Bass fishing is a challenging and fun activity. It can be done in various ways, but the most important part is to have the right gear. This includes the right size test line for bass fishing.
Many anglers make the mistake of using a line that is too light or too heavy for the fish they are trying to catch. This can lead to either missing the fish or getting the hook stuck in its mouth.
In this article, we are going to look at what size test line for bass fishing is the best for bass fishing and provide some tips on how to do it.
Knowing The Strength Of Fishing Line For Bass Fishing
Bass fishing is a tricky activity that, when done correctly, can provide you with wonderful results. The right size test line is essential if we want to catch the right fish. For highly experienced and experienced anglers, the right size test line can be extremely difficult to find.
Unfortunately, many anglers don’t realize that the correct size test line has an effect on their success. If we don’t get the right size test line for bass fishing, we are unlikely to get the correct size fish for our next cast.
However, it is easy to understand why this is so – if we use a slightly different size test line and a slightly different sized bass will result in a much different catch. For instance, 1 pound test fishing line should not be used for larger sizes and 5 or 10 pounds for smaller ones.
A fishing line is one of the most important things you can buy to catch fish. When buying a fishing line, you have to consider material and diameter, as well as what strain will be needed to hook your fish.
Different Types of Fishing Lines
Fishing lines are used in different types of fishing. Some fishing lines have a small diameter, while others have a large diameter. The size is important for the fishing line to be effective and not cause damage to the fish.
The size of the fishing line is measured in pounds. This is because of how much weight you want the bait to hold. If you plan to use a very light line on bait, then you can use the very small line for that bait and still be able to catch a lot of fish. But if you use a heavier line, then the weight will be too much for that bait.
However, there are several other factors that can affect your choice of fishing lines:
- The length of line compared with the type of hook used
- The strength of the line
- And the size of bait used with the hook
There are basically three types of fishing lines, namely monofilament, copolymer, and fluorocarbon. Each fishing line has its own advantages and disadvantages.
Monofilament Fishing Line
Monofilament is considered the most versatile fishing line on the market. It is made of nylon. Its main purpose is to give the angler a strong, dependable line that is easy to cast and retrieve.
This monofilament fishing line’s main advantage is its lightweight. Most fishing lures and reels can be used with monofilament.
This type of fishing line is made of a single polymer made of nylon or polyethylene. It is relatively easy to prepare, and it has a very high strength-to-bulk ratio, which makes it a popular choice for fly fishing.
When you’re ready to branch out and try a new fishing spot or go after different species, mono offers so many options so it’s easy to find the right line.
As you learn more about fishing and get better at it, you’ll soon be going on more sophisticated trips, trying to land bigger fish. At that time, you’ll probably use a rod & reel, so start running the best grade of monofilament that your situations require.
Monofilament can typically be found starting at 8lbs test strength. For the big game fish, keep your eyes open for 80lb and 130lb lines.
While monofilament is strong, we feel it can stretch as it’s problematic to be overly sensitive. This creates a trade-off as we worry about losing feeler bites.
When Should You Use Monofilament Fishing Line?
This line is versatile for both freshwater and saltwater fishing. It is very easy to handle. With this, you can cast large lures and bait to the big fish. You might know that monofilament is the most flexible line because of its ability to stretch.
Fluorocarbon Fishing Line
Fluorocarbon is the next level in the fishing line. It’s superior to monofilament, due to it being denser so there’s less stretch when you’re reeling in fish by hand or using a reel if that’s your preferred method.
Because fluoro is denser though, you also won’t see as much of it on land as can sometimes happen with the mono line when you’re carrying bags of bait and lines at a time while trying not to drop anything.
Fluoro-based fishing lines are ideal for anglers who have mastered their skill sets and are consistently seeking out stronger fight-intensive fish catches.
