5 Best Float Fishing Lines For 2023
I have been float fishing with spinning reels and Centerpin reels for over 30 years and as a river guide, I know from experience that some float lines work better than others. In this article, I will discuss the best float fishing line and why some are good and some are not.
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Our Top Picks For Best Float Fishing Line
- Raven Main Line – Best Monofilament line
- Sufix 832 – Best Braided Line
- Sufix Elite – Most Popular
What Is The Best Float Fishing Line?
The best float fishing line that I like and use on all my steelhead float rods is 8lb Raven Mainline in the high-viz yellow color. The best float fishing line for trout is 6 pound Raven Mainline. There are a few other good options that some anglers prefer and you need to know how to set up the leader properly for a colored line.
8-pound line is what I use for great lakes steelhead fishing but if you are float fishing for trout or salmon the line size and color might be different. You will also need to consider the size of the river you will be fishing since 8 pound might be too light on some rivers. Lets find out why?
Something else to consider is what species you are fishing for. While 8 pound line might be great for steelhead and trout, it’s too light if you plan to fish for salmon with the same reel.
If I was to use one line for both salmon and steelhead I would suggest using a quality made10lb line for small the mid-sized rivers and 12 pounds for larger faster rivers. When you start getting heavier than 12 pounds, I find you start bending or breaking hooks, or even worse is breaking rods.
Using a great float fishing line like the Raven Mainline for any species will improve your drifts and prevent some of the problems that can occur when using the wrong line or the wrong size of line.
The type of line, the size or weight of the line, the color, and even the buoyancy of the line are all important and I will discuss that in this article.
You could try and use braided lines or fluorocarbon lines but the best float fishing line is a monofilament line. A good mono line for float fishing line should be buoyant, lightweight, thin, strong, have low memory, and cast easily.
Float fishing lines can be colored so you and others around you can see them easily, however, float fishing lines can also be clear or green, and I will discuss the benefits of the line colors below and why I always fish with and guide with colored high-vis float lines.
Using a float fishing line that has been tested and proven by thousands of anglers just makes more sense. Many of my clients come out with the wrong lines and they struggle with getting a good presentation or they have lots of problems.
If you ask enough anglers you will get lots of different opinions on which line is the best simply because most anglers haven’t tried enough lines to know there is a difference.
I’ve had my hands on probably over 500 float reels and I have used just about all the different lines that anglers use when float fishing, and trust me, there is a performance difference between lines. I will discuss this all below.
The Best Line For Centerpin Fishing
The best float fishing line for centerpin fishing will need to have low memory, be thin but still strong, and will be buoyant. The best line for Centerpin fishing is the Raven 8-pound or 10-pound Mono Mainline. Another great line that anglers like is Sufix Elite and Suffix in 8-pound test.
If you are a trout angler in smaller trout streams the best float fishing line is 6-pound Raven Mainline.
A line that is too thick and a line that sinks can cause a lot of problems and affect your presentation and your hooksets. I will get into that more below.
A thin line and a floating line can improve your presentation and give you a better and longer drift and can also improve your hook sets.
There are a few other good lines and some not-so-good lines.
The float fishing line is also known as the mainline to differentiate between the line on the reel and the leader line. You may see that some companies call their line the mainline especially if they are companies that specialized in Centerpin fishing.
The Best Line For Float Fishing With A Spinning Reel
I have used a few good lines for float fishing with a spinning reel but I have narrowed it down to only 2 lines. The best line for float fishing with a spinning reel is Sufix Elite Premium Monofilament Line in an 8-pound test. Another great line is the Raven 8 Pound mainline.
These two lines are also popular with other float fishing anglers around the great lakes region.
Float Fishing Line Color
Float fishing lines come in many different colors and many anglers will have different opinions on which color they prefer. There are advantages to a brightly colored line and I prefer bright colors like yellow and orange and I will explain why.
Clear or green lines are popular with a lot of anglers and they use them because they believe that colored lines can spook the fish. But do they?
Can Fish See Colored Lines?
Fish can see colored lines, especially in clear water with slow-moving baits, so it is always best to use a leader that is long enough to keep the colored line far enough away from the bait that the fish don’t see it.
