Braided line has a small diameter than mono and fluoro: it’s usually ¼ or ⅓ the size of other lines, meaning that you can spool more braid on your reel.
Braided line casts further than both mono and fluoro, giving anglers approximately 10 more yards of casting distance, since this line is thinner and it has less memory in it.
Moreover, having extra line is important for longer runs/drifts or when you cut/lose line.
What is the diameter of braided fishing line?
If you’ve been trying to figure out how to compare mono and braid diameter, the table below provides a strength comparison between braided line and monofilament, so you can make a better decision when buying fishing line.
| BRAID SIZE (lb) | DIAMETER (inches) | APPROXIMATE MONO EQUIVALENT |
| 8 | .005 | 1 |
| 10 | .006 | 2 |
| 15 | .007 | 4 |
| 20 | .009 | 6 |
| 30 | .011 | 8 |
| 40 | .013 | 10 |
| 50 | .014 | 12 |
| 65 | .016 | 16 |
| 80 | .017 | 18 |
| 100 | .018 | 20 |
| 150 | .022 | 30 |
| 200 | .030 | 50 |
| 250 | .035 | 80 |
Does braided line cast further?
Braided line does cast further than both mono and fluoro. Each line has its pro and cons: fluorocarbon is invisible to the fish, but braid will give you extra distance.
Remember that line thickness also plays a role in casting: a heavier line will not cast as well as a thinner line will, but braid makes an exception: a 30 lb braid will throw farther than 20 lb fluorocarbon and the reason is that heavier braid has a smaller diameter and the material has less drag on the cast.
Is 8lb braid stronger than 8lb mono?
Despite mono being more abrasion-resistant, braided line is still stronger than monofilament. Braid has a higher breaking strength: a 8 lb monofilament will have a 0.11 inches diameter, while an equivalent braid with the same diameter will have a rating of 30 lb. This means that – despite them having the same diameter – with braid you’ll get almost 4 times the breaking strength.
What size braid should I use?
The braid size to use depends on the species you are targeting or the type of fishing you are doing. Below, you can get an idea according to different situations:
- Surf casting: 30-40 lb
- Shark fishing: 50-200 lb
- Bottom fishing: 80-200 lb for large fish (amberjacks, grouper) pr 20 lb for smaller fish (mangroves, yellowtail snapper)
- Trolling: 30-130 lb
- Redfish: 20-30 lb
- Snook: 20-30 lb
- Offshore kayak fishing: 30-50 lb
- Fishing with artificials in the bay: 20 lb
- Vertical jigging: 50-80 lb
Can fishing line be too heavy?
Besides choosing the line heaviness for the type of fishing you do, it’s also important to use the right line according to your rod. A heavier rod will not perform well with a light line and you may even risk breaking the line on a fish. However, if you use a line that is too heavy on a light rod, you might break the rod; so be sure to match the line to the type of fishing you do and the rod itself, to have the best performance.