Braided Fishing Line Diameter with Charts

Braided fishing line is widely used by both freshwater and saltwater anglers. It is the strongest fishing line for a given thickness. There are different types of braided fishing lines which include 4-strand, 5-strand, 8-strand, and 9-strand. Each type is similar but weaved in different ways. Each company braid is also slightly different depending on the type of polyethylene (PE fibers) used which include spectra, Dyneema, Gore, Izanas, and Dacron fibers.

A braided fishing line is thin but is opaque rather than translucent. This means that it is typically more visible to the fish. Using the right color braid for the fishing conditions does help make the braided line less visible. Also, the braided line is not as abrasion-resistant as the monofilament line. For visibility and abrasion resistance issues, a leader line is commonly used when fishing with braid. Braided line is also static meaning it has very little stretch which can be an advantage or disadvantage depending on the fishing conditions.

Power Pro Spectra Line Diameter Chart

Braid Pound	Mono Equiv	Dia (mm)	Dia (in)
3	1	.06	.003
5	1.5	.10	.004
8	2	.13	.005
10	3	.15	.006
15	4	.19	.008
20	6	.23	.009
30	10	.28	.011
40	12	.32	.012
50	14	.36	.014
65	20	.41	.016
80	23	.43	.017
100	26	.46	.018
150	30	.56	.022
200	60	.76	.03
250	80	.89	.035

Power Pro Spectra is the most widely used braided fishing line. This is because it was one of the first braided lines and it has a great reputation for being strong. It is a great line to use on conventional reels but there are better braids to use on spinning reels. This is because the braid is made with 4 strands which are also called carriers. This braid is thin compared to monofilament but is not as thin smooth, or round as 8 carrier braided lines. To find the mono equivalent thickness it was compared to Berkley Trilene Big Game Monofilament.

Being smooth and thin is a huge advantage when casting so this is great for spinning reels. For conventional reels, if the line is too smooth or thin it can cut into the line on the spool. This is mostly an issue when using conventional reels with more than 30 pounds of drag. For this reason, using a 4-carrier braid that is 80-pounds or stronger is commonly used. Some bass fishermen also like 4-carrier braid on their baitcasting or spinning reels as the line itself is a bit rougher which allows it to cut through lily pads and weeds. A braided line has some abrasion resistance when rubbing in a fish’s mouth, body, or on the ground but not as much as a monofilament or fluorocarbon line.

Power Pro Maxcuatro Line Diameter Chart

Braid Pound	Mono Equiv	Dia (mm)	Dia (in)
20	4	.19	.007
30	6	.23	.009
40	10	.28	.011
50	12	.32	.012
65	14	.36	.014
80	20	.41	.016
100	23	.43	.017

Power Pro Maxcuratro is a 4-carrier braided line. It is thinner than standard power pro spectra because it is made with a microfilament which is Honeywell Spectra HT. The box says it is 25 percent thinner but does not state which lines is being used to compare the diameters. It is about the same diameter as a line that is 10 plus pounds less when comparing it to standard power pro.

Line color options are moss green, yellow, and aqua green. Again the mono equivalent thickness was found comparing it to Berkley Trilene Big Game Monofilament. This will be the case for all charts unless otherwise stated.

J-Braid 8 Strand Braid Line Diameter

Braid Pound	Mono Equiv	Dia (mm)	Dia (in)
6	.8	.05	.002
8	2	.13	.005
10	2.6	.15	.006
15	3.4	.18	.007
20	6	.23	.009
30	10	.28	.011
40	12	.33	.013
50	14	.36	.014
65	20	.41	.016
80	23	.43	.017
100	30	.51	.02
120	34	.56	.022

There are actually three types of J-Braid which are J-braid x4, J-braid x8, and J-braid grand x8. All of these are made with polyethylene fibers. The chart above is for J-braid x8 and J-braid grand x8 which have the same listed diameters. Most 8-carrier lines are not quite as abrasion-resistant as 4-carrier lines. However, J-braid grand x8 has Izanas fibers which makes it more abrasive resistant than the 4-carrier and is less likely to flatten out than the standard 8-carrier. This makes it one of the best braided fishing lines on the market.

The J-braid lines come in chartreuse, green, white, and multi-color which is a metered line. This means the line changes color every 10 meters. This makes it easier for anglers to know the current depth of the lure or bait.

Berkley X9 Braided Fishing Line Diameter

Braid Pound	Mono Equiv	Dia (mm)	Dia (in)
8	1.5	.10	.004
10	2	.13	.005
15	2.6	.15	.006
20	3.4	.18	.007
30	4	.20	.008
40	8	.25	.01
50	11	.30	.012
65	14	.36	.014
80	20	.41	.016
100	23	.43	.017

Berkley X9 is similar to 8 strand braid but it is woven around an additional core line making it a 9-carrier line. This helps keep the line thin and round. Like most 8-carrier lines this braid excels in casting situations with spinning reels or baitcasting reels. It is considerably thinner than the standard Power Pro braid. The line comes in crystal, which is white, flame green, and low-vis green. Berkely X9 braided lines are made in the USA.

