Winter is here, which makes anglers shift to different fishing setups since fishing in ice is different. But don’t worry, in this article, I will describe all aspects of the Ice Fishing Line including the 4 best products for it.
If not anything, anglers need to change the line because normal lines cannot withstand sharp ice edges and can break very easily.
There are other reasons as well why one should not use normal lines in ice fishing.
I will dig deeper on this in the later sections but before that, let me take you through some of the best ice fishing lines of the market right now.
Product Comparison
| Image | Product | Best For | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
 |
Sufix Performance Ice Braid Line | Best Line Setup for Ice Fishing | Check Price |
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KastKing Superpower Silky8 Braided Fishing Line | Best Fishing Line for Cold Weather | Check Price |
 |
Sufix Performance V-Coat Braid Fishing Line | Best for durability | Check Price |
 |
Stren High Impact Mono Fishing Line | Best Mono Ice Fishing Line | Check Price |
4 Best Ice Fishing Lines
1.Sufix Performance Ice Braid Line – Best Line Setup for Ice Fishing
If you need a fishing line that promises to withstand all the abrasion and abuse that comes with ice fishing, this Sufix Performance ice braid line is your thing.
It is a braided line, and if you are not a beginner, you already how top-notch, and powerful braided lines are.
With great strength, abrasion resistance, less memory, this very ice fishing line comes with every feature that will satisfy an angler in cold-weather fishing.
The edges of ice are a big obstacle to ice fishing since the edges cut the line off. But that is something that won’t happen with this Sufix performance braid line.
It is an abrasion-resistant line that can take a lot of abuse.
One bad side of braided lines is they hold water and take it to the spool but not this one. It has a very low tendency of water holding or ice. In addition, it sheds water and ice. This line is anti-freeze as well, which increases the workability in ice.
If you target heavy fish, this could be suitable for you since it can take the heavy weight.
Specifications- It is an anti-freeze line.
- Highly abrasion-resistant.
- Has less line memory.
- Offers decent sensitivity.
- High strength line for heavy fishing.
- It sheds water and ice.
- Works better in cold weather.
2.KastKing Superpower Silky8 Braided Fishing Line – Best Fishing Line for Cold Weather
Kastking has produced some of the top-notch fishing gears of the market, and they are one of the reliable brands out there, and so are their products.
Here we have the Kastking Superpower Silky braided line. It is a suitable line for both baitcasting and spinning reels. You will get smooth casting with this line (if the reel you are using is good enough).
The line silky smooth; run the line through your fingers you will feel that.
Apart from the great casting, what else this line offers is a very sensitive line. Sensitivity is a must-have feature in fishing lines, especially in ice fishing, where fishes are less aggressive.
It has zero stretches, and you will be able to notice even the tiniest bit. Not only that, having a zero stretch and high sensitive line can give you an idea about the lure position as well. If there are any obstacles that the lure hits, you will detect and adjust accordingly.
And lastly, this line comes with great knot strength as well. The tied knot will hold fast in this line, and tying the knot is pretty easy.
Specifications- Highly sensitive fishing line.
- Very strong line.
- Less line memory.
- Super smooth.
- Holds the knot pretty fast.
- Easy to tie a knot.
- Great casting.
3.Sufix Performance V-Coat Braid Fishing Line
If you are looking for durability, then the braid fishing line is your way to go. And here I have the Sufix performance V-coat braid line that showed impeccable performance in ice fishing.
It is a highly abrasion-resistant ice fishing line with very low stretch. In addition, this line has very low memory, which is a great plus point for the angler, will save a lot of sweat.
The reason why I picked it up is its performance in the cold. You can handle this line in cold weather extremely well. But do not leave this line in the cold when you are not using it. Otherwise, you will wake up to a frozen line that might snap easily.
So keep the line in a warm place when not in use.
It comes with a Hydro Fusion process which allows this line to sink pretty fast.
Specifications- Better cold-weather handling.
- Can take a lot of abuse.
- Highly durable and low stretch.
- Offers decent sensitivity.
- It sinks at a faster speed.
- Very low line memory.
4.Stren High Impact Mono Fishing Line – Best Mono Ice Fishing Line
Casting, trolling, or spinning reel, this very mono line gets along with all these reels. Take a look at this Stren High Impact monofilament fishing line.
Surely it isn't as durable as braided lines, but it is one of the best in its league. Admittedly, it takes a lot of beating, thanks to its shock resistance. However, it is durable and has high strength as well.
It is not a fishing line designed for ice fishing, but it works decently in cold weather. So if you are looking for the best pan fishing ice line, it is one of them; check it out.
It comes in 4 different colors, choose the one you like.
Why do you Need an Ice Fishing Line?
Well, there are a bunch of reasons why you need an ice fishing line in ice fishing, described each of them below. Take a look.
Icy weather
Have you ever noticed how stiff the jacket gets in icy cold weather? The same happens with the fishing line. Some fishing line even gets frozen in extreme cold and snaps too easily.
So manufacturers construct ice fishing lines with slightly different formulas so that they remain normal on extreme cold and anglers can rely on. But, unfortunately, ice fishing lines are way too easy to control in cold weather than in regular weather.
