4) Line

There are three main types of fishing line:

1. Monofilament (Mono)
Made from a single strand of nylon. It’s flexible, affordable, and easy to handle—great for beginners. It has moderate stretch, which helps absorb shocks during fights.

2. Fluorocarbon
Often called “fluoro,” it’s hard to see in underwater and more abrasion-resistant than mono. It sinks faster and is less stretchy, making it ideal for clear water or finesse fishing.

3. Braided Line (Braid)
Made from woven fibers, braid is extremely strong and has no stretch. It casts well and offers great sensitivity, but it’s more visible in the water and can be harder to manage for new anglers.

Diameter and maximum loading:

When shopping for a fishing rod or reel, you’ll often see compatible line sizes labeled as #1, #2, #3, etc. Many anglers may wonder what these numbers actually mean.

According to JAFTMA( 日本釣用品工業会 Japan Fishing Tackle Manufacturers Association) standard:

For monofilament and fluorocarbon lines, #1 corresponds to a diameter of 0.165mm.
For PE braided lines, #1 equals 0.171mm.

This system also leads to a practical rule of thumb: each increase of one line size (#) reduces the spool capacity by about 50 to 70 meters, assuming you’re using the same reel.

 

Threads:

Ideally, each individual filament would be perfectly uniform and break‑free—but in reality, extrusion machines can’t produce miles of continuous line without occasional weak points. To minimize the impact of those inevitable flaws, manufacturers braid several shorter filaments together rather than using one long thread.

Imagine you need 600 m of line, but your machine can only reliably produce 200 m stretches. If you simply spliced those three lengths end‑to‑end, you’d introduce a single weak spot every 200 m. Instead, by overlapping and braiding four filaments, any weak spot in one strand is “diluted” among the others, resulting in a smoother, more consistent line strength.

How to choose:

Your choice of line really depends on your fishing style and target species:

• Canal or urban fishing
  Monofilament is usually all you need. In canals, fish don’t run far and you’re casting short distances, so the stretch of nylon won’t noticeably slow your hook‑set or mask bites. (although upgrade to flouo is a pure upgrade)

• Rock‑mark or bottom‑hunting fishing
  When targeting fish like grouper that hide in rock crevices, even a half‑second delay can mean losing the catch. In this case, a braided PE mainline with a fluorocarbon leader gives you minimal stretch, instant bite transmission, and faster hook‑sets.
  
  

Why Leader:

Some fish are rather wary of anything approaching them, and since PE line is visible underwater, it can spook them. In contrast, monofilament and fluorocarbon are much less visible, making them better choices in clear water or when targeting cautious species.

Secondly, anglers use a leader to protect the PE line from getting damaged by underwater terrain, which can easily cut through it. This is so effective that using a leader is considered essential when fishing with PE. The recommended leader length depends on the environment: in open areas with little structure, 2 feet may be enough—but for rocky shorelines or reef fishing, starting with at least 4 feet is advised.