Fluorocarbon, also known as polyvinylidene difluoride (PVDF), is a popular fishing line. It is incredibly resistant to oxidants, acids, oxidants, hydrocarbons, and salt water. This may make it particularly useful in the production of fish products that you find on the market today.
When Should You Use Fluorocarbon Fishing Line?
The Fluorocarbon fishing line is a good line for the beginner and also a good choice for experienced anglers. It is a good line for catching bass while fishing from a boat and luring largemouth bass. For the boat angler, this line is a good choice for fishing in the deep waters and also good for fishing in shallow waters with vegetation.
Copolymer Fishing Line
A polymer is a material that can be molded. Some polymers are very flexible and can be shaped into many forms, but other polymers are too rigid to be shaped. These polymers, called copolymers, are used to make various products such as fishing lines.
Similar to a monofilament fishing line, a copolymer fishing line is created by stretching out nylon until it becomes wavy. However, while monofilament fishing lines have only one type of nylon in them, copolymers have two different kinds of nylon in each line.
As we mentioned, this type of fishing line is made of nylon material. In the event that you’re a beginner, it is best to start with monofilament. Because it is a better choice to get you started.
The copolymer fishing line is a good choice for beginners because it is much cheaper than a fluorocarbon line, and it is easier to tie knots with. Plus you don’t need to worry about is getting too small or too thick. It’s also a more affordable line.
This type of fishing line is actually a combination between monofilament and fluorocarbon. It is a long line compared to a monofilament line. It has the strength of monofilament but the flexibility of fluorocarbon.
When Should You Use Copolymer Fishing Line?
Polymers are great for bass fishing. You will enjoy this line because of its better strength, durability, and better elasticity. It won’t break easily during light winds and storms. Moreover, you can make longer casts with this line in deep water.
Polymer flexibility is determined by a number of factors such as the type of molecule being formed, the temperature of the object being formed (if it is being formed by heat), and the time (if an object is being formed at room temperature) and pressure (if an object is being made under pressure).
The polymer flexibility that makes them useful for their intended use is their structure. The polymer molecules are randomly arranged in a way that allows the material to take on those different shapes without being stretched out and breaking.
Braided Fishing Line
Braid lines are made of braided wire. The line is used by most when you want to have a stronger line with a softer feel. It is great for casting topwater and attracting smaller bass fish and also is an easier line to work. A Braided line is also a good option for deep, hard-to-see areas.
Most anglers choose to use the braided line when fishing just as they do monofilament because it provides great performance.
Braided line is woven together to form a line, unlike monofilament and fluorocarbon. It is about the width of one-quarter of the diameters of fluorescent or monofilament lines which gives more room on your spools for your casts.
In many parts of the world, this is the best choice for fishing, especially when you are fishing in shallow water. In other places, the braided line may require a longer length. If you want the best results when using a braided line, it is important that you know how much thread you need to use for braiding.
However, when using a braided line for bass fishing, it’s important that you know which size test line for bass fishing is suitable for your rod and reel.
It will help if you know what diameter test lines are available in your country to ensure that the most suitable size can be found.
When Should You Use Braided Fishing Line?
Getting the right size test line for bass fishing can be hard. Fishing is not just about the size of the fish, it is also about choosing the right line.
Today, most people use braided lines for bass fishing and there are many different types of braided lines available. For example, some people use monofilament lines and others use fluorocarbon.
For competitive anglers, tournament anglers, and bass anglers, the braided leader line is a great choice. The line is used for tournament fishing and bass fishing. For the best fishing line for bass, a braided line is a good choice. There are various braids available, hence the need for a braided leader line.
The choice of one or the other, as well as the difference in strength and characteristics between different lines, can be very important when it comes to choosing a test line for bass fishing. In fact, monofilament test lines are usually cheaper than fluorocarbon ones but do not offer as much sensitivity.
Difference Between Fluorocarbon, Monofilament & Braided Fishing Line
There are a lot of different types of fishing lines, but they all have their own pros and cons. Such lines are monofilament lines, which are very strong but can tear quickly, and braided lines, which have a much softer feel.
