Bass Pro Shops Excel Monofilament Line 330-Yard Spool
Monofilament carries inherent PFAS risk, brand silent.
Standard nylon monofilament fishing line lacks PFAS, but some manufacturers use Teflon-family coating coatings or treatments for durability. Bass Pro provides no material disclosure.
We flunk more products than we pass. This one earned its grade. How we grade
Material
Nylon monofilament fishing line
Brand disclosure
Brand is silent on PFAS
Lab data
No public lab test
You may also be interested in
Top-graded picks in the categories readers replace first, every one scored on the same rubric.
- polypropylene filter housing, carbon/sediment cartridge
- We found no PFAS statement from the brand
- Bacterial growth in spent cartridges
3 hazards checked on this product, all on its full breakdown.
Aquasure
Premier Series 75 GPD Under Sink Reverse Osmosis Water Filtration System
- RO membrane, carbon filters, stainless steel housing
- We found no PFAS statement from the brand
- Bacterial and microbial growth in housing and filters
4 hazards checked on this product, all on its full breakdown.
Avocado
Vegan Mattress
- organic cotton, natural latex, coconut coir, recycled steel coils
- The brand calls it PFAS-free, which we have not verified
- Heavy metals
2 hazards checked on this product, all on its full breakdown.
What Bass Pro Shops Excel 330-Yard Spool is made of, ingredients and materials
Bass Pro Shops Excel monofilament is nylon (polyamide) fishing line, a synthetic polymer extruded into a single continuous filament. The primary concern is whether the nylon formulation contains fluorinated additives (PFAS-type compounds) to improve water resistance, abrasion resistance, or line flexibility, a common but often undisclosed practice in fishing line manufacturing. Nylon monofilament itself is not inherently toxic during normal use, but degradation in freshwater or saltwater over extended periods can shed microfibers.
What’s concerning
Category baseline
The starting point for this type of product, before anything specific to this product is counted.
No PFAS disclosure
No public statement from the brand about PFAS in this product.
PFAS
Nylon monofilament commonly contains fluorochemical additives to enhance water repellency and abrasion resistance. Bass Pro Shops does not disclose whether Excel line includes such additives or provide testing results. Exposure during normal fishing use (handling, cast-off particles in water) is low, but ingestion or environmental accumulation remains a theoretical concern.
Source, ATSDR ↗Microplastic shedding
Nylon monofilament can degrade into microfibers when exposed to UV, friction, or temperature stress over extended storage or use. Shed fibers are released into water during fishing and may be ingested by aquatic life or concentrate in sediment. Scale is small per spool but cumulative across the fishing industry.
What’s reassuring
Base material not linked to PFAS
The main material recorded for this product is not one associated with PFAS.
Chemical leaching from nylon polymer
Nylon monofilament does not leach monomers or plasticizers into freshwater or saltwater under normal pH and temperature conditions. No established studies document hazardous substance migration from this material type into aquatic environments or skin contact scenarios.
Heavy metals
Bass Pro Shops Excel monofilament contains no reported lead, cadmium, or problematic azo dyes as colorants. Standard nylon colorants and polymer stabilizers used in fishing line production are not recognized as hazardous at normal use concentrations.
Source, FDA ↗Degradation toxins from heat or aging
Nylon monofilament stored at room temperature and normal humidity does not release volatile organic compounds or decomposition byproducts that would pose inhalation or contact risk. High heat (above 80 °C) is unlikely during typical fishing storage or use scenarios.
How is this PFAS grade calculated?
The brand's record and disclosure
Bass Pro Shops has not publicly disclosed Teflon-family coating or PFAS content in its Excel monofilament line or provided third-party testing certification for PFAS-free status. The brand is primarily a retailer of outdoor goods rather than a chemical-focused manufacturer, and does not maintain a published materials transparency or chemical safety policy specific to fishing tackle. No product recalls or safety controversies related to Excel monofilament have been established in public records.
How it compares in its category
Most commercial monofilament fishing lines (Berkley, Trilene, Stren, etc.) share the same PFAS uncertainty, as the industry does not routinely disclose fluorine chemistry in additives. Alternatives such as braided polyethylene or fluorocarbon lines may introduce different chemical trade-offs. No major fishing line brand has achieved certified PFAS-free status or third-party verification; this is a category-wide disclosure gap rather than a Bass Pro-specific failure.
If you buy it
Store the spool in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight to minimize UV-induced degradation of the nylon polymer, which can weaken line strength over time. Replace the line annually or when visible wear, discoloration, or reduced casting distance occurs. Dispose of spent monofilament responsibly in trash or recycling programs designed for synthetic polymers; do not discard in water where it poses entanglement risk to wildlife. During normal fishing use (casting, retrieval, contact with skin and water), microplastic shedding is minimal under standard conditions.
What is not known about PFAS in this product?
- Basis
- Model estimate, 72% confidence, not a lab result
- Lab test
- None on record for this exact product
- Brand statement
- Bass Pro Shops has made none
Formulations change between production runs, so check the current label. How we grade.
More fishing line grades
How we score, every product runs through the same public 0-100 rubric based on materials, coatings, brand disclosure, lab findings, and recalls. See the full methodology → Spotted a mistake? Report an error.