just for curiousity sake im wondering what the breaking strengths are for different types, brands, and tests of line. i saw a video and if i remember right i believe 15lb trilene 100% broke at around 23lbs... thats awesome. but like i said "if i remember right" it might have been a different type of line. anyways thanks in advance for any results.

Keep in mind that static strength and impact strength are usually very different.  

while break strengths are much higher than ratings, most people's knot are not so good, and probably fail about at the rated strength.  

I'd guess that legal reasons about any line will have a higher breaking point than it is listed as. If it states 20# test it has to be at least that and that is more than likely a static pull test.

The "pound test" is not at all accurate for most lines.  In most cases, it doesn't matter.

Don't recall which, but there are a few lines, very expensive I believe, which are accurate to within the guidelines of the IGFA for certifying record catches on certain pound tests.

Catch one on the usual stuff, submit the line, and you are not likely to get in the record books.

One other thing to keep in mind.  UV rays are harmful to mono, and probably the other lines as well.

Decades ago, I had a salt water spinning reel spooled with 15 pound test.  

I always fished with a light drag.  One day I caught several nice sized stripers on live herring in Pleasant Bay on Cape Cod.

I had to retie after catching one fish, and when I pulled the knot tight, the line broke like it was four pound test.

Pulled off some more and tried again.  The same thing.

Fortunately I had a spool of line which had not been exposed to sunlight.  Respooled and went back to fishing.

Learned a valuable lesson about keeping the gear out of the sunlight when not fishing.  

The "pound test" is not at all accurate for most lines. In most cases, it doesn't matter.

Don't recall which, but there are a few lines, very expensive I believe, which are accurate to within the guidelines of the IGFA for certifying record catches on certain pound tests.

e.g. "Ande Tournament"

Roger

if i remember right i think i read somewhere that mono loses some of its strength as well.. is that right?

The "pound test" is not at all accurate for most lines. In most cases, it doesn't matter.

Don't recall which, but there are a few lines, very expensive I believe, which are accurate to within the guidelines of the IGFA for certifying record catches on certain pound tests.

e.g. "Ande Tournament"

Roger

Thank you for bailing me out, or at least filling in the blanks.