The 5 Best Monofilament Fishing Line For Saltwater & Buying Guide

by Thavius | Last Updated:   October 8th, 2022
The 5 Best Monofilament Fishing Line For Saltwater & Buying Guide
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The quality of your fishing line can make or break your fishing trip. Even if your fishing rod is of the highest quality, it will be difficult for you to make a catch without the right fishing line. A bad fishing line could snap in the crucial moment that you are trying to reel in fish or worse, even before the real action starts. The fact that fish hardly ever go down without a fight is another reason why you need a good quality fishing line.

If you will be fishing in saltwater, a monofilament line is the most suitable option for you. Monofilament lines are hugely popular because they are strong yet subtle and thin. They are also water-resistant and great for knot tying. However, the process of finding the best monofilament fishing line for saltwater is never a straightforward task for inexperienced anglers.

To make it easier for you to find the best monofilament fishing line for saltwater, I will be reviewing the 5 best monofilament lines for saltwater available today. I will also be providing a buying guide to ensure that you have all the information you need.

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The Top 5 Monofilament Lines For Saltwater

If you are new to saltwater fishing, there is a good chance that you don’t know what to look for in a fishing line. Fortunately, here I am to save you all the trouble. Here are the 5 best monofilament fishing lines for saltwater.

Berkley Trilene Big Game Fishing Line

The Berkley Trilene Big Game Fishing Line is a hugely popular choice for anglers that fish in saltwater. It is loved by avid anglers due to its immense tensile strength and low memory. The latter makes it suitable for hunting deep crankbait fish and finding your way around docks. It also comes at an affordable price.

Additionally, this mono fishing line has incredible durability so that you can target the toughest and most aggressive fish. If you prefer to fish from the bank, then you have even more reason to opt for this fishing line. Its super strength will enable you to maneuver your catch around vegetation and underwater structures.

What’s more, you can be assured that this monofilament line will remain in good condition in unfavorable conditions. It has good abrasion resistance that ensures that it holds up well against tough currents and sharp objects. The fishing line has a good diameter too.

The fishing line has built-in stretch control that provides a high level of functionality. For example, the line will enable you to quickly feel bites so that you can easily gain control of large fish. It is also forgiving and will provide the stretch needed to keep treble hooks in the mouth of a large fish as it is being reeled in.

Pros
  • It is affordable
  • It is incredibly durable
  • It is highly sensitive
  • It is suitable for long-distance casts
  • It offers increased control
Cons
  • It has multiple line memory

Stren High Impact Monofilament Fishing Line

As one of the top brands producing monofilament fishing lines today, you should expect nothing but the best from Stren. This monofilament fishing line is suitable for anglers looking to catch large fish, especially something between 10 to 30 lbs. Regardless of the weight you choose, you can rely on this fishing line to help you bring in your fish.

As its name suggests, this line was built to absorb shocks. So, you won’t have to worry about your fishing line getting damaged even when fighting the most aggressive fish. It is guaranteed to serve you for several years and can be used for other practices like trolling, spinning, and casting.

Additionally, the Stren High Impact Monofilament Fishing Line is an excellent choice for both hobbyists and sports anglers. Though it isn’t the most delicate fishing line, this downside would have minimal effect on your fishing experience.

The transparency and ultra-low visibility of the line are a great advantage as they will prevent the fish from detecting the line. You should find the line easy to use and it will offer you the enhanced hook setting power you need to catch prey.

Pros
  • It is made by a reputable brand
  • It has excellent shock absorbing capability
  • It is budget-friendly
  • It is strong
  • It is easy to use
Cons
  • It tends to get tangled up easily

KastKing World’s Premium Monofilament Fishing Line

KastKing’s Premium Monofilament Fishing Line is an excellent fishing line for your saltwater fishing adventure. The number one worry for anglers when using a mono fishing line is the chance of it sinking into the spool. Fortunately, KastKing has solved this problem with a unique paralleled roll track design that prevents the line from sinking.

