Fireline vs. Braid 2025

csizzle reply :

Hey all,

I know that braid cuts really easy on rocks. Is this the same with fireline? Or is fireline more durable? Would also love to hear your experiences using fireline on spinning tackle. Thanks

hawgchaser reply :

Fireline is the single worst line I have used. I am amazed that people use it. That's just my opinion.

central_fl_fishin reply :

A friend spooled me with some fireline once. It was weird. It left black ink on my thumb and felt very stiff. I threw it away after one trip.

csizzle reply :

Hawgchaser,

Can you elaborate on why it was the single worst line ever? Thanks

Jeff H reply :

For me, Fireline has it's place. I use it very little but there is a specific situation where nothing does better for me. I do not use it around rock. It cuts grass like a lawnmower with a razor sharp blade. I use the 4/10 for a specific "finesse" pattern and thats about it. Beyond that it's hard to live with....for me anyway.

central_fl_fishin reply :

I agree it is so thin it does cut vegetation like a knife, but it's too thin. If you cast it with any weight it will dig into your finger.. I suppose it's marketing angle is it's strength per diameter. But it's too thin for an application that requires thin/light in my opinion. Braid is thin and light, firewire is thin but not flexible meaning it holds it's bends. Braid is thin but is like thread, light but doesn't retain a sharp angle... if this makes sense..... silk vs plastic if you will......

fishizzle reply :

I use it for my wacky rig rod even in lilly pads. 10 lb test as well as most of the guys in my club. We all like it for that technique.

Some also use it for carolina rig and soft jerkbaits.

eyedabassman reply :

Quote
Fireline is the single worst line I have used. I am amazed that people use it. That's just my opinion.

I agree, if I had to fish only Fireline,I would give up on fishing and go take up watching paint dry ! ;D

Matt 825 reply :

Fireline is the worst braid IMO. I'll take some big game braid for 1/2 the price any day.

Bass4Me007 reply :

I actually prefer Fireline on spinning outfits. For baitcasting, I'd use most any braid before Fireline. I think the stiffness of Fireline is an asset on spinning.

Wayne P. reply :

Bass4Me007, I have the same opinion, but I use it with closed face reels that I keep for novice anglers. The stiffness helps it spring off the reel spool better for that application.

Incidently Fireline is not a braid so it is not as limp as a braid. It is a superline though made of the same filaments as a lot of the braids, but has fused filaments.

Novice superline purchasers should base their choice on diameter not the pound test.

hawgchaser reply :

Quote
Hawgchaser,
Can you elaborate on why it was the single worst line ever? Thanks

It feels like you are fishing with piano wire. It has a bad feel to it, casts terrible, and is way to stiff for me. I also hate the black waxy crap that gets on everything when you spool it. Overall, it just has nothing i like.

It is inferior to Power pro and Suffix proformance braid in every aspect. If I need real abrasion resistance I will go with flouro or possibly this Yozuri I have started using.

Maxximus Redneckus reply :

Fireline has to be broke in after a few days it gets softer

NYfishwow reply :

I agree with you, fireline wears down after a while use and wilts after the heat kicks in. Its useless and lost one of my best fish of last year on it.

-ebby- reply :

i love fireline on spinning reals its the only thing i will use. that being said i dont like it on baitcasting and i dont fish around rocks. but for spinning in weeds and around pike i wouldnt use anything else. i used to lose alot of baits to pike and getting fish down in the weeds when using mono. its great for spinning because it doesnt have the memory that mono and other lines like it do making it really hard to even to try and use it.

Bob8899 reply :

Four pound test fireline is great on spinning reels (crappie fishing). It is a little stiffer than Power Pro so seems to handle better.

Any line weight above that I go with Power Pro

Grey Wolf reply :

They brought out a true braid version of fireline this year.

Steve_IA reply :

The Fireline braid that (name deleted) is trying this year is new this season. An eight strand, "radially braided" line that ISN'T finished with a fusing process. The intent is to produce a tighter, rounder, smoother braid that is aimed at the baitcasting market.

The original "heat fused" Fireline is a four strand braided line that has a flatter profile because of the fusing process. It was designed to have a "passive memory" quality that makes it behave (more than a non-fused braid) similarly to a limp mono line. It excels in spinning tackle.

I think the Berkley marketing department has dropped the ball again and will find that by not giving this new line a unique name there is going to be a great deal of confusion by anglers... particularly because there is already so much confusion as to what the original Fireline is. For those that believe the original Fireline is not braid... unravel a bit of it and you will find it is braided as all superlines are. The process of heat fusing is it's unique difference to other four strand lines.

The above is a post I recently made to another board.

csizzle reply :

Thanks everyone.

I'm a little surprised by all of the fireline haters. I agree that it is not well suited for baitcasters, but in my limited experience with it, I think it performs pretty well on spinning tackle. In fact, it seems to be a great compromise between braid and mono. It is definitely not as limp as braid, but it really avoids the line twist problems of mono. But I guess it probably gets beaten out by a good braid like sufix or power pro. But I think I may just like the feel and handling of the fireline better. Thanks again

hawgchaser reply :

Quote
Thanks everyone.
But I think I may just like the feel and handling of the fireline better. Thanks again

That is all that matters

VolFan reply :

I use fireline crystal for pretty much everything now. It takes several casts to get it broken in, but that's the same with most lines new on the spool. It has very good sensitivity, and I find less reason to use a leader with the crystal. I'm not a big fan of the original black however.

6mile reply :

Several years ago there was a fusion. That was a wonderful line. Then they "improved" it and the coating would ball up, junk.... I love the Fireline but as others have said, it needs to be broken in. The other bad thing is it fades out.. The crystal is much better.. Again I wacky rig 95% of the time..

jesus medina reply :

the fireline is the best

Wayne P. reply :

If the new 8 strand Fireline is anything like the Daiwa Samurai braid which is a eight-braid weave, it will do well in sales. The Daiwa line is the smoothest, easiest casting, smallest diameter braid I have ever tried.

Tom Sawyer reply :

I prefer braid personally over fireline (too waxy for me) One important aspect that has helped me overcome wind knots ( when using my spinning reels)with braid is "manually closing the bail".

I am about to spool a new Baitcaster with spiderwire and I am not very confident about it but will practice practice practice..

Wayne P. reply :

I checked out the new Fireline braid today and am somewhat disappointed in its characteristics. It looks and feels just like Spiderwire Stealth, not even close to being limp. The 30# that I use in most brands is the same diameter as 30# Power Pro, Suffix, and several of the Spiderwire braids which is 8# mono diameter equivalent. It won't be included in my arsenal.

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Fireline vs. Braid 2025

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