# Why you should buy fishing line based on diameter not lb test



## tincanary (Jul 23, 2018)

I thought this was a great article. I don't go by pound test like most here, but diameter instead. It gives you a much better idea as to how much line a spool can hold since there are no standardized diameters for pound test and each manufacturer can label it what they want. https://sunlineamerica.com/why-you-should-buy-fishing-line-based-on-diameter-not-lb-test/


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## Scout 2 (Dec 31, 2004)

I have to agree with you and I have not seen anything on the ice fishing about using nylon sewing thread for thru the ice. I would still use it today but it seems to have gotten much smaller the older I get


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## MickL (Dec 16, 2003)

tincanary said:


> I thought this was a great article. https://sunlineamerica.com/why-you-should-buy-fishing-line-based-on-diameter-not-lb-test/


Wow! Your attached article shows a mono line rated at 12# was measured to actually be 22#. I can believe that because i've had mono 8# line that i measured to be 15# (PLine CXX).


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## plugger (Aug 8, 2001)

Scout 2 said:


> I have to agree with you and I have not seen anything on the ice fishing about using nylon sewing thread for thru the ice. I would still use it today but it seems to have gotten much smaller the older I get


 I use to use the sewing thread but nowadays you can buy 1# pound floro that is stealthier than the sewing thread was.





























Scout 2 said:


> I have to agree with you and I have not seen anything on the ice fishing about using nylon sewing thread for thru the ice. I would still use it today but it seems to have gotten much smaller the older I get


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## Crestliner 16 (Aug 28, 2019)

I've heard a lot of good comments about Sunline. The issue I have, is that I already have too many spools of line. I may have to start giving some away. But where to do this is a dilemma.


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## RDS-1025 (Dec 1, 2008)

Crestliner 16 said:


> I've heard a lot of good comments about Sunline. The issue I have, is that I already have too many spools of line. I may have to start giving some away. But where to do this is a dilemma.


https://www.michigan-sportsman.com/forum/threads/fishing-donations.706393/


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## 50incher (Aug 23, 2011)

Sorry, sounded too much like a commercial for Sunline for me, lol....ratings, pounds, pull tests, knot strength's....diameter is only one factor, the rest is more important to me....

What a spool can hold, well ?....if it's small fish/Trout....or big fish/Musky....just pick a reel which will probably hold enough of line to not have to worry about it....lb test per dia. of any type of line is probably still up for debate, just saying/asking, lol....

Sometimes I think ya get good line & sometimes crappy line, from the same manufacturer as well, just spit balling, lol....good thread....cheers....


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## Scout 2 (Dec 31, 2004)

50incher said:


> Sorry, sounded too much like a commercial for Sunline for me, lol....ratings, pounds, pull tests, knot strength's....diameter is only one factor, the rest is more important to me....
> 
> What a spool can hold, well ?....if it's small fish/Trout....or big fish/Musky....just pick a reel which will probably hold enough of line to not have to worry about it....lb test per dia. of any type of line is probably still up for debate, just saying/asking, lol....
> 
> Sometimes I think ya get good line & sometimes crappy line, from the same manufacturer as well, just spit balling, lol....good thread....cheers....


I use to use cheap line on the spool and the last 50 yards I would put real good stuff. Think about how the line has changed over the years. In the 50's and 60s 4 lb test line was probably the ia oof maybe 8 to 10 lb today and made of materials unheard of then


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## Crestliner 16 (Aug 28, 2019)

Some of the lines behave in the manner according to the user. A heavy hand in the wind is a recipe for line twist and knots. I watch my brother struggle with this all the time. He insists on using ultra light lines and fails to match his casting skills. I admit that I too have made mistakes on line choices, but I have plenty of those lines to be used for leaders.


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## Mr Burgundy (Nov 19, 2009)

I luv fc sniper, its my goto for leader line. Absolutely luv the stuff. I'm actually looking into the xplasma line the sunline makes. Anyone ever use it, pros cons. I've always found that cxx was crazy crazy strong for the lb test it was rated at (favorite mono main line btw).


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## piketroller (Oct 24, 2016)

Mr Burgundy said:


> I luv fc sniper, its my goto for leader line. Absolutely luv the stuff. I'm actually looking into the xplasma line the sunline makes. Anyone ever use it, pros cons. I've always found that cxx was crazy crazy strong for the lb test it was rated at (favorite mono main line btw).


