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The common opinion on using fluorocarbon fishing line with spinning reels is “don’t do it”. While fluorocarbon has many properties that make it superior to monofilament or braided line, it also has a tendency to snag on spinning reels and easily get tangled.
It also often costs more than its monofilament and braided line equivalents. But we’re here to tell you that if you pick out the correct kind of fluorocarbon fishing line, it can work wonders for certain situations (like bass fishing in heavy cover or ice fishing).
So what is the best fluorocarbon line for spinning reels? It depends on what you’re looking for out of the line and your budget. In this article, we’ll go over our top choices of fluorocarbon line for spinning reels that are designed for specific situations. We’ll also include our top tips for using fluorocarbon line while spinning that will help you prevent snags and tangles. Let’s jump in!
In a Hurry? Here’s Our Favorites…
Top Pick: P-Line Tactical Premium Fluorocarbon Spinning Line
The P-Line Tactical Premium Fluorocarbon Spinning Line is more expensive than the most budget options on our list, but it makes up for it in the highest durability and user rankings. It won the 2016 ICAST New Product showcase for its cutting edge strength and durability. It also has solid invisibility ratings and will be difficult for even the most skittish fish to notice. It’s our choice for top fluorocarbon line for spinning reels.
Premium Pick: Seaguar TATSU Spinning Line
The Seaguar TATSU Spinning Line is our choice for the best premium fluorocarbon line for spinning reels as it has the highest combination of strength and castability of any of the lines we tested. This performance comes at a price, however, and the Seaguar TATSU Spinning Line costs more than any other option we reviewed. If budget isn’t an issue for you, we can’t recommend the Seaguar TATSU Spinning Line enough.
Mid-Level Pick: Trilene Fluorocarbon Spinning Line
Trilene’s 100% Trilene Fluorocarbon Spinning Line is another great mid-level option for fluorocarbon fishing line. It has a great balance of quality and price and comes from a time-tested brand that’s been making fluorocarbon line for decades. It comes in many different lengths and test ratings, so it’s a great option for both heavy-duty saltwater spinning or surfcasting as well as smaller backwater bass flipping.
Economy Pick: KastKing FluoroKote Spinning Line
The KastKing FluoroKote Spinning Line is our choice for economy spinning fishermen that want the performance of fluorocarbon, without actually buying 100% fluorocarbon. While it may lose some strength and rigidity due to not being completely fluorocarbon, it does gain some castability and will end up snagging less with in-experienced fishermen. It’s a great choice for putting on a younger fisherman’s spool or if you want to save some money.
Weeds and Rocks Pick: Seaguar Abrazx Fluorocarbon Spinning Line
The Seaguar Abrazx Fluorocarbon Spinning Line is the best option if you plan on fishing in areas that have lots of heavy underwater cover. The Seaguar Abrazx Fluorocarbon Spinning Line has been designed to withstand intense abuse against logs, rocks, weeds, and pretty much anything else you throw its way. This makes it great for bass fishing or when you’re hunting for snakeheads in backwaters. If durability is what you’re looking for, get the Seaguar Abrazx Fluorocarbon Spinning Line.
Invisibility Pick: Seaguar Invizx Fluorocarbon Spinning Line
If you plan on spinning in clear water or in the middle of the day when visibility is at its highest, we recommend going with the Seaguar Invizx Fluorocarbon Spinning Line. It’s designed to be nearly invisible underwater and works great for when you’re fishing for skittish fish. It’s a great choice for fish with superb eyesight, such as tarpon or snook.
Must-Have: Keven VanDam’s Line & Lure Conditioner
If you plan on buying any of the above fluorocarbon lines for spinning reels, we can’t stress enough how important it is to also buy a conditioner. Line conditioner will not only increase the longevity of your fluorocarbon line, but it will also improve castability significantly. In addition, it helps prevent fluorocarbon from having spool memory which decreases snags and tangles.
