At Carp.com, we have researched all the top fishing lines from the leading players. It doesn't matter how much you wish to spend; we have a line at price levels to suit everyone.
If you want monofilament or braid, we stock all the top products. We have carp, coarse, match, predator and feeder fishing lines from the most popular brands and vital information about their main advantages, including breaking strains and diameters.
Braided lines are more expensive but tend to last longer than mono, beyond a full season, if they don't get damaged when fishing over rough terrain. Monofilament reel lines can last up to a year but normally much less if you fish hard and regularly.
Carp.com stocks all the best main lines and fishing leaders from respected companies like Fox, Korda, Nash and Ridge Monkey. The only tricky part is picking products that suit your style of angling, which is why we are here to help.
Fluorocarbon
Fishing videos have shown how fluorocarbon is a game-changer, proving fish cannot see or detect this material underwater, nor can the human eye see it when submerged.
Fluorocarbon might be more costly, but it has big advantages in fooling the wariest of big fish at the business end of your tackle. It sinks better than standard mono and is far more robust. When used as the main line, its surface doesn't scuff up and makes a lot of noise through the rod rings, as normal mono can after catching lots of fish.
Videos show fish swimming straight over fluorocarbon without noticing it, especially as it sinks like a stone and keeps well out of the way on the bottom.
There are two main uses for fluorocarbon. One is a reel line, where apart from its ability to sink fast and become virtually invisible underwater, this material has hardly any stretch. This means it shows up, takes better and is far more direct on strike. The other main usage is as a hook length or leader option. Because fluorocarbon is far less visible in water than monofilament, fish are more easily fooled into taking baits when it's used to form hook lengths,
Because fluorocarbon has hardly any stretch and is stiffer than mono, anglers can read what is going on better when they get a take and when playing fish. This more direct feel factor gives an important edge. The only drawback of being less supple, especially when casting, is less distance is achievable.
Many standard fishing knots are prone to slipping with fluorocarbon, so it's important to master the Palomar and Grinner versions, which work much better with this material.
Braid
Braid is growing in popularity due to technological advancements with this material, which has a far superior diameter-to-strength ratio than monofilament lines.
Braid is constructed by weaving and welding fibres together. These blended threads offer incredible strength while remaining extremely thin. The most obvious advantage is a much thinner line like this casts dramatically further because it presents far less resistance as it travels through the rod rings. One possible drawback is braid is naturally white and difficult to dye permanently. Green, black and brown colours are most popular, but many begin to fade quite quickly after regular use. Nevertheless, it's a small price to pay for what is still a very good product.
Anglers often merge braid and leaders to gain higher abrasion resistance and a better camouflage effect. In addition, it gives an edge because both materials are memory free and have virtually zero stretches.
The level of abrasion resistance with braid is far higher than mono and even fluorocarbon lines can offer. However, because it is so unforgiving, extra care is needed to prevent this tougher material from damaging fish when playing with them. The most used breaking strains for carp fishing are 15lb, 20lb and 30lb. Feeder anglers prefer 8lb to 12lb strengths, normally as thin as 0.08mm to 0.12mm in diameter.
The main downside of braid is its high cost due to its painfully slow production process. If you are filling three spools, this super-thin line works out expensive. But the technological advancements braid offers outweigh the cost for many top anglers. Predator anglers love to use braid, too, because it transmits everything going on as lures are retrieved and attacked by fish like pike, perch and zander. Carp anglers rate this product highly, too, especially for snag fishing.
The main problem with braid can be hook pulls due to its zero-stretch factor. Therefore, fish need to be played with very carefully when using it. Feeder anglers use braid with mono-shock leaders to put a little stretch back into the proceedings, which helps to avoid hooks coming free from soft-mouthed fish like bream and roach. However, anglers who get used to braid in all regimes continue to prefer it.
Monofilament
Monofilament, or nylon fishing line often called, was created over 70 years ago. Millions of anglers have grown to depend on this product, which is still very popular.
Mono is still the number one main line choice for most anglers. Improvements have been made over the years, with better diameter-to-breaking strain ratios and higher abrasion resistance. Mono is still relatively inexpensive and can be extruded in several colours, including clear, brown, green, black, and grey…also with camouflaged effects. Even super bright colours like yellow, orange and red are possible, and their popularity has grown in Europe.
Standard monofilament can have a 25% stretch factor, which helps to reduce hook pulls and chances of the line snapping under pressure. However, this stretch comes at a cost because anglers cannot feel or see what is happening when fishing at extreme distances. Due to this, more advanced monos feature reduced stretchability, such as feeder and specimen products specifically designed for distance casting.
There are now two main types of monofilament: reel line and low-diameter rig line. The reel line is generally thicker, stretchier and more robust, while the rig line is much thinner in diameters and less elastic. The latter is often classed as low diameter or high-tech line, being better to use as hook-length material due to being so thin and supple, capable of pulling more bites at the business end of the tackle. Pole anglers also use this product to make up their rigs because when combined with pole elastic, any lack of robustness and stretch is more than compensated for by the elastic shock absorbers in their top kits.
Marker Braid
Marker braid casts long distances and lets you feel everything on the lakebed. It's used with a spare rod to find underwater features, then combined with a big float to act as a target to feed around and cast.
The best reel line for this usage is, without doubt, Korda Spod and Marker Line, which has been designed to cast long distances and is available in a thin 0.16mm diameter while remaining very strong.
Many anglers use their reel clip for spodding, locking their line at a distance to match with a marker float. Another option is to mark the line with Nash Spot marker paint so you always know your fishing distances.
Selecting the Right Lines
Fishing lines have different characteristics. Some are suited for beginners, and others for specialist angling situations. It's all down to personal choice and levels of experience. A bit like a top golfer wanting the best clubs available to get that extra bit of distance and accuracy. More proficient anglers are always looking for a similar edge because if a line is thinner, it will cast further. It's also important if reel lines float or sink because both traits can help in certain situations.
From a technical aspect, you want lines with the lowest diameter and strongest breaking strain. Braid is the outright winner in that area, but not everyone wants to use a product as highly visible as this, so fluorocarbon or clear mono might be their first choice.
Fluorocarbons and low-diameter monofilaments are the least visual to fish, especially when used as leaders or hook lengths. Another key to lines is finding a brand you learn to trust and does the job you want, bearing in mind that not all lines are the same in how they perform. Some are also more accurately gauged than others, so it's worth checking if diameters and breaking strains are correct. Otherwise, you might end up using a product that's not all it's supposed to be.
Fish care is important, so it's advisable to invest in quality lines that won't let you down rather than experiencing lost tackle that fish could end up trailing around with them.
The line's durability must be considered too. Greater abrasion resistance allows you to deal with snags better. Many anglers use combinations of mono, braid and fluorocarbon lines to give them the best of all worlds. It's often a case of trial and error to find out what works best in each situation.