Braided line

[sharpe012010]

well im headed to buy some braid for the upcoming fishing year,i have always used mono since i was taught to fish..i think im going power pro 40-50# test--is that a good test ?.. but how do i spool it up? ive heard i need to back it with monofilament first?? also ive heard put it straight on.. whats the best way to go spooling it up? is the castability the same as mono?

[BassBandit]

Spool it up like you do all other line. And no backing is not required, it just to save you some extra line that's all. Instance-if the spool braid has 200 yards and would like to use it on 2 reels. I use a cheap line as backing then fill the rest with 100 yard braid per reel.

If I may suggest, better off with Sufix Performance braid

[cassidyta]

As far as your question, is it a good test, that would depend on your application, but 40-50 should work for just about anything. What type of rod and reel are you putting it on? The only issue that I have had with braid was when my drag was set all the way down and I snapped a rod because the line would not break.

As far as compared to mono it casts simialr but you will hear it more through the guides.
The first thing you will notice is the complete lack of memory on the line. It should spool the same as any other line. The only issue I have had in the past was how much the smaller test would dig in to the spool.
The backing is really there to help save money more than anything. It does help keep the line for slipping, but I believe it is all about the $$.

[sharpe012010]

Originally Posted by BassBandit

Spool it up like you do all other line. And no backing is not required, it just to save you some extra line that's all. Instance-if the spool braid has 200 yards and would like to use it on 2 reels. I use a cheap line as backing then fill the rest with 100 yard braid per reel.

If I may suggest, better off with Sufix Performance braid

you know ive always used sufix for my mono.. never have changed, but they do not sell it in braid here where i live

[sharpe012010]

Originally Posted by cassidyta

As far as your question, is it a good test, that would depend on your application, but 40-50 should work for just about anything. What type of rod and reel are you putting it on? The only issue that I have had with braid was when my drag was set all the way down and I snapped a rod because the line would not break.

As far as compared to mono it casts simialr but you will hear it more through the guides.
The first thing you will notice is the complete lack of memory on the line. It should spool the same as any other line. The only issue I have had in the past was how much the smaller test would dig in to the spool.
The backing is really there to help save money more than anything. It does help keep the line for slipping, but I believe it is all about the $$.

i will be spooling it onto a 7' Daiwa Procyon matched with a Curado e7

[sharpe012010]

and to clarify the best flouro thread? im going with the trilene 100% stuff.. good choice? not familiar with this stuff either.. going with 15 pound test

[BassBandit]

There are 4 Bass Pro Shops in Alabama. They do carry it.

[cassidyta]

When Joel reads this, he will have the best braid advice. I am pretty sure it is all he uses and simply adds leaders based off of his app. I only use braid on my frogs and heavy jigs. I use 50-60 lbs. I was throwing Power Pro but recently put some Spider braid on it. I haven't had any issues with either of them.

[sharpe012010]

Originally Posted by BassBandit

There are 4 Bass Pro Shops in Alabama. They do carry it.

i live in tuscaloosa! closest is leeds.. minimum one hour drive! i dont get the chance

[BassBandit]

Originally Posted by sharpe012010

and to clarify the best flouro thread? im going with the trilene 100% stuff.. good choice? not familiar with this stuff either.. going with 15 pound test

I hesitated because the review speaks for itself. http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/st...17000_100-17-2

I'll stick with my beloved InvizX. There's a new 100% castable fluoro from Sufix coming out soon.

[aikenyounggun]

Power Pro has great castability and is a great braided line.

[doc]

I recommend 30 lb. But whatever you get make sure your rod can handle it just because your line is 5olb test doesnt mean your rod can handle that much strain.

[Joel]

Originally Posted by cassidyta

When Joel reads this, he will have the best braid advice. I am pretty sure it is all he uses and simply adds leaders based off of his app. I only use braid on my frogs and heavy jigs. I use 50-60 lbs. I was throwing Power Pro but recently put some Spider braid on it. I haven't had any issues with either of them.

Why thank you.

There have been some excellent posts already, and I've posted many times why I use braid.

I've been a big Power Pro user for years, but since last year I've been slowly switching over to Sufix Preformence Braid because it's a 6 strand line vs a 4 strand line. That makes it rounder. PP is more oblong in shape. It's much quieter going through the guides, and tip wrap has really become a non issue. With PP it was a real issues at times.

I use backing for a few reasons. 1st is line slippage. If your reel has a solid spool, no matter how tight you tie your knot, the Braid will slip if you get down the last 1/3 of the spool. If you have a whiffle spool, then the knot won't slip once the braid is really tight. The 2nd reason is wasting braid. You should never have to go down into the bottom 1/3 of our spool, so why wast expensive line that you will never see or use. The answer is use a mono backing for the 1st 1/3. Even more if needed so that you can spool two reels for the price of one 150 yd spool of braid. No one casts 75 yards, and few if any have been spooled past that point. When and if that ever does happen, the mono will work just fine for those rare times. I use Andes 10 lb test mono. Why? Because I have tons of it from my salt days. Assuming that you don't cut and tie where you've gone through too much braid, you can respool the braid on to a different reel so that you reversed your line. You now have what amounts to new line that has never seen the light of day for free.

As for what test to use. For all my baitcasters I use 30 lb test. It will handle just about every condition you come across except for jigging in the real nasty stuff. For that I go with 50 or 65 lb test. You can anchor your boat with that size test. Spinning reels get 10-15 lb test. Which one? Whatever the local stores have or I have at hand. Braid does go down to 6 lb test, but why bother? 10lb test has the same diameter of 2 lb mono as it is.

