The lines we recommend
During our testing, we established that lines that were capable of consistently withstanding at least 20lbs of load should be capable of banking one of our larger specimens even during the most explosive and rigorous stages of the fight.
You will find below the best line/knot combinations that passed at least 20lbs 10 times with the right knot. If you are interested, there is more information on the lines and the testing we’ve done below the table.
LineDia/BSBest knot VerdictAvailability Berkley Big Game0.48mm / 25lbs4 turn bloodBestMultiple suppliers Teklon Gold 0.50mm / 60lbs4 turn bloodGoodMultiple suppliers Gardner Sure Pro0.50mm / 30lbs4 turn bloodGood1 UK supplier Daiwa Sensor0.52mm / 25lbs4 turn bloodOKMultiple suppliers Silcat CatSpirit0.50mm / 40lbs6 turn tucked bloodOK1 French supplier
1. Our no. 1 choice: Berkley Trilene Big Game in 25lbs
Once upon a time Big Game was the top, if not the only choice for carp anglers but now the brand has been forgotten by many. During our testing, Big Game consistently outperformed lines that are more expensive and rated as being much stronger. The line consistently achieved 25lbs with the 4 turn blood knot which is excellent.
Even though this line is available in 30lb+, the 25lb version is sufficiently strong for Beausoleil based on the testing we have done. At 0.48 in diameter, you will find it easier to fish with than the 30lb version in 0.55 diameter.
The line sinks well, casts well and is extremely strong and tough. It’s also readily available online from multiple tackle shops and is excellent value for money. It’s now my number 1 choice of mainline for Beausoleil for both carp and cats.
2. Teklon Gold in 60lbs
Teklon Gold is a well known sea fishing brand and is also used by catfish anglers. It may seem over the top to suggest a line rated at 60lbs but during testing, we found it much better and consistent than the 50lb version that failed multiple times at 20lbs. Don’t think this line will reduce your chances with the carp. I fished with it during the winter of 2016 and banked a number of fine specimens to 37lbs in very tough conditions. During testing, we had no failures at 25lbs with Teklon Gold in 60lbs, so it is very strong but it does have some memory issues. It is more expensive than the other lines in this table but a solid choice for the venue. We do not recommend using Teklon Gold in anything lighter than 50lbs.
3. Gardner Sure Pro in 30lbs
Gardner Sure Pro is a new line to me but I’ve been a fan of Gardner monofilament lines for many years. During testing, it showed 100% consistency at 20lbs but had some failures at 25lbs unlike the Big Game and the Teklon. I found it easy to handle and for a thick line, it’s supple with low memory. It didn’t cast quite as well as the Big Game but it wouldn’t restrict your fishing in any way. Again, we found the 4 turn blood knot outperformed all others and it regularly passed the 25lb mark. It’s only available in black which may put some anglers off but it’s not something I worry about at Beausoleil.
4. Daiwa Sensor in 25lbs
Daiwa Sensor is cheap, abrasion resistant, strong and readily available. During our testing, we found the best knot again to be the 4 turn blood knot and it had a 95% success rate at 25lbs. The main downside is that it’s not great to fish with! It casts poorly and has terrible memory issues . We’re including it here on the basis of its strength and availability.
5. Silcat CatSpirit in 40lbs
I discovered this line in my local tackle shop in France and I’m really impressed with it. It performed well enough in the line testing with no failures below 20lbs and I really enjoyed fishing with it. It handles beautifully. It is another solid choice for the venue, however, a bit more expensive and only available in France!
