Help With Choosing Braid

Okay, I decided to put braided line on the larger buggy whip. I'm wanting a small diameter line and stronger line. This was prompted by running into a school of larger than normal sand bass this evening on Grapevine. If I could have cranked down on the drag and flipped them into the boat much faster I would have spent less time catching back up to them. Plus that big ole kitty cat I hooked into took me for a ride before I finally landed it and threw it out of the boat. But I primarily want to use the braid for crappie.

Chinquapin tells me that braid is hard to cut even with nail clippers. I'm not looking for the cheapest line. Any suggestions on which brand and type of braid would be appreciated.

Power Pro 10lb. test in Yellow. Tie ya on a fluro leader in 8lb. and your're set. Been using this combo for 4 years and love it.

Oh and not only does the leader help with spooked Crappie, you can easily re-tie jigs on the fluro with regular pliers. Make ya about an 3 foot leader and your question about cutting braid is answered.

Thanks Stucky. Is it 10# test? Or the diameter of 10# test but stronger?

Power Pro 10 - 2...
That's 10 lb test with 2 lb diameater...
I use the flo-green (old eyes) better seen....
Jigum

I recently switched to Suffix hi vis 10# and so far like it alot.
I found a 'braid cutter' at BPS for $3 that cuts it like hot butter and the price was right. Gave some to Matt so don't know why he didn't mention it???? (huh, big guy?)
I even tried it on my dock shooter and so far so good.
You can't miss it, it is very hi vis sort of a tangerine color.
And, I didn't see anyone mention that you should back up your braid with some mono to keep it from slipping on your reel spool but, you probably already know that.
I think this is brand new Suffix braid so may be hard to find. I just stumpbled on to it searching at BPS for something easier to see.

I use 20 pound mostly...some times I will back off to ten or 15, and or run a leader, but I don't like to retie much, cause I have to take off my shades and put on my reading glasses to do so, or worse yet...turn a light on AND put my readers on to retie...The round bend hooks last longer than do the sickle hooks with this setup.

Oh, and a sharp pocket knife is the best thing to cut braid with..IMO.

I use Berkely Fireline in lime green. Walmart $15.96

For scissors I use Kids School Fiscar scissors. You can get them at Walmart for $2.25. Better than any other scissor out there for braid and they last a long time

Power pro super slick 8 in 10 - 15lb test in high vis yellow.

Berkley nanofil 10 - 15lb test

Spiderwire ultracast 10 - 15lb test.

I've used all three and like all three of them, but mostly have the super slick8 on most of my reels.

10# Fireline in Flame Green w/ 8 or 10# fluoro leader. Learn the Alberto knot to join the two:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J56O3CZVu7M

I misunderstood Chinquapin, he meant that it was hard to get a clean cut. His problem had something to do with braid and those itty bitty flies or something.

Try those kid scissors. I was amazed at how sharp and what a clean cut you get with them. I can't remember who told me about them a couple of years ago but that is all I carry now.

I use power pro 20 pound moss green...no leaders....

I use 2 or 4lb. Diameter 10 or 15lb. Spider wire. I tried the power pro years ago and to me it was like fishing with a well rope. Wanted to float to much. They may have changed it by now? Power pro would have it's applications, but for me I tend to move kind of fast and can't waste the time waiting on the jig to get there. Just suits me better I should say.

I use thirty and 8 to 10 lb leader daiwa samurai smooth stuff!

power pro 10 lb hiviz yellow cant beat it slick 8 is the way to go

IMHO
10 lb. Zebco Omniflex ......
its very very good line .....
i never liked braid after trying Spider Wire years ago when it came out ....seemed no matter what knot ya tied it broke at the knot .....
you can tie a granny not in the Omniflex and it wont break .....

Hmmm, please TELL me how DO YOU TIE THAT GRANNY KNOT?!!!!

I like mono better.....I've yet to fine a line that work on my reels better. My problem is keeping it from pull down into its self on the reel...

Power Pro 10-2 can't be beat. The hook will usually bend before
the line will break.

Suffix yg6 or vicious dark green fluorocarbon leader for jiging nothing for docks or river fish.

I went with the Power Pro 15lb 4lb diameter in moss green. Trying it tomorrow.

Good choice, good luck and good fishing.

10# Fireline in Crystal (white) color, a #12 black swivel and 12# Trilene mono leader (~18") in clear. Don't have to worry about a knot to hold them together and have never broke that rig on a fish....no matter what kind of a fish it is. And if you think that 'bigger' line might scare the crappie....ask that 14 1/2# seven fish limit caught at Fork Saturday before last if it was too big.

x2

I don't really get it......and this is a real question... not me just being sarcastic... but what is the point of using braid if you're just going to tie a mono leader to it? I've been wanting to switch over to braid because I've been losing a few hybrids here and there while casting for sandies. My issue is that fishing from a barge if I let the hybrid take out too much drag using my 6lb mono, they tend to take it under the barge, get hung up and eventually snapping the line. I'm tired of this happening! I am primarily out there to catch sandies so I like my lighter line... but when I do hook into a hybrid I want to be able to get that sucker in without letting him take too much line.