When float fishing, I always use a colored mainline and I highly recommend them!
If you do not set up the leader properly then yes, bright-colored lines will spook more fish however many anglers do not set up their line and leader properly even when using clear lines.
Float Fishing Setup For Colored Lines
One of the reasons anglers do not set up the leader properly is that many older and some popular float fishing sites have leader diagrams that recommend putting the split shots on the colored mainline which runs down to a short leader that your bait goes on.
This is not the ideal way to set up a leader for float fishing and I will explain why.
In fact, there is no way that I would be able to have my clients hook over 300 steelhead a month with their leader set up the way most diagrams show, instead, it would be closer to only 50 fish hooked.
If you make the mistake of putting your weights on the colored mainline with only a short fluorocarbon leader then the colored line is too close to the fish and in the strike zone and that will likely spook them. This can even happen with clear lines.
What many anglers that use clear lines don’t realize is that putting your split shots on a clear mainline can also spook fish because the mainlines are thick and they are usually made of mono which is not invisible under the water like fluorocarbon is.
If you use what I call a shot line on your leader you can use bright colored lines without spooking the fish because it keeps the colored line far enough away from the fish that they will never see it.
With the proper leader setup, you will get all the benefits of the colored line without spooking the fish.
Whether you use a colored line or not, you should use a leader that is 3 feet or longer and made from fluorocarbon.
Click the link to see the shot line and the leader setups that I use when guiding for trout, steelhead, and salmon. These are proven to be the most effective leader setups that you can use.
Colored Lines For Float Fishing Are Better
I believe that bright colored lines have more advantages than clear or darker lines, especially as a beginner. The main advantage of a bright-colored float fishing line is that it makes it easy for you to see the line so you can manage and adjust it better when needed.
Bright colored lines are all that I use on my Centerpin reels and since I often catch more fish than most anglers on the river, I know for certain that a colored line combined with a good leader setup will not spook fish.
Bright lines are also much easier for other anglers around you to see so they are less likely to cast near or over your line and they can follow your line down to find your float easier just like you can.
I also use bright colored lines to help teach anglers about proper line positions and mending. I always struggle to teach anglers how to float fish well when I can’t see their clear line.
Therefore I highly recommend going with a bright-colored line especially if you are new to Centerpin fishing and if you are using the right leader setup.
Even as a veteran float angler of 30 years, I only use colored lines which shows that they are not just for beginners.
Float Fishing Lines That Float Are Better
Some float fishing lines are heavier than others. Fluorocarbon as an example is known to be a denser line and it sinks, as does some copolymer lines and even some heavier monofilament lines.
The best float fishing lines should be strong but also as thin as possible and they should float or be neutral buoyancy. Thicker, heavier lines sink!
When the line floats it can easily be mended if needed, it doesn’t get dragged around by the current which can pull the float in an unwanted direction, and your hook sets are easier because your line lifts up off the water better with a floating line.
Lines that sink cause all kinds of problems. Some brands of lines that are made for tough fishing conditions like pike or bass fishing around rocks don’t work for float fishing and there are other lines that are much better because they are limper and are more buoyant.
What Pound Test Mainline Should You Use For Centerpin Fishing?
The best pound test for great lakes steelhead is 8 pounds however there are some rivers and situations that might require 10 pounds or more.
I go into great detail on what the best pound line is for float fishing and what I use for great lakes and west coast rivers on my page What Pound Line Is Best For Centerpin Fishing.
I have been testing lines for over 35 years and I always recommend going with as light a pound test for your mainline as possible and there are a few good reasons for it with the biggest reason that you will catch more fish.
It’s important to use the correct line size for the steelhead and the rivers that you fish, and I choose the size of the line by the size of the heaviest leader that I need to use for the steelhead in my rivers, and I upsize it by 2 pounds.
Why not just go with a heavy line?
Some anglers think that steelhead are big so why not just use 20-pound test line and not worry about it. Unfortunately, I see these guys come out with me on guide trips or lessons and they can’t even get good enough drifts to catch a steelhead because the line is too heavy. The simple truth is that an extra heavy line will cause problems, which I will discuss below so lighter lines are always best.
