MONO vs. FLUORO: Best Leader Material For Saltwater Fishing
- By: Joseph Simonds
- on
Are you a mono or fluoro angler?
After hearing this, you might change your mind…
We recently had a long conversation with someone high up at one of the top leader manufacturers who told us all about the science behind why their product works so well on the water.
We’re comparing it to what our own tests are showing (which aren’t always matching up with what the manufacturers are saying…) and debating which leader material is best.
This debate was a hot one since half of our fishing coaches are on team fluoro and half are on team mono!
So if you want to ensure that you have the best leader line for inshore saltwater fishing, then you don’t want to miss this.
You can watch the video version of this podcast below (which I highly recommend), listen to the audio version by clicking the play button underneath it, or listen to it on iTunes, Stitcher, or Spotify.
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MONO vs FLUORO [VIDEO]
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And click here to get both mono and fluoro from our shop here:
MONO vs FLUORO [PODCAST]
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Related Podcasts:
- KNOW YOUR REEL SIZES (PROS & CONS OF 1000 VS 2500 VS 3000 REELS)
- THE GREAT FISHING LINE DEBATE (BRAID VS MONO VS FLUORO)
1:27 – Which of our coaches like mono vs. fluorocarbon
2:38 – Mono vs. fluoro strength
- IS FLUOROCARBON LEADER REALLY STRONGER THAN MAIN LINE? [TEST RESULTS]
- NON SLIP LOOP KNOT VS. CANOE MAN LOOP KNOT: SURPRISING CONTEST RESULTS
19:18 – Mono vs. fluoro abrasion resistance
- IS FLUOROCARBON LEADER MORE ABRASION RESISTANT THAN TRADITIONAL MONO LEADER?
- BERKLEY VANISH VS. SEAGUAR BLUE LABEL FLUOROCARBON LINES [ABRASION TEST RESULTS]
33:27 – Mono vs. fluoro visibility (and reflection vs. refraction)
52:30 – Mono vs. fluorocarbon structural integrity and lifespan
56:18 – Luke’s plan for testing visibility
57:43 – An upcoming index for picking the best inshore fishing gear
59:40 – What type of leader each of our coaches are buying for their next trip…
Conclusion
What an awesome debate!
It seems like mono is the clear winner when it comes to strength and abrasion resistance, but visibility is still up for debate.
What’s your favorite leader material?
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One thing you should pay attention to is that seaguar fluoro is flat in shine vs shiny like mono and maybe a test to play with for visibility
You started this out with the question, “Are you a mono or fluoro angler?”. Er, uh, both are mono. One is Nylon monofilament and the other is fluorocarbon monofilament, but both are “mono”. I expect this kind of language from rank amateurs, but not here, or from you.
As an aside I use braided line, and buy one pound spools of 30 and 40 pound test line for my leaders so have a lifetime supply and give away a lot of leader material to others, both Nylon and fluorocarbon.
David Andrews
head honcho, Kayak Fishing Club of the Palm Beaches.
West Palm Beach, Florida
Chill pill amigo 🙂 They’re referring to the branding….if you look at the pictures, Seaguar only says fluorocarbon and Ande only says Monofilament. So they are only using the language that the rest of us would understand since that’s what’s on the packaging. If they call them both mono then it will confuse us since Seaguar doesn’t say mono anywhere on the box.
I use whatever I’m confident with. Gee, most of my knots are still fisherman knots. I find fluorocarbon is great for rigs because it’s a stiff line, and I use it when fishing near the bottom because it sinks. I use monofilament when fishing shallow and for most leaders. I think visibility in both lines is moot.
Visabilty floro wins until it gets a rash look at floro underwater with just a few scars vs mono in my eyes mono doesn’t show as bad. I know any abrasion needs to be replaced but I’m thinking of going just mono.
Just now got around to listening to this one. Great debate guys and mega thanks! Obviously, everyone’s situation may be different. Is it fun fishing or competition, is the water murky coffee or clear, is it deep or shallow, is it sunny or bright!?All these factors could be evaluated in making my choice. To me, with price not a concern it comes down to a few basics…One line (flouro) seems to potentially in the right conditions increase the “STRIKE” potential by a much smaller percentage of time than the other line (mono) would increase the “CATCH” percentage..For this reason. If you are using a popular standard of how valuable and limited is my time on the water, AND If I am in the right place at the right time, and they are biting I for sure do not want to keep taking the time to re-tie after every scratch or fray regardless of it’s severity during this fish biting window. If it’s slight I will usually keep casting. But with flouro I’ll stop and re-tie. I switched back to mono after I saw the abrasion test. Again thanks, guys and keep testing.
Years ago I owned tackle manufacturing company and one day I was fishing with one of our guides and we were fishing in very clear water. We were both using braid with floro leader and I could see my leader but could barely see his leader. Floro, and this also applies to mono, is an extruded product and during the manufacturing process it requires some form of lubrication while being extruded. I mentioned the difference in the visibility of my leader vs his. He explained that he found that some rseudue of the extrusion lubrication adhered to the floro after being extruded so when he tied on a new leader he would take an alcohol wipe, fold it over the floro and pull the floro thru the wipe to clean it. I tried doing this on both mono and floro and it does reduce leader visibility in the water.
that’s why trials take weeks! so many details to geek out on! good stuff guys!
It sounds like Fluoro is about 10% thinner based on diameter not line #rating. And your line refraction rate (provided by Seaguar) is larger (further away from h2o) for mono to the rate of about 10%…? Makes sense then that diameter equal then refraction the same…?
Maxima Ultragreen has a cult like following in the Pacific Northwest. Salmon fisherman for decades have been using this mono for leader material. Would be interesting to add this one to your testing. Love your test/videos. Excellent work!!!
nice