There’s no one specific line type that’s perfect for all situations — each has its own time and place depending on how you’re fishing. Here’s a few things to consider the next time you’re spooling up for hardwater panfish.
The versatility of mono
If I was heading to a lake I had never fished before — and could only bring one rod — I’d grab one that’s spooled up with 3-lb Sufix Ice Magic monofilament. Mono is lo-vis, has less memory than fluorocarbon (less coiling) and offers just the right amount of stretch to help keep fish pinned.
That slight stretch is going to act as a shock absorber to the fish’s thrashing head. At the end of the day you’ll have less torn-out hooks and put more fish topside. Even better…mono is the cheapest option out there.
For most situations you’re going to want to run a clear, invisible line. One exception to that rule is for a technique called ‘tightlining.’ The key component to this technique is running a highly-visible line (neon orange or hi-vis gold) and detecting the bites by watching the coils in your line as you pound the jig.
Finesse ’em in with fluoro
If fish are finicky or just straight up smart, I’ll reach for my rod rigged up with 100% fluorocarbon. Fluoro is going to be more ‘invisible’ than mono, making it one heck of a weapon in ultra-clear water, or when targeting heavily-pressured fish.