The Disadvantages of Braided Fishing Line

Too Strong on Occasion

The strength of braided fishing line can work against you in certain situations. When trying to pull a snagged hook or lure free, you can easily cut your palm or fingers on braided line as it will act like a knife, slicing through flesh. Snags are much harder to break off with braided line. It can wear on the rod guides of your fishing pole and affect your reel adversely, cutting into the bail on spinning reels if you fail to keep them lubricated. Braided line's lack of stretch is an asset when fishing in specific scenarios, such as in heavy weeds for bass with techniques that require you to feel even the slightest bite. Nevertheless, it can be a problem when you set a hook with too much enthusiasm, as you can rip it right out of the mouth of the fish since the line fails to absorb as much shock as monofilament line does.

Price

The price of braided line when compared to monofilament may cause you to think twice as to whether it's worth it. Regular monofilament is a much less-expensive proposition. For example, the Bass Pro Shops website offers one particular brand of braided line in a 110-yard spool for about three times as much as a 330-yard spool of monofilament line made by the same company. If you are cost-conscious about your fishing supplies, this will factor into your decision and put braided line at a distinct disadvantage.

Other Disadvantages

Braided line is prone to developing wind knots and tangles. It also requires that you use specific knots such as the Palomar and Albright knots if you desire to have less knot slippage, which can result in lost fish. The visibility of braided lines is much less than that of monofilament because of its thin diameter, which sometimes does not let you see your line to judge what is happening on the other end in low-light settings. There are also fewer choices of colors when it comes to braided lines.