Fishing line is much more than just something used to tie things together.
Your line can tell you a lot about what is taking place both above and below the surface.
It can act as a strike indicator, it can tell you which way the wind is blowing, and can even let you know when your lure hits the bottom.
Using your line in the ways described above is not always obvious.
However, once you understand what to look for you'll soon discover that your line has many uses beyond tying things together and getting them from point "A" to point "B".
#1 Your Fishing Line Can Tell You If You Have a Bite
Ever fished a weightless Senko and while it was sinking you noticed your line "twitch" - and then soon realized you had a bite?
That "twitch" of your line was the fish taking your lure.
If you're fishing with a little bit of slack in your line, perhaps to allow your lure to vertically fall, keeping an eye on your line is good way to know if a fish takes your lure on decent.
This is most easily noticed when fishing with braid or mono because of the nature of the line to float until breaking the surface tension and being pulled under by the weight of the lure.
Paying attention to the portion of the floating line laying across the surface lets you easily identify the "twitch" of your line when a fish takes your lure.
It will appear almost as if someone flicked your line - just enough to cause a ripple throughout your line.
Once you see it you can't un-see it!
Though harder to see because of its sinking characteristics, the same can be said for fluorocarbon by paying attention to the part of your line entering the water.
Keeping a close eye on your line, especially during times when your lure is still falling through the water column, is a great way to see the bite before actually feeling the bite.
#2 Your Fishing Line Can Tell You Wind Direction
The next time you're out fishing and make a cast pay attention to the section of fishing line from your rod tip to where the line enters the water.
Since it's not uncommon for the wind to change direction multiple times throughout the day paying attention to this portion of your line can help you gauge which direction the wind is blowing.
The effects of wind on fishing line becomes more evident with lighter pound test line (10lb or less) and braid.
If there is at least somewhat of a breeze that day your fishing line will tell you the wind direction.
This is a great alternative way to gauge the wind when fishing a river since the water surface isn't largely affected by wind due to the downstream forces of the current.
TIP: Because of the impact that wind can have on fishing line, it sometimes can lead to unintentional movement of your lure. To avoid this from happening keep your rod tip as close to the surface as possible, thus submerging the line you have out, to limit unwanted lure movement.
#3 Your Fishing Line Can Tell You When You're Lure is on the Bottom
This was first discussed in Figuring Out What's Down There Without Sonar and believe it or not, your line will actually tell you when your lure has made contact with the bottom.
After making a cast and your lure begins its decent, you should see your fishing line "cutting" through the water with small ripples forming around it.
This is an indication of your lure still falling through the water column.
Once your lure makes contact and rests on the bottom your line will no longer cut through the water and instead you will notice a sudden droop in the portion of your line that's sticking out of the water.
This is a telltale sign that your lure has made contact with the bottom.
By paying close attention to this occurrence, you will have a better idea of when to begin your retrieve if fishing a lure on the bottom.
Secondly, it can also help with calculating water depth if you're not using some sort of depth finder.
In Conclusion
As mentioned above, your fishing line is more than just something used for knot tying and getting something from point "A" to point "B".
With a trained eye, your fishing line can also act as a striker indicator (#1), a wind vane (#2), and a bottom sensor (#3).
Time to go catch em'!
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