PowerPro Braided Line Review

PowerPro is one of the best-known braid brands in American saltwater fishing and is owned by Shimano. For deep dropping it offers two metered lines: Depth-Hunter, a long-running multi-color braid that shows depth with color sections and black marks, and Maxcuatro Metered, a thinner four-carrier braid in heavy 80 and 100 lb tests for offshore and electric-reel fishing.

This review covers both metered lines, their color patterns, sizes and prices, and how to pick one for your electric reel.

PowerPro at a glance

Item	Details
Brand	PowerPro (Shimano North America Fishing)
Deep drop braids	Depth-Hunter, Maxcuatro Metered
Fiber	Honeywell Spectra; Maxcuatro uses Spectra HT
Strengths	Depth-Hunter 10–150 lb; Maxcuatro Metered 80 and 100 lb
Longest spool	3,000 yd (both lines)
Website	fishshop.shimano.com

Depth-Hunter: the classic metered braid

Depth-Hunter is PowerPro’s metered braid, made with Spectra fiber and PowerPro’s Enhanced Body Technology (EBT), a resin treatment that bonds the fibers and rounds the profile. In the US version, the line changes color every 25 feet through blue, yellow, green and orange, so the pattern repeats every 100 feet, and a black tick mark every 5 feet lets you set the rig at an exact depth. Shimano’s Oceania listing describes a version that changes color every 10 meters instead, so check the pattern on the spool you buy.

Depth-Hunter sizes

Spec	Details
Colors	Blue, yellow, green, orange in 25-ft sections (repeats every 100 ft)
Depth marks	Black tick every 5 ft
Strengths	10, 15, 20, 30, 40, 50, 65, 80, 100 and 150 lb
Spool lengths	167, 333, 500, 1,500 and 3,000 yd
Price examples	About $0.13–0.16 per yard when spooled from bulk at Tomo’s Tackle; 3,000 yd spool listed at $599.99 CAD in Canada

Maxcuatro Metered: thinner braid for heavy offshore work

Maxcuatro Metered is a four-carrier braid made from Honeywell Spectra HT, tightened during manufacture so it is about 25% thinner than standard braid of the same strength. Less diameter means less water drag, so baits sink faster with less belly in the line. It uses five high-visibility colors (blue, yellow, red, green and orange) on a cycle that matches standard US depth finder settings, so you can gauge line out without a mechanical counter.

Spec	Details
Construction	4-carrier Spectra HT with Enhanced Body Technology
Colors	Blue, yellow, red, green and orange, repeating on a 100-ft cycle
Strengths	80 and 100 lb
Spool lengths	300 and 500 yd; 1,500 and 3,000 yd for electric and big conventional reels
Best for	Deep drop with electric reels, heavy bottom fishing, daytime swordfish

Depth-Hunter vs Maxcuatro Metered

Feature	Depth-Hunter	Maxcuatro Metered
Strength range	10–150 lb	80 and 100 lb
Colors	4 colors, 25-ft sections	5 colors, 100-ft cycle
Depth marks	Black tick every 5 ft	None stated
Diameter	Standard PowerPro	About 25% thinner
Best use	All-round deep drop, jigging and trolling	Heavy deep drop and offshore

Latest updates 2025–2026

• Depth-Hunter remains in Shimano North America’s current lineup in 10–150 lb and 167–3,000 yd spools.
• Dealers now also list “Depth-Hunter Offshore” bulk spools in 65, 80 and 100 lb on 3,000 yd, aimed at electric reels.
• We found no brand-new PowerPro metered braid announced for 2025–2026.

Key features

• Depth at a glance: color sections plus 5-ft marks on Depth-Hunter.
• Thin, low-drag Maxcuatro: helps heavy leads reach bottom faster in current.
• Huge spools: 3,000 yd bulk spools fill even the largest electric reels.
• Wide strength range: from 10 lb for jigging to 150 lb for the heaviest deep drop setups.

Pros and cons

Pros	Cons
Proven metered braid, easy to find at US tackle shops	Color pattern differs between the US and Oceania versions
5-ft depth marks on Depth-Hunter	Maxcuatro Metered only comes in 80 and 100 lb
Spools up to 3,000 yd	Large bulk spools are expensive
Strengths from 10 to 150 lb	Shimano lists few diameters for Depth-Hunter

Who it’s for

Angler	Best PowerPro line	Suggested strength
Tilefish and snowy grouper with an electric reel	Depth-Hunter	50–80 lb
Daytime swordfish and heavy deep drop	Maxcuatro Metered	80–100 lb
Slow pitch and vertical jigging	Depth-Hunter	20–40 lb

Where to buy

PowerPro is sold at most US tackle shops and online, including Shimano’s store, Tomo’s Tackle (which spools bulk line by the yard) and other offshore dealers. For an electric reel, ask the shop to spool it under tension straight from a bulk spool.

Verdict

PowerPro Depth-Hunter is a safe, widely available choice for anyone deep dropping with an electric reel, and its 5-ft marks make it easy to set the bait at depth. If you fish heavy tackle and want the thinnest line for its strength, Maxcuatro Metered in 80 or 100 lb is the step up.

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Specs and prices are compiled from manufacturer and dealer listings in October 2026 and can change. Spotted an error? Contact us.