When you picture the situation of going out for a fishing trip in your mind, the first image you are likely to see is one of a bright sunny day, standing on the edge of the lake, having fun, trying to catch a fish against the strong breeze that is blowing.
Right? Well, ice fishing shatters this scenario entirely. This act is very difficult to master.
Only a professional can identify the right spots to drill in, and they make use of only the best ice fishing line. The line used must have certain abilities and features to adapt to the cold water.
Trying to find the ideal ice fishing line for your needs can be confusing at times. There are so many on the market and the new technology available means that they’re all so well designed for cold weather angling.
Why Do You Need Your Best Ice Fishing Line
There are lots of things to bear in mind when choosing the right line for you. Some key elements to consider are stiffness, stretch, strength, flexibility, price, visibility, and course, not forgetting the line’s durability during cold weather.
The ultimate goal is to catch more fish, and using a specialized ice fishing line is the only way to achieve this goal.
Trying out different brands is the best way of finding the right line for you and your needs, but to save you a bit of time, we’ve tested the favorites on the market and reviewed them to give you a more informed idea of their key features and advantages.
Best Ice Fishing Line Reviews
Sufix Ice Magic Fishing Line
Sufix has been coming up with great fishing products of late and the Ice Magic fishing line is one of its best.
Anyone who has been into regular ice fishing clearly understands that one of the major problems faced is that the fishing lines start absorbing water, which then starts freezing, thereby making the line too hard and rough to handle.
This threat is removed in Ice Magic, as the fishing line completely repels water. The temperature of the water bodies not just varies from place to place but varies in the same spot from time to time as well.
It becomes almost impossible to assess the exact degree of freeze that the line needs to counter. The Ice Magic comes up with a solution for this as well.
The line is adaptable to varying temperatures and is virtually considered an all-temperature line. The line is manageable even in cold water without breaking much sweat.
The other most important feature of this fishing line is that it has a very high abrasion resistance, i.e., it does not get worn out easily due to the regular wear and tear on the surface.
This makes the product highly durable. Also, it sinks to the depths of the water easily, thereby allowing for a much larger radius of fishing. The strength of this line is also a noteworthy feature of the product.
Being economical and highly affordable in its price range, the Ice Magic fishing line from Sufix is an excellent choice for regular use. It is available from 2 lb to 8 lb and comes with two different color options.
P Line Floroice Clear Fishing Line
There is intense competition between anglers today. P line comes with a product that promises to offer you a wide range of advantages to be the best in the business, of the Floroice fishing line.
This ice-fishing line is an improvised successor to the fluorocarbon line from the same trustworthy brand.
Fluoroice is an intelligent combination, consisting of a sturdy co-polymer and a silicon fluorocarbon coating. The copolymer makes the line strong enough to be used to catch large tuna and monster-size salmon.
The strength-to-diameter ratio is very high and incredible, i.e., the line is unbelievably strong for its thin diameter. This allows for a lightweight yet sturdy fishing line option for the user.
The stand-out feature of the Floroice fishing line is that it is virtually invisible. Anglers often find it incredibly difficult to get hold of a fish because of the simple reason that these sea creatures easily see through these lines and never come close to the catching range.
No matter how good the angler is, he has to make use of only such an invisible line. The product comes with different color options as well, In case the angler wants to use it for night fishing, the fluoro scent green variant would be the right one to choose.
It is also available in varying sizes from 2 pounds to 8 pounds. Apart from its strength and visibility features, it also offers a very good resistance to wear, has high knot strength, and does not freeze under water.
Berkley Trilene Micro Ice Fishing Line
The Micro Ice fishing line has all the features that fit right into place. These are some of the most versatile fishing lines available in the market right now. One can depend on this line to be strong, invisible, memory-free, and non-brittle.
Among all its wide range of advantages, the stand-out feature is the low-stretch design. This diligent design allows for much quicker and sturdier hook sets, with incredible smooth control and grip over your jig.
Additionally to, you get much superior and sensitive lure control as well.
The line is soft, pliable, and resistant to coiling and kinks under ice-cold conditions for fishing. This product is specifically suited for fighting finicky fishing in clear water. The strength of this line is outstanding as well.
Having a very high strength-to-diameter ratio, it has been tried and tested under the hardest of conditions. It is safe to say that the line is one of the best in terms of its rigidity and flexibility.
Berkley has taken immense care to ensure that this Micro Ice fishing line does not disappoint its faithful user base, and it has come out perfectly well-balanced.