Berkley Thermally Fused Fireline Line Diameter

Braid Pound	Mono Equiv	Dia (mm)	Dia (in)
4	2	.13	.005
6	2.6	.15	.006
8	3.4	.18	.007
10	4	.20	.008
14	6	.23	.009
17	10	.28	.011
20	11	.30	.012
30	17	.38	.015

Berkley Fireline is made by thermally micro fusing Dyneema which is an ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene. The line diameter is actually a bit thicker than standard Power Pro which is not typical of an 8-stand braided line. The fusing process makes it more abrasion resistant and helps prevent UV damage.

I use to have black fireline on my spinning reels for bass fishing and really liked the performance. Many years ago I did get a bad spool that broke way below the listed line strength so I started using other braided lines. It comes in crystal, smoke, and flame green.

SpiderWire Stealth Braid Line Diameter

Braid Pound	Mono Equiv	Dia (mm)	Dia (in)
6	2	.13	.005
8	3.4	.18	.007
10	4	.20	.008
15	6	.23	.009
20	8	.25	.01
30	11	.30	.012
50	14	.36	.014
65	17	.38	.015
80	20	.41	.016
100	30	.50	.02

SpiderWire comes in 3 different line types. These are SpiderWire Dura-4 which has 4-carriers, SpiderWire Stealth which has 4-carriers, and Spider Wire Smooth Stealth braid which has 8-carriers. SpiderWire smooth stealth actually has slightly larger diameters than the standard stealth braid. It is still a smooth round line that is great for casting. Dura means the line is made with Dyneema which is the type of polyethylene fiber.

This stealth braid comes in American camo, blue camo, high-vis yellow, moss green, pink camo, and translucent. The line is fluorocarbon coated which is thought to make it more translucent and less visible. In reality, the color and thickness of the braid affects the visibility more, and being fluorocarbon coated does not help much.

Sufix Braid Line Diameter Chart

Braid Pound	Mono Equiv	Dia (mm)	Dia (in)
6	2.3	.14	.006
8	3.4	.18	.007
10	4	.20	.008
15	5	.21	.008
20	6	.23	.009
30	10.4	.30	.012
40	12	.33	.013
50	14	.36	.014
65	19	.40	.016
80	25	.45	.018

Sufix 832 is made with seven Dyneema carriers and a Gore fiber core. This makes it a 8-carrier braided line. It lists that it has 32 weaves per inch but this is not a common specification given with fishing lines. It is similar in thickness to standard Power Pro Spectra.

The Gore fibers help make this line hydrophobic meaning that it repels water which helps prevent ice buildup on the line. For this reason, it is a good braid for ice fishing and there is a Sufix 823 ice braid version. Color options are camo, ghost, yellow, green, neon lime, and coastal camo.

Tuf-line Braided Dacron Line Diameter

Braid Pound	Mono Equiv	Dia (mm)	Dia (in)
30	50	.71	.028
40	85	.92	.036
50	125	1.15	.045
80	375	1.98	.078
100	550	2.16	.085
130	800	2.42	.095
160	1175	2.80	.110
180	1775	3.41	.134
200	2600	4.25	.167
250	3375	5.04	.198

Tuf-line is a Dacron line and not what most people think of when they think of braid. That is because this braid is actually thicker than standard monofilament. It is made of polyethylene terephthalate which is similar to most other braids which are made from polyethylene. Now a think braided line is not typically desired. However, it does make a good backing material on large conventional reels.

When spooling up my Penn 80 for large tuna I used dacron backing with a 130-pound monofilament line on top. This made it so less monofilament line needs to be changed out each season. Spooling large conventional reels with a thin braid gets really expensive. So again starting with a thick Dacron line is a way to spool to reel in a more economical way. The chart above compared Tuf-line Dacrom to Ande Premium monofilament which only goes up to a 400-pound test. The values higher than that are extrapolated estimates. Values in between were interpolated.

Number of Strand Carriers in Each Type of Braid

Power Pro Spectra	4
Power Pro Maxcuatro	4
Power Pro Super 8 Slick V2	8
Power Pro Depth Hunter	4
Berkly X9 Braid Tresse	9
Berkly X5 Braid Tresse	5
Daiwa J-Braid x 8	8
Spider Wire Dura-4 Braid	4
Spider Wire Stealth Braid	4
Spider Wire Smooth Stealth Braid	8
Berkley Fireline	4
KastKing Super Power	4
Sufix 832	8

The number of strands or carriers is the number of weaves that are used to create the single braided fishing line. Most braided lines use to be 4-strand and this is a great fishing line that is still widely used today. Braid is so popular that companies have increased the number of strands to change the performance of the line. A higher number of strands has both advantages and disadvantages. For conventional reels, a 4-strand braid is still a great option as the line is not as smooth and less likely to cut into itself.