Thanks to its unique design, the line also takes up less spool space. What’s more, this monofilament fishing line has all the features you will need in a fishing line. It is built with a quality nylon material that makes it soft and supple. So, you will be able to your knots conveniently.

Additionally, most anglers that use this monofilament line appreciate how easy it is to cast. It is also as smooth as silk and won’t get tangled up while you cast. You will be able to cast over long distances with it and target fish like bass, crappie, and trout.

Another feature that makes this monofilament fishing line suitable for saltwater fishing is its abrasion resistance. So, you can go ahead to use the line as you would in freshwater. However, you should try to rub off the salt each time you use it.

Pros
  • It is built with high-quality nylon
  • It won’t sink in the spool
  • It takes only a little spool space
  • It is sensitive
  • It is great for tying knots and making long casts
Cons
  • It can be too stiff
  • Spooling can be difficult

RUNCL PowerMono Fishing Line

RUNCL is one of the newest companies in the fishing tackle manufacturing industry. But despite its newness, RUNCL has quickly become one of the most trusted brands around. The company’s PowerMono Fishing Line is one of the best fishing lines for saltwater for good reasons.

The monofilament fishing line is built with low-density material that enables it to suspend in water. Thanks to its buoyancy, it’s highly suitable for topwater baits and floatable treble hooked lures. The line is also easy to tie and knots made with it are usually resistant to slip and breakage.

Additionally, the line has a good degree of stretch that serves as a shock absorber when it is struck by a large fish. The shock absorber will stop the stress from spreading to the knot and in doing so, prevent a breakage.

Should you opt for this monofilament line, you will have the option of choosing between several colors including clear, green, gold, yellow, and more. You may also purchase either the low or high-vision version of each color depending on your fishing needs. Finally, this monofilament line has a maximum length of 1000 yards and a maximum break strength of 35 lbs.

Pros
  • It is very strong
  • It has neutral buoyancy
  • It has excellent shock absorption
  • It is knot friendly
Cons
  • The package doesn’t include a scale

Berkley Trilene XL Monofilament Fishing Line

Since it was founded in 1937, Berkley has consistently provided anglers with the best quality fishing equipment. So, it is no surprise that the company has another entry on this list. The Berkley Trilene XL is great for your fishing adventures thanks to its blend of quality and affordability.

If you are interested in saltwater fishing, you will be pleased to know that this improved monofilament fishing line offers the durability and smoothness you need. It is specially built to be stronger and smoother than its predecessors. So, the flexibility and wet knot strength are 20% and 50% greater respectively.

Additionally, you will find the line usable whether you are using a spinning reel, baitcasting reel, or conventional reel. It is even a better choice for spinning reels than the Trilene Big Game. This is because the line is highly sensitive and it resists the twists and kinks that are usually associated with spinning reel mono fishing line combos.

What’s more? This monofilament line offers great usability so it doesn’t matter if you are an experienced or amateur angler. Its great versatility also means that you can get it in various lengths between 100 yards to 3000 yards. You may pick a break length between 2 lbs to 30 lbs based on your fishing requirements too.

Pros
  • It allows seamless casting
  • It offers superior strength
  • It is versatile
  • It is highly sensitive
Cons
  • It has limited color options

Our Top Choice

We have now gone through the 5 best monofilament fishing lines for saltwater, but which one of them is going to be my top choice? Though all products listed in this article are of good quality, the Berkley Trilene Big Game Fishing Line is the best of them all, and for good reasons.

Since saltwater fishing is much more demanding than freshwater fishing, you need a fishing line that can rise to the challenge. The Trilene Big Game beats its competitors when it comes to durability, abrasion resistance, strength, and control. It also has a greater maximum length and breaks strength than any other product on the list.

Best Monofilament Fishing Line For Saltwater: Buying Guide

Buying stuff online is more convenient than driving to a nearby store. You get what you want after a few clicks rather than having to deal with long queues and traffic.

However, the downside of shopping online is that you will have no one to assist you with your decision-making. Shopping assistants are usually available in stores to help customers find the perfect products for them.