There is no right size test line for bass fishing; the purpose is to find out what works best for you and your fishing rod. Each person will react differently to the line he uses; with any type of line, it is important to test your results before buying a new one.
Monofilament Line
As a beginner angler, you might want to opt for something that will enable you to anchor down your line when fishing. A mono-filament is a great option because it has less weight than other kinds of lines so it will be more sensitive and react more quickly when a fish bites onto the lure.
Mono is created from polymers. These polymers are heated to a molten state, where they then extrude together on a surface (which acts as a mold) that has grooves in it.
These grooves form channels over the line, which allows for the surface of the catch to maximize its contact with the line, offering high strength and low stretch ratings. While not an exact scientific formula to create lines that are perfect for all purposes, knowing that these tests are strengths offers you options before purchasing a line whether you’re buying it as bait or fishing gear.
Fluorocarbon Line
Fluorocarbon fishing lines have a unique chemical structure that resists acid and oxidation, making them an ideal material for use with food products such as fish. The demand for this sort of activity is increasing quickly, according to new research.
When you’re at your favorite fishing spots, the line is critical. It must be strong enough to handle the rocks and other materials on the ground as well as cast in difficult situations. Most people use fluorocarbon line, which has great tensile strength for this purpose.
Braided Line
This kind of fishing line has a much softer feel than monofilament, but it also cuts quite easily. This type of fishing line is known as nylon or nylon-PVC. Brass colors are also available in this kind of fishing line unless you want something that looks more expensive than what you actually need.
The advantage to using this kind of fishing line over monofilament is that you can use different sizes as well as different colors at once without having too many problems with tearing and changing colors too often.
How to Select the Best Bass Fishing Line Strength?
The basic principle of a fishing line is that a higher strength fishing line gives you more fish. The lower the strength, the fewer fish you will catch.
Fishing Place
This is because bass species are not all the same. Some are bony fish while others are yellow, live, and soft, and some are live but hard.
Some species are small while others are big. And some species of bass are in one pond while others are in another, some are in a lake or river and others are in a stream.
This is why you need to know where you are going to find the species you want to catch so that you can choose the appropriate line strength for that species.
In other words, the best line strength is that which matches the average weight of the targeted species.
Saying all this, you can get a 20-pound test line for catching small bass. But if you are going to catch big bass, you might get a 12-pound line for catching them.
Atmosphere & Weather Condition
Some anglers like to fish in areas of lower atmospheric pressure and that have high rainfall. This is because they want to catch bass in these areas as they are easier to catch.
In contrast, other anglers like to fish in areas of high atmospheric pressure and that have low rainfall. This is because they want to catch bass in these areas as they are easier to catch.
The wind is another factor that you need to consider. This is because wind can create waves on the surface of the water. When this happens, the bass often becomes agitated and becomes harder to catch. You need strong fishing lines to successfully handle bass in windy conditions.
Fish become more active in warmer water. And this means that you are going to need stronger fishing lines to catch them in warm water. This is because the tackle is going to take more work to handle. In fact, you are also going to need stronger fishing lines to get big bass in warmer water.
Affect Of Sunlight
Bass do not like to be out in the sun. If you need to fish at midday, you should use a strong fishing line because the sun can drain the strength of your line faster than normal.
Species of Bass
This is the most important thing to determine before one goes fishing. There are many different types of species of fish and nearly all of them range in size.
Fish such as tuna can be an average weight of 100 pounds but something like a smallmouth bass would only weigh about two pounds for example.
So it’s vital that you know exactly what fish you’ll be targeting so that you can make sure you bring along a line with enough strength to catch whatever your targeted prey may be.
Which Pound Test Should I Use for Recurring Fish?
