When surf fishing we use line in two ways that should be considered separately. First, there is our running line or main line which is the predominant line loaded on the reel. This line is selected based on the fishing conditions and size of fish being targeted. My preference is a fifty pound test braided line. Second is our shock leader which is attached to the end of the running line to absorb the forces applied during the cast. I like my shock leader to have low stretch and to be clear so it is less visible to fish. I prefer either heavy monofilament designed as leader line or fluorocarbon line shock leaders.
I hate to admit this, but fishing line is something that I had not payed much attention to over the years. When I think about it, this was a pretty odd oversight given that fishing line is of one of the primary pieces of tackle used in any type of fishing and is very important in our sport that pits our tackle against some of natures harshest elements. Prior to ten years ago, I used twenty pound test monofilament line on all of my reels and, since I was not applying any objective criteria to line selection, bought whatever line was on sale. At that time my only criteria as to whether a line was better or worse was the price being charged. As I set out to improve my surf fishing skills, I decided to take a look at the different types of fishing line available, their materials and manufacture as well as the choices and experiences of other surf fishermen related to line.
I put together a few common line characteristics to help in comparing lines for surf fishing. I’m sure there are more, but these should server as a good starting point:
| Characteristic | Description |
| Water Absorption | Some lines absorb water which can change they way they behave, including reducing strength. |
| Buoyancy | Depending on the materials used line may float or sink. |
| Stretch | Some lines stretch when force is placed on it (like a fish striking or casting). Stretching is a characteristic of mixed subjective value. Some fishermen like having a line that stretches while others do not. |
| Visibility | Some lines are more or less visible in water. I’m not talking about colored lines here, just clear lines. |
| Abrasion Resistance | Resistance to surface ware when the line rubs against all of the environmental obstacles we face when surf fishing. |
| UV Light Resistance | Resistance to the dreaded UV light our line will be subject to when we are on the coast fishing. Higher resistance means the line will last longer. |
| Knot Tying | A key characteristic of line is it’s friendliness to knot tying. Some lines will work well with almost any knot, others require special handling and work best with a few particular knots. |
| Memory | The characteristic of a line maintaining the shape of the spool on which it is stored. Line memory is considered a negative as it can reduce casting effectiveness and cause tangles. |
With our criteria in hand, I dove into the world of recreational fishing line. I was immediately overwhelmed by the variety of terms used like Spectra, Dyneema, Vectran, Multifilament and Microfilament and how to match those terms to my needs as a surf fisherman. To aid with my evaluation of different line types I organized them into a table:
| Type | Manufacture | Popular Use | Expense |
| Monofilament | Extruded or Drawn Plastics, usually Nylon |
|
Low |
| Fluorocarbon | Extruded polyvinylidene difluoride (PVDF) |
|
High |
| Braided Line(Microfilament) | Series of Fibers Woven Together. |
|
Moderate |
| Super Line (Multifilament) | A Refinement on braided Line Formed from Multiple Strands of polyethylene or Spectra. Multifilament lines are not braided, instead, they are twisted, wired or taped |
|
High |
Monofilament Line – this line type continues to be a go-to line for surf fishing and has been around for many decades. It is manufactured by extruding or drawing out plastics, most commonly Nylon. The line is smooth, easy to handle, resists abrasion, floats and knots well. A good indicator of monofilament’s prevalence in surf fishing is the practice of using it as the baseline for comparing other line types. It has a few draw backs in that it is heaver and has a larger diameter compared to the other line types . In addition to being heavier it absorbs water which can make it weaker than its stated test when wet. Nylon monofilament is not UV resistant which causes it to degrade faster from exposure to sunlight. When the line is stored it tends to remember its shape (the coils on your spool) making it more likely to tangle and reducing casting distance. Most surf fisherman will replace their monofilament line every year. Monofilament stretches which can be good or bad depending on your preference. This type of line can be used as both a main line and a shock leader. Several of my regular fishing buddies prefer monofilament to the more advanced line types and use it exclusively.
If you are just starting out surf fishing, monofilament is an excellent choice as a main line. It is easy to handle, smooth casting and inexpensive. I use twenty pound test monofilament line but you’ll be fine with anything between fifteen and twenty with sinkers under five ounces.
