Best Mono on Market?

[Styx]

2 hours ago, Catt said:

Berkley Big Game Mean Green

+1

[sgibby88]

since I started using big I have had no complaints. I use it in 12lb for my top water setups

[WRB]

26 minutes ago, wdp said:

Tom, in your experience is Big Game any better or does it have any advantages over Trilene XT? I've used Trilene XT a little in the past with no issues - it casted well & didn't seem to break off much. 

 

I've just used fluoro and braid so much the last 10 yrs, I know it's gonna be hard to use mono again. Last time I tried to use mono, I switched back to fluoro on that rod after one fishing trip. Fluoro is just so much more sensitive with much less stretch. Mono feels way too "mushy" for me, especially cranking and spinnerbaits. No way I could use mono for soft plastics - I use all braid. 

 

But I'm pretty sure mono is gonna be the best option for the specific topwaters I mentioned. 

It wasn't until the early 90's that Big Game became available in 10 lb test,before that 12 lb was the smallest. Prior to Big Game I used XT during the 70's to early 80's. 3 years ago Sunline Armillo Defier Nylon became availble and has become my swimbait line and slowly changing over to it. I also use Blackwater Toray BAWO Polyimde+ 30 lb for swimbaits, it's even more expensive!

Tom

[Catt]

The #1 reason I use Big Game is its abrasion resistance!

 

The slight advantage in sensitivity found in fluorocarbon is offset by its poor abrasion resistance.

 

Sensitivity depends on who is holding the rod!

[Raul]

Most of my reels are spooled with Big Game, got a couple spooled with XT just because the thinest Big Game available is 10 lbs, so for 6-8 lbs I use XT.

[FrankN209]

For me,

Big Game - Green

YoZuri Hybrid

Trilene Sensation

[CTBassin860]

2 hours ago, craww said:

 

I knew there would be one guy...As I said and others have told you...the line is blurry. Very generally speaking they all fish like Nylon lines, absorb water, stretch and retain they're strength well (because it's still predominately nylon), and have issues with breaking down due to UV radiation. 

 

YOU'RE point is moot because virtually all "mono" lines, are a copolymer of sorts...with the exception of fluroclear are all virtually all nylon. And they fish like it too. There have been lines over the years that have had "copolymer" on the box and ad copy at times and didn't at other times. 

 

They all very generally fish extremely similar with trading varying degrees of handling for abrasion resistance, stretch for knot strength, etc. Manufacturers sell alot of line by doing things like putting fancy words on the box and cheating diameter up and down on "tough" lines. My post was relevant and in the spirit of helping the OP'S by not limiting his choices. Good day.

How a all mono(meaning one) lines co-poly??As a guy who works in plastics for a living,Id love to hear your expert explanation on how one filament can possibly more than one

[craww]

Monofilament fishing line (shortened to just monofilament) is fishing line made from a single fiber of plastic. ...Monofilament is made by melting and mixing polymers and then extruding the mixture through tiny holes, forming strands of line, which is then spun into spools of various thicknesses

 

 

Notice the part of mixing of polymers??? Thus the term Copolymer. One filiament...Different recipes and blends of polymers to achieve desired results. You're clearly dead set on arguing for some reason. I'm done here.

 

[wdp]

Well, it looks like Big Game is getting the most votes, both in terms of performance and price. So I think I'll give it a try. 

 

As for the argument over the definition of what makes one particular line a mono and the other a co-polymer, I couldn't care less. (And I'm a chemist ?). When I asked the original question, I think everybody knew what I meant. 

[Hulkster]

Long time XL user here who has recently started using Big Game, because i was getting lots of problems with XL not holding its strength well. I could break knots with my hands after a while.

 

so I switched to Big Game (up here in Canada we can get Big game in 8 pound test and even 6 pound test though I do not know how old the spools of 6 pound test are that my shop has on the shelf - since it looks like this size is no longer offered).

 

so far I really like it. 12 pound green on my baitcaster, and yes, i even use the 8 pound on spinning gear with no issues.

 

it is noticeably stronger than XL and still seems to cast well. no problems with knot breakage anymore.

[wdp]

49 minutes ago, Catt said:

The #1 reason I use Big Game is its abrasion resistance!

 

The slight advantage in sensitivity found in fluorocarbon is offset by its poor abrasion resistance.

 

Sensitivity depends on who is holding the rod!

Hey Catt, I always thought one of the so-called touted advantages of fluoro over mono was that fluoro is more abrasion resistant. At least it seems like I've heard many a pro say that.

