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<\/p>\nWhen it comes to fishing line, Pound Test means – The amount of weight you can add to the line before it breaks. However, much\u00a0goes into this definition than is implied.<\/p>\n
The angle of the fishing line in conjunction with the power of the rod in conjunction with the action of the rod all come together to form a varying degree of breaking points for fishing line.<\/p>\n
For example, if your line is\u00a0hooked or snagged, and you pull the line in a straight direction with the length of your rod, it will snap much easier than if the line angle is 45\u00b0 from the rod tip to the water, and you have a large fish on your hook.<\/p>\n
For most of this article we will discuss monofilament fishing line.<\/p>\n
Unless otherwise mentioned, understand that braided line is much stronger than mono or fluorocarbon.<\/p>\n
11-pound mono and fluorocarbon line will be thicker than 11-pound braided line.<\/p>\n
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Contents<\/p>
It literally means the amount\u00a0of weight that will snap the line.<\/p>\n
If you have a line with ten pound test rating, a ten pound fish may snap the line.<\/p>\n
An 11-pound fish has more risk of snapping the line. A 20-pound will most likely snap the line.<\/p>\n
The degree of accuracy has to do with the play in your fishing rod and the strength of your leader and some other factors that help absorb the weight of a fish.<\/p>\n
Since Pound Test means the amount of weight the line will support before breaking.<\/p>\n
It is an indication of the types of fish you can target given the line strength.<\/p>\n
It also means the relationship between successful fishing and the capabilities of your equipment.<\/p>\n
Line pound test is given for both your fishing rod and your reel.<\/p>\n
When you target fish correctly, you are pairing the rod with the reel with the line, with the lure or bait weight.<\/p>\n
The fishing rod will tell you the range of line pound test, the lure weight.<\/p>\n
The fishing reel will tell you a range of line pound test and for the most port, the drag strength will limit you on what fish you can target.<\/p>\n
When you hook a big fish on a lightweight reel it will strip the line out until the reel burns up or the spool runs out of line, and then it will break the line or the pole.<\/p>\n
So, pound test on fishing line is a component in the equation we use to figure out how to pair our gear with the population of fish that we want to and can target.<\/p>\n
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The average freshwater angler uses a line pound test ranging from 4-12 pounds.<\/p>\n
That range will cover a mix of fish – mostly smaller – cutthroat trout, smallmouth\u00a0bass, brook trout, bluegill, perch, crappie, arctic grayling.<\/p>\n
However, if you want to catch bigger fish in freshwater lake you will need to up the pound test to 10-15 pounds.<\/p>\n
A 15 pound test line will be strong enough to handle bigger trout – big, fat, brown trout, 30″ rainbow trout you find in Alaska, Big, fat\u00a0Lake Trout.<\/p>\n
For Saltwater the pound test average ranges from 12-15 pound for surf fishing and inshore targets.<\/p>\n
You may go much heavier for bigger fish 50+ pound test. A big Marlin will snap most line, so anglers go for mono in the 100 pound test range.<\/p>\n
12-15 pound test will handle smaller saltwater fish – perch, bone fish, small reds, spotted trout, sea trout, etc.<\/p>\n
For larger fish you will bump the line rating to 20-30 pound test.<\/p>\n
The heavier line will handle cobia, tuna (30-40 pound test.)<\/p>\n
For trophy fish, such as shark, you bump up the line rating to 100 pounds or more.<\/p>\n
We mentioned that the average freshwater fishing line in pound test is from 4-12 pounds.<\/p>\n
Do people really use 4 lb test line? Four-pound test line is an okay choice for sun fish, bluegill, crappie, bait fish such as herring and shads.<\/p>\n
In fact, if you are jigging for bait fish a 4lb line is a good option.<\/p>\n
A very common pound test for smaller poles is 6lb test.<\/p>\n
Six\u00a0pound test line is strong enough to handle small fish such as brook trout, bait fish, pan fish, bluegill, perch, and sun fish.<\/p>\n
It is a good line to use to target fish that stay under five-six pounds.<\/p>\n
