Best Braided Fishing Line: Selection Guide and 5 Top Lines

Last updated on February 3rd, 2022

green braided fishing line on spinning reel

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A braided line is a great choice for strength and relatively good durability. A perfect match for baitcasting and spinning reels, it can perform well in saltwater and freshwater conditions. I use all kinds of lines, but I always keep a spool of braid for my reel handy because there are situations where it will outperform other types of lines.

The best braided fishing lines are going to be those that offer the best strength alongside durability. There are a few downsides to braid but there are downsides to all types of lines as well. It is a determination of what you need in a fishing line that matters.

What Is Braided Fishing Line?

Braided fishing line is exactly what it sounds like, multiple strands of materials braided together to make a fine, high strength fishing line. Back when the braided line was first produced, it was made from a few naturally found materials such as linen or cotton.

Today, we use stronger artificial materials such as Spectra and Dacron. These materials offer flexibility while being high strength. Traditional braid frayed easily which compromised the strength of the line.

The use of modern synthetic materials combats this fraying and makes the line last longer on the reel. Though fraying will still happen over time, it is nowhere near as bad as it was with traditional lines.

Though it may not first seem apparent, braided line has been in the fishing industry for an incredibly long time. We have used this braided technology to create fishing ropes and nets due to the braided line’s natural strength.

The three primary types of fishing line at your local sporting goods store will be braided, monofilament, and fluorocarbon fishing line. All have advantages and disadvantages for different types of fishing, and they are not created equal.

In this article, we will look at a few examples of braided fishing lines and what they offer for the angler. Hopefully, by reading this you can get an idea of what braided line is and how it can help your angling.

KastKing SuperPower Braided Fishing Line

KastKing Superpower Braided Fishing Line,Low-Vis Gray,20 LB,327 Yds

See KastKing SuperPower details on Amazon

KastKing makes a good product and they have been in the game for a while now. The SuperPower Braided fishing line offers a great amount of strength with a bonus of abrasion resistance. This resistance is important for smooth operation when fishing.

This product is available in 5 different colors including a high visibility yellow color for murky conditions. This high visibility line is perfect for murky waters that can be found in early spring in the flooding season.

This line has a huge variety of sizes that are available ranging from 6 pounds to 150 pounds. On a side note, if the fish you are catching require a 150-pound test, drop your contact info below because we should be friends.

Because of the variety of weights, this line is great for those who are specific about the weight they use. Match the different colors to the water you usually fish for maximum efficiency.

Features:

  • Abrasion resistance
  • Multiple color options
  • Large variety of weights
  • Large selection of lengths

Strengths:

  • High visibility line option
  • Many colors disguise well in different waters
  • Cost is very reasonable

Shortcomings:

  • Zero stretch technology has little give
Buy on Amazon

SpiderWire Stealth Superline Braided Fishing Line

Spiderwire SCS15G-125 Braided Stealth Superline, Moss Green, 15 Pound, 125 Yards

See SpiderWire Stealth details on Amazon

One thing that traditional braided line did not have going for it was translucency. In today’s market, you can have a translucent braided fishing line that virtually disappears in the water regardless of clarity. The SpiderWire Stealth Superline offers this product as a part of its lineup.

While it may not have as many color options as the KastKing line, it does offer a various color that is a little odd but works well. SpiderWire offers a camouflage color that works very well in murky conditions.

SpiderWire is known for fitting a 30-pound test into a line that is 10 pounds in diameter. While this seems great, it is possible that it may not be as strong as other brands that are made normally. This however is a very minor issue.

Try the camouflage color for very murky areas such as rivers found in the south. This line is offered in many weights and is sold in a wide variety of spool sizes up to 500 yards. When I try a new line, I like to buy one spools worth and if I fall in love with it, I will buy a larger roll.

This line is also available in a blue camouflage that blends very well with blue water lakes and saltwater conditions. This color pattern is great for making your line virtually invisible in clearer water whereas other colors may still be visible.

Features:

  • Various line weights
  • Various color options
  • Various length options
  • High visibility option

Strengths:

  • Green camouflage pattern
  • Blue camouflage pattern
  • Fluoropolymer and Dyneema materials

Shortcomings:

  • May not be as strong as some of the other brands
Buy on Amazon

Maxima Braid 8 Fishing Line

Maxima Braid 8 Fishing Line, 300 Yard Spool, 50 lb. Ultragreen

See Maxima Braid 8 details on Amazon

Maxima makes an incredibly good product, and therefore I use their products on my reels. The Maxima Braid 8 is made from 8 strands of materials inside the line to give it extra strength for catching larger fish and it also offers greater durability.

Every fishing style has a good line that everyone knows is tried and true. Fly fishing has Scientific Anglers and saltwater fishing has Maxima. They simply make some of the best braided line for saltwater fishing, and it is available in higher weights which makes it perfect for larger fish.

In terms of durability, this line performs due to its triple coating treatment that offers excellent resistance to moisture penetration and fraying. Because of this feature, your line will last longer and perform better.

The only things that I think would make this product better would be more color options to better suit a specific fishing area. This product is only available in green and yellow which can limit fishing areas if this is a factor for you.

