What Is The Best Musky Line?

Last updated on January 21st, 2020 at 01:12 pm

Are you shopping for the best musky line?

When fishing for giant toothy musky, you might have the best musky reel, but if you don’t load it with the best musky line, it is likely to disappoint you at some point. Thankfully, today’s musky fishermen have a large selection of high-quality lines to choose from. But how do you choose the best musky line for 2020? Read our buying guide below to learn exactly how to have the best musky line setup.

When musky fishing, you need a line which won’t bury in the reel spool, won’t snap on a backlash, and can be cast confidently into the wind when necessary. In fact, castability is extremely important when musky fishing. Unlike bass fishing where accuracy is more important, casting distance is perhaps more important for musky fishing.

Best Musky Line 2020

Best Musky Line Buyer’s Guide

Fishing for monster muskies pushes our gear to the limit and losing a once in a lifetime trophy due to not using the best musky line is a heartbreak none of us want to experience. Better line braid means more efficient and pleasurable musky fishing experiences, with more boated fish and less disappointment. But with the plethora of options to select from, picking the best musky line can be a challenge in itself.

Braid Or Mono For Musky

A question that some newcomers to musky fishing often ask is whether they should use braid or mono for musky fishing. The short answer is braid.

Braided musky line doesn’t stretch like mono. This is an important factor when dealing with fish that have the weight and power of muskies. However, due to the fact that braided lines are more prone to nicks, especially with such a toothy fish as a musky, it’s important to use a higher test musky line.

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Wondering what are the best musky lures for trolling?

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Musky Line Types

There are two main types of fishing line to consider when musky fishing: mono or braid. In musky fishing, braided line is almost always used. Let us take a look at the differences between the two to fully understand why.

Mono

Monofilament line, or “mono” as it is most often referred to, is a single strand of material, in contrast to braided lines, which are made from multiple strands of fibers that braided together. Mono fishing line stretches far more than braided lines, by up to 25% or more. By it’s ability to stretch under heavy pressure, monofilament can help to stop your lure hook from ripping a hole in a fish’s mouth. This is a good thing when fishing for smaller fish, such as bass. However, muskies have very hardy mouths and lips which can withstand stronger hook sets.

Braid

So, how do you determine a good quality braid musky line from a sub-par one? You could ask a more experienced angler what their favorite brand is that provides resistance to backlashing, superior strength, and offers the best “feel” to them. But, if you don’t have somebody with whom you can consult, you should take a look at the following factors when trying to select the best braided musky line.

• roundness and diameter
• castability
• abrasion resistance
• suppleness
• color retention
• break-in period
• PIC count

PIC Count

PIC count, which is short for Per Inch Crosses, is a very significant factor. More flexible lines will have a higher PIC, while stiffer musky fishing line will have a lower PIC. Water absorption is also less with a higher PIC count. Unfortunately, some brands do not list PIC count, so you may have to do some research online first.

Sufix fishing line is one of the companies that does list PIC count. The original Sufix 832 is composed of 32 PICs or weaves, within eight carrier strands. The eight strands consist of one GORE strand and seven Dyneema fibers. Having used a lot of different muskie fishing lines ourselves, we can say that Sufix lines provide great abrasion resistance, superior strength, allow for powerful hook-sets, and extended life. Sufix musky line is one of our favorites, for sure.

Braided musky line with a higher PIC count take longer to produce, so they are naturally priced a little higher than others. However, since these lines last longer, they are certainly worth the investment. These higher PIC count lines also have better sensitivity and perform much better when casting. Another one of our favorites is Berkley Trilene Braid, which features an eight-carrier braid. The Berkley Trilene Braid line is great at shedding water, which is especially important in freezing cold temperatures.

Musky Braided Line Types

A conflict exists between fishing line manufacturers that use Spectra fibers and those who prefer Dyneema, both of which are brand names for “ultra-high-­molecular-weight polyethylene”, or  UHMWPE,  gel that’s spun into materials with super-high yield strengths. Developed by DSM, Dyneema, called by some “the World’s Strongest fiber,” is the gel-spinning technique utilized by some brands such as Sufix and Pure Fishing braids. Other brands like Hi-Seas Grand Slam, Cortland Master Braid, and PowerPro use a Honeywell fiber called Spectra.

Oddly enough, Spectra is manufactured using the same process as Dyneema and is licensed from DSM. What makes them both unique is that their strength-to-weight ratios are quite high–up to 8 to 15 times higher than that of steel. In fact, these materials are used to make some medical devices, ballistics, and even body armor. Some companies, like sufix, for example, are combining super-high-strength Spectra or Dyneema with other fishing line technologies. The Sufix 832 with GORE and Dyneema fibers offers a line with far superior abrasion-resistance.

Spectra HT (High Tenacity)

One of the newest technologies to arrive on the scene is Honeywell’s Spectra HT (High-Tenacity) fiber, which is 25% stronger than competin super-high-strength fishing line fibers. Original 80lb-test Spectra 375 is made up of six carrier strands, the new Spectra 375 HT is composed of only four carrier strands, which brings down the line diameter by 30%. Additional benefits of the new HT line are improved casting, additional reel capacity, better sensitivity, decreased line visibility under the water, and minimal stretch. According to Honeywell, the HT line has twice the abrasion-resistance of competing super-high-strength fiber lines. Spectra HT is being used in PowerPro’s Maxcuatro and FINS 40G braided lines.

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Test

If you are wondering what pound test for musky fishing is best, we generally recommend using at least 80-pound test when casting for muskies. You could get away with 65-pound, but don’t even think of going below that. The heavier line is the insurance that you need against fraying or breakage. If you have a monster musky on and it decides to run, the 65-pound line could more easily break.

Musky Leaders

One of the big issues faced by musky fishermen is the dreaded bite-off. Because muskies have so many sharp teeth, they can easy bite-off the line. This is a heartbreaking experience when it happens. The easiest way to help prevent this is to use a leader.

There are various forms of musky leaders on the market, from titanium wire to fluorocarbon to stainless steel leaders. Your chosen baits and fishing style will determine which musky leader is best to use.

Best Musky Line Setup

The best musky line setup combines each of the elements that we mentioned above. You should start with 30-40 yards of mono on your reel, in order to prevent slippage. Next, tie your 65 to 80-pound braided musky line onto the mono. After you’ve spooled on your desired length of line, finish off with a high quality musky leader, if your fishing style requires it. This is the best musky line setup if you want to be successful catching giant muskies.

Conclusion

We recommend that most musky anglers should stick to larger musky fishing line diameters. The lack of stretch of braided musky line can accentuate any issues, such as a nick from a tooth, hook, gill, or even the net. Back in the mono line days, 30- or 40-pound test was sufficient for most. However, with braided musky line, you want to use a higher test line with greater diameter. Most folks would do good with 80-pound line when casting for muskies.

Regardless of which braid you select, we recommend using a mono line backing on the reel spool. If not, the line may slide on the spool, making your drag useless. By adding a mono backing to the braid, the line will stick to the spool. This will also save you money by using 30-40 yards of mono instead of the more expensive braid.

Best Musky Line Comparison