Our choice of line conditioner is Keven VanDam’s Line & Lure Conditioner. It will ensure that your fluorocarbon line lasts session after session and will keep your line smooth when casting. This is crucial when using fluorocarbon for your spinning reels.
The Benefits of Using Fluorocarbon Line for Spinning Reels
If you’re wondering why fluorocarbon is better than monofilament and braided line for certain situations, you can check out our monofilament vs fluorocarbon article. We’ll also go over the benefits of using fluorocarbon for spinning below.
- Fluorocarbon is more responsive. Fluorocarbon has a higher sensitivity to disturbances on your line than monofilament does. This makes it better for spinning reels as you’ll want to set the hook immediately when casting. The added sensitivity results in better hook-sets and more fish caught.
- It’s more resistant to tears and breaks. Fluorocarbon has the highest abrasion resistance (even more than braided), which makes it a great choice for fishermen who are fishing near logs, rocks, or other things fishing line could break on. It also takes away some of the risks if you aren’t the most accurate caster. Another situation that the added resistance to abrasion is important is when fishing for species that like to run for cover when hooked. Snook, redfish, and reef fish all have a tendency to do this.
- Fluorocarbon is stronger than monofilament. The tightly packed molecules of fluorocarbon give it higher tensile strength than monofilament, allowing you to go for larger fish on the same diameter line.
- It has a smaller diameter compared to monofilament. Another added bonus of the smaller diameter is that you can cast lures further. The smaller diameter also prevents snags and tangles.
- Fluorocarbon’s properties don’t change in water. Monofilament and braided lines actually absorb water, which changes their properties and adds flexibility. This translates to a lower sensitivity. Fluorocarbon doesn’t absorb water, so it stays sensitive in all situations.
There are a couple minor downsides to using fluorocarbon lines. One downside is that fluorocarbon line has a memory and will coil when unspooled or free-lining off a reel and can easily tangle as a result. Another downside albeit a minor one is that it is more expensive than monofilament.
The advantages of fluorocarbon line still heavily outweigh the disadvantages of the line, and certainly have a role to play when fishing with spinning reels alongside with the other common types of fishing line such as braid and monofilament.
Tips for Using Fluorocarbon for Spinning Reels
Since fluorocarbon is different than monofilament and braided line, there are few things you need to be aware of while using it with spinning reels. If you follow these tips, you’ll avoid many of the pitfalls of using fluorocarbon will spinning.
Fluorocarbon fishing line can also be used in conjunction with braided lines in the form of a leader, which gives you both the excellent near invisible advantages of fluorocarbon, while giving you the amazing sensitivity of braided line.
- Use proper knots when tying fluorocarbon. Newer fluorocarbon technology is starting to improve knot performance, but it’s still known for breaking if tie the wrong kinds of knot. We recommend always tying a Palomar knot when adding lures and components to your line.
- Wet your line when you tie a knot. This is a little trick that helps with friction and allows your fluorocarbon line to cinch smoothly when tying a knot. Often times the extra friction in the tightly packed molecules is what causes fluorocarbon line to break.
- Always check for abrasions/scratches before and after you catch a fish. Micro abrasions in your fluorocarbon line will cause it to fail under the stress of a large fish or if you snag your lure. This can easily be avoided if you check your line rigorously before and after you land a fish.
- Change Your Line after a season of heavy use. Fluorocarbon will weaken after a season of heavy fishing, but if you fish at a moderate level you might be able to get multiple seasons of use from the line.
Parting Thoughts
We hope this article dispelled some of the myths around using fluorocarbon line for spinning reels. If you buy the correct type of fluorocarbon at the right diameter, many of the reported issues aren’t a factor. In fact, fluorocarbon line is now becoming the standard for many anglers, and they are finding that the positives of fluorocarbon greatly outweigh the negatives.
We hope you’re now empowered to buy the right fluorocarbon for your spinning reel and use it to catch a big one.
Happy Hunting!
