Best Fishing Line for Plunking

Plunking is one of the simplest fishing techniques. All you have to do is throw your lure, hold your fishing rod, and wait until something bites. You can plunk for species like steelhead and salmon if you have the right fishing line. Which fishing line is recommended for plunking?

You can use either a braided fishing line as your plunking leader line or a monofilament fishing line that’s rated for at least 40 to 50 pounds. A braided fishing line should be able to handle that much weight as well.

If you’re torn between using a braided or monofilament fishing line for plunking, this article will help you decide. We’ll examine the pros and cons of both plunking fishing lines as well as share some fishing lines you can buy that are strong enough for plunking.

Let’s get started!

The Pros and Cons of a Monofilament Line for Plunking

As the name implies, a monofilament line is made of a single strand, usually nylon.

Here are the pros of a monofilament plunking fishing line.

Low cost: Who wants to overspend on any fishing line? Certainly not you. With a monofilament fishing line, you can buy spools of the stuff without spending nearly as much cash you would on a braided or fluorocarbon fishing line.
Very forgiving: If you’re just getting into plunking or fishing in general, you need a fishing line like monofilament. This single-stranded fishing line is forgiving, so feel free to make some beginner’s mistakes as you learn the ins and outs of plunking.
Dries fast: After it exits the water, a monofilament fishing line will begin drying. Since this fishing line becomes heavier when it’s wet, it’s a good thing that it dries fast.
Chemically-resistant: Although you hope that you’re not fishing in chemically-laden waters, if you are, don’t worry about your monofilament fishing line. It’s resistant to chemicals.
Strong: The strength of a monofilament fishing line is often understated, and it shouldn’t be! You can use monofilament as your lead line of choice in a plunking setup if you buy a stronger mono fishing line rated for up to 50 pounds.
Elastic: Is a little bit of stretch a bad thing? That depends on whether you like plunking with a more sensitive setup. At least the stretch of your mono line gives you some leeway when fishing with a heavier load.
Invisible: One of the best parts of using a monofilament fishing line by far is how you can barely see the fishing line once it’s in the water. Fish may have good eyesight, but they won’t notice the line.

Now let’s talk about the downsides of using a monofilament fishing line for plunking.

Lack of sensitivity: If you’re new to fishing especially, you’ll want fishing line with a higher degree of sensitivity than monofilament. The more sensitive your fishing line, the easier it is to detect activity on the other side of the line. A mono fishing line has too much stretch for that.
Short lifetime: Since it’s low-cost, a monofilament fishing line isn’t made as well as other types of fishing lines. Plus, the line does not handle UV exposure well and will begin to deteriorate. It’s not costly to do so, but you’ll have to replace the line often.
High memory: If you don’t like spending upwards of 40 minutes or maybe longer wrestling with a tangled fishing line, then you might want to reconsider using a monofilament fishing line for plunking. The higher memory of this fishing line leaves it prone to tangling.

The Pros and Cons of a Braided Fishing Line for Plunking

A microfilament braided fishing line is another excellent choice for plunking. A braided fishing line is often made of ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene or UHMWPE. The strands are braided together, hence the name.

We’ll start with the upsides of a braided fishing line for your plunking adventures.

Much skinnier than monofilament: You might be surprised by this, but a braided fishing line is usually skinnier than a monofilament fishing line. This can be both good and bad, but we’re putting it in the pros section. A lighter fishing line has less drag, and that comes in handy when plunking.
Better abrasion resistance than mono: A monofilament fishing line is relatively abrasion-resistant, but a braided fishing line is a lot more so. That said, should the line get kinked or begin to wear on itself, then it could still snap if you drag it across a large rock.
Much less stretch: Recalling that reduced stretch increases a fishing line’s sensitivity, a braided fishing line is the better pick if you want to feel every little tug on your fishing line.
Floats well: If you’re looking for a fishing line that can suspend on the water while you’re plunking, you won’t be disappointed with a braided fishing line.
Strong: If a monofilament fishing line is strong with its single-strand design, then you might assume that a braided fishing line is stronger. Indeed, it is!

Here are some downsides of using a braided fishing line for plunking.

Scares the fish: A braided fishing line is burlier than a monofilament line, and it’s also far less invisible. As your line travels through the water and bobs with the current, the fish that see it will hightail it.
Not the best knot variety: Between the San Diego jam knot, the improved clinch knot, the Palomar knot, and the improved Uni knot, that’s the extent of the knots you can tie with a braided fishing line. For some plunking setups, that might not cut it.
Costly: You won’t be able to save much cash should you choose a braided fishing line over a monofilament line. The price is more than half of what you’d pay by purchasing a mono line. Ouch!