To ensure that you don’t find yourself in a dilemma, I will be acting as your shopping guide. In this buying guide, you will get all the information that you will need on monofilament fishing lines and how to find the right product.

Type of Fish

Whenever you are buying a new fishing line, the first factor that you have to consider is the saltwater fish you want to catch. Though you already know that you will be fishing in saltwater, you also need to understand that fish of various sizes and weights reside in saltwater. So, you should choose the features of your fishing line based on your target fish.

Line Strength

Fish in saltwater are larger and tougher than those in freshwater. So, your monofilament line has to be very strong. If you opt for a weak line, you shouldn’t be surprised if it snaps in the heat of the moment.

The strength of a line simply refers to the amount of weight it can withstand before it snaps and is measured in pounds. So, your line should have a test weight of at least 40 lbs if you want to catch a fish weighing 40 lbs. But to be safe, you should try to get a line that is stronger than your target fish. This is because the stronger your line, the more reliable it will be.

You should also note that stronger lines tend to be thicker and shorter. As a result, you may find casting difficult if you go for a stronger fishing line. Some anglers prefer to go for monofilament lines with less strength and then take things when fishing to prevent the line from breaking. So, it depends on your preference in the end.

That said, here are three reasons why you should add a leader to a monofilament line:

Type of Mono Fishing Line

You will have to choose between two options when buying a monofilament fishing line i.e floating or sinking. The properties of both types of monofilament fishing lines are just as their name suggests. A floating fishing line will stay afloat and as a result, is suitable for catching topwater fish.

On the other hand, sinking fishing lines go into the water to catch underwater fish. The major difference between the two types of lines is that sinking lines absorb water. You should avoid using these lines interchangeably. Instead, consider taking both types of monofilament lines on your fishing trip. If you will be taking just one, ensure that it suits the type of fishing that you do the most.

Material and Usability

The most widely used material in the production of monofilament lines is nylon and it has been in use for ages. Though some other materials are now used in the production of monofilament lines, it is best to opt for nylon.

You should only opt for another material if you are sure of its properties. That said, nylon lines are easy to use. Asides from being great for tying knots, their slippery nature also makes them easy to handle.

Diameter

Just as I mentioned earlier, it is usually more difficult to cast lines of thicker diameter. Fortunately, you won’t have to use a line with a thick diameter all the time. The right diameter for you will depend on the type of fish you are looking to catch. The diameter of a monofilament line can measure anywhere between 0.15mm to 1.5mm.

Opt for a thick diameter when targeting a big fish with a largemouth. However, you should avoid using thick lines when trying to catch medium and smaller fish. The reason for this is that thick lines aren’t easy to cast and the fish can easily detect them.

Color

You should pay attention to the color of your monofilament fishing line, but not for aesthetic purposes. The reason why you need to consider the color of a fishing line is that fish see colors. If you choose the wrong color, the fish will detect it and move away.

Monofilament lines are available in different colors and the right one for you will depend on where you will be fishing. For saltwater, you should opt for either a clear or red line. Clear lines are the best monofilament fishing line for saltwater and it is known that the color red appears transparent after absorbing saltwater.

Asides from that, light colors are more ideal for spinning, casting, and bottom bouncing while darker shades are more suitable for murky waters.

Watch this video to learn more about fishing line colors:

Stretch

One of the saddest things that can happen to you when fishing is a fish eating your bait without you noticing it on your line. When you have the right fishing line, you will be able to feel the lightest bites. All mono fishing lines stretch but the most sensitive ones are those with minimal stretch. Hence, you should opt for a line with minimal stretch if you want to detect the slightest nibbles.

Durability and Price

A major reason why anglers choose monofilament lines is that they are super affordable. So, the price of your new line shouldn’t be a big deal. However, the more durable options may be more expensive. Though fishing lines aren’t known to be long-lasting, their lifespan doesn’t have to be too short. So, you should try to get a line that will serve you well before you will have to replace it.

