Since the advent of PE rating braided lines in the early 90’s, anglers worldwide began to have more success in casting and landing fish due to its thin diameter and incredible strength-to-diameter ratio. Back in the day, when these braided lines’ production was still being improved, some problems like durability, castability, and knot strength were prevalent. These days, modern manufacturing methods and decades of trial and error led to creating trusty braided fishing line.
What is PE line rating?
PE is an acronym that stands for polyethylene. When applied to fishing, the polyethylene or PE rating is one of the ways of ranking fishing line. Simply put, it is a rating method that measures the diameter and approximates the strength capacity of braided fishing lines—as the only line type that uses ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) fibers.
Originating from the Chinese and handed down to the Japanese for their “gouw” numbering system on traditional silk threads, PE ratings evolved into use for modern fishing line. This system now sets the standard for the diameter measurements of fishing line.
How does PE Rating Help?
In picking the perfect fishing line, anglers almost always consider the diameter and breaking strain. But with the diameter and breaking strain differing from one spool of line to another, shopping for fishing line can be confusing and downright nasty.
To make it easier, manufacturers now provide the PE rating and the breaking strain on the labels. As a general rule of thumb: Advertised breaking strains are set at ten times the PE rating (so, a line with PE rating 5 will break at 50 lbs. at the very least), although most lines, including premium ones, almost always test well above these numbers.
For seasoned anglers, the table below can serve as your guide to the different fishing line diameters (in millimeters) averaged to the modern standard PE rating.
| Test | 8 lb | 12 lb | 15 lb | 20 lb | 30 lb | 40 lb | 50 lb | 60 lb | 80 lb | 100 lb |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Diameter in mm | 0.115 | 0.128 | 0.163 | 0.225 | 0.299 | 0.317 | 0.332 | 0.422 | 0.48 | 0.545 |
| PE Rating | 0.5 | 0.6 | 1 | 1.7 | 3 | 3.5 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 10 |
| Actual Average Break | 14.2 lb | 20.6 lb | 23.7 lb | 34.7 lb | 49.0 lb | 59.2 lb | 78.5 lb | 91.6 lb | 116.2 lb | 138.2 lb |
| Number of Strands | 6 | 8 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 |
Pros and Cons of Using the PE Rating when Buying Fishing Line
Using a standardized PE line rating chart to base your fishing line purchase can be confusing. However, for many anglers, especially the uninitiated, knowing this system can be a real treat.
Pros
- It’s a more consistent method for line designation. The PE rating system is a real beauty. Having a fixed system like this tells you exactly which line class will fit on your rod-and-reel setup. You can then focus your attention on seeing how much you want to spend per yard to get your desired strength. Whether you use a smaller reel and pay on quality line or a bigger reel to keep up with the capacity, using the PE rating will get you rolling, though maybe the bucket brigadiers in the market would disagree.
- It’s an objectively better naming system for the line diameter. Knowing that the PE rating system tells you the line diameter makes it easier to buy your fishing line. Instead of having to say, “I’d like a spool of 0.235mm line, please,” you can simply tell them the PE rating you desire. Though there are thicker and thinner lines of the same breaking strain, there is no such thing as thicker or thinner lines when you look at the PE rating.
Cons
- Absolute breaking strain (ABS) is inconsistent and confusing with each PE rating. Each strand (and individual hair) varies in thickness depending upon its diameter, manufacturing limitations, material specifications and quality, and production process. That said, a line’s load carry capability may vary for each section as a function of length. These variances, though normal, can result in as much as a 25% difference in ABS. It would require testing a large segment of the line to figure out which one works best for you. As a general rule, however, you get what you pay for when it comes to fishing line, so you’d probably want to stick with the premium grade PE-rated spectra for good tensile strength.
The Rundown
| Product | Features | Overall Rating |
 Get Price | Varivas Avani Casting PE SMP • Round, smooth, and sensitive braided fishing line • One of the best braids for casting on the market • Constructed with spectra fiber for incredible abrasion resistance • EZ spool (on Select models) lets you spool your reel directly from the box and features a built-in line cutter • High strength-to-diameter ratio | 94/100 |
 Get Price | Sufix 832 Braided Fishing Line • Dives 30% deeper • 70% stronger than traditional lead core • Infinitely more sensitive • 3x the abrasion resistance • Greater resistance to UV rays and sunlight | 92/100 |
 Get Price | Jerry Brown Spliceable Hollow Core Braid • Designed to cast further with its hollow core • The hollow core allows it to be spliced, braid to braid or braid to mono • High abrasion resistance • Lays flat on spool to reach maximum spool capacity | 90/100 |
RELATED: Fluoro VS Mono: Which is the best Sport Fishing Leader?
The Best Fishing Line to Watch Out for in the Market Right Now
With a wide range of options available these days, how do you choose the fishing line that fits your needs? Do you scour the Internet for information? Or do you simply wing it at the local specialist tackle shop? Whatever you do, note that another option exists in this list of the top-rated fishing line brands that we rounded up for you.
For this article, we reviewed five of the most popular braided fishing lines available in the market.
Best Braid for Heavy Casting
Varivas Avani Casting PE SMP
With constant innovation coming out of Japan, it comes at no surprise that Varivas Avant Casting PE SMP ranks so high on our list of recommended braids.
