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I’ve come to the conclusion that you can catch fish on whatever fishing line you toss on the reel. That being said, having the right line for the job can make your life easier and land you more fish. In this post, I’m going to be talking about the best fishing line for ultralight spinning reels.
The best fishing line for a lighter rod is going to be a 10 lb braided line with a fluorocarbon or monofilament leader. There are a number of benefits to using braid but the main ones would have to be that it’ll cast a long distance and it’ll improve the sensitivity of your rod. You’ll then want to use a fluoro or mono leader (depends on what type of fishing) because it’ll be harder for the fish to see in the water.
I’m not saying this is the absolute best setup for the type of fishing you’ll be doing but it’s worked well for me. I’ll use it for kokanee and trout fishing as well as anything else I’m after that requires a super sensitive rod. Continue reading to find out my favorite fishing line and how to spool it the right way.
Why Use Braided Line On A Spinning Reel
Like I was saying before, there are a number of reasons you should use braid on your spinning rods. I use it on 90% of my fishing reels and have never run into any issues. I like the way it performs and more and more people are starting to use it.
The first reason I like using braid is that it lasts longer than fluorocarbon and monofilament. It’s a bit more expensive to buy but I’ve been able to use the same spool for well over a year. You’ll end up spending less time messing with your rods and more time actually fishing.
The second reason is that it’s stronger than mono and fluoro (of the same thickness). Obviously, 20 lb braid and 20 lb mono are going to be very similar but 20 lb braid is the same thickness as 6 lb mono. With braid, you get the benefit of a thinner line with the strength of something heavy-duty.
The next reason is that it casts better. I did a comparison of which fishing line casts the longest distance and braid was the clear winner (see that article here). This will be super useful if you’re casting from shore (or in a boat) where you need to cover the most water possible.
Another reason to use braid is that it’s more versatile. If you’re fishing with 6 lb mono, you’re pretty limited with what you can target. You’ll only be able to go after smaller fish and you’ll need to change your line if you want to go after something heavier. With braid, you can use the same line to target smaller and larger fish.
The final benefit is that braid is more sensitive than fluoro and mono. When you’re using mono, it has a lot of stretch to it and that’ll make it harder to feel the smaller bites. Braid doesn’t stretch at all and you’ll be able to feel everything. You can also toss it on a cheaper rod and it’ll feel like something much more expensive (not exactly but close).
The Best Braided Fishing Line For Spinning Reels
A number of years ago, only a small number of people actually used braid because it wasn’t that easy to work with. It’s come a long way over the years, more and more people are using it, and the majority of the options are pretty solid.
I haven’t used every single brand of braided line out there but I have used a few. 80-90% of them have been really solid and a couple of them could use some work. The only two lines I use now and Sufix 832 braid and Power Pro braid (check the price on Amazon). They both have 4.5 stars on Amazon and have always done the job for me.
They both come in a variety of strengths and colors. I really don’t think the color matters too much but some people like using yellow because it’s easy to see where your line is. If you’re using an ultralight rod then you’ll probably want to stick to 10 lb braid.
What Leader To Use On A Spinning Reel
When you’re fishing with braid you’ll want to attach a leader. A leader is a piece of line you put between the braid and your lure. The only time you wouldn’t use a leader is if you’re fishing super dirty water or a place you know you’ll get snagged. Everywhere else, use a leader.
You’re going to have two different options, monofilament or fluorocarbon. If you’re fishing in ultra-clear water or you need your line to sink deep, use fluoro. If you’re fishing topwater and want your lure to float, use mono. Different people prefer different things but I don’t think it matters too much.
When it comes to the length of your leader, it should be no less than 3-4 feet. You also don’t want to have it too long and have the knot in your spool. Somewhere in the middle is ideal. Most of the time, I’ll attach 5-6 feet and then replace it when it gets less than 3 (from cutting and tying).
Again, there are a bunch of good fishing lines out there but the ones I normally go with are Seaguar Red Label fluorocarbon and Berkley Big Game (check the price on Amazon). I wouldn’t use the Red Label fluoro as my main fishing line but it works well as my leader line.
How To Spool A Spinning Rod With Line
Spooling a spinning reel with braid is a pretty straightforward thing. The line doesn’t have any memory (like fluorocarbon) so there’s a lot less that can go wrong. That being said, there are a few key things to know before you get started.
The first thing I always like to do is put some mono or fluoro on the spool first (before the braid). Braid is pretty slippery and tends to slip on the spool. Putting a couple of wraps of mono or fluoro will give it something to bite into. You’ll just want to put enough so the spool is covered in one layer.
The next thing you’ll want to do is attach your braided line to the mono or fluoro you just put on. The type of knot you use isn’t all that important because you never should have that much line out anyway. Just use something that’s decently strong (don’t use the traditional fishing knot) such as the Double Uni or Albright knot.
You’ll then want to spool your reel with braid. Be sure to not put too much line and be sure to not put too little. If you don’t put enough, it won’t cast as well. If you put too much, it’ll tangle up. As a rule of thumb, you’ll want to put enough line on so there’s a 1/8-1/16 inch gap between the line and the spool. Make sure you keep tension on the line as you spool it.
Once you have your spool filled, the next thing you’ll need to do is attach your leader. This knot is important though and you’ll want to make sure it’s super tight. If you don’t, you’ll lose a lot of fish. I normally use the Surgeon’s knot and it’s worked well. Again, don’t use a standard fishing knot because it won’t hold.
The final thing I like to do (if I can) is to take the rod out in the boat and let the line out as I’m driving. It’ll get the line wet and it’ll make sure there’s a good amount of tension on the line as I’m reeling in. It just really makes sure everything is on there properly and limits the tangles down the road.