Which of the three most common types of line is best for flipping? Illinois pro Chad Morgenthaler says it depends on the situation. All have conditions for which they're best suited, and they must be used in combination with the right rod to maximize their effectiveness.

"Each of the three major types of line – monofilament, fluorocarbon and braid – has its own set of characteristics," he said. "And each type requires a different rod length or action to perform to the best of its ability and keep (an angler) from breaking line or losing fish.

"My personal preference is mono around wood, fluorocarbon around light vegetation and lighter wood and braid for heavy vegetation only."

Monofilament

Monofilament has the most stretch of any of the three types, and it's also the most buoyant.

"Because of that, it not only shock-loads better, but it allows you to get away with longer and heavier-action rods," Morgenthaler said. "It's great for flipping or pitching jigs into heavy cover because you want to use a heavy or even an extra-heavy rod.

"And I want that rod to be at least 7'6", but preferably 8' because a longer rod allows more leverage. You get more of a parabolic bend out of a longer rod."

> Why it's best for wood – "The stretch factor. If you get hung up, it acts as an energy absorber. Because it stretches, you still have some cushion, whereas you don't with braid."

Fluorocarbon

Fluorocarbon is more abrasion-resistant and more transparent than mono, but it also offers about 30 percent less stretch.

"The decreased amount of stretch often causes problems," Morgenthaler said. "You cannot use the same rod. The energy of the hookset has to go somewhere – either to the rod, the line or both.

"With fluoro, I like to drop one action and use a 7'6" or 8' heavy or medium-heavy rod. The only time I need to step up the action with it is if I'm fishing extremely deep water or an extremely heavy bait. It's still imperative to use a rod that has a parabolic bend to it."

> Why it's best for light vegetation – "Those fish are usually a little more line-shy and it's usually a little more subtle bite. The transparency and increased sensitivity give you a little more of an advantage."

Braid

Braided line doesn't stretch at all.

"This is where a tremendous amount of anglers get into a lot of trouble," Morgenthaler said. "Not only will it not stretch, but you're also prone to your hook flexing (inside the fish's mouth.

"With braid, it's real important for me to stay as close to an 8' rod as I can, and it has to be a softer-action rod – the softest I can possibly get away with. The only time I'll beef up is if I'm fishing those real spongy mats in Florida with a 1 1/2- or 1 3/4-ounce bait. Medium-heavy or heavy is the most you should ever use."

He said that if you start losing more fish than you're catching with braid, your rod is probably too heavy.

"You might be losing them on a jump, or whatever," he said. "The next time you catch one, you need to look inside its mouth. If you can see a little tear in there, now you're getting hook-flex. You need to soften your rod and don't jerk quite as hard on hooksets."

> Why it's best for heavy vegetation – "It'll cut right through it better than any other type of line."

Experimentation Allowed

Morgenthaler's final piece of advice was to experiment with rods of different actions with each type of line to find the combination that best suits your style.

"It varies a little bit with each individual," he said. "That's why every rod company makes about 50 different models."