I know that in my experience when saltwater fishing, the color did not matter all that much though. I have caught fish on most colors without any issue. Also remember that the deeper you fish, the less color will be an issue as well.

Features:

  • 8 strand design
  • High weight design
  • Triple coat protection
  • Heat-treated

Strengths:

  • Exceptionally durable
  • Heat-treated for extra strength
  • Abrasion-resistant

Shortcomings:

  • Only 2 color options available
Buy on Amazon

Daiwa J-Braid 300M 8-Strand

Daiwa JB8U20-300MU J-Braid Braided Line, 20 Lbs Tested, 330 yd/300M Filler Spool, Multi Color

See Daiwa J-Braid details on Amazon

The Daiwa J-Braid 8-Strand is a very good line that can be compared to the Maxima line we spoke of before but with more options in weight and color. Because of the array of colors available, you can match just about any fishing condition.

Typically, murky water is easy to match and can be fished with just about any color but clear to semi-murky waters can be a bit trickier. Having a good variety of colors is a strong point with any braided line brand.

Because this line is 8 strands, it can offer great strength at a smaller diameter. This means you can string more fishing line than other brands that do not use this method. Because you can apply more line to your reel, this line is a great choice for trolling.

Despite its price, this is not a “poor man’s” alternative to braided line. It is still extraordinarily strong and offers good durability. One unlikely issue that may occur is that because of the small diameter, this line may try to twist and loop on a spinning reel.

Features:

  • 8 Strand design
  • Small line diameter
  • Round design
  • Multicolor option

Strengths:

  • Multicolor option for line concealment
  • High strength
  • A small diameter means more line

Shortcomings:

  • Small diameter line may twist in spinning reels
Buy on Amazon

Piscifun Onyx Braided Fishing Line

Piscifun Onyx Braided Fishing Line Advanced Superline Braid Lines 300Yd 6lb Green

See Piscifun Onyx details on Amazon

One thing that I like about this line is its giant variety of weight options that range from 6-pounds to 150-pounds. The Piscifun Onyx Braided Line is a great all-around fishing line for general fishing because of what it can do.

This line offers a very tightly wound core of 8 strands of high strength materials for good strength. This design is remarkably like other brands we have discusses and the principal is the same. The difference can be found in water retention and durability.

Durability is usually found mostly in the outer shell of the line since it is the first line of defense for a braided line. Advertisers always show you a crosscut picture of the line so you can see the center but also look at the shell as well.

Water cutting determines how fast your line penetrates the water and sinks as well as the general physics of your line when submerged. This line performs well with this feature. Because of this, try this line with bottom fishing, trolling and deep-sea fishing.

Features:

  • 8 strand line
  • High weight coating
  • Abrasion resistance technology
  • Low stretch design

Strengths:

  • Exceptionally durable
  • Low water retention
  • Fast sinking

Shortcomings:

  • Low stretch – less room for mistakes when fighting fish
Buy on Amazon

What to Look for When Selecting Braided Line?

A braided line is a great option for many reasons but the one characteristic that I am absolutely in love with is that it is strong. You can pull up stumps and straighten hook with this stuff. But there are other things to think about when looking at braided lines that are especially important. Here are some of the top features anglers need to consider.

Durability

Durable braided lines resist fraying. Fraying and abrasion are the two biggest detriments to the fishing line and you should always consider where you fish before buying. If you are more likely to get snags and bump your line into debris you should look for a durable line.

Consider that when trolling, you may not have the issue of abrasion with debris depending on where you are fishing so this may not be a huge factor for you. My rule of thumb has been to buy the durable line anyways.

Color

Color is a big factor in how you fish and it depends entirely on what waters you fish. Clear blue colors and semi-murky waters are color-sensitive when it comes to fishing line so you should always try to match them.

I fish in several different waters here in Montana and because of that, it can be difficult (and expensive) to have a line for every waterbody. If this is the case for you, try to have a light green and a darker blue color handy and that should be sufficient.

Water Retention

Monofilament is a solid artificial line that is waterproof but braided line is not. There are a few issues with moisture and braided lines to consider. Waterlogged braided line returns moisture to your spool upon retrieval. This moisture stays there when you go home which is hard on your reel.

Waterlogged braided is also harder to work with and any tangles will be difficult to remove when the line is wet. Always look at the features of a line and try to lean towards brands that offer water resistance.

Try Out a New Line

Buy a small amount of a line that you are interested in and try it out. Put it through its paces to see how it holds up. Try pulling up a stump and see how it performs – is it really the best braided fishing line for your particular type and style of fishing? If you like it, buy a larger amount. That way you are not investing a ton of money on something that you do not like in the long run.

The brands featured here make particularly good lines and will get you on the water and make your trip more productive and fun. Fishing line is the lifeblood of your fishing setup and making a good decision with line selection is important. That said, you will not go wrong by trying out any of the braided lines in this guide.

As always, be safe and have fun on the water. Till the next time.

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About Dorado

John Pardal, aka Dorado, is the editor as well as an author for Reel Adventure Fishing. He has fished extensively up and down the U.S. Atlantic coast, throughout much of Florida and a bit of the Caribbean. John loves writing about all aspects of sportfishing and is passionate about conservation and promoting sustainable fishing.