Why does the leader matter? The leader is a critical part of your setup. If you use a leader that is too thick the fish will see it, and if you use a leader too thin the steelhead will just keep breaking you off.
I have tested leaders for over 35 years so I know exactly what works for me on great lakes steelhead in all conditions.
Some anglers believe they are fishing for big steelhead so they need a 10lb or 12lb or even 14lb test leader to be able to handle those big fish, they are usually wrong, a few exceptions apply.
I have fished rivers all around the great lakes and have been able to consistently land steelhead with 0.20mm diameter line. That size is thin enough that the steelhead will eat my baits but still strong enough for me to fight and control and land steelhead up to 16 pounds.
So if you only need to use a 0.20mm diameter line which is about 8lb test (some brands) just to get the fish to bite the bait, then having a 0.28mm (12 – 14lb test) mainline is just useless because you can’t even use all that extra strength of the mainline anyways or you will just keep breaking off at your leader.
Here is the catch, you can’t just use any brand of 8-pound leader and then just use any brand of 10-pound line!
You see, many leaders and mainline lines are not rated properly. On my Leaders page, I discuss brands with 4 pound, 6 pound, and 8-pound leaders labels that are all 0.20mm in diameter, and after testing them I found that they all break at roughly the same pound of pull (about 8 pounds).
On top of that, many, if not most brands of mainline in the 10-pound range are closer to 0.28 to 0.32mm which is actually closer to 16 pounds breaking strength and therefore too heavy.
This is why I always recommend and buy my leader and my mainlines based on the diameter size and not the pound test rating on the label. Honestly, most brands lie about how strong their lines are and if they say their line is 10 pounds, it’s likely closer to 20 pounds which is not what you want when float fishing.
What is the problem with heavier lines? There is a reason I recommend and use certain lines in certain line sizes. In my testing, I have found that heavier lines tend to sag and cause a belly in the line between the rod tip and the float which can cause unwanted tilting of the float.
A thinner and lighter line won’t do this and it will give you a better line angle and a better float angle.
If you don’t know why the tilt and angle of your float matters, you are going to miss opportunities for a lot of fish, which is why I highly recommend you read about the 5 fundamentals of good float fishing that I teach all my clients. You can read about that on my page Float Fishing: Tips From A Pro River Guide For More Trout
I find that thinner lines also don’t sink as much as heavier lines do, and higher floating lines are always best. This is why you never want to use Fluorocarbon lines when float fishing – they sink!
I also find that thinner lines cast better and cast farther than thicker heavier lines. Thinner lines are more manageable than thicker lines.
Many of my hardcore steelhead buddies will actually use a float fishing mainline of 6lb test because it casts better and tangles less. See the chart below for a guide on what pound test line you should buy.
The float fishing line strength can also depend on the type of water you want to fish and the type of fish you will be targeting.
As an example, on rivers that are large and deep like the Niagara river or some west coast rivers, or on rivers that you can’t walk along the bank easily to chase a fighting fish, you may need to go with a heavier line so you can pull them back.
On smaller rivers where you can easily chase a fish up or down the bank, you should use a lighter line that casts and fishes better. See my size recommendations below.
Float Fishing Line Sizing Table
Type Of River | Steelhead | Salmon | Trout - Under 5lb |
Large - Fast and Slow | 10lb test | 12-14lb test | 8lb test |
Medium sized rivers | 8lb test | 12-14lb test | 6lb test |
Heavily Wooded | 10lb test | 14lb test | 8lb test |
Small Creeks | 8lb test | 12lb test | 6lb test |
Pier / River Mouth | 10lb test | 14lb test | 6lb test |
Multi-Purpose | 8lb test | 12-14lb test | 6lb test |
How Much Line To Put On A Centerpin Reel
How much line goes on a Centerpin reel depends on the reel. Some reels have different size diameters and hold more or less line.
This picture shows one of my guide reels that is just slightly below the full amount. You can see the gap between the spool and the base is a little over an 1/8 of an inch to the line.
The first thing you want to do is fill the Centerpin reel about halfway with a fly line backing. Then add the mainline to about 1/8 inch from the inside gap of the spool and the base of the reel.
