Top 3 inexpensive copolymer fishing lines (tested and ranked)
The sport of fishing is one of the more expensive hobbies you can acquire, but it doesn’t have to be if you do a little research on what anglers are using and liking. There are so many brands on the market that things can sometimes seem very saturated. Are the more expensive rods, reels, lines, and baits worth that extra cost? Some will say yes without a doubt, but when it comes to fishing lines, there are so many good companies out there that can hang with the top dogs of the industry. I have used copolymer lines for years and have tried a lot of them on the market. Some came as no surprise that the quality warranted the cost, but some smaller competitors on the market really shocked me. For strength, durability, abrasion resistance, and cost, these are my top 3 lines that I always seem to have on hand for any given situation.
Reaction Tackle Fluorocarbon-coated monofilament
First in the ranks is a fluoro-coated monofilament from Reaction Tackle out of Wisconsin. They sell all kinds of fishing lines that will meet your needs. Braided, fluoro-coated, straight fluoro, X4, X8, ice, lead, hollow-core, you name it. I buy their Fluorocarbon-coated mono because it is my go-to confidence line that I use on all my jig rods. Being a smaller company, they offer really good prices, fast shipping, and 100% customer satisfaction guarantee. I have used this line in the 8 lb test for years, as it really holds up to larger bass. I also bought the 4 lb test for my ultralight rods for crappies. They exclusively sell 350 yd spools, but for starting at $9.99, you can’t beat it for the quality. I have skipped baits along rocks, got caught up in brush, and hooked big fish with no worries of breaking off. If I do break off, it breaks loose at the knot and not due to tension stress. You can get this line in a 4 lb-30 lb test for different species you want to target.
PROS: Cost, durability, abrasion resistance, thin diameter, sensitivity, knot strength.
CONS: Only sold in 350 yd spools, some line fatigue from stretch.
Everything being considered on price, customer service, fast shipping, and quality, this line ranks first for me. I have never had an issue once on the water using this line. I’ve caught fish after fish having to only re-tie my line if I break off, never due to nicks or weakend lines.
RUNCL PowerFluoro Fishing Line
Not a lot of people have probably heard of RUNCL Fishing, but it has a few good offerings to the market. They sell all kinds of reels, lines, apparel, baits, and tools. One of their top sellers is their PowerFluoro line, and it’s not even close. I purchased this line from Amazon, but you can also find it on their website, too. Comparing Price with Reaction Tackle, it’s very similar for their smallest spool. RUNCL starts at 300 yards where Reaction is exclusively 350 yards. So the price is synonymous, but you’re getting 50 yards more with Reaction. PowerFluoro is offered in 300 yd, 500 yd, and 1,000 yd sizes between 5 lb- 32 lb test ranges. I love to use this line on some of my cranking rods. The stretch is a little less than others, abrasion seems to be excellent, and the price is spot on for their bigger spools. I used to use this line exclusively for my crank reels, but slowly transitioned to more braid over time. Invisibility is also amazing! A spooled reel of this line will easily last you all season thanks to its incredible UV resistance. I’ve gotten 2 years out of my crappie spool. It also seems to sink a little faster and cut the water beautifully.
PROS: Price, thin diameter, abrasion, cuts water easily, sinks faster, bulk spools.
CONS: smaller spool sizes have higher line memory, prone to more wind knots, and can feel stiff.
Price was a big factor for this selection in their bulk spools, which is why I’m rating it second on the list. I have used their customer service a few times for orders, with slow response time. Everything else has been fantastic and no fault to the line itself.
P-Line Floroclear Fishing Line
P-Line has been a name in fishing since 1982. Claimed to be the first copolymer brought to the American market, this company knows a thing or two about fishing line. Since then, they have evolved to almost every kind of line imaginable. One that stood out to me was the Floroclear and the staggering number of reviews it had, but also satisfied customers. One thing I can say about P-Line is that it is everything you expect from a quality copolymer and nothing that it isn’t. It’s durable, has excellent abrasion, invisibility, and the cost is very reasonable considering other selections. This seems to be one line that is always in my tackle bag as the “old reliable” among my other spools.
I’ve had little to no break offs on hook sets, the knot strength is very impressive, and I love that you can get large spools if you’re someone who has a lot of reels to fill. This line comes in 2 lb- 30 lb test and 300 yd- 3,000 yd spools. That’s a ton of line, but punches the ticket on value. A few things I have noticed is that the durability is slightly less, but I have a suspicion on why that is. Just be careful with some of their larger bulk spools. Depending on how long they sit, the memory can be horrible and sometimes it feels weaker compared to the fresh stuff. In my honest opinion, stick with the smaller spools and buy more of them for consistency.
PROS: Price, abrasion, casting ability, knot strength, bulk spools (if you get a newer lot number)
CONS: inconsistency among spool sizes, not direct to consumers on their website, breakage issues in random spots on the spool here and there depending on batch.
I ranked this line in third place due to the amazing price, but a few issues here and there make this my last choice. I have used P-Line for quite a long time and still continue to buy it, but I have the knowledge now on what to look for. Overall, this is a great line, you will not be disappointed!
What are your opinions on copolymer lines? Do you like them? Dislike them? Give us your opinions! Thank you for reading, and remember to enjoy every second you’re able to be on the water!
