Braided line (braided fishing line) is one of many types of whitewash. Braided line consists of dozens of individual synthetic fibers woven into threads that are further woven together. Currently, braided line is usually made of 4 and 8 strands. The cores of the braided line can be simply twisted together or have a more complex weave.

Braided line diameter

The diameter of the braided line is a very important parameter that has a great influence on the casting distance of the bait. The line has a multi-strand structure consisting of many individual fibers, so it is very difficult to accurately measure the diameter of the braided line. The diameter of the cleaner is specified by the manufacturer on its packaging. Unfortunately, the diameter indicated on the package very often differs significantly from the real one. You can check at home using a micrometer whether the nominal diameter of the wire specified by the manufacturer corresponds to the actual diameter.

Japanese manufacturers indicate the diameter of the wire in their numbering system with a symbol (#) and a number after it (#1, #1,2, #2). The standard is #1 with a diameter of 0.165 mm.

Japanese numbering, #	International numbering, mm
0.1	0,052
0.125	0,058
0.15	0,064
0.2	0,074
0.25	0,083
0.3	0,090
0.4	0,104
0.5	0,117
0.6	0,128
0.7	0,138
0.75	0,143
0.8	0,148
0.9	0,157
1	0,165
1.15	0,177
1.2	0,181
1.25	0,184
1.35	0,192
1.4	0,195
1.5	0,202
1.6	0,209
1.7	0,215
1.75	0,218
1.8	0,221
2	0,233
2.2	0,245
2.25	0,248
2.4	0,256
2.5	0,261
2.75	0,274
2.8	0,276
3	0,286
3.25	0,297
3.75	0,320
4	0,330
4.25	0,340
4.5	0,350
4.75	0,360
5	0,369
5.25	0,378
5.5	0,387
6	0,404
7	0,437
7.5	0,452
8	0,467
9	0,495
10	0,522
12	0,572
13	0,595
14	0,617
15	0,639
16	0,660
17	0,680
18	0,700
20	0,738
22	0,774
23	0,791
24	0,808
26	0,841
27	0,857
28	0,873
29	0,889
30	0,904
33	0,948
35	0,976
36	0,990
40	1,044
45	1,107

Pint line load

The load of the braided line is one of the most important parameters when choosing a braided line. Line breaking strength can be given in kg or pounds (lb). One English pound is equal to 453.6 grams. To quickly convert pounds (lb) to kilograms, simply multiply the breaking load in pounds (lb) by 2.2.

The manufacturer's stated breaking load of braided line is often overestimated, especially for lesser-known manufacturers. You can measure the breaking load of the wire yourself at home. To measure the actual breaking load, you should take a piece of braided line about 1 meter long. One end of the line is tied to a solid place and the other end is tied to the weight specified by the manufacturer. If the line does not break within 1 minute, then the load specified by the manufacturer corresponds to the real one.

When choosing a braided line, it should be remembered that the breaking load should correspond not to the weight of the fish caught, but to the force it creates. It is very difficult to calculate this force, so the line should always have a certain margin of protection.

LB	Kg
0,8	0,36
1	0,45
2	0,91
3	1,36
4	1,81
6	2,72
7	3,18
8	3,63
10	4,54
12	5,44
14	6,35
15	6,8
16	7,26
20	9,07
25	11,34
30	13,61
35	15,88
40	18,14
50	22,68
60	27,22
70	31,75
80	36,29
90	40,82
95	43,09
100	45,36
110	49,9
120	54,43
140	63,5

Braided line form

Braided line can have various braiding forms:

• Round weave – round-shaped braided line is easily and correctly wound on the reel, has little twist and is less affected by friction in the rings of the fishing rod.
• Flat weave – has a lot of wiggle when casting, has a greater effect on ring friction and doesn't wind as well on the reel drum.

When choosing a braided line, attention should be paid to keeping the line as close as possible to a round shape. If you can see with the naked eye that the line is flat, you should not choose it.

Braided line - how many threads to choose

Braided line consists of several strands, each of which consists of several dozen individual fibers. The number of fibers in one thread can be from 3 to 16. Currently, the most common braided lines are 4 and 8 strands.

A braided line of 4 cores is simpler, cheaper, more durable, but at the same time, it is far from an ideal round shape, so it has a worse casting distance and makes more noise when winding the line on the reel.

The 8-strand braided line has a rounder shape and therefore provides a longer casting distance, but is less resistant to damage.

Resistance of braided line

Braided line differs in its abrasion resistance. Abrasion resistance determines how it reacts to contact with various substances found under water: shells, stones, sand, underwater debris. The most durable is the 4-strand braided line. Less durable 8 cores. If you know that the place where you fish has a lot of stones, use a longer leash that is more resistant to shells.

Color of braided line

Pinto colors can be divided into several main groups:

• Dark, camouflage colors make the line less noticeable. Camouflage colors include dark green, black and blue.
• Bright colors allow you to control the casting of the bait and the direction of movement when winding. Brightly colored braided lines are used in fishing yes, twitching and others fishing methods, when you want to control the position of the bait and see the visual bait. Bright colors: yellow, bright green, red and orange.
• Multi-colored line - the line is dyed with a different number of contrasting colors at equal distances for each color. Such a line allows you to accurately determine the casting distance.

Advantages of braided line

Braided line has several significant advantages:

• Strength - Braided line has an excellent breaking, load to line diameter ratio. The high strength of the veins allows fishing to use a thinner line, which ensures a longer casting distance.
• Minimal stretch – Braided line has less stretch compared to monofilament and fluorocarbon lines. The elasticity of braided line is 2-4% and monofilament and fluorocarbon lines are 23-30%. Minimal elasticity gives the tool great sensitivity, due to the lack of elasticity, the braided line very clearly conveys the contact of the bait with the bottom or an obstacle and allows the angler to feel even the faintest touch of the fish to the bait.
• It does not have a memory effect - the braided line does not change its shape during operation and does not twist into rings.

Disadvantages of braided line

• Low resistance - when fishing on a hard bottom, the working part of the braided line quickly begins to wiggle and breaks after a while. For fishing when using braided line in these conditions, it is recommended to periodically check the working part of the braided line or attach a monofilament or fluorocarbon line.
• Greater visibility in the water – Braided line is much more visible in the water than monofilament or fluorocarbon line.
• Garbage collection - the braided line easily collects dirt, mud, algae, which then gets on the rings and reel.
• Freezing in winter - braided line absorbs water strongly, which turns into ice during winter fishing, and the line begins to stiffen, tangle and get stuck in rings.
• Low elasticity - due to low elasticity, braided line does not absorb shocks from large fish. Therefore, the reel brake needs to be adjusted.
• Higher production costs – Due to the more complex production process, braided line is significantly more expensive than monofilament line.