In the world of fishing line, the choices can be overwhelming. High end braid, fluorocarbon and other specialty hybrid lines can confuse some people and make choosing the right line difficult.
There’s no question that braid and fluorocarbon lines have an important place in most angler’s arsenals and are specifically required for certain applications. But good old fashioned monofilament (mono) will always be just as important to putting fish in the boat.
While braid and fluorocarbon line manufacturers tout the “little-to-no-stretch” characteristics of their products (as well they should), we shouldn’t overlook the importance of “stretch” and other characteristics that mono possesses.
I recently spoke with Rick Snellgrove, owner of Howell Tackle in Panama City, Florida, about the role that mono continues to play in the fishing world. He helped me better understand its importance by pointing out some obvious facts about stretch, shock strength, buoyancy and cost, just to name a few. He offered many reasons why mono is still so important.
When your line has to withstand the sudden impact of a bone-jarring strike, or a fish thrashing next to the boat, mono is, without question, your best option because of the superior shock strength. As you fight a fish, the stretch characteristics reduce the possibility of the hook coming dislodged. A low-stretch line can cause the hook penetration point to widen or tear away. Mono’s stretch, or forgiveness, is a must if your reel has a sticky drag.
Mono’s buoyancy makes it a no-brainer when throwing top-water and near-surface lures in most conditions. Sinking lines like, fluorocarbon will, kill the action of a surface plug. If you’ve ever had a big AJ smash a chugging surface bait close to the boat, you might better appreciate all that mono has to offer.
The cost-factor is a big deal when you have to change line on your reels. If you’re spooling up large reels, it’s a huge cost difference. The thin diameter of braid means it requires more to fill a spool and it’s considerably more expensive per yard. Here comes mono into play again; build a mono foundation under your braid to fill a portion of the spool. Line of any kind has to be changed regularly and mono will save you big bucks!
Rick at Howell Tackle is an authority on all things fishing and offers a huge variety of mono brands to include Ande, Suffix, Hi Seas and Berkley. These quality lines won’t leave you broke and will help you catch more fish, so bring your reels to Rick and his team of experts and let them spool you up, gear you up and get on the fish!
Howell Tackle
3100 West Hwy 98
Panama City, FL 32401
(850) 785-8548