8- Pound Test
You’ll get a lot of versatility with this 8-pound test. You can use it for drop shots, Neko rigging, extravagant rigging, post a slow Jerkbait, post a floating worm, and jump a shaky head near a shallow cover.
Our 8-pound test line has enough strength to use for recurring fish in clear water but still allows us to fish shallow with it. This line will serve most clearwater bass needs, while still being flexible enough to withstand occasional contact with pier posts or rocks.
12- Pound Test
While you may find the 8-pound test more versatile, you can also use the 12-pound test for bass fishing. So you can use it to deep drive, deep drive to post to shallow crankbait and shakey head, and a deep drive to post to spinnerbait and might also have a bait or leader that is too long to use with the 6-pound test. You might have some of the same problems with fluorocarbon as the 8-pound test.
17- Pound Test
Bass anglers usually use this line to drop lipless crankbaits, deep-dive crankbaits, and kingfisher riggers. It’s a little more versatile than the 8-pound test and ideal for a variety of applications. You can use it for fine nibs, big swimbaits, deep-dive crankbaits, and on a jigging rig for a variety of lures.
You should use a double or triple hook setup with this test line. If you are working a slow Jerkbait, it can withstand the occasional rubbing against a pier post or rock pile. It’s a little bit thicker than the 8-pound test line, 6 to 8-pound fluorocarbon.
30- Pound Test
While it is a little difficult to control a less forgiving bait, it offers a remarkable amount of strength. It is often used for heavy action fish fishing, especially if the fish is a little bigger than average. When you use this line for the smaller models of jigs, you will certainly be able to stay within its range with the proper choice of the reel. However, if you are casting a bigger bait, you will definitely have to be much more aware of its range.
60- Pound Test
This line size, as you’ve seen, is somewhat less than the 60-pound braid, but you can still use it in clear water. This line is the most commonly used for bottom contact baits and you can use it on any rod in between a medium and heavy action.
It is a worthy investment and it’s quite common in tournament angling. You can use this in any of my tournament bass fishing regimens.
The monofilament is often used for trolling on a topwater rig and the fluorocarbon is used on a jigging rig.
The fluorocarbon is strong enough to withstand some pretty good stabbing and rubbing, but it’s not the best option for aggressive bass or for fish with large mouths. If you’re using a sinking line, you can consider this line with huge confidence.
In Conclusion
Tying a good bass fishing line is an art, but one that can be learned through practice. If you are a beginner, it will take some time to get the hang of things. The key is to have the right gear and read the information above.
From the information above you can see that there are many choices when it comes to bass fishing lines. The right line will depend on the conditions, the style of fishing you plan to do, and how long you plan to fight the fish.
The line size will vary based on all these factors. I like to use a combination of these lines, depending on the situation and most importantly, my level of experience in that area. By doing this I feel it gives me a more balanced tackle box for catching bass.
We hope you enjoyed our blog about the best size test line for bass fishing.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What Color Line Works Best For Bass Fishing?
When you go fishing, you want to find the best color to use. This is because you want your line to be invisible since you don’t want fish to see you. Some prefer clear or brown lines, but this article will discuss some other colors as well. The green line is one that a lot of people use, and it’s an acceptable alternative, but there are other colors that are available as well.
Can Bass See Your Fishing Line?
Yes, they could. The whole idea of this experiment is that the fish would be able to see the line if he is able to follow the line and eat the food that is attached to it. That is why the food needs to be visible from the fish’s eye view.
Can A Fishing Line Be Too Heavy?
This is only when you have a very heavy fish that is dragging the line down. This should be avoided at all costs because it can damage the braided line. If you notice the line is stressing and tearing, you need to change it with a stronger one.
How to Select The Right Plastic Fishing Line?
Consider the length and diameter when choosing a fishing line. It should be about two to four times the diameter of the hook. The diameter of the hook can be found on the package of the lure. The hook size can be found on the smaller side. Make sure the diameter of the line is not so small that the hook is unable to easily pass through the line.