Line + Braid

Lines and Braid for Carp fishing

There are three types of Line commonly used in Carp fishing, Braid, Monofilament and Fluorocarbon, with all three having their own unique qualities which lend themselves to different situations. For a newcomer it can be very confusing trying to choose the right one, so we have given a breakdown of the types of line to hopefully make life a bit easier.

Fluorocarbon

Fluorocarbon has a high density meaning it sinks extremely fast and is virtually invisible in the water due its construction which allows light to pass through it. Fluorocarbon is a single strand line and has less stretch than other types of line such as the more commonly used monofilament, meaning its better for feeling the lead down and for bite indication. Most Fluorocarbons have a greater diameter than other lines so its downside is that it doesn’t cast as well.

Monofilament

By far the most popular form of carp fishing line, Monofilament, or Mono as its most commonly known, is made from a single strand nylon and is often dyed either a brown or green colour to match different lakebeds. Mono has a lot of stretch when compared to lines such and braid and fluorocarbon, meaning there is much more cushion during the fight. It offers a very good balance between strength, diameter and abrasion resistance, meaning mono lines are always a very safe bet when it comes to carp lines. A 12lb mono will cast an extremely long way, with 15lb and 18lb versions being well suited to more snaggy situations.

Braid

Braid is unique in the sense that it is a multi strand line, meaning it is constructed by multiple fibres woven together. This makes braided lines extremely strong, whilst being extremely low in diameter. For example an average 15lb monofilament line might be 0.40mm, whilst a braid of this breaking strain would have a diameter of around 0.10mm. This makes a huge difference when casting, as lower diameter lines fly off the spool of your reel much better. Braid has zero stretch, which offers the ultimate in terms of feeling the lead down, with the braid allowing you to feel everything through the rod, ideal when using a Marker Float. Due to the lack of stretch, playing carp on braid can seem a little bit sketchy at first, as you feel absolutely everything the fish is doing. Using a monofilament or Fluorocarbon leader helps to cushion the lunges of the fish.