Abrasion resistance is its ability to maintain structural integrity when in contact with abrasive surfaces such as rocks or other rough objects hidden in the water.
A line with high abrasion tolerance is essential in rugged waters as it’s common for your line to make contact with a lot of surfaces as a fish darts and thrashes, trying to pull away from the lure.
If a line can’t handle contact with the friction-bearing object, it will snap, and your catch will be gone for good.
Unfortunately, there is no universal way of measuring abrasion resistance. Manufacturers are employing different means of testing, which makes choosing a strong line pretty difficult. The only way to be sure is to do your testing by pulling the line taught and running it over a rock.
Everything about a line’s construction affects its abrasion resistance. The materials, the diameter, and the tensile strength all count towards the final product.
The braided line tends to be the most capable of surviving rugged terrain as it can be quite hard and normally has a larger diameter than other line types.
Lines with high levels of abrasion resistance aren’t always necessary. If you’re fishing in clear waters with fairly simple or soft bed structure and no tide, the chances of snagging on a rough surface are pretty low.
On the other hand, if you’re trying your luck in a particularly rocky section of a river, load up your braided line. You’re going to need it!