The Best Non-Toxic Fishing Line of 2026
We scored 15 fishing line for PFAS forever chemicals and other hazards, then ranked them safest first. The top pick is Berkley BERKLEY TRILENE BIG GAME at 85/100. Every score below links to the full breakdown of what earned it.
60% of the 15 fishing line we scored fail our PFAS and toxin screen.
The safest PFAS-free fishing line we have scored
- 1
Berkley
TRILENE BIG GAME
monofilament nylon fishing line
PFAS Grade85ExcellentOverall Grade63Good⏳20UV degradation and embrittlement
High concern
🫧70Microplastic release during use
Limited concern
Low concern for standard monofilament with no coating triggers.
⚠Brand says nothing about PFAS
- 2
Berkley
Trilene Big Game Braid
Braided polyethylene fishing line
PFAS Grade85ExcellentOverall Grade81Excellent🫧70Polyethylene microfiber shedding
Limited concern
Low concern; braided polyethylene is not a typical PFAS application.
⚠Brand says nothing about PFAS
- 3
Berkley
Trilene XT Monofilament Fishing Line
Nylon monofilament (extruded polymer)
PFAS Grade85ExcellentOverall Grade67Good🫧70Nylon polymer degradation and microplastic release
Limited concern
⚠️70UV stabilizer additives in polymer matrix
Limited concern
⚠️45Skin irritation or eye contact from monofilament filament
Moderate concern
Low concern for basic nylon line without water-repellent coating or special coatings.
⚠Brand says nothing about PFAS
- 4
Shimano
Exage Monofilament Fishing Line
Monofilament nylon fishing line
PFAS Grade85ExcellentOverall Grade63Good⏳20UV degradation and material embrittlement
High concern
🫧70Microplastic shedding from wear
Limited concern
Low concern; standard monofilament rarely contains PFAS without transparency.
⚠Brand says nothing about PFAS
- 5
Shimano
PowerPro Power Pro Braided Line
Braided polyethylene/nylon fishing line
PFAS Grade85ExcellentOverall Grade63Good🫧70Microplastic shedding during use
Limited concern
💨70Thermal fume release (misuse)
Limited concern
⏳70Nylon degradation products (if nylon-blended)
Limited concern
⚠️45Ingestion/choking hazard (non-chemical)
Moderate concern
Low concern for braided line without typical coating treatment.
⚠Brand says nothing about PFAS
- 6
Cortland
Silent Flip Braided Fishing Line
Braided nylon/polyester fishing line
PFAS Grade85ExcellentOverall Grade81Excellent🫧70Microfiber/microplastic shedding
Limited concern
Low concern; standard braided line has no inherent PFAS trigger.
⚠Brand says nothing about PFAS
Every fishing line that passes, side by side
Sorted by score. Higher is safer. Scored against 3 hazards that apply to this category.
| # | Fishing Line | Score | Rating | Made of |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Berkley BERKLEY TRILENE BIG GAME | 85 | Excellent | monofilament nylon fishing line |
| 2 | Berkley Berkley Trilene Big Game Braid | 85 | Excellent | Braided polyethylene fishing line |
| 3 | Berkley Berkley Trilene XT Monofilament Fishing Line | 85 | Excellent | Nylon monofilament (extruded polymer) |
| 4 | Shimano shimano Exage Monofilament Fishing Line | 85 | Excellent | Monofilament nylon fishing line |
| 5 | Shimano PowerPro Power Pro Braided Line | 85 | Excellent | Braided polyethylene/nylon fishing line |
| 6 | Cortland Cortland Silent Flip Braided Fishing Line | 85 | Excellent | Braided nylon/polyester fishing line |
The fishing line we would skip
Lowest scoring in this category, worst first.
Shimano
Mastiff FC Fluorocarbon Line
Fluorocarbon fishing line (PVDF or similar polyvinylidene fluoride)
PFAS
High concern
Microplastic shedding from line degradation
Limited concern
Environmental persistence and bioaccumulation
Moderate concern
Coating embrittlement and loss of integrity
Limited concern
Skip unless fluorocarbon is essential; PFAS is built into this material.
⚠Fluoropolymer coating
Spiderwire
Stealth Braid Fishing Line
Braided synthetic fiber with Teflon-family coating
PFAS
High concern
Microfiber shedding and aquatic persistence
Moderate concern
Coating degradation toxicants
Limited concern
PFAS
Limited concern
Skip or find transparent alternative; Teflon-family coating braid likely contains PFAS.
⚠Fluoropolymer coating
Cortland
Fairplay Floating Fly Fishing Line
Floating fly line with unspecified waterproof/buoyancy coating
PFAS
Limited concern
Microplastic shedding from degraded coating
Limited concern
Skin and eye contact with coating during handling
Limited concern
Skip until Cortland reveals coating chemistry; floaters typically need PFAS-based water-repellent.
⚠Waterproof or stain-proof treatment
What we check on fishing line
- Mercury. A neurotoxic metal that concentrates in some fish and seafood. FDA/EPA
- Heavy metals. Lead, cadmium, arsenic and others that accumulate in the body. FDA
- Microplastics. Tiny plastic particles that shed from products into food and water. EPA
Full point-by-point rubric on the methodology page.
The fishing line brands that will not say
4 of the brands here publish nothing about PFAS at all. Silence is not evidence of harm, but it is why none of them score well on disclosure.
Berkley, Cortland, Shimano, Spiderwire.
Common questions about PFAS-free fishing line
Is fishing line PFAS free?
Mostly not. Of the 15 fishing line we have scored, 60% fail our PFAS and toxin screen, which leaves 6 that pass. The highest scoring is Berkley BERKLEY TRILENE BIG GAME at 85 out of 100. The lowest is Shimano Shimano Mastiff FC Fluorocarbon Line at 30.
What is the safest fishing line you have scored?
Berkley BERKLEY TRILENE BIG GAME, at 85 out of 100, which we band as Excellent. It is monofilament nylon fishing line. The runner up is Berkley Berkley Trilene Big Game Braid at 85.
Which fishing line should I avoid?
The three lowest scoring we hold are Shimano Shimano Mastiff FC Fluorocarbon Line at 30, Spiderwire SpiderWire Stealth Braid Fishing Line at 30, Cortland Cortland Fairplay Floating Fly Fishing Line at 40. The problem with the first is that skip unless fluorocarbon is essential; PFAS is built into this material.
How can you tell if fishing line contain PFAS?
In this category we check for mercury, heavy metals, microplastics. A neurotoxic metal that concentrates in some fish and seafood. Language like stain resistant, water repellent or easy release usually means fluorinated chemistry even when PFAS is never printed on the box.
Which fishing line brands will not say whether they use PFAS?
4 of the brands we scored in this category publish nothing about PFAS at all, including Berkley, Cortland, Shimano, Spiderwire. Silence is not evidence of harm, but it is the reason those brands cannot score well on disclosure.
Do you lab test fishing line?
No. We score from published ingredient lists, materials, certifications, disclosures and third party lab results where they exist. Where a product has been independently tested we use that result and say so.
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Want to filter the whole category yourself? Browse all 15 fishing line.