Why You Should Buy a Monofilament Fishing Line

There are several benefits to get from choosing a monofilament line. Let’s take a look at some of them below:

Affordability

Monofilament lines are the cheapest type of fishing line. This is a great advantage since fishing lines aren’t long-lasting. You don’t have to splash lots of cash on your fishing line when you will be replacing it after some minutes.

Usability

Monofilament lines are known to be very easy to use. Their stretching capability makes knot tying smooth and easy. You will also be able to handle them without fuss thanks to how slippery they are.

Shock Strength

Fish hardly ever go down without a fight. Many of them will attack your line and cause lots of strain. Hence, you have to ensure that your line is strong enough to absorb the shocks. Thanks to the stretching capability of monofilament lines, they absorb shocks excellently.

Colors

You can purchase monofilament fishing lines in several colors. However, this isn’t about their visual appeal but efficiency. You will catch more fish if you use the right color in the right situation as explained above.

Overall Strength

Monofilament lines do a great job against big fish. They have all the features that you need to bring in the big guys. There is no line more suitable for saltwater than monofilament lines.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best monofilament line for saltwater?

Saltwater fishing is more demanding due to how large and aggressive fish in saltwater are. Hence, I will recommend the Berkley Trilene Big Game as the best saltwater monofilament line. It has all the features you will need including excellent knot strength, durability, stretch, and abrasion resistance.

How to get the memory out of the monofilament fishing line?

Line memory can be frustrating but fortunately, there are simple methods for solving the problem. One of the simplest ways to get rid of line memory is to stretch your line. To do this, you may stretch the line between your fingertips while pulling it off your fishing reel. However, attaching a heavy lure and then, trolling it at the back of your boat will be more effective.

Additionally, you may get rid of line memory by leaving your spool in hot water for some minutes. This would lower the line memory significantly. Finally, you may purchase a line spray that is specially formulated for memory reduction.

What pound test line do I need for saltwater fishing?

Weight is the major factor that you have to consider here. As you should know saltwater fish differ in weight and size. Low-strength fishing lines will suffice for a smaller fish while but if you are after bigger fish, you need to get stronger fishing lines. On average, small fish such as bass and trout weigh between 8 to 10 lbs. Hence, the most suitable pound test for catching them is between a 12 to 14-pound test.

Good examples of medium-sized fish in saltwater include small tuna, blues, and strippers. Since they usually weigh around 12 to 20 lbs, the ideal pound test line for catching them is around 20 to 25 lbs. Sharks, big tuna, and marlins are some of the big guys in saltwater and they usually weigh over 30 lbs. So, you should have well over 30-pound test lines when going after them.

Finally, certain large fish in saltwater weigh up to 100 lbs, so you will need a similarly high pound test when going after them.

What is the strongest monofilament fishing line?

The strongest monofilament fishing line is the Stren High Impact Monofilament fishing line. This monofilament line features an excellent combination of durability, strength, and shock resistance. So, you can rely on it whenever you need a hardcore monofilament line.

How often should you change the saltwater fishing line?

The right time to change your saltwater fishing line will depend on how frequently you use it. If you use your fishing line regularly, then you will have to replace it more often. Monofilament lines tend to experience cracks and abrasions due to underwater stress.

Another reason why the quality of your saltwater fishing line will reduce over time is the continuous exposure to UV rays. If you fail to replace your fishing line in time, it could easily snap while you are trying to catch fish. As a result, you have to develop a habit of inspecting your fishing line to see if there are signs of wear and tear.

Whenever you discover abrasions, you should consider replacing your line before going on your next fishing trip. If you wish to get optimal performance out of your saltwater fishing line at all times, then you get a new one every six months.

Finally, there are steps that you can take to prevent your line from wearing away prematurely. The first thing you need to do is to store it away from ultraviolet rays. After that, you should ensure that you rinse your rod every time you use it. This would prevent the accumulation of salt.

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I've been a fisherman for over 35 years. From catching small bullheads with my grandfather at his pond to catching strippers on the backwaters of the Chattahoochee, I love to get out in the wild and have a marvelous day on the water.