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Three line types, three jobs

• Monofilament

  The forgiving all-rounder.

  • Stretch cushions hook sets and head shakes
  • Floats, so it suits float and topwater fishing
  • Knots easily and stays supple in the cold

  Watch for: Thicker per pound of strength, and it weakens with sun exposure. Replace it each season.

• Fluorocarbon

  The low-visibility leader.

  • Nearly invisible in clear water
  • Sinks, and resists abrasion on rock and wood
  • Less stretch than mono for better bite feel

  Watch for: Stiffer on the spool. Moisten knots and snug them slowly so they do not weaken.

• Braid

  The strong, sensitive mainline.

  • Thinnest line for its strength, so you can hold more on the reel
  • Almost no stretch, so you feel every bite and bottom change
  • Cuts through weeds and lasts for years

  Watch for: Highly visible and slippery. Add a fluorocarbon or mono leader and use braid-friendly knots.

Salmon, species by species

Pacific salmon range from 3 lb pinks to chinook well over 30 lb. Size your line to the biggest fish you expect, and your leader to the water clarity.

Line by fishing style

• Salmon trolling

  Chinook and coho in the ocean and big lakes

  Mainline

  25–40 lb mono, or 50–65 lb braid on deep downriggers

  Leader

  20–30 lb fluorocarbon or mono behind flashers

  Mono stretch protects soft-mouthed salmon from tearing free on the troll. Braid cuts through the water with less drag, so gear holds depth more accurately.

• River salmon

  Coho, chum, pink, and chinook on drift and float gear

  Mainline

  12–20 lb mono, or 20–30 lb braid on spinning gear

  Leader

  8–15 lb fluorocarbon, matched to the species

  Floating mainline keeps your drift natural. A lighter leader breaks first on a snag, so you lose a hook instead of the whole rig.

• Steelhead

  Winter and summer runs in coastal and Great Lakes rivers

  Mainline

  10–15 lb mono or 15–20 lb braid

  Leader

  8–12 lb fluorocarbon

  Steelhead in clear winter water shy away from heavy leaders. Fluorocarbon also holds up against the rocks where they hold.

• Trout and kokanee

  Rainbows, brook trout, and kokanee in lakes and streams

  Mainline

  4–8 lb mono or fluorocarbon

  Leader

  4–6 lb fluorocarbon when the water is clear

  Light line casts small lures farther and looks natural. Kokanee have soft mouths, so trollers add a rubber snubber for extra give.

• Walleye

  Jigging and rigging on lakes and rivers

  Mainline

  8–10 lb braid

  Leader

  6–10 lb fluorocarbon

  Walleye bites are light. Low-stretch braid lets you feel them at depth, and a clear leader keeps line-shy fish biting.

• Bass

  Smallmouth in clear lakes, largemouth in the weeds

  Mainline

  6–12 lb fluorocarbon, or 30–65 lb braid in heavy cover

  Leader

  8–12 lb fluorocarbon on braid

  Finesse presentations for smallmouth need thin, clear line. Frogs and flipping in thick weeds need braid that can pull fish free.

• Pike and muskie

  Weed edges, bays, and rocky points

  Mainline

  30–50 lb braid for pike, 65–80 lb braid for muskie

  Leader

  Wire or 40–100 lb heavy fluorocarbon

  Sharp teeth cut ordinary line in one bite. A bite-proof leader is not optional with these fish.

• Halibut and bottom fish

  Halibut, lingcod, and rockfish off the coast

  Mainline

  65–100 lb braid

  Leader

  80–150 lb mono

  Thin braid gets heavy weights to the bottom in current and transmits bites from depth. Heavy mono handles rough bottoms and big teeth.

• Ice fishing

  Perch, trout, walleye, and lake trout through the ice

  Mainline

  2–6 lb mono or fluorocarbon, or 10–15 lb braid for lake trout

  Leader

  4–10 lb fluorocarbon on braid

  Mono and fluorocarbon shed water instead of freezing in the guides. Choose a line made for cold weather so it stays soft below zero.