RhysN01 Posted November 4, 2019 Share Posted November 4, 2019 What is the best line option for a beginner fisherman?? Thanks, Rhys Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nolongeramember Posted November 4, 2019 Share Posted November 4, 2019 If you mean type of line, mono line is best for a beginner. Easy to knot and learn the basics. What are you going to fish for? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RhysN01 Posted November 4, 2019 Author Share Posted November 4, 2019 Bream, Flathead, Whiting Pretty much anything as long as it is shore based. I have a cheap 7' Jarvis Walker spin rod and a 12' Shimano surf rod with a 6000 size reel. I was looking at upgrading the line for both rods and was wondering what is the best option. I had been looking Platypus Mono, is this a good option. From what I have heard about braid it requires different knot types and different techniques to mono, so I wasn't sure what to go with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Berleyguts Posted November 4, 2019 Share Posted November 4, 2019 I believe mono is the way to go when starting out. The stretch it has is more forgiving than braid. Also, it will break closer to it’s stated breaking strain, unlike braid, which will usually break over. In my mind, I like the idea of knowing if I’m fishing with, say, 6kg line class, I can push it to that and then I start looking at 2:1, 5:1, 10:1 captures etc. I like to use Platypus Pretest, which should break at or under the claimed breaking strain (which is important in line class fishing for points, e.g. ANSA/IGFA - probably not a concern for you but it is a nice challenge). Once you’ve gained some experience with mono and can tie your knots in the dark (try blindfolded), start experimenting with braid. It is great for lure fishing, as you can feel what the lure is doing better. I like to use mono off the beach and, IMO, 6kg line is all you need off the beach, unless you are specifically targeting big mulloway. Even then, you’d be surprised what you can manage on 6kg line if you are careful. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
big Neil Posted November 4, 2019 Share Posted November 4, 2019 8 hours ago, RhysN01 said: What is the best line option for a beginner fisherman?? Thanks, Rhys Good advice from Baz. Before braid came on the scene everybody used monofilament line and caught plenty of fish with it. Just do what Baz suggested and put the time in. Learn how to target each species by watching videos on Youtube. Also how to set your rigs up for particular species, how to tie the correct knots (Youtube). Above all don't ever think that it's easy to catch fish. Like anything else in life, it takes time to be good at something. Good luck and let us all know how you go with it. Cheers, bn 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Berleyguts Posted November 5, 2019 Share Posted November 5, 2019 (edited) 14 hours ago, big Neil said: Good advice from Baz. Before braid came on the scene everybody used monofilament line and caught plenty of fish with it. Just do what Baz suggested and put the time in. Learn how to target each species by watching videos on Youtube. Also how to set your rigs up for particular species, how to tie the correct knots (Youtube). Above all don't ever think that it's easy to catch fish. Like anything else in life, it takes time to be good at something. Good luck and let us all know how you go with it. Cheers, bn And before mono, it was cat gut. 😂 Mono is a lot cheaper than braid, too. Edited November 5, 2019 by Berleyguts Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
savit Posted November 5, 2019 Share Posted November 5, 2019 Braid will give you more bite sensitivity than mono, and might make your learning curve a bit faster , steeper and perhaps more interesting - whether it is bait or lure fishing. I would keep one rod (shorter) with braid and the other with mono - so you can learn from both. As for the braid cost - It won't take much efforts to find a braid discounted to $5-10 on local shops clearances - it would not be the best choice for using with specialized tackle however will handle any mentioned bream , whiting or flattie just fine. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nolongeramember Posted November 5, 2019 Share Posted November 5, 2019 Yeah I was thinking. If a beginner can learn the leader knots then I don’t see any other real reason to not start out with braid. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Berleyguts Posted November 6, 2019 Share Posted November 6, 2019 1 hour ago, Hateanchors said: Yeah I was thinking. If a beginner can learn the leader knots then I don’t see any other real reason to not start out with braid. Yeah, probably! Maybe it’s just us old school guys who think people should start out learning the ropes the way we did... you know, with a bit of fishing line wound around a long knock beer bottle! 😂 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JonD Posted November 6, 2019 Share Posted November 6, 2019 You could also look at it the other way and start off with high quality braid that will instantly enhance the whole fishing experience. Using supper thin braid that makes detecting bites, cutting through strong currents, feeling far more of a fishes fight might be the difference between sticking at the hobby or simply giving up after a short time. If either of your rods are soft and bendy (rather than crisp graphite) then the added stretch of mono will certainly numb down the feel to the point most bites won't get detected, especially from those small picking fish that will steal your bait leaving you fishing bait-less without knowing. Fishing a deep beach gutter with strong side currents is very difficult using mono as the terminal tackle gets swept along the shore often ending up out of the fish zone. Knots really aren't that difficult to master, especially by watching youtube videos. A basic uni knot but with more turns is enough to get started. Braids can be dangerous in the fact they are so thin they can cut into your hands if not handled properly, but this is something soon learnt (don't wrap it around your hands and pull it hard). Braids come in different quality and weave, cheaper ones can be more prone to tangles during casts, so if you do get braid at anytime ask about braid less prone to tangles or wind knots (I haven't had a wind knot for years personally). Because braid is so much thinner you will either have to put far more on your reel to fill it or partly fill the reel with mono first. That extra amount of braid is what allows you to handle far bigger fish if you hook something that pulls lots of line from the reel during a fight. I preferred more lighter line than less thicker heavier line when targeting jewfish from the shore. Lines such as Daiwa J braid are available in colour change every 10m, this is quite handy as you can count the colours as you retrieve your line to see how far you are casting. Knowing the distance you last caught a fish also means you can put the next cast close to the same spot (knowing what colour is on the spool. I personally never go above 20lb braid from the shore for a few reasons, firstly most rods and reels can't handle more than 10-12lb of drag and neither can most people, so heavier line is simply overkill. The other I all ready mentioned, more line is more time to turn a big fish before you run out of line on the spool. Don't get me wrong, what the guys have said about mono is perfectly true, its cheap entry level line you can catch fish with. Im personally using suffix 131 and believe it to be the best braid ever, yes its also very expensive but also outlasts anything Ive ever used before and gives me great confidence when battling kings or flicking small lures from the shore. 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rebel Posted November 6, 2019 Share Posted November 6, 2019 Hi, Welcome aboard. Stick to Mono. Pretest and Shimano Exage are up there with the best and will not brake the bank. Braid will only bring you tears and expensive. Cheers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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