In this guide we’ll look at the best lines for bass fishing.
We’ve compared strength, diameter, stretch and cost
to give you our top recommendations.
What Is The Best Line for Bass Fishing?
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More Detailed Bass Fishing Line Reviews
Power Pro Spectra Fiber Braided Fishing Line
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Power Pro Spectra Fiber Braided Fishing Line Review
I usually go for a strong braided line when I’m bass fishing. Largemouth bass often live in some pretty challenging habitats; they might be lurking amid fallen branches, hanging out under the dock, or swimming around in heavy overgrowth. I need a line that can handle those conditions reliably without breaking.
The Power Pro Spectra braid gives me that level of performance and toughness. This line pairs a thin diameter with incredible strength and sensitivity—that thin diameter’s great since it reduces visibility and is less likely to spook the fish. Plus, I can feel everything that’s going on with my line and rest assured that it won’t snap at a crucial moment.
Plus, the Power Pro casts smoothly and ties and holds knots well. It’s an all-around great line, and has won me over as the best braided fishing line for bass and the best fishing line for largemouth bass, which have a penchant for inhabiting heavy cover.
SpiderWire Stealth Superline Braid Fishing Line
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SpiderWire Stealth Superline Braid Fishing Line Review
Made of Teflon-coated microfibers, this SpiderWire fishing line has the characteristic strength and sensitivity of braid. One of the great things about braid is that it has an excellent strength-to-diameter ratio. You can get a high level of strength with just a thin diameter that won’t be that visible to fish.
This is indicated in how the pound test is recorded for this line: You’ll notice, for instance, a line that is 30/10 pound test. This means that it is capable of handling up to 30 pounds, while maintaining the thin diameter of a 10 pound test line. I’ll explain more about pound test in the buyer’s guide below.
The SpiderWire nabs the second spot of my list because of its supple, manageable performance; it’s a quiet line that casts smoothly, including over longer distances.
KastKing Copolymer Fishing Line
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KastKing Copolymer Fishing Line Review
First off, what is a copolymer line? Basically, copoly lines are a type of monofilament, but they’re made of different kinds of nylon polymers blended together. This KastKing Copolymer line is one of my favorite copoly lines currently on the market.
Copolymer lines are generally stronger than their standard mono counterparts, so they can have slightly thinner diameters while maintaining the same strength. Like mono, copolymer has some “give” to it, so it will stretch when you get a sudden bite. That said, I find copolymer lines a little more sensitive than mono. I’ve had great luck using this KastKing line for jigging and deep water crankbaiting.
What are the downsides of copolymer lines? They can be more expensive, and less durable than a good braid.
If you’re curious about copolymer lines, I’d encourage you to give this one a try!
Berkley NanoFil Uni-filament Fishing Line
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Berkley NanoFil Uni-filament Fishing Line Review
The Berkley NanoFil line is another distinctive option—What exactly is a uni-filament line? It comprises hundreds of nanofilaments all fused together into a “unified” fishing line. It’s designed to give you the best of both worlds: the smooth handling of monofilament and the strength of braid.
The Berkley NanoFil Uni-filament line is extremely strong, thin, and sensitive. It has a seriously tiny diameter and no discernibly stretch, so you’ll feel absolutely everything. This line works best on a spinning reel. It’s very slick, and casts smoothly over long distances. Just make sure to tie good knots or you’ll risk having them slip out.
KastKing World’s Premium Monofilament Fishing Line
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KastKing World’s Premium Monofilament Fishing Line Review
Rounding out the list is this KastKing monofilament premium fishing line. Although I tend to prefer braid for bass fishing, monofilament works well for some fishing techniques (such as crankbaits or topwaters, which require a line with a bit more stretch). Also, if you’re fishing in mostly open water rather than in dense cover, a mono line will do the job just fine.
The challenges of using a mono line include: less abrasion resistance, greater amount of stretch, and larger diameter corresponding to higher strength. If you want a strong (high pound test) mono line capable of reeling in a heavy fish, you’ll need a correspondingly large line, which is more visible in the water.
The KastKing is overall one of my favorite monofilaments; it’s a reliable line that performs well every time and is well worth a look.
Fishing Line Buyer’s Guide
Type of Line
There are three main kinds of fishing line:
- Monofilament: comprising a single strand, mono lines typically float and have a bit of stretch (shock absorption). They’re useful in a variety of situations.
- Braid: made of multiple strands braided together, braided lines are strong and have low to no stretch, making them very sensitive.
- Fluorocarbon: Fluoro is a popular material to use as a leader since this material is nearly invisible.
The top two entries on this list—Power Pro and SpiderWire—are braid, since I believe that the strength-to-diameter ratio, sensitivity, abrasion resistance, and lack of line memory all add up to a superb bass fishing line.
Two other types of line are featured here: copolymer and uni-filament. As explained up above, copolymer lines like the KastKing technically fall within the umbrella of monofilament. However, I find that they have that extra strength and toughness that makes a big difference.
The Berkley uni-filament, made from hundreds of nanofilaments, is another worthwhile option. It’s incredibly strong, thin, and slick.
Strength
The strength of a line is expressed as “pound test.” A 20 pound test line, for instance, should be capable of reeling in a 20-pound fish.
With a little finesse, an experienced angler can coax a lower pound test line to a higher performance level, but the pound test works as a rough guide for determining which line you need. Simply research the typical weight of the fish species you’re targeting in your region.
Diameter
A thin diameter means a less visible line, which avoids spooking cunning or line-shy fish.
Using a braided line lets you get a high strength-to-diameter ratio. Even a very thin braided line is capable of considerable strength. The Power Pro and SpiderWire are unbelievably strong given their tiny diameters.
Similarly, the KastKing Monofilment is a remarkably thin yet strong line, combining the low visibility of a super-thin line with the toughness you’d expect from a much larger line.
Stretch
In general, braided lines are virtually no-stretch, while mono lines have a bit of give to them. Lack of stretch makes braid a very sensitive material, meaning that you feel every little snag and bite and have an intuitive sense of what’s happening with your line even without seeing anything.
When bass fishing, I like a good deal of sensitivity, hence my preference for braids like the Power Pro Spectra Fiber braided line.
Conclusion
So, what is the best line for bass fishing? At the end of the day, if I could only choose one for the rest of my life, I’d go for a strong, sensitive, reliable braid like the Power Pro Spectra. I’m often out fishing for bass in heavy cover and need a line I can count on.
However, I’ve also enjoyed trying out some of the more unusual lines on this list—copolymer and uni-filament lines have their advantages. Whichever you choose, I wish you luck and believe any of these lines will serve you well.