Hello all, well here we are nearing the end of February and inching ever closer to opening day....Okay ...I know...still a ways to go yet but....I am still reading everything I can lay my hands on and making purchases for tackle most every time I am in Canadian Tire or in a bait and tackle shop. I just recently read an article from Outdoor Sports from a couple of years ago featuring fishing line. More to the point, braid vs. mono vs. fluoro. I have been using mono all my life and have no complaints and after reading this article I may try the braid on a spinning reel. The article suggests tying a 5 foot leader ( approx.) to the braid to which I must use a " certain knot" to which my older brother and my good friend both agree. I have seen the cost of braid and quite honestly, I find it " out there" along with the cost of flyline but, I am willing to try it so I shall. What line do you all feel more comfortable using on your spinning reels or your baitcasters ? If you use braid are you satisfied with it ? Is cost a factor in deciding which line you choose or like me with guitar strings...nuthin but the best!!!? I will likely keep on using mono as this is what my father and I have used all our lives but as I stated I will try the braid....and for crying out loud....don,t tell Dad!
Your friend, Trevor Calhoun.
I use braid on most of my rods for three reasons (i) I can get a higher poundage of line which keeps me from loosing lures and terminal tackle; also the smaller diameter gives better casts (ii) more sensitivity as there is no stretch and (iii) the line can be used for many seasons without significant degradation.
If amount of line is not an issue you can add more mono backing and use less braid. I have had issues with the abrasion resistance of braid (many different brands) and will use fluro/mono leaders when still fishing in rocky areas for catfish and bottom feeders.
It's a bit like buying an LED bulb; you pay up front and get returns later.
That being said most of UL reels are spooled directly with 4-6 lb Fluoro. I have one small reel that could not deal with the stiffness of fluro so i spooled with very supple mono.
Braid is fantastic for sensitivity and long cast property due to the thin diameter vs. line strength. However, it is terrible for abrasion resistance especially against rocks, shells and coral.
As zippy said, always add a fluoro/mono leader if you need abrasion resistance, a few feet of leader will no affect sensitivity at all.
The one downside to braid is when you are casting light rigs in the wind. Braid, since it is so supple, has a tendency to fly off the spool during the cast, leading to wind knots when it is blown off the spool. It is also prone to forming loops when you first engage the reel if you have a habit to rely on your reel to close the bait mechanically (vs. manually).
Keep those things in mind and you should not have an issue.
I was also hesitant to switch my reels to braid, but not, almost all my reels are filled with braid.
For small UL reels, I would say you don't necessarily need braid...but then again, I landed some very hard running saltwater fish on 8lb braid and 2lb fluoro leader recently. I completely trust it now to handle bigger fish if they happened to take your bait on an ultralight rig.
I drive a Ford pickup........ not a Ferrari, and get there just the same every time.
I eat hot dogs, MAC, and tuna occasionally....... not caviar or steak nightly, and seem to be thriving so far.
I use mono exclusively, always have.......... and catch plenty, lose only a few - and most of these were not because of the line........
I did buy a new fangled hula-hoop once, long ago though. Made me nauseous.
Opinions may vary. Smile
Cheers,
OldTimer
braid backing with 12# flouro or straight braid on all my baitcasting setups....spinning would be 10 or 12# flouro....don't have any ul setups so no light line is ever used....mono has too much stretch for my liking so i never use it either....braid backing on all reels is a must since flouro isn't cheap and i tend to change line twice a season with flouro, really helps stretching out a spool of flouro....even with braid i'll use some braid backing too...
Hi all, and thank you for the advice and instruction concerning my inquiries of the braid line. At this point I am still pondering but I did agree to try it on one reel this season so, I shall keep my word. So again, Thank you, and be well,
Your friend Trevor Calhoun.