What Nomad Design Line Should I Choose?
Your Guide to Nomad Braid & Leader Lines
When you’re chasing fish that hit like freight trains, your line is your lifeline. Every cast, every blistering run and every final lift of the net comes down to whether your braid and leader can handle the pressure. That’s why every Nomad braid and leader is tested in Australia and engineered for absolute performance across every style of fishing. From reef edges and timber-lined creeks to open bluewater, this guide will walk you through exactly which line to choose and when.
Why Does Line Choice Matter? Think of your line as the transmission between you and the fish: Braid gives you strength, sensitivity and casting performance. Leader gives you shock absorption, stealth and abrasion resistance. Get those two elements right for your style of fishing, and everything else, lure action, hook-up rate, and landing fish in rough country falls into place.
A Quick "Which Line Should I Use?" Cheat Sheet
| Fishing Situation | Recommended Braid | Recommended Leader |
|---|---|---|
| Long-range topwater casting | Ammonite Casting | Panderra HT Mono / Hybrid |
| Deep jigging on reef or structure | Ammonite Jigging | Hybrid or Tufflock Fluorocarbon |
| General offshore (GTs, tuna, reef) | Panderra Braid | Panderra HT Mono or Hybrid |
| Heavy structure / Barra / snags | Tufflock X9 Braid | Tufflock 100% Fluorocarbon or Hybrid |
| Clear water & fussy fish | Panderra or Tufflock X9 Braid | Tufflock 100% Fluorocarbon |
Braid: The Backbone of Your Setup All Nomad braids are built on cutting-edge PE fibre technology with refined weaves and Hydroslick coatings for performance and durability. But each braid has a specific job.
Long-range precision and bite detection. If you’re serious about casting lures all day, Ammonite Casting is built for distance, accuracy and feel. Using a super-tight 36-weave X8 construction, it delivers a round, ultra-smooth profile that glides through the guides and holds strong under brutal loads.
· High-vis white colour for pinpoint casting accuracy and easy line tracking
· Makes it simple to spot bow in the line and detect subtle bites on topwater or mid-water presentations.
· Hydroslick coating reduces water absorption for consistent casting distance and crisp sensitivity.
When to choose Ammonite Casting:
Perfect for long-range topwater, stickbaits and minnows where casting distance and control are everything. If you’re working reef edges, pressure points or surface-feeding fish and want to see everything your lure and line are doing, Ammonite Casting is your go-to.
Depth control and maximum sensitivity. Ammonite Jigging takes the same advanced 36-weave X8 construction and tunes it specifically for vertical work. Sensitivity, depth awareness and line control are the focus.
· Colour changes every 20 ft so you always know where your jig is in the water column.
· Allows you to quickly get back to the depth you hooked fish or were getting bites.
· Super smooth profile for fast sink rates and reduced drag in current.
· Hydroslick coating keeps it sensitive and consistent, even at depth.
When to choose Ammonite Jigging:
Ideal for deep reef species, micro-jigging and slow-pitch or fast-pitch jigging where staying in the strike zone matters. If you’re fishing vertically and want precise depth reference plus ultimate feel, Ammonite Jigging is the specialist tool for the job.
The ultimate all-rounder. If you want one braid that can do almost everything, Panderra Braid is your workhorse. Built from premium Japanese PE fibre with Micro Weave technology, it packs serious strength into a thin, smooth diameter.
· Colour changes every 30 ft (10 m) for trolling and jigging reference.
· Cast-ready straight off the spool no break-in required.
· Hydroslick coating helps it fly through the guides smoothly and stay tough.
When to choose Panderra:
Perfect if you fish a mix of GTs, mackerel, tuna and reef species. Panderra is the braid you spool when you want one line that can handle casting, trolling, livebaiting and jigging without fuss.
Heavy-duty reliability for harsh country. When you’re fishing gnarly structure or chasing fish that don’t play fair, Tufflock X9 is the answer. The 9-carrier round profile gives excellent line lay and smooth casting, while the Microweave process locks strength into every fibre.
· Hydroslick coating improves abrasion resistance and casting distance.
· Round, soft profile that packs nicely on the spool and runs cleanly through guides.
· Designed and tested in Australia for extreme conditions.
When to choose Tufflock X9:
This is your pick when fishing heavy structure, rock bars, timber or reef or targeting hard-hitting, dirty fighters like barramundi and big reef fish. If your fishing involves dragging fish away from danger, Tufflock is built to take that punishment.
Leaders: The Final Link That Makes It All Work Once you’ve picked your braid, your leader becomes the critical link between you and the fish. It can:
· Cushion savage strikes
· Protect against reef, rocks and structure
· Make your presentation more natural and stealthy
Shock-absorbing power for high-speed hits. Panderra HT Mono Leader is super tough, yet supple enough to maintain excellent knot strength. It’s designed to stretch under load and absorb the impact of big hits, then recover without losing shape.
Best for:
· Trolling large lures
· Casting big topwater or stickbaits
· High-speed predators like mackerel and wahoo
Why choose it:
When you’re fishing fast-moving lures at speed and expecting violent strikes, Panderra HT Mono acts like a shock absorber, helping keep hooks pinned and protecting your braid and knots.
Panderra & Tufflock Hybrid Leader
The best of fluoro and mono in one. This Hybrid Leader combines a fluorocarbon outer with a mono core, giving you the abrasion resistance and stealth of fluoro with the forgiveness and knot-friendly nature of mono.
Best for:
· Working lures through coral, reef and structure
· Situations where you’re regularly tying FG knots
· Anglers who want resilience and stealth in one package
Why choose it:
If you’re fishing reef edges, bommies or shallow coral country where your leader is constantly brushing structure, this hybrid design is ideal. It’s tough on the outside, more forgiving on the inside, and perfect for long casting leaders joined via FG.
Tufflock 100% Fluorocarbon Leader
Stealth and control in clear water. When fish are spooky and the water is clear, Tufflock 100% Fluorocarbon Leader comes into its own. Made from pure Japanese fluorocarbon, it’s thin, supple and highly abrasion resistant.
Best for:
· Fussy or heavily pressured fish
· Clear water estuaries, reefs and offshore
· Situations where presentation and invisibility really matter
Why choose it:
Fluorocarbon has a refractive index closer to water, making it much less visible. Tufflock Fluoro gives you that stealth, plus the abrasion resistance needed around reef and structure.
Putting It All Together Choosing the right line isn’t just about picking a breaking strain, it’s about matching:
· The braid to your fishing style and target species
· The leader to your environment, structure and water clarity
With Ammonite Casting and Jigging, Panderra and Tufflock braids, plus the Panderra HT, Hybrid and Tufflock Fluorocarbon leaders, you can dial in a setup that’s purpose-built for what you do on the water. Tested in Australia and proven around the world, Nomad lines are designed to do one thing: keep you connected to the fish of a lifetime, cast after cast and fight after fight.
