I went into a shop to buy line and basically got dizzy trying to decide on which line to buy. I was of course comparing Stren, Trilene, Suffix, Spider mono and a couple others I forget. XL XT smooth cast, extra strength on and on. Do you think there is really much difference in any of the big commercial lines from these companies? I mean is 12lbs Stren smooth cast really any different then Trilene XT in 12lbs?

 

I went with the Suffix Siege btw but only because it was the same price for 30 yards more line.

 

I understand folks have their fav's for certain reasons and Im not talking braided or flouro etc. Im just talking run of the mill mono that a lot of use, is their really any difference from one to another?

I usually use BPS Excel because I think it has less memory than some lines have. I guess most guys tend to stick with what works for them. Once you have success with something, it just seems like you stick with it.

 

I have used Trilene in years past but once I tried Excel, I was pretty pleased. Not to mention you can buy 1200 yds for 10 bucks.

Just my 2c.

Yes, and no.  The differences are sometimes subtle. As a general rule, "limp and low memory" means spinning, and "tough and abrasion resistant" means casting gear.  That's not set in stone.  Suffix is my favorite mono, and replaced the Trilene I'd used for years.  

Buy your line according to diameter, not by pound test.  Some Japanese manufactures (Sunline Super Natural) have 12lb test that is the diameter of 8lb Trilene XL.  Conversely another company's 10lb test (P-Line CXX) is the same diameter as 14lb Trilene XL.  Just watch the diameter...  You did good with Siege, I like that stuff.

Well, are all beers the same? Some differences are subtle, other are significant.

I like Sunline Super Natural.

Buy your line according to diameter, not by pound test.  Some Japanese manufactures (Sunline Super Natural) have 12lb test that is the diameter of 8lb Trilene XL.  Conversely another company's 10lb test (P-Line CXX) is the same diameter as 14lb Trilene XL.  Just watch the diameter...  You did good with Siege, I like that stuff.

 

And to the point, Trilene XT in 10# is actually larger than P-Line CXX, and has a lower break strength, and I think the two products are better aligned for comparison's sake in purpose and application.  CXX is a copolymer, whereas Trilene is nylon, and they handle a little differently.  I really think you need to choose line based on handling characteristics, abrasion resistance, break strength (not test strength), and diameter.  You can get diameter, and sometimes true break strength from the specs, but the others are subjective, and line choice is so personal in the way those attributes affect fishing, that it's often tough to compare lines.

 

Siege is a good choice - it's a high quality line when you want to use a nylon mono.

I have used Trilene, big game, stren and I like sufix siege and elite the best in my opinion it has less memory than stren and big game but gives you the abrasion resistance that stren and Trilene lack but would equal it to stren megathin which is hard to find in stores. Like they said subtle differences

Well, are all beers the same? Some differences are subtle, other are significant.

I like Sunline Super Natural.

 

I like guinness, what line do I need?

 

It's overwhelming at first but well worth learning.  Once you narrow it down you'll walk right past 3/4 of the selection to what you believe in. 

Easiest for me is braid, 832 or Power Pro, depending on what weight or volume of line i need.  Everything else?  No.

I've got a copoly I like, a fluro, and 2 mono's I'm trying to decide between.  Read up, this sight is great for that, and if it doesn't work for you try another. 

Its fishing line, not a marriage, shopping around is allowed and you can always toss it out if it doesn't do what you want.

Duckbutter, there are no "standards" in bass fishing tackle.

 

One company's 12 pound fluorocarbon line will be different from another company's 12 pound flouro.

 

As stated above, always check the line's diameter. You want the lowest diameter possible.

 

Now, with that said, everyone has their favorite brand. Some favorites are based on price while others on performance.

 

A major concern is how fast the tackle store turns over their line. You want "as fresh as possible" line. Line stored in a warehouse or on the shelf for a long time may not perform as you expect it to when compared to line that turns over fast.

 

One of the fun aspects of bass fishing is trying different products. You will do this with your line and then decide which ones you like. I can only add that when you spool your reels you make a written note of which lines are on which reels so when you get home you can decide which ones you used that day performed as expected.

 

Please let us know which lines you finally select at the end of this year's fishing season.

ive used a few different brand of mono, i prefer trilene XL .. its casts smoother and farther than some others i have tried.. I do wanna try the new trilene XT since they redesigned it

i dont know about the differences between brands so much as far as the specs go. but i use mono on all but one reel. i like big game for my catfishing. for my bass and panfish rods i was using trilene xl but then i got spools of sufix siege for $5 at last years BPS spring classic sale and have been using that ever since. i think sufix siege is a great all around line. i have nothing against the old trilene xl i was using, but i prefer the sufix siege right now