In general, you can get by with a 6 to 7-foot medium-action offshore fishing rod with a heavy baitcaster reel and 20-pound test monofilament line. If you’re going for deep-sea bottom fishing, however, you’ll need 50-pound line.
If you like fishing and then plan to go saltwater fishing, first, you need to prepare the fishing rod,reel,bait,line and other accessories.There are different kinds of fishing line that you can choose when you go saltwater fishing.But what kind of fishing lines should you prepare? Maybe you are confused about what kind of fishing line.Let this be your guide to How to choose the weight of fishing line.

Type Of Line
There are two most commonly used fishing lines are monofilament and braid line.
Monofilament Line:
At present, there are many kinds of fish line, and the most popular one is monofilament line (also call mono).It is the best saltwater fishing line for most applications.
Monofilament line is thin, strong and delicate, water resistant and has good knot strength.The monofilament lines are also more durable than braided lines, and their tensile properties are better.
The best monofilament will have a thinner diameter and lower memory, which means that it will not retain rings when it comes down from the spool. Find the fishing line with the lowest diameter to pound test ratio to obtain the best performance. The monofilament will decompose under direct sunlight and should be replaced every six months to a year, depending on its frequency of use.
braid line:
The braid line is made of several strands of fiber. The unit diameter strength of braided fishing line is higher than that of monofilament — you can usually obtain a breaking strength of 60 pounds in braided line with the same diameter as the monofilament tested at 30 pounds. For this reason, the best braided fishing line can be cast farther in salt water than monofilament, and cut the water faster.

Another advantage of braided fishing line over monofilament is that it does not break down in the sun and salt, so it lasts longer. The low elongation of braided line is very sensitive, making it the best saltwater line for bottom fishing.
What Is Fishing Line Strength
Line strength is a weight of the pressure that a fishing line can bear before snapping, called test and is measured in pounds(lbs.). In other words, the choice of line strength depends on what kind of fish you want to catch and how big the fish is.
The best pound test intensity should be roughly equal to the average weight of the fish.
For example, experienced anglers use a 4 pound test strength fishing line to catch trout, because the average weight of trout is 4 pounds.
For large fish like tuna, experienced anglers use a higher pound test fishing line to catch them. If you want to know, for tuna, the best fishing line strength is 30 pounds, and you need one trolling rod over the 30 pounds.
Test | Style | Venue | Technique | Species |
2-4 lb | Mono | Freshwater | Spinning, casting | Trout, small native fish |
6-10 lb | Mono | Inshore, pier | Spinning, casting | Bream, flathead, salmon, larger native fish |
12-20 lb | Mono/braid | Near shore | Trolling, casting, bottom-fishing | Small tuna, salmon, kingfish, snapper |
30-130 lb | Braid | Offshore | Trolling | Marlin, large tuna, sharks, large kingfish |
Why You Need to Consider Fishing Line Strength
The strength of the fishing line you need is similar to the weight of the fish you want to catch.
If the test strength of the fishing line you choose is lower than the weight of the fish you finally hook, the pressure on the fishing line will be too high, and the fishing line may break when you try to roll up the fish.
Although the fishing line larger than the weight of the fish you finally catch will not break, it will be heavier and will make fishing unnecessarily tired and boring.
Therefore, in order to have the greatest fun and ensure that your fishing line will not break, please select the pound test that is roughly the same as the average weight of the fish you want to catch.
The Best Pound Strength Fishing Line for Saltwater Fishing
The strength of the fishing line you need is similar to the weight of the fish you want to catch.
If the test strength of the fishing line you choose is lower than the weight of the fish you finally hook, the pressure on the fishing line will be too high, and the fishing line may break when you try to roll up the fish.
Although the fishing line larger than the weight of the fish you finally catch will not break, it will be heavier and will make fishing unnecessarily tired and boring.
Therefore, in order to have the greatest fun and ensure that your fishing line will not break, please select the pound test that is roughly the same as the average weight of the fish you want to catch.
FAQ About Pound Fishing Line To Use For Saltwater
Q1: Is the casting distance important?
Ans: If you are fishing on the boat or in a place where the throwing distance is not important, you can use a heavier fishing line for safety. When every yard is important (for example, surf fishing), you should choose a lighter line (even braided line).
Q2: How to choose the fishing reel spool?
Ans: If you have a small fishing reel, you should choose a lighter line. You can’t put heavy fishing line on the small reel, because there is not enough fishing line to put in. This is why it is so important to buy the right size reel first.
Q3: Choose lures or Bait?
Ans:When baiting, throw your fishing tackle out and let it sit. Since you don’t often throw, heavier fishing lines are OK. Fishing with artificial bait requires more skills. You may need a lighter fishing line for better throwing.
Q3:Personal Challenge or Catch at all Costs?
Ans:If your only to catch some fish, then the heavier fishing line is often your choice. However, some anglers prefer the personal challenge of landing with lighter fishing lines. Some people even choose the 2-pound test line when fishing trout, because it requires them to set resistance correctly and fight patiently. If you are a beginner, it may be better to keep it simple and avoid this practice.