Berkley Fireline Micro Ice Fused Original Fishing Line
The Berkley Fireline Micro Ice Fused Original Fishing Line is thin and strong, and this makes it one of the most abrasion-resistant super lines in its class. The supersensitivity of the line makes it a lot easier to feel subtle bites even in a cold water environment.
It’s easily capable of handling the pressure of big fish like pike and trout, as well as having a small enough line to be able to catch microfish. One of the requirements of any good ice fishing line is that it needs to be flexible, and there’s no doubt that this fits that requirement.
The best features of this fishing line are that it’s strong and slender, as well as flexible, and can handle even the coldest of temperatures.
The Berkley Fireline Micro Ice Fused Original Fishing Line provides good support; it’s one of the toughest around and performs very well in ice and cold weather conditions.
It has no memory so you can be assured it will remain straight, and easy to cast when coming off the spool.
If you enjoy ice fishing, this is certainly the fishing line for you; If you’d rather have monofilament lines instead of multi-filament lines, we can confidently say that this is certainly the fishing line for you.
Overall, the Micro Ice Fused Original Fishing Line is a good purchase, it’s strong and versatile, and we’d recommend it as an all-around easy-to-use fishing line and one of the great ice fishing lines available on the market.
Berkley Trilene 100% Fluorocarbon Ice Line
The Berkley Trilene 100% Fluorocarbon Ice Line provides you with the ultimate invisibility and has a really realistic look, making it much easier to lure and catch fish.
For anyone who hasn’t used a line with fluorocarbon technology before, it comes with a lot of advantages, less stretch and greater durability are the most important advantages it has to offer.
The special 100% invisible Fluorocarbon ice line has been made specifically for ice fishing in mind. The low-stretch formula provides much greater sensitivity, so you can be sure to get rock-solid hook sets while using it.
It’s available in 11b, 21b, 31b, 41b, 51b, or 61b, and the thin diameter gives a superior lure control during use. The Berkley Trilene 100% Fluorocarbon Ice Line is a bit more expensive than other lines, but after considering this, you need to take into account the durability of the line.
When you’re looking for the ideal ice fishing line, the price is a contributing factor, but there are other things to consider with it. This line is long-lasting compared to alternatives on the market, so its value for money is reasonable considering how long it will keep you going.
The durability, along with the other benefits of invisibility, low stretch formula, and realistic look, makes it a good line for ice fishing.
Sufix 832 Ice Braid Fishing Lure
The Sufix 832 Ice Braid Fishing Lure is one of the strongest and most durable lines available on the market. As the lines go, this one is very good for its overall performance and quality. Part of choosing the good ice fishing line for you is considering all aspects including durability and performance.
The Sufix 832 Ice Braid Fishing Lure performs well in these areas. It comes with R8 precision braiding and some pretty impressive fiber technology. This is where it gets its extra strength, as well as its high level of consistency and roundness.
The strength and performance of this ice fishing line are some of its most impressive features. For a small-diameter braid, its durability is very impressive.
It has a specially designed GORE performance fiber, along with having 32 weaves per inch. This provides extra resistance against abrasions, making it incredibly long-lasting, and the durability is pretty much unmatched when compared to similar lines.
The sensitivity is good, and the water-repellent protection helps to resist freezing when used in colder temperatures. It comes in a variety of different weights to suit your needs.
Overall, the Sufix 832 Ice Braid Fishing Lure is a high-quality, durable, and consistent ice line and serves its purpose well.
How To Choose Ice Fishing Line
During older times, there was nothing much to choose when it came to the fishing line. Oftentimes, people used the same fishing lines from spring to winter for ice fishing.
This, however, meant that the fishing lines were highly unreliable. Over the years, the technology used in the construction of fishing lines has improved consistently.
This has led to the availability of weather-specific fishing lines. When you match the right fishing line with the right weather and the right bait, the fishing line will be very reliable. With technological advancements, the fishing lines for ice fishing have advanced significantly.
Ice fishing lines face some of the harshest weather. Also, ice fishing is generally difficult for anglers unless and until they can pick the right line. Even though the choices these days are plenty when it comes to ice fishing lines, this only adds to the confusion.
I opt for the Sufix 832 Ice Braid Fishing line for ice fishing. It is not only durable but also sensitive. I have also discussed some of the attributes of this line below. I would now share with you a few things to keep in mind while picking the ice fishing line.