Our Favorite Monofilament and Braided Plunking Lines

You’ve got your fishing reel, your boat, and your lures. The only thing you’re missing in your plunking setup is a fishing line.

Not anymore! Here are 6 heavy-duty plunking fishing lines, including both monofilament and braided lines.

Ande Monofilament Clear Line

Tested for 50 pounds of load, the Ande monofilament clear line is a simple, low-cost monofilament fishing line.

The consistency of this fishing line is part of what makes it so beloved, especially as use as a leader line when plunking.

You may appreciate the strength of this mono line. Plus, for a monofilament plunking line, the Ande clear line is surprisingly abrasion-resistant.

Ande’s monofilament fishing line also has far less stretch than what you usually find in a monofilament fishing line. Now you can enjoy all the perks of plunking with mono but with more of the sensitivity!

Hi-Seas Quattro Monofilament Line

The Hi-Seas Quattro monofilament line is rated for up to 250 pounds at 850 yards, so it’s an exceptional choice for your plunking leader line.

The four-colored camouflage line is designed to be even lower-visibility than your average mono fishing line.

The strength of this line is why we’re recommending it for plunking though. The breakage test alone tells you this is one burly fishing line!

With excellent abrasion resistance and great knot strength, you can come to rely on the Hi-Seas Quattro line again and again when plunking. The color selection in this multicolored fishing line allows it to become invisible underwater.

Ande Monster Fishing Line

Ande’s monster fishing line is a mid-priced monofilament fishing line rated for up to 50 pounds. That makes it a solid choice for a plunking leader line.

The knot strength of this fishing line is as noteworthy as its tensile strength, both of which should win your praise.

You can forget about the usual high memory that’s associated with monofilament fishing, as Ande’s fishing line is quite low memory.

When you need to cast accurately and reel in a heavy catch, this is the fishing line you should reach for.

PowerPro Spectra Fiber Braided Fishing Line

Onto the braided fishing lines for plunking now, the PowerPro Spectra fiber braided fishing line is rated for an incredible 65 pounds.

The moss green fishing line is sensitive as a braided fishing line should be.

You may also quite like how smooth this line unfurls on the spool. Reeling it back in feels almost effortless as well, which is great for beginners.

The enhanced body technology of the PowerPro Spectra fiber braided fishing line makes its handling so easy. The roundness of the line is another benefit.

All the sensitivity you’re looking for in a fishing line is present in this one. The Spectra fiber construction increases the abrasion resistance of your braided line so you can use it for plunking again and again.

ANGRYFISH 8-PRO Braided Fishing Line

We mentioned before that a braided fishing line is often thinner in diameter than a monofilament line. That’s certainly the case for the ANGRYFISH 8-PRO braided fishing line.

This very thin-diameter fishing line is rated for up to 90 pounds at 328 yards due to the fishing line’s eight-strand construction. You’ll feel confident reeling in very large catches when plunking that your buddy’s fishing line couldn’t handle.

The multi strands are comprised of raw materials that have incredible knot strength and abrasion resistance. According to ANGRYFISH, even fish teeth and reefs shouldn’t be able to break this braided fishing line.

The advanced technology that goes into the making of the line reduces stretch and ups sensitivity for the best of both worlds.

Burr-free, the smoothness of this line will allow you to cast out and reel in without difficulty.

You can select from such colors as green, pink, purple, or multicolored for the ANGRYFISH 8-PRO fishing line.

RUNCL Merced Braided Fishing Line

Capable of handling up to 200 pounds of load on a 1,000-yard line, the RUNCL Merced is one braided fishing line to keep a close eye on.

Utilizing a proprietary treatment process, the Merced line boasts a greater weave number per inch for easy stacking and compacting the line when in use. You’ll have fewer wind knots to contend with, and backlashes should be a thing of the past.

The Thin-Coating technology is a RUNCL exclusive. That technology improves the color retention of the Merced fishing line while boosting the line’s UV resistance.

From inshore fish to largemouth bass, the knot strength of the Merced line can stand up to some truly big fish. You’ll also like how this braided fishing line is memory-free and doesn’t stretch one iota.

Final Thoughts

When you go plunking, you need a durable, burly fishing line that can handle at least 40 pounds of load if not twice that (especially when fishing for larger species). Both a braided and monofilament fishing line fits the bill.

These types of fishing lines have their disadvantages, from high memory to expensive costs, so you’ll have to weigh your options carefully. No matter your choice though, you can’t go wrong!