New Braidaholic

[revredfish]

Not meaning to make fun of anyone in recovery but I've finally got the braid thing figured out and thought I should share a bit of info.

I hated braid - I've tried converting at least 3 times and pulled it all off and threw it away or gave it to all_in.

Here's what I finally learned:


type of braid matters - the flatter the braid the more it "floats" in the air. I've discovered I like fireline Crystal which is fused (and supposedly transluscent).
stop getting caught up in the diameter thing. I was constantly getting 20 or thirty pound braid because the diameter was similar to the 8lb mono I normally use. but I was still losing about 8 feet on my casting distance. I've dropped down to 14 and many I know are fishing 8lb braid - now I can throw it a mile
tangles happen. No way around it but the durability of braid pays off
the last two weeks about half of my fish would have been lost without braid. No way I land a 26 inch red with five lbs of grass fishing with 8lb mono. The braid stand up to the wear and actualy cuts through the grass making removal much easier
braid lasts and lasts so it pays for itself - so I'm told
leaders - you don't really need them for reds. Every time I tie a leader it pops off so I quit with reds. Haven't figured out what I'll do about trout but I know that a popping cork is so much easier to fish with braid it's amazing


I'm sure I can think of more but I will stop there. As far as transluscent braid goes i know the Spiderwire Invisabraid is better i can tell by looking at it - but the $20 pricetag is out of my reach.

There you go I've gone braid - I'm not going back. I'll learn some real knots for trout season but as my name states I like to catch reds.

[LSUbeast]

I've used 20 lb spiderwire braid since it first came out. I've never lost a fish due to break off until last weekend when I hooked a tarpon while in Destin.

[bigredbobber]

4 little bits of advice on braid. I know others may have different opinions, but I've used braided line exclusively for a few years now.

1. for leader to braid knot: use a simple blood knot also called a surgeon's knot. easy to do and I've never had one break. I've had the mono break at the hook or in the middle but never at the knot, and I have caught some big red's with that knot. Plus, it slips through the tip top.

http://www.animatedknots.com/surgeonsjoin/index.php

2. I don't know anything about those invisible braided lines, but for the other stuff (I use Power-Pro) I spray Reel Magic on the spool and line when the line starts to fade from use (a testament to how long it lasts). It rehabs the line similar to how the cleaning solution and scrub helps make floating line glide through the guides better. You fly fishermen know what I'm talking about.

3. Save the thick rubber bands from fresh broccoli. They are perfect for covering the spool base to stop slippage once you are near to being spooled by a bull red.

4. To make your line go the extra mile, once the line on your reel gets old on the side you fish from, pull out, clip and discard about 10 yards or so until you see just faded (but still good) line. Guide this through the tip top and guides of another empty rod and tie it onto the new reel. Reel in the line onto this 2nd fishing pole with your first rod on free spool (keeping pressure on the line coming in by pinching it in your fingers using a wet washcloth or rag) and you end up with the old stuff buried in your spool (which you will rarely use but can still trust to do the job) and the line (which was originally buried and unused in your first reel) is ready to have a leader tied on (looking brand new.) I've never lost a fish using that method unless, of course, it shook off the hook, popped the leader, etc. It was never the old braided line that failed.
You get twice the life from braided line using this method. Saves $ and pays you back a little if you do this right.

I don't know where I learned that from, but I thank whoever came up with the idea to flip the line like that.

[Racechaser]

I don't know where I learned that from, but I thank whoever came up with the idea to flip the line like that.

Yak A Loo was the one that taught me that.

[Yak-a-Lou]

Yak A Loo was the one that taught me that.

No credit here... just passing on what someone else taught me.

[Choupique]

LOVE #10 suffix braid, cast a mile. Thin braid is good thick braid >20lb is terrible for casting distance. I also tried Samauri Braid (high end coated suuuuuper thin stuff) didn’t like it, ton’s of break offs. I like to use a uni to uni for a flouro leader. For reds it probably doesn’t matter. Another thing is that running braid straight to a topwater seems to tangle a ton on the walking the dog, hitting the water etc. I wouldn’t do it; use a leader.

[Kingfish]

"Save the thick rubber bands from fresh broccoli. They are perfect for covering the spool base to stop slippage"

I've been wrapping the spool with duct tape. This is MUCH better.

[Hobie1Kenobie]

"Save the thick rubber bands from fresh broccoli. They are perfect for covering the spool base to stop slippage"

I've been wrapping the spool with duct tape. This is MUCH better.

I start spooling with flouro for about 30' and then uni to uni to braid. I use 20 pound test Spider Wire for red's which is my primary prey but prefer flouro for trout.

[Shankapotomus]

I start spooling with flouro for about 30' and then uni to uni to braid. I use 20 pound test Spider Wire for red's which is my primary prey but prefer flouro for trout.

+1 on the mono to braid transition. Professional Sports Shop (on Julia St. down town N.O.) turned me on to that trick a few years ago. I brought them my reel once because i thought it was broken. Turns out that i'm just an idiot and did not read the instructions on the fancy braided line that i had just bought.

[ReelThrill]

Suffix performance stretch. Best braided line I have found.

[downoffthemountain]

I recently inherited some fishing tackle from my wife's grandfather. He fished Flathead lake in Montana, deep water trolling for big lake trout. Mostly heavy gear - Penn, Ocean City and Garcia reels on mostly pretty stiff trolling rods. One of the rigs though - a 7' rod with an action similar to my medium baitcasting rod and an Ambassador 6000 reel, both in excellent condition - looked like something I could use as an additional casting outfit. The spool was already loaded with what appears to be some really nice weighted line. In my infinite ignorance, I thought that perhaps it would function like and substitute for a braided line to counteract the grass issues that everyone has been facing. In trying to learn how to cast this rig, I've created backlashes on a scale I didn't know was possible. This line seems to actively try twisting & kinking itself. Before I strip this stuff off and try again with one of the above mentioned braided lines, is there any redeeming reason for keeping this weighted line and it is actually just a matter of educating myself on how to cast properly?

[bigredbobber]

its sounds like you have a nice trolling set up for lake trout or salmon. Often the lighter rods were hand-held (and used for trolling more shallow water) and the heavy rods were put in rod holders. I'd go ahead and respool it just because I didn't know the #test and the age of the line. Good luck. You can always save it, anyway.

[Choupique]

lot of guys use the lead core lines to troll the tressels for trout.

[downoffthemountain]

Thanks for the feedback. I think I'll go ahead and redo this rig with braided line - saving the weighted stuff. I'm still optomistic about converting this unit into another reliable casting outfit. There are a couple of other, heavier combos that I can leave strung with weighted line if I get into trolling some day.