braided line treated with Enhanced Body Technology which makes the line incredibly round and improves line sensitivity.
Best Suited Fishing Application
The Power Pro line is suited for virtually all applications where a baitcaster is used, both fresh and saltwater.
The Power Pro Spectra Fiber line is available in four colors namely moss green, white, high-vis yellow, and vermillion red.
Being a braided line, the Power Pro line floats in water which makes it great for use with surface lures.
It is excellent to use where obstructions are found at the bottom of the body of water.
This braided fishing line is a firm favorite with experienced anglers, particularly when long casts need to be made using baitcast reels.
The Power Pro line is waterproof and UV resistant, with virtually near zero stretch.
As such, the line sensitivity is fantastic.
Yep, you read it right that it is available in popular test ratings of up to two hundred and fifty pounds!
Line spools are available in one hundred yard spools for the thinner diameter and up to three thousand yard bulk spools for the heavy diameter models.
Its makers describe SpiderWire Ultracast as the ultimate strength-to-diameter, co-polymer monofilament line.
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The SpiderWire Ultracast is made from a specialized mixture of co-polymers allowing great line strength combined with very low diameter lines.
The strong line offers thirty-three percent more strength than other monofilament lines.
Best Suited Fishing Application
The SpiderWire Ultracast line is very well suited for use with a baitcasting reel.
The thin diameter of the line makes it possible to cast far and allows greater line capacity.
As a co-polymer fishing line, it means the line sinks which makes it ideal for a number of applications.
The SpiderWire only has a fifteen percent stretch, which is far less than other monofilament-type lines.
The result is excellent line sensitivity that allows bites to be felt more clearly.
It is available in four-pound to twenty-pound test lines.
The Sufix 832 is an excellent braided line available in a wide variety of line strengths that share the characteristics of being very strong and super thin.
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The Sufix 832 Advanced Superline is a braided fishing line woven from eight Gore performance fibers.
Best Suited Fishing Application
The Sufix 832 Advanced Superline, in our opinion, is great for use as a fishing line for the baitcasting reel of experienced anglers.
It is no joke trying to untangle a serious backlash with thin lines like these.
The broad spectrum of available Sufix 832 lines in terms of line tests and color choices makes these the appropriate colored lines for virtually all water conditions.
The Sufix 832 Advanced Superline floats in water, making it well suited for use in topwater or surface lure fishing.
It is also excellent for use in areas where heavy underwater structures can damage your line.
Gore fiber lines do not stretch at all, so line sensitivity and feedback through the rod are great.
It is available in four-pound to eighty-pound line strength tests.
The KastKing Superpower braided lines have earned an excellent reputation for being great all-around lines for baitcasting reels.
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The KastKing braided line is made of a double knit fabric that is not wax coated, making the tying of knots much easier. Some anglers also use super glue on this fishing line when making a not to make it stronger.
Best Suited Fishing Application
The KastKing Superpower is a versatile line for casting due to its limpness and very thin diameter.
The line is suitable for use in any freshwater and saltwater environments where baitcaster reels are used.
The line type with its five color options of low-vis gray, moss green, multi-color, ocean blue, and yellow makes it suitable for virtually all water conditions.
The KastKing Superpower line is naturally buoyant in water which is helpful when targeting fish in the surface layer or mid column of the water.
The durable fishing line is a favorite with both beginner and experienced bass anglers.
The KastKing Superpower line has no stretch, which is good for line sensitivity and hook setting.
It is available in ten-pound to one hundred and fifty-pound line tests with various bulk spool lengths.
Best Fishing Line For Baitcaster Reel
Baitcasting reels require some time and practice to master.
The most obvious challenge encountered by new baitcaster reel users is the backlash.
It’s that tangled mess of line caused by the spool turning faster than the line can get out.
The angler’s casting technique also greatly influences the probability of ending up with a knotted line.
The line type being used likewise plays a big part in increasing the reel’s ease of use.
Monofilament line is the most user-friendly, followed by fluorocarbon fishing line and, lastly, braided fishing line.
Verdict
The best overall line for use on baitcasting reels for the average angler is the Berkley XL Smooth Casting monofilament line.
Because of its forgiving nature, ease of knot tying, and superior limpness, it works well for many fishing situations.
This fishing line is also the easiest to untangle should you be faced with a backlash.
Conclusion
Baitcasting reels can be challenging to use for the novice angler due to the dreaded backlash.
They require more experience to utilize properly, especially when fighting against a trophy fish that keeps pulling hard.
Monofilament lines are the most user-friendly, with the Berkley XL Smooth Casting being the best fishing line for your next fishing trip.
Geoff started fishing as a child in the gorgeous lakes of Mammoth, while on family vacations. His fishing experience includes the use of fly rod and reel. Guided trips along the Madison and Gallatin rivers in Montana, the Frying Pan and Animus in Colorado, and the Deschutes river in Oregon have all paid off and helped make Geoff the angler and writer that he is today.
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