With its silky smooth texture and amazing breaking strain for its diameter matched with Varivas’s trade marked SMP (Super Max Power) coating giving the braid twice the amount of abrasion resistance.
Best Braid for Light Casting
YGK Super Castman Ultra WX8 Blue Special
YGK G-Soul Super Castman WX8 lines are the best for off-shore top water games. The line is strong, casting very long distance and smooth. It employs the most advanced filament, Ultra 2 PE, to achieve about 50% more maximum strength compared to standard spectra braided lines. YGK WX braiding technology makes the line with the least stretch and tightest line body. The 8-strand body offers the smoothest line surface. To add casting distance, YGK adds surface coating on it making it run through guides with the least friction.
Best Lines for Jigging
YGK ULTRA 2 Jigman WX8 Braid
Jigman ULTRA 2 WX8 is YGKs HIGHEST quality jigging braid and is approximately 40% stronger than most standard jigging braids. Super smooth, incredibly strong yet very thin diameter. Colours change every 10m (5 colours). This braid is packaged in 100m CONTINUOUS spools which gives you the great advantage of knowing at all times exactly how much line you have put on your reel. A fantastic feature especially when you purchase a bulk 600m spool as you will know exactly when you have used half of the 600m. How many times have you had braid left over from spooling up and have no idea if it will be enough to fill another spool.
Varivas Avani Jigging 10 x 10 Max Power Braid
The Varivas brand is renowned as one of the best brands on the market when it comes to PE braid and leader. The Varivas Avani 10 x 10 Max Power Braid is their flagship jigging braid that featuring silky smooth texture and is incredibly thin for it’s PE rating.
Best All Round Braid
Sufix 832 braided fishing Line
The Sufix 832 braid is one of strongest and value for money braids on the market today. What makes the Sufix 832 so attractive is the Gore fibre used the construction of the 8 strand braided line. GORE fibers are used in high-performance ropes, in hoists, cranes, and elevators! It extends the service life of the braid and keeps your fish connected for longer!
Choosing the Right Fishing Line-based with the PE Ratings as your Guide
Choosing the perfect line for your need may be confusing as hell, especially when you start looking at all those numbers on the rods and the line packaging itself.
To help you sort it all out, we listed some criteria to help you pick the fishing line that will work best for you, of course, with the guidance from the PE rating chart above.
Rod and reel system
Depending on the rod and reel setup you have, you can start working your way through the different spools of lines at your local tackle shop. Each rod and reel setup has specific line diameter requirements and breaking strength designations, so knowing those would be your first step in picking the right line.
Target Species
Consider this: when you want to reel in a specific type of fish, you need a line to match. That said, you’d want to consider a line with the PE rating and breaking strength that will outlive the struggle of whatever fish you are trying to catch. It’s best to be clear with this before you go shopping as fishing lines can be extremely costly, particularly if it’s not put to good use.
RELATED: Quick Guide: Top 5 Braided Lines for GT Fishing
Material Quality, breaking strength, and strand count
Modern-day manufacturers have almost perfected the process of making the perfect fishing line. So, regardless whether you are a keen angler or a new hobbyist, you only have to choose a brand with just the right diameter, breaking strength, casting, abrasion resistance, and colors that you’ll need to increase your chances of reeling in that elusive catch.
Carriers and Price
Whether you have a go-to brand or not, PE or braided fishing lines cost more than any other line type, so we cannot avoid the price increase if we want to catch more fish. But, we cannot stress enough how important it is to buy the best that you can afford in terms of fishing line. As a general rule, it’s best to remember that you will always get the quality that you pay for in terms of fishing lines.
ANOTHER PRICEY BUT ESSENTIAL PART OF YOUR FISHING SYSTEM THAT WILL ATTACH THE FISH OF A LIFETIME TO AN ANGLER. SAVE MONEY SOMEWHERE ELSE, NOT ON YOUR FISHING LINE.
Color
It doesn’t sound like a serious consideration to the uninitiated, but it pays to know what type of water conditions you’ll be fishing in to decide on the line color and pattern to pick. That is if you wish to go invisible underwater and reel in a big catch. Note that each color works well on certain water types, so don’t go underestimating this feature.
Frequently Asked Questions
If there is no correlation between PE rating and breaking strength, why do they rate rods and lines with PE ratings?
Because there’s a difference between yardsticks for different manufacturers, PE rating simplifies this with a conservative approach of sticking a zero behind each PE value for the standard breaking strain. There’s a possibility that both PE-rated rod and lines could bear a higher pressure, but what PE rating provides is a benchmark on how many lines can go to a specific reel system. Naturally, most top brands also list a separate breaking strain for their lines, but it’s the foundation that will potentially end the guessing game for a line cap for each reel if the manufacturers catch on to this system all.
Why is there such a huge variance in PE rated line and tensile strength for different manufacturers?
Because each strand varies in thickness due to its several factors, including manufacturing treatment and process, lines can have a different load capacity per section as a function of length. With PE ratings working on the diameter alone, fibers of different nature are rated based on their minimum diameter specs or weakest point, so the variation is perfectly normal. It identifies the lowest number of the line’s functional tensile strength.
If you’re in the market for new braid? Click here to check out all of the braid listed above along with all of your other tackle needs!
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