Depending on your reel this will be about 200 yards of backing and about 200 yards of mainline. See the backing that I prefer to use below.
The backing I use is the Cortland backing from FishUSA.com
Best Float Fishing Lines
Guides Top Choice
Raven Main Line
The Raven Main Line is made by a company that specializes in Centerpin fishing and this line is actually made for float fishing. This line has been my preferred line for the last 12 years and it is by far my favorite float fishing line to use.
The Raven Mainline floats well, has a thin diameter, and comes off the reel easily with minimal line twist. The line casts great which makes it a good line for anglers that are learning to Centerpin fish but it’s also great for more advanced anglers.
The Raven Main Line is also much cheaper than most other similar lines considering the spool size is 985 yards for less than $13.00 at some stores. Most other brands are less than 350 yards for almost the same price or more.
I have tested this line in all weather conditions, even in weather as low as 7f / -14c degrees and it held up very well. I have also had the same line on my reels for 4 years before I needed to change the line and that says something considering that my Centerpin reels get a lot more use than the average anglers Centerpin reel would.
I have also used this on spinning reels when float fishing and it worked great for me with no issues.
Popular Choice
Sufix Elite Line
Sufix Elite is a Premium Monofilament Line that many Centerpin and spin fishing float anglers use and like.
It has good strength, good handling, and durability. It also has three good colors to choose from.
Long Time Favorite
Sunline Line Fine Float ll
Sunline has been a favorite of many float fishing anglers for a long time. This upgraded version uses a special technology that really helps it float which is a big reason why many good Centerpin anglers use it.
P-Ion technology gives the floating line slickness, water repellency, color, and hydrophilic properties.
It has good strength, good handling, and durability. It also has three good colors to choose from.
Good Choice
Sufix Promix Fishing Line
This is another line that many float anglers love. It’s supple and sits well on the reel. In online forums, this is recommended by many guys as a good Centerpin reel and spinning reel line that works great for float fishing.
Some of my clients have had good success using this line on a Centerpin reel if they use the 8-pound or 10-pound line sizes. It floats well and casts nice and is a good choice for Centerpin fishing.
Check Price At These Retailers:
Best Low Stretch Copolymer
Sufix Advanced Copolymer
There are some benefits to copolymer lines like a low stretch, better abrasion resistance, and better knot strength. This line is also still supple and casts nice and would be a good choice for those guys that like to use copolymer lines.
Braids and Super Lines
If you do decide you want to use a braided line for float fishing, these are the three best lines to try.
Backing For Centerpin Reels
If you’re setting up your Centerpin reel for the first time you will need backing to fill the bottom of the spool. Generally, about 200 yards of backing and about 200 yards of mono around 8lb should fill up your Centerpin reel nicely.
Backing For Centerpin Reels
Rio, Orvis, or Cortland brands are the best backing lines that I use to fill about half the spool of the Centerpin reel before I add the main Line.
Check These Retailers For Best Prices:
Is Braided Line Good For Float Fishing?
Braided line is good for float fishing because it’s buoyant, it is very thin, it’s strong, and it’s abrasion-resistant, and it has little to no stretch which is great when setting the hook at a long distance.
The primary advantage to using braided lines when float fishing is that it is very strong while still being very thin.
Another great advantage of using braided lines for float fishing is that it’s the best line I have ever used when setting the hook on a float that is 100 feet or more down the river because the line doesn’t stretch and that gives you a solid hookset.
Braided line does take some getting used to and it can be a problem for less experienced anglers.
Braided line does have a few disadvantages.
The downside to using braided lines and why I don’t recommend braided lines when float fishing is that anglers tend to break off more fish on the hookset when in close simply because it has no stretch to cushion the hook set. I find it’s even worse when guys use shorter stiffer rods that have less flex than the longer whippier rods.
To prevent this you need to either set softer when the float is close to you, which is hard to do in the excitement of your float dropping down fast, or you need to upsize your leader to a stronger and thicker leader.
The problem with upsizing your leader is that the fish might see it and then not eat your bait.
I have found that some anglers will break more fish off during the fight for the same reason.
