There is only one connection between you and the water, that is your fishing line. When you have a big bass, pike, or whatever your favorite fish is on the end of your line, you want to be sure that line is capable of bringing it in and not snapping. This is especially true if you are fishing challenging water that may be full of stumps reeds etc.
There are many types of strong fishing lines, however, braided stands above them all.
What Type of Fishing Line is the Strongest
The strongest type of fishing line available on the market is, without any doubt – a braided fishing line made of Dyneema/Spectra fibers.
It is up to 15 times stronger than steel wire, and the strongest fishing braids designed for heavy offshore fishing can easily reach 550 lb test or more while still being thin enough to use on reels, which is hardly reachable with any other kind of line.
The most popular mono fishing lines, on the other hand, rarely exceed the 300 lb test, except when made as a leader material (where they often top at 550 lb). The reason is simple – although mono is a relatively strong material, its diameter to strength ratio makes it unusable after reaching certain diameters. High-quality 300 lb test mono has a 1.90 mm diameter, while low quality 300 lb test braid has a 1 mm diameter!
When talking about braids, it is important to know the differences between them. They are most commonly made from Dynema or Spectra fibers, or Dacron.
Dyneema/Spectra fishing lines
Both Spectra and Dyneema are made from HMPE (high modulus polyethylene), but with a slightly different molecular structure that gives higher strength to Dyneema braids in larger diameters.
These fishing lines are available as 4X, 8X, and 12X, with numbers representing the number of strains woven in the braid. Braids made from more fibers are rounder in diameter, smoother, stronger, and more expensive.
Apart from being incredibly strong, and considered the world’s strongest fiber, these lines also have a downside. Firstly, they are expensive.
Furthermore, they are more sensitive to abrasion than mono or fluorocarbon, it is often hard to make a knot with them, and they make a fishing nightmare when knotted up. They are also near impossible to break in stronger pound tests, which might make you cut the expensive line when snagged!
Dacron fishing lines
Dacron was the first material used for braided fishing lines. It is stronger than mono, but inferior to newer HMPE based braided fishing lines – it has a weaker diameter to strength ratio, and will also rot with time!
Kevlar fishing lines
It is worth mentioning that Kevlar was also considered as an option for making braided fishing lines, and would most likely outperform Dyneema/Spectra. It was abandoned as an option due to being incredibly tough! Kevlar would cut in rod guides and also reel line rollers, which made it unusable. It is only used for making fishing leaders.
What is the Highest Pound Test Fishing Line?
Most of the available fishing lines on the market will not exceed the 550 lbs test. In reality, there are not many occasions that would require the use of stronger pound test fishing lines, and there are few reels that can be loaded with such lines
However, stronger fishing lines are available. Braided fishing lines are produced in immense pound tests, that can extend all the way to 1000 lbs!
There are also incredibly strong monofilament fishing lines out there, exclusively made for commercial fishing for big pelagic predators. They have a breaking strength that can go from 200 lb, all the way to an incredible 1400 lb! However, with a diameter of 4.20 mm, these lines are far from being appropriate for any normal use.
What is the Thinnest But Strongest Fishing Line?
Braided fishing lines made of Dyneema fibers have the best diameter to strength ratio on the market. Generally speaking, when compared to monofilament, these lines are twice as strong in the same diameter!
The strength of Dyneema braided lines can vary a lot with their quality. There is a lot of cheap braids from China on the market, and they are notorious for having an inconsistent diameter and are therefore incredibly unreliable. On the other hand, high-end fishing braids made in Japan are number 1. when it comes to diameter/strength ratio!
New Japanese 12X braids (such as Daiwa Saltiga) have up to 20% more strength compared to standard 8X or 4X braids in the same diameter and are by far the thinnest fishing lines carrying the highest pound test on the market.
Final Thoughts
Braided lines have topped the tables as the strongest fishing lines for a while now. Most anglers that are fishing tricky water or heavy-hitting fish will usually be using some form of braided line. Braided lines made of Dyneema are the strongest lines available, however, it is important to choose a reputable brand as there are some cheap products on the market that don’t provide the same quality.