Monofilament
Also called mono, nylon line
What is monofilament fishing line?
Single-strand nylon line. Stretchy, cheap, easy to tie and the most forgiving line to learn on.
Monofilament at a glance
- Stretch
- 15% to 25%
- Braid is close to zero, fluorocarbon sits between
- Beginner size
- 8 lb test
- Covers panfish through average bass
- Buoyancy
- Floats
- Which is why it suits topwater
- Replace
- Once a season
- UV and spool memory, not use, kill it
What is monofilament made of?
Mono is one extruded strand of nylon, drawn to a single diameter with nothing woven or bonded to it. That one-piece construction is why it ties reliably in almost any knot, costs a fraction of the alternatives, and is what nearly every spool of factory line on a beginner combo turns out to be.
Why does monofilament stretch, and does it matter?
Mono stretches roughly 15 to 25 percent before it breaks, and that stretch is why it forgives so much. A hookset that is too hard, a fish that surges at the boat, a drag set a little tight: mono absorbs all of it. Treble hooks in particular stay in far better on mono, because there is give in the system when a fish shakes its head.
The same stretch is the argument against it. Bites feel muted, especially at distance and in deep water, and setting a hook through a soft plastic at forty feet means pulling the slack out of a rubber band first. Mono also takes a set from sitting on a spool, so it comes off in coils if it has been sitting a while, and UV light degrades it over a season.
When should you use mono instead of braid or fluorocarbon?
For a beginner, a kids' combo, a bobber rig or anything with treble hooks, mono is the correct answer and not a compromise. It floats, which is what topwater wants; it stretches, which is what treble hooks want; and it is cheap enough that respooling annually costs less than a couple of lures.
Where it loses is depth and distance. Once you are fishing a jig on the bottom in fifteen feet of water, or working a soft plastic at the end of a long cast, the stretch that forgave your hookset is now hiding the bite from you entirely.
Start beginners on 8 pound mono. Respool at the start of each season, because line that has sat in sunlight for a year is not the strength on the label.
What this means when you’re choosing
- A stated diameter, not just a pound test. Two 10 lb monos can differ by a third in thickness, and the thinner one casts further and fits more line on the spool.
- Low-memory or copolymer on the label if the line will sit unused for months. Standard nylon takes the shape of the spool and comes off in coils.
- Filler spools of 300 yards or more when you have more than one reel. Per yard it is a fraction of the price of a 110-yard retail spool.
Monofilament vs Braided line
| Monofilament | Braided line | |
|---|---|---|
| Stretch | 15% to 25%, forgiving | Near zero, everything telegraphs |
| Diameter per lb | Thick. 10 lb mono is genuinely 10 lb thick | About a third the diameter for the same rating |
| Visibility | Clear or low-vis, reasonably discreet | Opaque and highly visible, usually needs a leader |
| Knots | Ties reliably in almost anything | Slips unless you use a braid-specific knot |
| Cost and lifespan | Cheapest; replace annually | Several times the price; lasts multiple seasons |
Which to pick: Mono if you are learning, fishing topwater or fishing treble hooks. Braid once you want to feel a jig on the bottom or cast further than mono lets you.
The common mistake
Fishing last season's line because it looks fine
Nylon degrades from UV and from sitting under tension on a spool, and neither shows. Line that tested 8 pounds when you bought it can be well under that after a summer on a rod stored in a garage window, and it fails on the one fish worth landing. Mono is the cheapest thing on the rod. Strip it and respool.
Common questions
Is monofilament good for beginners?
Yes. It stretches enough to forgive a hard hookset, ties easily in any knot, and costs the least of the three line types. Eight pound mono covers most freshwater beginner fishing.
How often should you change monofilament line?
Once a season for a rod you fish regularly. Nylon degrades from sunlight and takes a set from sitting on the spool, and neither is visible, so the line fails without warning rather than looking worn first.
Where this comes up
The guides that use monofilament and show it on real gear.
Last reviewed . Monofilament is one of 222 terms in the fishing glossary.