Dr,

I have snapped 65# power pro twice on hook sets at Falcon over the past few years, and landed a 9.9 all from deeper water. The bites weren't affected by the type of line, and who knows maybe the two that snapped my braid were over 13!!

Biggest on braid was a 12.98 certified but my mom caught a 13.04 out of Fork on fluoro. The only time I use braid is sight fishing for a monster or slop frog fishing.

9.7 on red 65lb power pro c- rig they say the braid scares the fish before the bait gets to them but I don't believe them

11.60 Falcon 65# braid. If not for braid I likely would not have landed this fish. She was deep in the thick stuff

Ive caught a couple 12's on braid. Both my 13's were on mono. Dont think it matters really because there arent many times you are around 13 lbers.

cought sharelunker 13.69 on mono,then 14.59 on braid.I think it doesnt matter

Well 4 over 13lbs on Lake Fork none on braid.

Caught a couple of 8's on ten lb braid on my spinning outfits.

Gotta 13.02 on Ray Roberts 20lb Big game.

I have a 12.9 from falcon on 65 braid

I hate braid - cuts your fingers when you set hook, diggs deep in to the spool on a professional over run, destorys the eyes of your rod, Just my two cents.

Interesting!
Looks like braid might not make as much difference as I thought.
Well, catching a 13plus is kinda like getting lightening in a bottle anyway-except for you lake Fork guide Tony Clark!--FOUR over 13!!--wow

9.8 Falcon 65# power pro.

It has been proven to me over and over that you get fewer bites with braid in typical open water. However, if you are flipping into brush, timber, or grass then I doubt a fish will notice your line since it will blend in with the cover. I would not risk loosing that big of a fish if that is the type of cover I'm fishing without having braid. JMO

Braid is better suited for applications in/around heavy cover. Frog fishing, dropping in grass, flipping in stained water, upper ends of reservoirs, extremely heavy cover (falcon), etc...

Using braid when fishing open water in a clear lake will drastically reduce the amount of bites you get from any size fish, sharelunkers included. If you don't believe me, come to Belton and fish braid on all of your baits and have someone in the same boat fish with flouro.I've seen it time and time again.

If I thought I got the same amount of bites using braid in clear open water, I'd use it. It has obvious advantages over mono and flouro, no stretch and durability being the most important. It would be great for structure fishing when you are slinging a rig, jig, or crankbait out 60-70 yards and one bites it at the far end of a cast. But if you don't get them to bite, the advantage goes out the window.

Can you catch a big fish on braid in clear, open water? You bet, anything is possible! Will you have a better chance of getting him to bite a bait that's tied on flouro? In my experience, the clearer the water and less cover, the less bites you will get with braid.