What Fishing Line Has The Least Memory? Here's How to Choose

Fishing lines are designed with specific properties that enable them to catch fish. These characteristics include resistance to abrasion, durability, thickness, and flexibility.

These properties can be challenging to manage, especially flexibility, often known as memory or fishing line memory.

Lines with low memory are considered slack, while lines with high memory are considered stiff. Yet, some anglers prefer to use lines with little to no memory, even if they are considered slack.

So, what fishing line has the least memory? Braided fishing lines have the least memory of all types of fishing lines because of how they’re manufactured. They have a thin diameter which means they will remain flexible. Having little to no memory also makes braided lines less prone to tangling.

Read on to discover more about fishing line memory and get some recommendations for the best fishing lines with the least memory.

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What Exactly Is Fishing Line Memory?

Usually, the fishing will set when they’re coiled around the spool of a fishing reel, especially if the line is kept in that coiled position without use for some time.

The longer the line stays in a coiled position, the more obvious the set will be and the more difficult it will be to deal with.

By the time you take the line off the spool, you will notice that there’s a lot of curling which is known as the memory of the fishing line. This curling can affect your casting negatively as it will shorten the casting distance and accuracy.

What Causes Fishing Lines to Have Memory?

Line memory is something we will have to cope with as anglers, so it’s essential to learn what causes fishing lines to have memory in order to reduce the problem as much as possible.

Factors that cause fishing lines to have memory include:

The Material of fishing line
The thickness of the Fishing line
The covering coat of fishing line
The age of fishing line

What Fishing Line Has The Least Memory?

Having the correct line is critical for a successful and enjoyable fishing trip. Certainly, qualities like the thickness, color, and kind of fishing line are essential, but many overlook fishing line memory.

High line memory can result in some issues when fishing, so it’s essential to consider the degree of memory in the fishing line when choosing your gear.

As mentioned before, the degree of line memory varies based on the thickness of the line, the manufacturing technique, and the material.

So, let’s take a look at the main types of fishing lines and the degree of memory each one has.

Braided Fishing Line

If you want a fishing line with zero line memory, a braided fishing line is the one you’re seeking.

The braided fishing line material is manufactured by braiding polyethylene strands together. The number of strands might be anything between four and sixteen.

One of the qualities that differentiate the braided fishing line is that it has almost no memory and does not stretch. This allows you to be precise with your casting, making it ideal for deep-sea fishing.

The braided fishing line still has some drawbacks, as it’s highly visible underwater. It’s also challenging to knot and relatively expensive.

It has been widely used for a long time as it combines durability and slimness. You can check out my recommendations for the best braided fishing lines here that are truly the best value for your money.

You can also learn more about when to use a braided fishing line.

Monofilament Fishing Line

The monofilament fishing line has low to medium memory.

It’s unlikely to coil or become twisted out of form. It’s also ideal for detecting light bites and managing the casting distance, accuracy, and retrieval speed.

However, it still has drawbacks as it’s not very durable compared to other lines, but it offers some impact and resistance properties. Learn more about the pros and cons of monofilament lines as well as my recommendations for the best Monofilament fishing lines here.

Fluorocarbon Fishing Line

Compared to other fishing lines on the market, fluorocarbon fishing lines have the highest line memory.

It’s the most prone to tangling and coiling. It’s also more challenging to manage when it comes to casting distance and accuracy.

There have been significant efforts to reduce the Fluorcarbone line’s memory throughout the years, but despite the enhancements, the high line memory remains a considerable disadvantage for this line.

Fluorocarbon lines still have their own advantages that make them an excellent choice for many anglers, and you can learn about the pros, cons, and uses of Fluoro in this guide to the best fluorocarbon fishing lines.

Tips To Reduce Memory in Fishing Lines

There have been numerous advancements in reducing line memory throughout the years, but you may still stumble upon a fishing line with high memory.

So here are some tips that will help you reduce fishing line memory:

Stretching the line
Soaking the line in hot water
Replacing line regularly
Investing in a good quality line

The Best Fishing Lines With Low Memory

If you’re having difficulties deciding, we’re here to help you find the greatest low-memory fishing line available on the market.

KastKing World’s Premium Monofilament Fishing Line

KastKing mono offers low memory. In addition, it is manufactured with Paralleled Roll Track technology, which means it has more reel capacity and is simpler to handle and cast!

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