With the seemingly limitless number of options on the market for the best carp fishing line, choosing a decent quality product can be quite daunting. If you’re unsure what characteristics to look for, read this Guide to Choosing a Quality Carp Fishing Line.
If you know all about carp fishing line and are looking for recommendations, you’ve come to the right place. Below I will list the specific carp fishing lines that I use. These are quality lines that have held up to big fish year after year.
Best Braided Mainline for Carp Fishing
I now use Cygnet Sinking Braid. I find it a little cheaper and more readily available than other types of carp fishing line.
Cygnet Sinking Braid is my go-to Carp Fishing Line. I have used it for quite a while now with no issues.
- Line Strength – 30 lb. Test.
- Line Colour – Moss Green.
- Line Weight – Sinks quickly and contours nicely to the bottom substrate.
This line has zero stretch which suits my fishing needs perfectly. The no-stretch characteristics allow for greater bite indication and ease in directing powerful fish away from dangerous snags.
Best Monofilament Mainline for Carp Fishing
If you prefer to use monofilament carp fishing line rather than braid. Our current recommendation is the Mono Reel Line from Cygnet Tackle. Since it was released, I’ve used this line on my smaller Shimano Baitrunner reels and have yet to have a single break-off.
The big bulk spools are a bargain, and the transparency performed well in the crystal clear waters I fish on the Great Lakes.
I like to purchase the giant bulk spools, so I can also use it as backing for braided main line on certain spools.
Best Hook Link Rig Material for Carp Fishing
With so many choices of hook link material available for purchase. Picking the best can be pretty tricky. Our recommendations take into consideration ease of use, performance and affordability.
Different types of rigs require different types of hook links for optimal performance. There isn’t a one type fits all product, so we recommend our top three materials; Fluorocarbon, Stiff Coated Braid and Supple Coated Braid.
Best Fluorocarbon Boom Hook Link Material
Fluorocarbon Stiff Link Boom Material from Korda is the go-to material for making stiff rig sections for Spinner Rigs, Stiff Hinged Rigs or simple Chod Rigs.
The 35lb and 25lb Boom material pairs perfectly with 0.65mm and 0.55mm crimps, respectively. A perfect crimp every time without damaging the line. For more detailed information on Crimping with this material, check out our article on To Krimp or Knot?
Best Stiff Coated Braid Hook Link Material
I’ve used the Cygnet Stiff Coated Braid Material for an entire season and can’t fault it. It is comparable to many other top brands of Stiff Coated Braid Materials yet comes at a more affordable price.
The Cygnet Stiff Coated Hooklink comes in various breaking strains from 15lb up to 45 lb. I prefer to use the 20lb breaking strain as I find it has the optimal diameter for ease of use when tying rigs and is strong enough to hold up to the fish and conditions I face daily.
Best Soft Coated Braid Hook Link Material
If you prefer a more supple hook link material, our go-to is the Soft Coated Hook Link Material from Cygnet Tackle. Much like the stiff hook link material recommended above the Cygnet Soft Coated Hooklink performs very much the same yet comes in at a lower price point.
If you’re stocking up for the season, it is beneficial to purchase multiple cygnet items as they usually have bulk deals for their end tackle at most retailers. Buy a certain amount and get one free. An excellent option for buying multiple spools of line as you can save more than other smaller bits of terminal tackle.
Best Carp Fishing Line for Spod Reels
Spodding line is designed to perform quite differently than regular carp fishing line, and it is beneficial to equip your spod reels with spod line. Spod line is buoyant, so it stays on the surface for easier retrieval, unlike regular braided lines designed to sink and contour to the bottom.
Spod line is usually bright in colour to aid in spooking nuisance birds off spots you’re baiting. Overall, spod lines have characteristics to reduce strain on the angler when casting and retrieving heavy loads at far distances.
Much like our other recommendations, we use the Cygnet Spod Braid as it performs just as well as other types of spod line and comes in at a cheaper price point.
As you can see, there are many different types of carp fishing line for use in many different situations and setups when targeting carp. We hope this Recommended Carp Fishing Lien Guide will help narrow down your choice.
For more great carp fishing tackle recommendations, check out our Best Carp Fishing Gear Page.