Higher strand brands tend to be more round and smooth. This is ideal for far casting. Since the line is fine and smooth it is actually less abrasive and does not cut through lily pads and weeds as well. In addition to changing the number of fiber stands the type of fibers used and weave patterns can also be varied to change the line properties. For this reason, it is good to try a couple of different types of braided lines to see which one works best for your fishing conditions.

Visibility and Color of Braided Line

The visibility of a braided line matters for the angler to be able to see the line above water and for the fish to not see the line underwater. Dark moss green is the standard color of most braided fishing lines. This is interesting because it is not the best color braid to use in most cases. In dark lowlight conditions, in thick vegetation, or if a dark bottom is a background then dark green is not very visible underwater. However, in bright conditions and where the sky is the background, it is actually quite visible. Most of the time when fishing the fish are looking up and the lure or bait rather than down.

White and light green braid is actually the least visible line color under the water in most cases. White and light green are also easy for the angler to see above water. For this reason, these are the colors I would recommend using. I use a white braid when fishing in the ocean and prefer a light green for stained water and freshwater fishing. Typically I also use a monofilament or fluorocarbon leader to further decrease the visibility of the line.

The video above shows the visibility of braided fishing lines above and below the water.

Abrasion Resistance of Braided Line

It is important to know that braided line is not typically as abrasion-resistant as monofilament or fluorocarbon fishing line for a given pound test. This is not surprising as the line is much thinner in diameter. Each type of braid varies a little in terms of abrasions resistance. A standard 4-stand braid is slightly more abrasion resistant than a standard 8-strand braid. Standard 4-strand braid also has a rougher surface and is more abrasive when cutting weeds.

Fireline is thermally fused which makes it more abrasion resistant and J-braid grand x8 is made with Izanas fibers which are more abrasion restraint than standard PE fibers. Abrasion resistance is not the only factor when selecting a braided line though. An 8-strand braid is smoother and allows for further casting. To overcome the low abrasion resistance of braid lines it is common to add a monofilament, fluorocarbon, cable, or wire leader. I almost never fish braid directly to the lure or bait.

Braid Line on Spinning Reels

Braided line excels on spinning reels. This is because to reel can hold significantly more line and cast further. One issue to watch out for are spools that are smooth and not ready for braided lines. If this is the case ten or more monofilament wraps should be added to the spool and the braided line should be added on top of the monofilament. A line-line connection knot is needed for this to work. A double uni-knot is a great option.

All braids will work on spinning reels but the spinning rod should have ceramic guides rather than all meter guides. This is because the line can dig into the metal making a sharp edge that eventually frays and weekends the line. This is not always an issue but is something to keep an eye on. An 8-strand braid is round and smooth. This makes it so the line is quiet on the reel and quiet when coming through the guides on the rod. Being smooth also helps reduce friction when in line comes off the spool which allows for further casting. Personally, I like using a braided line on spinning reels when using a line over a 10-pound test. With a line under ten pounds, a monofilament of fluorocarbon line is still a great option.

Braid Line on Baitcasting Reels

Using braid on baitcasting reels makes casting so much easier. Using a baitcasting reel is someone difficult as the monofilament line can easily birdnest if the correct amount of pressure is not added to the spool when casting. A braided line does not have spring to it which makes it way less likely to birdnest. If you struggle using a baitcasting reel switching to a braided line often solves most issues. The only downside is that you will likely need to add a fluorocarbon leader at the end of the line to help reduce line visibility.

Braid Line on Conventional Reels

A braided line on conventional reels has advantages and disadvantages. The spool will hold way more line which is great but is also more expensive. If the braided line is too smooth and thin it can dig into the braided line on the spool. For this reason, using a 4-strand braided line over 80 pounds is a good idea. Braided line allows for diving plugs and planners to dive deeper as there is less line resistance. When trolling surface lures, this is not always desired. I love using an 80-100 braided line when fishing deep in the water column, whether it is deep drooping, halibut fishing, or vertical jigging. When trolling offshore I actually prefer a 60-pound monofilament line on conventional reels.

Braided Line Materials

Most braided line is made of polyethylene (PE) or more specifically PE fibers. The different types of polyethylene fibers used for braided fishing lines are Dyneema, Spectra, Izanas, Gore, and Dacron fibers. Fiber density or thickness is often referred to by denier strength. Meaning the microfiber density determines the strength-to-thickness ratio. Most braided lines will market this by saying the line is made with Dyneema PE microfibers for example. The easiest way to objectively determine this is to look at the strength vs thickness of different braided fishing lines. That is why the braided fishing line diameter charts above are so helpful.

It is important to note that braided fishing lines are not biodegradable. For this reason, no fishing line should ever be disposed of in the water and all lines should be properly disposed of when getting a new line. Braided lines have a self-life of 7-10 years and can stay usable for up to 5 years but this depends on the environment in which they are being fished and stored.