Another issue that is common with braided lines is tip wrap. Tip wrap is when the line gets wrapped around the tip of your rod and this can happen when you reel the line in if wiggle the tip a lot. It can also happen on hook sets which is a big problem if you have a big steelhead on the end of the line.
Braided lines are also much stronger than mono and some guys will buy 20 or 30-pound line that has a diameter of 8 to 12 pounds. This is a problem because you are more likely to break your rod on snags if you are not careful and pull too hard.
The other problem anglers have when using the braided line is that it will freeze solid if it gets wet when winter fishing, especially if you submerge your reel for some reason. Once it freezes sold you will have problems with your drifts all day.
Some braided lines that I have used also tend to absorb more water which can make them sink which is not good for hook sets and for the presentation of your bait. A line that absorbs water is more likely to freeze or it will cause more ice build-up on the rod guides when fishing in below-freezing temperatures.
I have an article on winter fishing which talks about how to keep the guides from freezing if this is ever an issue for you. I also provide tips on how to stay warmer and comfortable even in the coldest conditions.
Use Float Fishing Lines That Experts Use
Whatever line you use for float fishing make sure you use one that has been used and tested by other anglers that actually know what they are doing. I have a lot of buddies and I know other guides that all float fish and they all tend to use these same lines and you should too.
Got A Question Or Comment About The Best Line For Float Fishing
If you have a question or comment or suggestion about what float fishing line works for you, let me know in the comment section below.
Tight Lines,
Graham
Hi Graham,
Thanks for taking the time to write such informative posts, I have started fishing for Salmon and steelhead last fall and learn’t a lot form your site.
I had a question regarding choosing fishing lines,I have been using Raven 8lb as per your recommendation .
After reading a few reviews I realized that a lot of people claim that the Siglon ff2 floats higher and is more hydrophobic than raven line and is more supple(less memory/coils & twists).
I wanted to know if this was true in your experience?(I don’t mind the extra $ for Siglon)
I have used both lines and didn’t find a significant difference between the two, or should I say I didn’t find that the Siglon worked any better. The Raven line works and I have caught thousands of steelhead with it with no issues even at long distances and with lots of line on the water.
With many fishing products, you will have fans of one product over another, and what some guys like others won’t like. In many cases, I think it’s more of a personal preference than anything. The only way for you to tell which you prefer is to try both, or if you already have Raven on the reel and it works perfectly for you just stick with it.
Good Luck
Graham I just found your site a few weeks back. I cant thank you enough for your tutelage. Your way of conveying information is fantastic and I’m really excited to get on the water and practice what you have taught and will continue to teach me. By chance do you have any videos i’m not seeing on float fishing?
All the best.
AJ. Cold Spring , NY.
Hey Allen,
I’m very glad you enjoy the website. I have always said what I enjoy most about guiding is the teaching part and this website allows me to teach more people like you.
You haven’t missed any videos yet, Tutorial videos will be coming soon and I hope to film this spring and have them up on the website by the summer.
Good luck this spring
Graham
Hi Graham,
I just want to say thank you for creating this site. I had a couple of trips straight without a single hookup and was frustrated. Started to google some tips and found your site. Since then my last two day trips have lead to double digit hookups.
–
I have to clarify I am understanding this because there maybe some inconsistencies. Best set up for normal flow medium size river with a centerpin reel would be .28 main line and .20 leader?
Hi Anton,
The mainline will depend on the maximum size of your leader that you might use. Occasionally I will go up to a 0.24mm leader in heavy wooded water or very fast flows or big water. Therefore, a 0.26mm or even a 0.28mm would be ok if your leader remains .24 or under. I use Raven 8lb mainline which is 0.26mm for 99% of the steelhead fishing which includes rivers that are 60 to 120 feet wide and i am able to walk the river bank… For me the mainline also depends on whether I can walk the bank and chase fish if I need to. If I can’t chase them, I will go heavier on the mainline and heavier on the leader.
Hope that helps
Good Luck
Graham
Any thoughts on P- line Top Water (copolymer?).
Thanx fer takin the time and trouble to disperse all yer hard-won wisdom.
Great site, excellent how-to articles.
I’ve been fishing a medium sized, glacial river in Washington state for fall chinook. Tryin to learn to float fish.