 

As for the sensitivity, my experience has been that fluoro is way more sensitive than mono. I've been using 12-15# Invizx the last couple yrs & really like it. Last time I tried to use mono for soft plastics, man I felt like I couldn't get a good hook set it felt so mushy. Think I was using Trilene XT.

 

Mostly I use braid for soft plastics. Usually have one rod with 15# fluoro for fishing weightless senkos and flukes - every now & then for some reason the added sink rate from fluoro seems to be the ticket over using braid. It's also good for weighted swimbaits. 

2 minutes ago, Hulkster said:

Long time XL user here who has recently started using Big Game, because i was getting lots of problems with XL not holding its strength well. I could break knots with my hands after a while.

 

so I switched to Big Game (up here in Canada we can get Big game in 8 pound test and even 6 pound test though I do not know how old the spools of 6 pound test are that my shop has on the shelf - since it looks like this size is no longer offered).

 

so far I really like it. 12 pound green on my baitcaster, and yes, i even use the 8 pound on spinning gear with no issues.

 

it is noticeably stronger than XL and still seems to cast well. no problems with knot breakage anymore.

Same issue I had with XL. Stuff casts great, just too many break offs. 

[CTBassin860]

Ill give you that co-poly is single strand.mono is too.However the mono3 floats as the co poly has characteristics of mono and flouro.(floats but sinks slowly) Its not the same thing

[DaveT63]

• I'm partial to Sunline Super Mono.  You can find 660 yard spools for about $14 and I've never had a problem with 12lb on spinning reels.

[Catt]

1 hour ago, wdp said:

Hey Catt, I always thought one of the so-called touted advantages of fluoro over mono was that fluoro is more abrasion resistant. At least it seems like I've heard many a pro say that.

 

As for the sensitivity, my experience has been that fluoro is way more sensitive than mono. I've been using 12-15# Invizx the last couple yrs & really like it. Last time I tried to use mono for soft plastics, man I felt like I couldn't get a good hook set it felt so mushy. Think I was using Trilene XT.

 

Fluorocarbons susposedly stretched less than mono...not!

 

I fish extreme cover & Big Game is far more abrasive resistant than any fluorocarbon

 

Sensitivity in my opinion depends hugely on who is holding the rod!

[Onvacation]

Add me to the Big Game voters. Wdp, I think I'm like you. I have some 8 pound Invisx sitting on my kitchen table (my wife loves me), and I know there is some XT out in the garage.  

[WRB]

What counts with fishing line is in your confidence using it, bass don't care one way or the other.

I caught a few hundred DD bass using 10 to 12 lb Big Game and Trilene XT line, obviously they didn't break off and I was able to detect strikes. Proof Is in the pudding!

Sunline Armillo Diefervhasn't let me down to date casting very expensive swimbaits, I like it! FC line has less drag in the water and I can feel what's going on with my jigs and worms a little better than mono line, I hate the knot strength issues with FC and have broke off DD bass with it night fishing.

No panaceas with line.

Tom

What counts with fishing line is in your confidence using it, bass don't care one way or the other.

I caught a few hundred DD bass using 10 to 12 lb Big Game and Trilene XT line, obviously they didn't break off and I was able to detect strikes. Proof Is in the pudding!

Sunline Armillo Diefervhasn't let me down to date casting very expensive swimbaits, I like it! FC line has less drag in the water and I can feel what's going on with my jigs and worms a little better than mono line, I hate the knot strength issues with FC and have broke off DD bass with it night fishing.

No panaceas with line.

Tom

What counts with fishing line is in your confidence using it, bass don't care one way or the other.

I caught a few hundred DD bass using 10 to 12 lb Big Game and Trilene XT line, obviously they didn't break off and I was able to detect strikes. Proof Is in the pudding!

Sunline Armillo Diefervhasn't let me down to date casting very expensive swimbaits, I like it! FC line has less drag in the water and I can feel what's going on with my jigs and worms a little better than mono line, I hate the knot strength issues with FC and have broke off DD bass with it night fishing.

No panaceas with line.

Tom

[wdp]

15 minutes ago, Catt said:

Fluorocarbons susposedly stretched less than mono...not!

 

I fish extreme cover & Big Game is far more abrasive resistant than any fluorocarbon

 

Sensitivity in my opinion depends hugely on who is holding the rod!

I'm excited about trying the Big Game. 

