How to Choose PE Line SizeSize 1 Is 18-22.4lb, With Leader Pairings

Choose PE size first by your rod's line rating, then read strength in lb. The size number is a weight standard, so even at size 1 there is a gap: the Pitbull 8 is 22.4lb and the Dura Sensor X8EX+Si3 is 18lb.

Whose line is "size 1 is 20lb" about?

People often say PE at size 1 is about 20lb. I checked 8-strand size 1 on three makers' official pages: Shimano's Pitbull 8 is 22.4lb, Daiwa's UVF PE Dura Sensor X8EX+Si3 is 18lb, and Kureha's Seaguar PEX8 is up to 20lb.

The same size 1 has a 4.4lb spread. 20lb sits right in the middle. The common wisdom is half right.

How I see it

The rod decides the size first. The rod's line rating column gives a range such as "PE 0.8-2.0," and a line outside it is outside the rod's design.

What is hard to decide comes after that. Strength differs by maker even at the same size, so I match the size first, then compare lb, and match the leader by lb rather than by size.

Only three things decide PE line size

• Stay within the rod's line rating. For example, the Colt Sniper SS S100M is PE MAX 2.5, and the Solpara SPSJ-1002M/LSJ is 0.8-2.0
• At the same size, compare each maker's lb. Read the heading too, whether it says maximum or average
• For the leader, choose a thickness whose strength is close to the PE's lb

Quick chart of PE size by fishing method

With 30 years of fishing and an instructor's eye for eging and jigging, the quickest route is to never step outside the rod's line rating. I picked up the ranges for each method from the rod and reel tables compared on this site.

PE size to lb conversion chart

Swipe the table sideways →

PE size is a weight standard and does not set strength

The Japan Fishing Tackle Industry Association's "PE line thickness standard" sets thickness in denier. Denier is the weight in grams of 9,000m of line, and size 1 is 200 denier. The weight includes coating and pigment.

This standard has no strength item. The nylon and fluorocarbon standards are clearer: they say strength and the like are left to each company's discretion. That is why lb varies at the same size.

150m of size 1 weighs about 3.3g (200 × 150 ÷ 9,000).

Thinner PE is stronger per size number

On the same line, the per-size figure at 0.6 is higher than at 2. Doubling the size doesn't exactly double the lb. On the Pitbull 8, going from size 1 to 2 is 1.91x.

Shortcut formulas such as "lb ÷ 10 = size" miss for some makers.

PE size and leader thickness pairings

My way is to choose a leader whose strength is close to the PE's. The table below puts the PE's official strength next to the lb of Shimano's Pitbull Fluoro Leader.

A maker's page has a similar example. On Varivas's page, Kazuharu Asakawa pairs a 16lb or 20lb leader with PE 0.8, and a 20lb or 22lb leader with size 1.

Around #4 fluorocarbon leaders, five are compared in the #4 fluorocarbon shock leader ranking.

PE size rises with rod stiffness and jig weight

In the rod tables, the maximum PE size moves with rod stiffness. For the Shimano Colt Sniper BB 10ft, ML is PE MAX 2, M is 2.5, MH is 3 and H is 4. The jig limits are 50g, 60g, 80g and 100g.

Dividing the jig limit by the PE limit gives 25g, 24g, 26.7g and 25g. Nearly constant.

The same division for Daiwa's Dragger X 10ft gives 28g for M (jig 70g, PE up to 2.5), 30g for MH (90g, 3) and 27.5g for H (110g, 4). Even across makers, it sits in a band of 25-30g per size of PE limit, and you can read that jig weight and PE size are set as a pair.

Neither maker states this ratio officially. It is my own division.

If the weight of the jig you cast is already set, choose the rod's stiffness first. Read the PE size from that rod's table. In this order you won't get lost.

My pick for each PE size

If I pick 1 line for size 1, I take the Pitbull 8. At size 1, 22.4lb is the biggest of the 3 makers, for JPY 2,270 (excl. tax) for 150m.

If you go with Daiwa, take the Dura Sensor X8EX+Si3. It has the 5C color coding and lime green marking, and the size 1, 150m is JPY 2,840 (excl. tax) for both. The strength figure is on the small side, and that is so-so.

For anglers who want to know average strength too, the Seaguar PEX8. It is the only one of the three that lists both maximum and average.

Six 8-strand lines in 0.8 are lined up in the PE line 0.8 ranking.

For 12-strand PE, read the Dura Sensor X12EX+Si3 review too.

Who is it for?

• Anglers who want to settle the PE size that fits their rod's line rating by the numbers
• Anglers who want to compare strength in lb before changing size

If your current size is within your rod's line rating, there is no rush to replace it.

FAQ

How many lb is PE line size 1?

18-22.4lb across three makers' 8-strand lines. The size number is a weight standard, so it varies by maker.

How do PE size and diameter relate?

The standard is set by weight, not diameter. For size 1, Seaguar PEX8 also lists a standard diameter of 0.165mm.

Should I choose PE 0.8 or 1?

If both fall within your rod's line rating, decide by the strength gap. Going from 0.8 to 1 adds 4.1lb on the Pitbull 8 and 3lb on the Dura Sensor, and the price is the same either way.

What PE size is used for eging?

Around 0.8. All six eging rods compared on this site have 0.8 within their line rating.

What PE size is used for shore jigging?

For a 10ft M rod, 1-2.5. All five rods compared topped out at 2.5.

What PE size is used for aji light game?

Within 0.1-0.6, matched to your rod's range. Two Daiwa rods go up to 0.3, and two Shimano rods up to 0.6.

Gear in this article

Ads and images: Rakuten Ichiba

Shimano Pitbull 8 150m size 1Shimano Pitbull Fluoro Leader 30m #4Daiwa UVF PE Dura Sensor X8EX+Si3 150m size 1Kureha Seaguar PEX8 150m size 1

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