Do not use a braid smaller 30 lb test for your baitcasters as I found that the dreaded digging in conditions occurs then.

Set you drag a little looser then you normally would. The extra give will compensate for the no stretch of the braid. You won't rip any treble hooks out of a Bass's mouth, and you won't break any rod tips either.

One word of CAUTION: Do not grab or wrap any braided line around your hand to boat a fighting fish. The braid will cut into your hand like it was butter. The same attributes that lets it cut through weeds work the same on your hands and fingers. Believe me, I've gotten some nasty cuts learning this lesson.

Leaders. Makes finesse fishing easy to do. and line visabillity becomes a non issue. My knot of choice is either a Albright or Reverse Albright knot to join the leader to the braid.

When 1st learning to use braid, you have to remember that it's not like any other line you've used before. Be conservative on you reels settings till you get use to the braid. Once you've gotten comfortable with Braid, you'll never go back. You're now a full scale member of the Dark Side.

[jasonfish320]

I'm not a big fan of braid, it's okay for a few applications...just don't go overboard over the past years I've only seen a reduction in my strikes with braid....I'm not a believer that fish have great vision, but my strikes have increased significantly since I returned back to the mono's/fluoro's the one application I really like with braid is the carolina rig with 2-3ft of mono...or throwin a jig in the weeds, braid will cut right through that stuff...just remember that if you get snagged with braid you will typically need to cut the line...this has been my experience:

Braid Pros: sensitivity, strength, no memory, almost zero stretch=strong hookset, it floats=great for topwater, smaller diameter

Braid Cons: price, damage to rod guides, castability, no stretch(depending on your style of hookset you may lose a fish here or there) also braid tends to pick up grime and hold water which can effect rod guides and reels...

These are just my opinions, they are like @ssholes, everyone's got one! I always use a leader and you should definitely using backing as joel suggested

[Joel]

I think the bottom line is that you should use what you're comfortable with and thus have confidence in. I was taken under the wings of the NYC Reservoir Rats who mostly use braid. That is how I was taught to fish the reservoirs. I became very comfortable with it. My background from the salt was also braid, braid, and more braid. I even used it on Party boats when the captain and mates hated the stuff.

[BassBandit]

I use braid for frogging, nothing else. To use braid for everything, well more power to you.

[dave]

Backing is necessary if you don't tie to a hole in the spool or use a thick electrical tape. The line will slip around the spool.

[BigBassin144]

I find that fine of 30lb test or smaller is more castable than most mono. I honestly wouldn't go over 30lb test. You can use backing, but it's not necisary on a baitcasting reel. I do, but it's mostly to make a spool last longer. If you to use backing, I connect the lines with an albright special knot.

I HIGHLY recommend Sufix Performance Braid.

BB

[Bassboss]

i think im going power pro 40-50# test--is that a good test ?

40lb-50lb is fine! However I prefer 30lb for general bassin!

but how do i spool it up? ive heard i need to back it with monofilament first?? also ive heard put it straight on.

either way first, it dose not really matter IMO. If you back it with mono it will save on braid.

is the castability the same as mono?

Braid has a much higher cast ability mono, it has less memory and if much thinner then mono, providing better castability!

[dubyatee]

why not just go with 50 pound test, it is the same diameter as 12# mono and will not dig into the spool as much?

[Joel]

Originally Posted by dubyatee

why not just go with 50 pound test, it is the same diameter as 12# mono and will not dig into the spool as much?

It's over kill. 30 lb test braid won't dig in and is half the dia. It's also cheaper for a few bucks.

[ho_shi]

power pro is the best

spiderwire braid sucks in my experience

I use 30 lb as its 12 lb diameter

I dont buy any reels with hard spools all mine are wiffle. As with any line I dont tie round the spool I tie THRU 2 holes in the wiffle and schazam NO more slippage!!!

I use a custom rod with a Quantum Energy PT 750 with 30 lb power Pro and can cast a pretty good ways no problem a strike king rage tail shad weightless...


as for the "backer" spool it up Power Pro has a ez dispenser. IF you care to after you feel that the line has reached a sizeable amount of usage take another reel and spool from reel "A" onto reel "B". that puts the used part of the spool on the bottom and the fresh new stuff on the top. Come on now how many of ya can cast anything the whole spool??? you are really truely using only half the line so why not use the other half???

I find my self using more and more power pro and less and less mono or any other brand. I do have mono on a few reels for select uses but stay with my P.P.

Hope this helps

[Joel]

Originally Posted by ho_shi

power pro is the best

spiderwire braid sucks in my experience

I use 30 lb as its 12 lb diameter....
....I find my self using more and more power pro and less and less mono or any other brand. I do have mono on a few reels for select uses but stay with my P.P.

Hope this helps

Try upgrading just one reel with Sufix Preformence Braid. You will see a big difference over Power Pro, and the price is just about the same.

[ho_shi]

dulely noted have to get me some!!

[sharpe012010]

It's pretty much official, i will never use Mono again..im already extremely comfortable with braid and my castability has gone up 7 feet or so. i bought some Power Pro 50# spooled 5 reels up with it in all including one spinning rod and i absolutely love it. i think i will just be adding flouro as a leader in the required situations. found out that if its even remotely cloudy, with costas on, you cant see your line...im going to switch to Sufix braid soon, so should i go ahead and go with 30#? we took the boat out yesterday and couldnt get the big motor to crank up so we spent the evening trolling around the banks near the landing.. only one fish caught and it was a plump 12 pound blue cat! only pictures on cell phones so im working on getting a pic up lol but i caught it on a pfleuger trion spinning combo with the braid and im sold. of course thought she was a 10 pound largemouth at first!