With the market being flooded with different types of fishing lines, we decided to clear up some of the confusion on what's ideal for jigging and what isn't. The type of fishing line you choose will have quite a noticeable effect on the performance of your lure, so be sure to follow the article to learn more. 

Braid Vs. Monofilament 

Braided fishing line has little to no stretch when pulled, and is made of interwoven fibers spun together. It is almost always thinner than monofilament pound for pound, which means you can add more line to your spool. It tends to be neutrally buoyant or sink depending on the type. It casts very far and does not form into the shape of the spool, known as "memory". The weakness of braid is in it's poor resistance to sharp objects. 

Monofilament or "Mono", is made out of single filament of plastic/nylon. It stretches under load, and is good at absorbing shock. It is also more resistant to bites and sharp teeth. 

Verdict:

When jigging, it is important to always use braid as the main line. When the jig is being bounced through the water column, the stretch that monofilament produces will hinder the action of the jig. It's crucial that the angler has maximum control of the jig at all times, especially when fishing deep. The more line that separates the angler and the jig, makes the lure less responsive to the action you load on it. 

But what braid?

Braid now comes in 2 main forms. You'll see 4-strand braid and 8-strand braid. The higher the number means how many individual strands of line are wrapped tightly together to form one. 4x braid is less expensive and tends to be more abrasion resistant. We tend to use it on our vertical jigging outfits. 8x braid is softer, smoother and runs through guides really well. It's properties make it beneficial in SPJ or slow jigging, where getting the lure to descend smoothly without line getting hung up in guides is important. 

4X Braid - Our Recommendation: 

Power Bro Spectra Fiber (4 Strand)

8X Braid - Our Recommendation: 

Nomad Design Panderra 8X

But that isn't the end of the story

Since braid is poor at abrasion resistance and shock absorption, using it alone is actually a bad idea. When fish strike, they put a significant load on the line, and enough load with cause braid to fail. How do we remedy this? Fluorocarbon. 

Flouro actually has quite a few characteristics that make it very similar (and better) than monofilament. It resists abrasion (rocks, sharp teeth) really well. It also stretches under heavy load; meaning that when a fish strikes, it will reduce shock sent to the main line and limit breakage. It is also nearly invisible underwater, which is very important for fish with sharp eyes - like tuna. Fluorocarbon is tied as leader to your jigging setup, in between the braided main line and the jig itself. 

Fluorocarbon - Our Recommendation:

Yo-Zuri H.D. Carbon Fluorocarbon 

 What pound test line/leader should be used? 

Ideally, the lightest you can go without breakage. Lighter line means thinner line, which in turn allows you to fill a spool more efficiently. Vertical jiggers will use anywhere from 40-80lb braid, and in our experience 40 lb tends to be sufficient for fishing out of Miami Beach. As far as leader, 30-80 lb is ideal. Once again, the lighter the better. The less leader visible to the fish means more hookups!