In two years have only hooked two fish, landing neither!
The river has a few deep spots, quite a bit of heavy current, runs almost clear until after the first rains the visibility goes down to one-to-three feet for most of the season. It is also woody/snaggy.
The river has limited access, can only fish river miles two to six (from the mouth, salt water).
Most of the fish are eight to twelve pounds with occasional ones to 30 pounds.
I usually use 30 pound Power Pro braid in hi-vis yellow with a sliding torpedo float, 11 gram to 30 gram in- line sinker and a two to four foot leader. I have sometimes been threading the leader thru a short piece of one-eighth pencil lead with a bobber stop 12 inches up from my lure.12 inches up from my lure. (Due to anti snagging reg.s weight cannot be closer than 12 inches) to get down faster in some of the swifter water.
Speaking of fishing reg.s, we are also limited to one single point, barbless hook with hook-point to shaft no more than one-half inch, which usually equates to a size 2/0 or smaller.
I’ve become incredibly frustrated and planned on fishin other rivers but the price of gas has virtually chained me to this one river.
Any tips or trix fer fishin this kind of water will be greatly appreciated.
Most of the salmon that I’ve seen hooked were by “flossers” and ol-timers fishin roe neath a float.
Take care n tight lines
Hey Roger,
Sorry for the delay, your message went into the spam folder.
Unfortunately, I’m not familiar with P- line Top Water copolymer lines so I can’t say for sure.
This is hard to explain, but I will try. One of the things I teach my guides, and sometimes my clients, is to locate travel routes, concentration spots, and holes.
I would tell my guides to go out to the river during the lowest and clearest water times and locate all the depressions, holes, and trenches in the river. Also look for nasty wood and snags so you can avoid them when the water is up. And also look at where the high spots are… Then try and remember all of that so when the water is higher and dirtier you can go fish them.
I’ve even marked the banks where these depressions and trenches start and end, so when the water is high I can still find them. I’ve used ribbons or spray paint.
When the water is very low may see high spots in the river where the rocks and bottom are high and dry in the summer, and it shows you where the deeper water squeezes through. When the water rises 3 feet and gets cloudy, the fish will still stick to that deeper section and avoid that high spot, this is both a travel route and a concentration spot.
You can do this on many rivers during low water, see where the deepest water is, that is often a travel route, even when the water rises, fish will often tend to stick to the deeper sections unless they are too fast.
Other concentration spots are areas like islands, where the fish will often use one side or the other. Or seams where the fast water and slow water meet. The base of rapids is another concentration spot.
Those deeper trenches you found during the low water will often be a travel route or a holding area when the water is up.
I fish a river that goes dirty and is hard to see the bottom once the river rises. Most of the river is flat and visibly featureless. But because I know where all the snags, and trenches and little holes are, I can have my clients fish these little areas, These are areas that to the untrained eye look just like the rest of the river. 99% of guys walk by these little spots becuase they don’t see them.
I will be doing an article on travel routes, and reading the water, and concentration areas, and hope to have it completed by Nov 2022 so check back often.
Lastly, be sure your setup and your presentation are bang-on.
Good luck,
Graham
Hi graham. Thanks so much for your knowledge and time. I truly have learned son much from reading your articles and applying what I’ve learned. I’m in buffalo ny so we have a ton of great steelhead brown trout etc fishing as you know. Do you prefer a fixed or slide float for your setup? Thanks again
Hey Brendon,
Very happy to hear, thanks, I’ve been all over those rivers near Buffalo, my fav is still the Catt and the Salmon.
I only use sliding or slip floats when fishing very deep rivers like the Niagara. Otherwise, I prefer a fixed float.
One of the issues I have found with sliding floats is with multiple hard hook sets the float stop can slide up a little each time, which sometimes guys don’t notice, which continues to make your float deeper, however, once I find the perfect depth I don’t want my float to change unless I purposely change it. This sliding can happen with fixed float but I use really tight flat caps so mine never move on their own.
Graham
What lb cortland backing should I get?
Thanks again for all the solid information on setups!
Hey Trent,
I usually go with 30lb, it fills up the space faster.
Graham