 

But I'm gonna have to graciously disagree about about the stretch & sensitivity. ? Just about every fluoro I've used was more sensitive and seemed to have less stretch than the monos I've tried. As far as sensitivity & holding the rod, I palm my reels with the line directly lying on my index finger in constant contact with the line.

 

But I've never tried Big Game, so it might make a believer outta me. At the end of the day, won't really make much different when fishing topwater. I'll see the bites. I just want a good quality line that's got good knot and tensile strength & won't break the bank. 

[WRB]

 

What counts with fishing line is in your confidence using it, bass don't care one way or the other.

I caught a few hundred DD bass using 10 to 12 lb Big Game and Trilene XT line, obviously they didn't break off and I was able to detect strikes. Proof Is in the pudding!

Sunline Armillo Deifer hasn't let me down to date casting very expensive swimbaits, I like it! FC line has less drag in the water and I can feel what's going on with my jigs and worms a little better than mono line, I hate the knot strength issues with FC and have broke off DD bass with it night fishing.

No panaceas with line.

Tom

[Catt]

2 minutes ago, wdp said:

I'm excited about trying the Big Game. 

 

But I'm gonna have to graciously disagree about about the stretch & sensitivity. ? Just about every fluoro I've used was more sensitive and seemed to have less stretch than the monos I've tried. As far as sensitivity & holding the rod, I palm my reels with the line directly lying on my index finger in constant contact with the line.

 

But I've never tried Big Game, so it might make a believer outta me. At the end of the day, won't really make much different when fishing topwater. I'll see the bites. I just want a good quality line that's got good knot strength & won't break the bank. 

There are dozens of comparison tests showing fluorocarbon does in fact stretch as much or more than mono.

 

As far as abrasion resistance I've nicked fluorocarbon & had 2-3 lb bass break off.

 

I landed 6-8 lb bass on 15# Big Game that was shredded almost in half. I also use 12# Big Game for catching speckled trout & red fish around oyster reef's with no problems except for the red's gill plates which will cut braid.

[wdp]

7 minutes ago, Catt said:

There are dozens of comparison tests showing fluorocarbon does in fact stretch as much or more than mono.

 

As far as abrasion resistance I've nicked fluorocarbon & had 2-3 lb bass break off.

 

I landed 6-8 lb bass on 15# Big Game that was shredded almost in half. I also use 12# Big Game for catching speckled trout & red fish around oyster reef's with no problems except for the red's gill plates which will cut braid.

Yeah I think I might have seen or read about some of those comparisons tests too. If I remember correctly one of the things I read was that mono will actually recoil or bounce back so to speak, but fluoro does not once it's stretched.

 

I know personally speaking, fluoro to me just feels like I get a much better hook set. But, I've never really used higher # test monos before. Like 14# is the highest.

 

Now I did have some major issues with some of the first fluoros I tried 10 yrs ago, like Berkley Vanish & Transition. Holy Cow did I have some break offs with it. ? Think it was just like you said, a little nick in line & poof - break off! Finally had some good luck with P Line Halo, but that stuff was stiff & hard to manage. I liked Trilene 100% fluoro, but now it seems harder to find. Finally, I've settled on the Invizx. It's not too expensive, easy to use, and I've had no issues with it. It's the only line I use for cranking. 

[Big Bait Fishing]

1 hour ago, WRB said:

 

What counts with fishing line is in your confidence using it, bass don't care one way or the other.

I caught a few hundred DD bass using 10 to 12 lb Big Game and Trilene XT line, obviously they didn't break off and I was able to detect strikes. Proof Is in the pudding!

Sunline Armillo Deifer hasn't let me down to date casting very expensive swimbaits, I like it! FC line has less drag in the water and I can feel what's going on with my jigs and worms a little better than mono line, I hate the knot strength issues with FC and have broke off DD bass with it night fishing.

No panaceas with line.

Tom

hey Tom , i think your '' submit '' key is stuck ....   

[RyneB]

Sufix Elite. I have nothing negative to say about it. I don't see how anyone who uses it could not like it.

[MBB Nate]

I tried Big Game after reading about it heren and it's been fantastic!

 

I use 10lb on my crank rig and 15lb on a MH rig.  I threw jigs in some nasty stuff with the 15lb and big game held up exceptional and pulled out a few 7lbers.

 

 

[JustinJ]

Xl on my spinning reels and Stren original on the casting reels 

[uncustered]

Sufix tri+. I use fro 6-20lb.

 

Best sensitivity, abrasion and knot quality i've found.