What is the PE rating for fishing line?
PE rating for braid fishing line explained
Almost all braided fishing line (commonly referred to as 'braid') is made using Ultra High Molecular Weight Polyethylene (UHMWPE) fibres. The process of spinning or braiding the strands of fibres gives different lines their unique feel and characteristics. Fishing line manufacturers are increasingly using PE, an acronym for polyethylene, on their products and packaging. However, it’s often used for various reasons.
The most common use of 'PE' is to measure the diameter of polyethylene fishing lines. A PE size (e.g PE 0.6, PE 1, PE 2, PE 3 and so on) is based on a Japanese numbering system called 'gouw', which was originally used to measure the diameter of silk thread.
When a PE rating is applied to fishing line it’s simply as a measure of the lines diameter – not the lines breaking strain. In fact, a line rated PE 1.5, for example, may break at 15lb, 20lb, 30lb or anywhere in between. This can be due to the quality of the fibres, amount of strands (i.e. 4, 8, 12 and 16 strand) and the spinning or braiding process of those strands.
| PE RATING (#) | DIAMETER (mm) | BREAKING RANGE (kg) |
| 0.6 | 0.128 mm | 4.5–7 kg |
| 0.8 | 0.148 mm | 5.5–9 kg |
| 1 | 0.165 mm | 7–11 kg |
| 1.2 | 0.185 mm | 8–14 kg |
| 1.5 | 0.205 mm | 9–16 kg |
| 2 | 0.235 mm | 14–20 kg |
| 2.5 | 0.260 mm | 16–23 kg |
| 3 | 0.285 mm | 18–27 kg |
| 4 | 0.330 mm | 23–36 kg |
| 5 | 0.370 mm | 27–41 kg |
| 6 | 0.405 mm | 32–45 kg |
| 8 | 0.470 mm | 41–55 kg |
| 10 | 0.520 mm | 50–68 kg |
Why use braid for lure fishing?
If you're serious about improving your lure fishing, switching to braided line is one of the best upgrades you can make. While nylon monofilament still has its place, braid offers significant advantages that improve lure presentation, bite detection and hook-up rates.
Superior sensitivity: braided line has almost no stretch, allowing you to feel every bump, tap and bite. Whether you're hopping a soft plastic for flathead, twitching a hardbody for bream or working a vibe for mulloway, braid provides instant feedback that helps you detect subtle bites and react faster.
Longer casts and better lure control: because braid is much thinner than monofilament of the same breaking strain, it casts further and cuts through the water more efficiently. The reduced diameter also allows lures to swim naturally and reach their intended depth more quickly, giving you greater control throughout the retrieve.
Improved hook-up rates: minimal stretch means more of your rod movement is transferred directly to the hook. This results in cleaner hook penetration, particularly when fishing at long range or in deeper water where monofilament can absorb much of the striking force.
The best of both worlds: although braid has lower abrasion resistance than nylon, the solution is simple. Most experienced anglers use a braid main line connected to a fluorocarbon leader. The braid delivers maximum sensitivity and casting performance, while the fluorocarbon leader provides abrasion resistance and is less visible to fish around rocks, oyster racks and other structure.
For most estuary lure fishing applications, a braid-and-fluorocarbon leader combination offers the ideal balance of casting distance, lure control, sensitivity and reliability, making it the preferred choice for anglers chasing flathead, bream, whiting, bass and mulloway.
On Castaway Estuary Fishing Charters, we use premium quality 8-strand Japanese braids from PE 0.6-0.8 for light tackle bream, whiting and flathead to PE 1-2 for bigger flathead and mulloway.