When it comes to ultralight fishing, one of the most important tackle is the line. It can make the difference between hitting your limit or going home empty-handed. I think fluorocarbon fishing line has a lot of great benefits, but you have to consider the pros and cons. Below I compare the fluorocarbon line to the more popular nylon monofilament line.

The PROS of Fluorocarbon Fishing Line:

1) Invisibility: Fluorocarbon’s refractive index is similar to that of water, making it nearly invisible in water. This, of course, is very important, especially in clear water. Nylon monofilament, on the other hand, is more visible underwater.

2) Abrasion Resistance: Fluorocarbon line has superior abrasion resistance compared to mono nylon. Abrasion resistance is the ability of the line to resist wear due to friction, rubbing or scraping.

3) Sinks: Fluorocarbon is denser than water, so it sinks (unlike nylon). This is great when deep fishing. Reduces (or eliminates) the bow/bow of the line caused by its float.

4) Does not absorb water: Fluorocarbon has a closed cell structure that does not absorb water. Nylon monofilament absorbs water which weakens it.

5) Low Stretch – Fluorocarbon is stiffer than nylon, making it less stretchy and more sensitive to fish bites. With the low stretch line, you can feel every little thing going on at the end of your line.

The CONS of Fluorocarbon Fishing Line:

1) Rideability: Fluorocarbon line is a bit more difficult to ride than nylon line due to stiffness and higher memory. This makes it more difficult to use on spinning reels. Since fluorocarbon manufacturers are constantly improving their lines, I don’t think this will be a problem for long. There are already fluorocarbon lines that are softer and have less memory.

2) Knot Strength: Fluorocarbon is *supposedly* not as good at knot strength as nylon monofilaments. You have to take extra care to tie your knots well (like with nylon). Some of the higher-end fluorocarbons actually have better knot strength than nylon monofilaments, so those lines don’t belong in the “cons” section.

I personally feel that the benefits of fluorocarbon fishing line outweigh the negatives. Higher quality premium fluorocarbon lines almost completely fixed the negative issues associated with it. I know I will definitely consider fluorocarbon lines for ultralight fishing.