Abrasion
In ice fishing, the line needs to be abrasion-resistant. There is a lot of abuse that ice fishing lines need to be able to withstand. The most dangerous one is the sharp edges of the ice hole. They are pretty sharp, even can give a handle or finger cut smoothly.
When reeling in the line, the sharp edge can cut the line off. Not only that, cold weather makes lines weaker unless that is an ice fishing line.
Apart from these, dirt, grit, sand is also an obstacle. So overall, the line needs to be strong enough to cope with these, and ice fishing lines are manufactured keeping this in mind.
Sensitivity
In icy cold weather, fishes are very less active, and they are less aggressive. And they will make very light, subtle bites which will be hard to detect if the line isn't sensitive.
In terms of the regular line, when the line is thick and strong that has less sensitivity. But in the ice fishing line, you get both, good abrasion-resistant and sensitivity.
How to Choose the Best Fishing Line for Cold Weather?
Right before purchasing an ice fishing line, there are a bunch of factors that everyone should take into consideration. These are the factors that separate a good ice fishing line from an average one.
However, roll your eyes below to know what are factors that an angler should consider.
Line Color
There are a lot of line colors, can you pick any? The answer is No! You cannot just pick any color. Fishes are attracted to bright colors, so you should stick to that if you want more catch.
Plus, bright colors are easy to detect, so if fish bites, an angler will be able to notice it soon enough to hook the fish up.
Red, orange, and green are the most preferred line colors; you can go with any of them.
Some fishes stay off from the bright colors. In that case, you can use a transparent line leader. You will see the colored line in that way, and fish won't see the transparent leader.
Line Stretch
High stretch increases the angler's reaction time, but that reduces the sensitivity, which is also very important in fishing. And low stretch will increase the sensitivity, but it will lower the reaction time.
So here angler needs to trade between reaction time and sensitivity. So if you can handle the reaction with low stretch lines, they are getting high sensitivity. And I think that will work great because low sensitivity can make you miss the easiest catch.
Line Material
There are mainly three types of fishing lines, monofilament, fluorocarbon, and braided. Among these three, the most durable and strong one is the braided line. So going for predator fishing (fishes that fight hard and have strong teeth) braided lines is your way to go.
However, one bad side of braided lines is they accumulate water a lot. With the line, water will be in your reel spool. You will have to deal with this if you want the strength that comes with the braided line. They are expensive as well.
Choose the right line size.
It is a factor that a lot of beginner anglers miss out on when it is one of the most important factors to consider. Poundage rating or the size tells how much force and weight the line would be able to take.
If you are going after heavy hard-fighting fish and don't check the poundage, there is a high chance of a disaster. What hurts more than missing the easiest catch?
If you want efficient fishing, then choosing the right line size is a must. Now one thing I must tell, beginners often confuse the line size with the length. Length and size are completely different. Length is measured in yards, mostly where the size is measured in diameter, in terms of fishing line.
So there is a light line, and there are thin lines; both serve a different purpose, and both are irreplaceable.
If you are fishing for bluegills, then a one-pound test line should be good enough to go. On the other side, a line of the same diameter isn't going to work for big walleye or bass; you will need a thicker line for those, as thick as an 8-pound test line.
There are two things that you should always keep in mind.
- The thicker the line, the lower the sensitivity. And thinner lines allow small lures to go down easily compared to thicker lines.
- And it would be best if you always matched the lure with the line size for effectiveness.
Line Sensitivity
Not only fishing line, having sensitive rods can make fishing way too easy and fun. When the line is sensitive, the angler can detect even the slightest bite, which is always beneficial.
In winter, having a sensitive line is very important because cold reduces the fish's metabolism, and they are less aggressive and very hard to detect.
And when fishes are under the bush, you don't want to miss those few who make tiny bites, right?
One more thing you should know, and that is, when the line is thick, there is less sensitivity. So you can't help; it is what it is.
Abrasion-resistance
It would be best if you always go for abrasion-resistant fishing lines, especially in ice fishing. The sharp edge of the ice can easily cause the line to snap when reeling in. Plus, if the angler targets predators with sharp teeth, they must use a line to withstand the abuse.
Anti-freezing line
In ice, some line gets frozen, and that doesn't cause any good. When the line is frozen, you might not get any sensitivity, and if anyhow you get that, there is a high chance that the line will snap. So if you have to spend a few more bucks, do it but get an anti-freeze line.
Ice Lines Vs Regular Line Comparison
You already know that there are different types of fishing lines; however, we are not getting into that again. But what I am going to tell is how ice fishing lines differ from regular lines.
Line memory is a thing to worry about. If you don't know, the tendency of the line to keep the coiled-up shape is called line memory.
Some regular lines have higher line memory, and when they are used in cold weather, they are less likely to get straight up. Plus, a line with higher memory will have very little sensitivity, which is a thing of concern.
Not only that, the ice fishing line needs to be rough and tough because the ice edge is pretty abrasive and will cause a regular line to snap pretty easily.
So these are where the difference comes. You cannot depend on a regular fishing line when you are ice fishing. Ice fishing lines are specially designed. They have less line memory, they are abrasion-resistant, and they are pretty flexible and durable.
Some ice fishing lines are anti-freezing as well, which is also a must-needed feature.
Final Words
Well, these are the best ice fishing lines you would probably found in the market right now. All of these are highly rated by the users, so they are worth giving a shot.