Monofilament fishing line

Monofilament line is a thin string made from a single fiber. Most fishing line is made from monofilament because of its strength, availability in all pound-test kinds, and low cost. It also comes in many different colors such as white, green, blue, clear, and fluorescent. Monofilament is made by melting and mixing polymers and which is then extruded through tiny holes, forming strands of line, which is then spun into spools of various thicknesses. The extrusion process controls not only the thickness of the line but also the pound test of the line.

Monofilament is not advisable for deepwater fishing since it can absorb water resulting in loose knots, and its sensitivity can decrease when it is wet. Monofilament degrades with time and can weaken when exposed to heat and sunlight. When stored on a spool for a long time, it may come off the fishing reel in coils or loops. It is advisable to change monofilament line at regular intervals to prevent degradation.

Monofilament is also used in medicine to test the sense of touch. It can be used in jewelry making to create 'floating' or 'illusion' beaded necklaces. Because it is difficult to see, it has often been used in movies for special effects where objects need to look like they are floating in thin air.

Discarded monofilament lines can present serious environmental issues. These lines are extremely difficult to spot when submerged in water, and fish, birds, and other marine life can easily become entangled. Monofilament lines also present a risk to swimmers and scuba divers.

History
DuPont made public in 1938 that their company had invented nylon. This new invention was the first synthetic fiber, fabrics that are commonly used in textiles today. In 1939, DuPont began marketing nylon monofilament fishing lines; however, braided Dacron lines remained the most used and popular fishing line for the next two decades. DuPont seized the opportunity in 1959 and introduced Stren, a thinner monofilament line that could be used in a large range of reels, including newly introduced spinning and spin casting tackle. Stren's monofilament lines soon became the fishermen's favorite fishing line because of its ease of use. New materials, eg. Spectra or Dyneema, are finding growing use in monofilament lines.