More like CXX is your favorite non-superline. It’s not mono. It’s a copolymer that’s stronger with less stretch than nylon monofilament. It kinks more than mono and has more memory, and likes to burn my thumb when I bomb a big cast without wetting it.


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## Mr Burgundy (Nov 19, 2009)

piketroller said:


> More like CXX is your favorite non-superline. It’s not mono. It’s a copolymer that’s stronger with less stretch than nylon monofilament. It kinks more than mono and has more memory, and likes to burn my thumb when I bomb a big cast without wetting it.


Hmm, well tnks for the correction. Thought it was mono, well now I know, tnks!


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## Scout 2 (Dec 31, 2004)

piketroller said:


> More like CXX is your favorite non-superline. It’s not mono. It’s a copolymer that’s stronger with less stretch than nylon monofilament. It kinks more than mono and has more memory, and likes to burn my thumb when I bomb a big cast without wetting it.


Something I always wondered. If you use the line without a lot of stretch does that make you lose more fish when setting the hook


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## piketroller (Oct 24, 2016)

Scout 2 said:


> Something I always wondered. If you use the line without a lot of stretch does that make you lose more fish when setting the hook


I match the different lines I use to individual applications. The 17 pound CXX works great for throwing swimbaits on jigheads for pike. It took a lot of trial error with different lines and different rods in my arsenal to find the right combination to get good hooksets that don’t pull free later in the fight.


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## MickL (Dec 16, 2003)

Scout 2 said:


> Something I always wondered. If you use the line without a lot of stretch does that make you lose more fish when setting the hook


I think i've lost fish because i was using line WITH a lot of stretch. Can be hard to get a good hookset after a long cast and a quick bite.


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## textox (Jan 30, 2020)

tincanary said:


> I thought this was a great article. I don't go by pound test like most here, but diameter instead. It gives you a much better idea as to how much line a spool can hold since there are no standardized diameters for pound test and each manufacturer can label it what they want. https://sunlineamerica.com/why-you-should-buy-fishing-line-based-on-diameter-not-lb-test/


Good useful info.Thanks for posting! Some of my reels have capacity in diameter as well as test.Will refill using diameter from now on..


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## tincanary (Jul 23, 2018)

This is another good resource. I find myself using it often since I like to use reels with low line capacity and this gives me a great idea of how much line the spool will hold. It works for both metric and standard. https://www.pattayafishing.net/fishing-reel-line-capacity-estimator/ 

I like to run 4lb mono but with the way manufacturers are, their measurements are all over the place. For instance, Berkley Trilene XL 4lb is 0.20mm in diameter while Maxima Ultragreen 4lb is 0.17mm. One of my reels will hold 70yd of the Trilene but at the same time, hold 105yd of the Maxima. Just running the line from a different manufacturer can mean that I can run a good amount more, or less.


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## Burz (Feb 4, 2018)

MickL said:


> I think i've lost fish because i was using line WITH a lot of stretch. Can be hard to get a good hookset after a long cast and a quick bite.


I lost alot of fish using straight braid with treble hooks or smaller hooks. Last couple years I love a braid to mono leader. Hooksets and sensitivity from afar yet enough stretch for cushion. Only down fall would be line dia not allowing for max diving depths of plugs or crankbaits


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## Fishndude (Feb 22, 2003)

I buy my line for the type of line, and type of fishing I plan to do with it. For Steelhead, I use Maximum Ultragreen for mainline, and flourocarbon for leader. My Cardinal 3 spinning reels only hold about 115 yards of 10# Maxima, but that is fine, since I've never caught a Steelhead that ran anywhere close to 100 yards, or even 50 yards. I laugh when I see stories of Steelhead raging on 150+ yard runs, cuz they just don't do that. For my Walleye trolling reels I am going to switch from regular mono to a combination of mono, and flourocarbon. 

I don't spend too much time analyzing line diameter, or how much I can pile on a reel, or casting difference. When I am fishing, I focus on getting fish to bite with the tackle I am using. I do buy my line based on the test-rating. That is so I can downsize my leader by 2# from the mainline, so when I break off I only tie 1 or 2 knots, instead of 3 or 4.


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