Fluorocarbon – This line type is an improvement over monofilament being made of extruded PVDF (see the line materials table at the end of the post). It has a smaller diameter than comparable test monofilament and is much denser. It’s addition density means it requires much more force to stretch, resists abrasion, does not absorb water, is less buoyant than monofilament and is UV resistant. Fluorocarbons often have memory issues like monofilament. An additional benefit of the denseness of the PVDF is that it almost disappears under water. These characteristics combine to make Fluorocarbon lines a great choice for shock leaders. Fluorocarbons can be difficult to tie knots with and require wetting of the line when cinching down to get the knot to hold. Certain knots work well with this line including the Palomar and Uni knots. This line is not a common choice for a main line. Most surf fisherman will replace their Fluorocarbon line every two to five years.
Braided Line- this line type is very popular with surf fisherman as a running line because it is much lighter and smaller than monofilament for the same strength line which means we can cast further and get more on the spool. To give you some idea of how much line size can be reduced with braided line take a look at the table below:
| Braid Line Strength | Equivalent Mono. Size | Size Decrease |
| 20 Pound Test | 6 Pound Test | 70.00% |
| 30 Pound Test | 8 Pound Test | 73.33% |
| 40 Pound Test | 10 Pound Test | 75.00% |
| 50 Pound Test | 12 Pound Test | 76.00% |
| 65 Pound Test | 15 Pound Test | 76.92% |
| 80 Pound Test | 17 Pound Test | 78.75% |
| 100 Pound Test | 20 Pound Test | 80.00% |
Braided lines do not have as much memory on the spool as most monofilaments but are more susceptible to breaking due to abrasion and nicks, though the better braided lines now have coatings of various kinds to improve abrasion resistance. These lines do not absorb water, are UV resistant and are buoyant. Certain knots work better with braided lines including the Palomar and Uni knots. These lines can be sharp when taught so handle them with care when casting and always wear a leather glove when tightening down knots. Most surf fishermen replace their braided lines every three to five years.
You will find many articles and posts about braided line slipping on the spool, a nightmare scenario for a casting or spinning reel. I found a great post the recommends the following:
| Load a single layer of monofilament onto your real, anchoring it with an harbor knot (look in the knots section and do not forget the tape), connect the monofilament to your braid line using the knot of your choice and load your reel up. The monofilament will hold to your spool anchoring the braided line. |
This is the same method recommended in “The Complete Book of Fishing Knots, Leaders and Lines” as well as the method used by most tackle shops.
Fused Line – This line type is an improvement over monofilament being made of fused Dyneema (see the line materials table at the end of the post). It has a smaller diameter than comparable test monofilament and is very strong. Fused lines have no stretch, resists abrasion, do not absorb water, are buoyant and are UV resistant. Fused lines do not have memory issues like monofilament. These lines are visible under water. Fused lines work best with certain knots including the Palomar and Uni knots. I used this type of line a few years back on one of my spinning reels and had a good bit of trouble with tangles during casting. This line is used as a main line. Most surf fisherman will replace their Fused line every three to five years.
Line Materials: When shopping for lines you’ll come across quite a few chemical and common names for the materials used which can be daunting. I put together the following list of the most popular materials used in making fishing line along with the common name to help you when evaluating fishing line.
| Line Material | Common Name | Characteristics |
| Polyamide | Nylon |
|
| Polyester | Dacron |
|
| Ultra-High Molecular Weight Ployethylene | Spectra |
|
| Polyvinylidenefluoride (PVDF) | Fluorocarbon |
|
| Multifilament gel-sun polyethylene(PE) | Dyneema |
|
| Multifilament Modified Aromatic Plyester Melt Extrusion Liquid Crystal Polymer | Vectran |
|
| Multifilament Aromatic Polyamide or Aramid Fiber | Kevlar |
|
Disposing of Fishing Line – These line materials are not biodegradable and cannot be left on the beach or any coastal area. Most areas where surf fishing is popular will have a line recycling station (They are often are made of PVC pipe) where you can deposit your line cuttings. I keep mine in a small bucket just for recycling. If you can’t find a recycling point for your line hang on to it until you get home and send it to: Berkley Recycling, 1900 18th Street, Spirit Lake, Iowa 51360.