What To Look For
Fluorocarbon fishing lines are used as leader material or as regular line. They are nearly invisible underwater, making them perfect for use as leaders or for sharp-eyed fish like tuna. Fluorocarbon lines are also known for their abrasion resistance. This is important whether your line is in the mouth of a fish with teeth or rubbing against a wreck at the bottom of the ocean.
Common Pitfalls
Buying a line that is not 100 percent fluorocarbon can leave you disappointed. Lines that are just coated with fluorocarbon are vulnerable to excessively diminished line strength when knots are tied, and when nicked. Colored lines lose some of their strength because the pigment prevents the chemical bonds from fully forming throughout the line.
Where To Buy
Your local bait and tackle shop may carry some fluorocarbon lines, but their selection is likely to be limited because of the cost. Your best bet is on the Internet. Cabelas and Bass Pro Shops offer the widest selection of fluorocarbon fishing lines. Some manufacturers, like Seaguar and Vicious, sell their lines directly to the consumer online.
Cost
Fluorocarbon fishing lines are not cheap. As leader material, fluorocarbon retails for $20 to $60 per 100-yard spool. In lighter pound tests, fluorocarbon sells for $16 to $35 for 200 yards.
Comparison Shopping
As of 2009, 100 yards of 30-pound test Momoi fluorocarbon leader material retails for $41. A 100-yard spool of Stren 30-pound test fluorocarbon leader retails for $22.
Article Written By Stephen Byrne
Stephen Byrne is a freelance writer with published articles in "Nor'East Saltwater," "Sportfishing" magazine, "Pacific Coast Sportfishing" and "Salt Water Sportsman." As a fishing charter captain, he was also interviewed for a feature in "Field and Stream." Byrne studied environmental science at the State University of New York at Delhi.