The stiffness of the Line:
This factor instantly eliminates the use of Monofilament lines, which are designed for warm weather. As the mercury drops in the winter, the monofilament lines become stiffer. This reduces the moment of the bait and significantly brings down the probability of catching any fish.
Fortunately, these days, monofilament lines which are specifically designed for ice fishing are available. These ice fishing lines mostly have a hydrophobic water-repellent coating. The purpose of this coating is to keep the icy cold water away from the line, which prevents freezing of the line.
Pro Tip:
I have personally used the Sufix 832 Ice Braid Fishing line which prevents any kind of freezing or stiffness of the line.
Stretch of the Line:
The stretching capability of the monofilament lines decreases significantly during the winter season. There are a few winter monofilament lines that are even advertised as low-stretch lines. Instead of going for the traditional monofilament lines for ice fishing, 2 other options that are pretty good enough are:
Fluorocarbon Line: They are less brittle and more flexible.
Copolymer Line: If you are looking for even higher flexibility, this is a better option.
If you are looking for additional strength, you can go with the five-wire lines in any of these categories.
Visibility of the Line:
During the winter months, the light enters the water through the smaller holes in the ice, which makes it easier for the fish to see the fishing line. Thus, due to the increased visibility during the winter months, you have to be more careful about selecting the less visible fishing line.
If it looks suspicious to the fish, it would not take the bait. This significantly reduces the odds of catching some fish during the winter. During the winter months, fish have more time to examine the bait as well.
Thus, you have to take the visibility of the line into account while choosing the ice fishing line. You have to ideally choose the lines which have a smaller diameter and are less visible.
Durability:
During the winter months, the fishing line would consistently rub against ice. This can cause significant wear and tear on the fishing line. If it is not durable enough, it can break easily.
That is why for angling, you have to choose a highly durable fishing line. You have to make sure that it does not fray away. This is where the weight of the line comes into play as well, as both of these factors are directly proportional to each other.
The weight of the Line:
The line that you choose for ice fishing will also be determined by the lure that you choose. Earlier, most of the available lures were pretty lightweight. In recent years, lures made of tungsten are available.
These help in straightening out even the heavier lines. The advantage of choosing heavier lines for ice fishing is it is more durable.
Thus, if you are looking for highly durable lines you have to go with the heavier ones. You need to just make sure that you select tungsten lures with that line to help you straighten it out.
Pro Tip:
The Sufix 832 Ice Braid Fishing line, which I use, is 4 pounds, which is highly durable and easy to use for ice fishing.
Sensitivity:
While choosing a fishing line for ice fishing, you have to strive for a balance between sensitivity and durability. The more sensitive lines are lighter in weight, which decreases durability. That is why a fine balance needs to be achieved between the sensitivity and the durability.
At the end of the day, there is no point in opting for a heavier fishing line, when you would not even be able to feel the bite of the fish. That is why you have to try and achieve a compromise between both of these factors.
The Memory of the Fishing Line:
The fishing line normally sits on a spool which can induce a coiling effect in it, even when it is not on the spool. The lesser the memory of the fishing line, the less the coiling effect off the spool.
If the memory effect of the fishing line is greater, you would spend a lot of time just untangling the fishing line. Thus, when you are choosing the ice fishing line, you have to choose the one that has almost no memory.
So, if you are still puzzled by the question of how to choose an ice fishing line, it is a good idea to keep these 7 factors in mind. Once you weigh the ice fishing line options on these 7 factors, it becomes easier for you to pick the right ice fishing line.
Basic tips for ice fishing
Final Verdict
When it comes down to choosing the best ice fishing line, it comes down to your own personal requirements and preferences. The Sufix 832 Ice Braid Fishing Lure is very good quality.
The fluorocarbon technology also gives it a lot of stretches, which combined with the sensitivity and thin diameter, makes it very good for ice fishing. The Berkley Fireline Micro Ice Fused Original Fishing Line is a very strong, slender line that gives a solid performance in ice and cold weather.
Each of them offers its own set of advantages, and it is up to the user to identify the needs and conditions that they would be working in, depending on which he has to make the right choice. People who are looking for the safest option can opt for the Berkley line, which is easy to handle and store as well.
If you are a serious angler who is willing to spend a few extra bucks for a professional ice fishing line, then go for the P-line Floroice.
They all have their own unique benefits and features, so how do you know which one is right for you? You need to compare the differences of these three along with others on the market. When it comes to choosing the best ice fishing line for you, make sure you take into account your own ice fishing needs.
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