Fishing line is one of the most essential equipment for bass anglers; it connects you directly to the fish, after all. Fishing line has come a long way over the years, and there are plenty of options for sale at your local tackle store and online. While it's not cheap, you usually get what you pay for. This is why trying to save money where you can makes sense while not skimping on buying quality line.
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Use Braid To A Fluorocarbon Leader
This one is pretty simple, but using a braided mainline and fluorocarbon leader is one of the best ways to save money on fishing lines. Braid is a great benefit for baitcast and spinning reels because of how well it casts and how sensitive it is for detecting bites. It's also very durable, and you can fish one spool on your reel all season long, even if you fish often.
The one downside to braid is that it can be very visible underwater, especially in clear water. This is where it makes sense to pair it with a fluorocarbon leader. This will give you the best of both worlds, the strength, and durability of the braid with the invisibility of fluorocarbon.
For spinning reels especially, a 10 to 15-pound Seaguar Smackdown braided line will be perfect for all of the popular finesse techniques like the drop-shot rig, wacky-rig, Neko rig, Ned Rig, and more. Then, add a leader of fluorocarbon and adjust the size of your leader based on how clear the water is and how thick the cover is around you. A spool of 6-, 8-, 10-, and 12-pound test fluorocarbon leader will cover all your bases with finesse fishing.
While braid-to-fluoro has become the norm for many bass anglers for spinning gear, you can do the same thing with baitcast gear and adjust it based on the conditions and technique.
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Using backing on your line will speed up the spooling process and save you money. To combine the two types of lines, pick a good knot and learn it, retying it repeatedly until you are comfortable with it. YouTube is an excellent source for knot-tying videos; you can tie them quickly once perfected. Some of the better knots anglers prefer are the FG Knot, Double Uni, and Modified Albright, but there are many more.
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Use Some Backing
No matter how far you can cast, a good portion of the line will never see daylight because it's so far down the spool. This is why using some backing line on your reel makes sense before spooling new line onto your reel. A good rule of thumb is to fill your reel about a third or halfway before adding new line. Even doing this, you will likely never make a cast long enough to reach the knot.
Combine the two lines with any knot that will be thin enough to not interfere with the new line that is spooled onto the reel and to keep the new line evenly spooled. You can connect the two lines with a Blood knot or simple double overhand.
Any old line will do for backing; you can use an older line from another reel and fill a new one with the required backing before adding your new line. Some anglers prefer using a braided line for backing, as it is lighter than fluorocarbon or monofilament and will help increase the spool's speed on a cast with a baitcast reel, theoretically leading to better reel performance and casting distance
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Spend The Money Where Needed
Fishing lines vary significantly in price, and if you have to prioritize where to spend it, pick the techniques you use the most and buy the best quality line for those reels. Many anglers also see the benefits of getting the best line they can afford for techniques requiring more sensitivity, such as jigs and soft plastics fished along the bottom.
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There are many different types of braided and fluorocarbon lines to choose from. Many manufacturers have lines at different price points that fit anyone's budget. Seaguar, for example, has their BasiX fluorocarbon that is 100 percent fluorocarbon and retails for under $10. On the other hand, they have lines that sell for two, three, or more times that amount per spool. The manageability and quality increase as the price increases, but the lower-priced lines are still very good. For techniques where you change line frequently or for rods you use less, BasiX may be a great option. It's also the perfect line for jumping from monofilament to fluorocarbon.
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Flip It Back
This tip is especially relevant for braided lines since the line towards the bottom of the spool will never see water in most situations. Braided line is also resistant to memory and coiling, so you can easily reverse the line from one reel and spool it onto another. This tip is fast and efficient, and you can double the life of your line.
The same principle can be done with monofilament and fluorocarbon lines, but the line towards the bottom of the reel will likely be very coiled after spending time at the base of the spool. To counter this, you can slightly stretch the line back to normal after spooling it to a different reel. Tie the end to a fixed object, walk the line back at least the distance of a long cast, and put pressure on the line with your rod while reeling it back onto the reel. A trailer hitch on the back of your truck makes a great place to stretch your line, but it can be done just about anywhere.
Fishing line is essential to catching more fish; a good quality line will ensure you don't break off that next lunker. Taking care of your line, retying when needed, and more will help give you the best chance of landing what bites. With good lines comes more cost, but there are some things you can do to extend the life of your line and save money with fishing line.