A 10-12 pound test line would be your next choice for general fishing where you might tempt a fat largemouth bass to strike.<\/p>\n
10-pound test line means that it takes ten pounds of weight to break the line. It also means you can catch a variety of freshwater fish.<\/p>\n
Ten pound test makes a good line for small trout species such as brook trout.<\/p>\n
It also will handle smaller brown trout and rainbows, smallmouth bass, and some small largemouth bass.<\/p>\n
You might wonder what\u00a0does 12lb fishing line mean?<\/p>\n
It means you can catch a 12-pound fish with little fear of the line breaking due to the fish’s weight.<\/p>\n
It also means you can target any fish that are smaller than 12-pounds.<\/p>\n
A 12-pound test fishing line is a good all around choice for larger freshwater fish and smaller saltwater fish.<\/p>\n
Fish bigger trout – rainbows, browns, and lake trout. Fish smaller saltwater fish such as\u00a0perch.<\/p>\n
What about 30lb fishing line? What is 30lb fishing line good for? Thirty-pound test fishing line is good for many small and medium-sized saltwater applications.<\/p>\n
You can fish big red bulls, speckled trout, bonefish, smaller cobia.<\/p>\n
So, what about braided line?\u00a0What size fish can 30lb braid catch?<\/p>\n
The record for 30-pound braid is a fish that is 49 pounds, and it was a stripped bass.<\/p>\n
I would not trust 30-pound test line for fish over 50 pounds, but part of the fishing adventure is being able to tell people that you landed a 60-pound shark on 30-pound braid. There’s risk in adventure.<\/p>\n
If you are talking about 30-pound braided line, then you can target small sharks, tuna, big cobia, and other game fish.<\/p>\n
50-100lb test line is what you need for bigger saltwater fish.<\/p>\n
A big tuna or marlin may require line stronger than 100 pound test.<\/p>\n
For Mono – 330 pound test line is about a strong as it gets. For braided line, you can hit the 550 pound test limit.<\/p>\n
The all tackle world record for Pacific Halibut is an amazing 459 pounds.<\/p>\n
Unless you are fishing from the shore in Alaska, where big fish can lurk near shore, a starter line for surf fishing is 20 lb braid.<\/p>\n
If you plan only to target smaller to medium-size\u00a0fish, such as perch, snapper, reds, speckled trout, bone fish and snook,\u00a0then 20 pound braid is good.<\/p>\n
If you think you might hook a big Ling Cod, Cobia, or Shark, then up the pound test to 50-60 pound braid.<\/p>\n
All three of these predatory fish will hunt for smaller fish in the surf.<\/p>\n
Generally, green line is the best, but not always. In clear water you want to go with clear line.<\/p>\n
In stained water or where there is some turbidity, go with green.<\/p>\n
If you need a high visibility line orange or blue can be a good choice.<\/p>\n
Fishing for big catfish is an instance where high visibility line is key.<\/p>\n
You will need to watch the line movement rather than feel for a bite from a catfish.<\/p>\n
You will not be able to fit as much line on the spool.<\/p>\n
Another negative of adding line that is too heavy is that you lose the advantage of casting lures that are designed for your pole.<\/p>\n
If you plan to target big fish by adding heavier line to your reel, you may break the reel or the pole.<\/p>\n
Neither is better, but they have better uses given the fishing. Monofilament can take a lot of abuse.<\/p>\n
It has some give to it and will handle big fish.<\/p>\n
Fluorocarbon fishing line is a little stiffer, but it also can mar more easily.<\/p>\n
Fluorocarbon is a little harder to see in the water-tinted water than mono is.<\/p>\n
Braided line is the go-to line choice for most anglers these days.<\/p>\n
Is it better than mono? Maybe. It is definitely stronger given the diameter.<\/p>\n
If you need to add more line to your spool, reaching for the same pound test braided line will allow you to put more braided line on your spool over mono.<\/p>\n
Braided line is strong and thinner in diameter than mono or fluorocarbon lines.<\/p>\n
For most fishing applications, reach for braided line.<\/p>\n
It offers a thinner diameter than mono or fluorocarbon for the same pound test, and it wears better than both.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"