Is mono or fluoro better for trout?

Mono is better for trout when fishing around structure such as boat wrecks, rocks, or bridges. That is because monofilament line doesn’t easily snap when it is nicked by a sharp object.

This problem typically occurs when a hooked fish darts through the water and pulls line along structure.  Line abrasion is also a consideration when jigging along the bottom of a rocky floor bed.

In contrast, fluoro isn’t nearly as abrasion resistant as mono and is much more likely snap if it rubs along a sharp or rough object.

Another big difference between the two line types is that monofilament line is a lot more stretchy than fluorocarbon. Since mono line tends to stretch, it is a better option when trolling for trout specifically.

This is because trout have soft mouths, making it very easy to pull a hook when trolling behind a boat. Having a stretchy line creates a little bit of leeway before there is tension on the hook, making it more likely that a hook isn’t ripped out of the fishes mouth as soon as it bites.

Difference in Cost

Another big consideration is cost. There is quite a bit of a price difference between monofilament and fluorocarbon. Monofilament is going to be significantly cheaper than fluorocarbon.

In summary, here are some of the main attributes of monofilament:

• Abrasion resistant
• Stretchy
• Thicker
• Budget friendly

Best uses for monofilament:

• Fishing around rough or sharp structure
• Trolling for trout

Advantages of Fluorocarbon

However, fluorocarbon isn’t without its own advantages. One of the main advantages with fluorocarbon is that it is less visible in the water than monofilament. Fish tend be much more skittish when your line is visible and that results in less bites. For this reason, Fluorocarbon is the line of choice in clear water. If the visibility of the water is poor, fluorocarbon line loses many of its advantages.

Because fluorocarbon is very clear, this makes it ideal as a liter. It is common for a fisherman to use a braided line for their main line with a 10-12ft of fluorocarbon as their liter. That is because despite braided line’s many advantages, it is highly visible in the water.

Fluorocarbon liter is an especially good option when fishing deep depths because it has less stretch than monofilament. It is hard to imagine stretch in monofilament being an issue but if you have a hundred feet of line, it can be very difficult to set the hook because the line stretches quite a bit before there is tension on the hook. If you fish deep with mono, you will lose fish due to a weak hook set.

Another consideration when deciding between monofilament and fluorocarbon is that fluorocarbon is lighter and thinner than monofilament, meaning its stronger for its size. This fluorocarbon an ideal option for smaller lures that are difficult to cast because they’re so lightweight.

Along that same line of thinking, fly fisherman really like fluorocarbon because they are able to tie their fluorocarbon tippet to a very small fly. If they were using monofilament, it would be impossible to fit the line through the eye of the hook on some of those small hook sizes. It would also be more difficult to cast with small hooks.

Keep in mind that while fluorcarbon has a lot of advantages for fly fishing, if you are nymphing and your flies are bumping the bottom of the river bed, that can create abrasion and you may need to retie your flies more frequently.

In summary, here are some of the main attributes of Fluorcarbon:

• Less visible in the water
• Thinner profile
• Not very abrasion resistant
• Expensive

Best uses for Fluorocarbon:

• Fishing clear water
• Fishing with very small hooks (fly fishing)
• Makes a great liter for braided line (especially jigging deep depths)

 Conclusion

There isn’t a clear winner in regards to which line is better for trout. Whether you decide to use monofilament or fluorocarbon should really depend on what type of fishing you’re doing, the conditions of the river or lake, your personal preferences, as well as your budget.