Can anyone suggest a good braid, (price is not an issue), for catching sandies, hybrids, and crappie? My reel is Abu Garcia Revo SX10 and it is "braid ready" so I don't need mono backing and definately don't want a mono leader.

If you want something visible above the water try the 10# Fireline Crystal that Guy mentioned above, if you're worried about visibility try 10# Fireline Original (smoke colored). Either is about the diameter of 4# mono and is plenty strong.

Yes Sir, i can offer that advice. Any brand of the braid in a 20 pound version, (I lean with Power Pro, and Spiderwire (the top-end version), but use them all.) For color, moss green, the only color I care for. This set-up is spooled on my poles everyday, I hate using mono leaders, but will if absolutely necessary. Also, I have never used mono backing, and it has never made any difference.

Were you only fishing for sandies and hybrids, I would suggest heavier line, 30 pound, maybe 40. You might rig up a pole just for Sandies and Hybrids this way if you got an extra pole.

I switched to braid in the old days, when braid was a new product...the first time I caught some on sale, I bought it and have been using it ever since, extensively. I have tried most every type and weight of braid for lots of different fishing applications. I have very specific opinions on different types of braid, but I prefer to keep them to myself...ie., some will help you catch fish better than others, some will last longer than others, some will kink/knot worse than others, etc.

Now, you must remember to set your drag so that a big sandy or a hybrid will take enough line to make a small controlled run (i.e.., you can semi control the direction of the run by using your rod angle to keep them out from under the docks) I use 7 foot pole spooled with braid and have good success in being able to control the direction of a run.

I hope this information helps...good luck and good fishing.

Thanks crapicat! It did help... I think i will take your advice and set up a separate pole for crappie and continue using the mono for them. Will probably go with Power Pro 20# for sandies/hybrids because that is what seems to be the preferred brand of forum members.

The only opinion on braid that you prefer to keep to yourself that I'm interested in is the one that will help you catch fish better than others

Hmmm, next time i need a boat buddy...I am calling you...seems you got your head on straight!

I have been fortunate enough to catch several, no, a lot of crappie in the last month. I use Power Pro tied to my jig and I don't use mono leaders. I guess I'm just lucky or maybe I would even catch more with the mono leaders. I fish a lot of brush though and I'd probably go broke buying jigs:D

Alright, the braided line testing went well yesterday.

The insert inside the package (how to use this line and please try these other fine power pro products) recommended against using the clinch knot, something about the knot slipping. So I tied on a jig using the uni-knot, but I must have clipped the tag end too close or something because I lost the jig when the knot came loose. Also think I remember reading about passing the line through the eye more than once.

The line tended to tangle around the rod tip when flinging fish in the boat, laying the rod down and unhooking the fish. Also, after losing the jig, I tied a surgeon's loop and put on a tru-turn style hook. I lost the hook later when the line slipped through a gap in the eye. The line had a stiffness and slickness to it when it was new but that wore off after about fish number ten. The limp line became a little more difficult to pass through the hook eye but not impossibly so.

Overall I can say that braided line works great. Learning and using more than one knot is a good thing. I like to use small spinning reels and that means a smaller spool. With braided line I can use a heavier test and not sacrifice line capacity. Now when I accidentally hook a big kitty or hybrid or LMB while fishing for crappie, I can "buggy whip" them into the boat more quickly and get back to catching crappie much faster.

Still prefer using mono and will keep it spooled on the 5' small buggy whip but I'll keep the braided line on the longer 6' 6" rod.

Piscatur try this knot. It's all I use anymore. I used to use a palomar but this is so simple and quick.

I'll give it a try. Thanks Bobcat.

I like the Reverse Clinch too. Easy, Fast, and Strong!

Most of my poles are spooled with Power Pro Super Slick in 10 pound 2 pound diameter. Moss Green and Bright Yellow for color. It is probably just me, but this line has a tendency to wrap around the rod tip. I think I will take Crapicat's advise and move up to 20 pound 4 pound diameter. That little extra stiffness should eliminate most of my problems.

I use Fireline and don't have much trouble with that. A little secret is to let all your line out without anything tied to it in a moving boat and then reel it back in. Takes the twists out of it.

Next time we go fishing, I will show you an easy way to get the loop off the tip without having to fiddle with it...Also, with braid you will have the ability to tighten the drag a bit (alot) more than you do. Later

I don't get many twists in my bait casters.

this is how this post appears on the Texas Fishing Forum:

Re: Help With Choosing Bra... (Dutch1947) - 15 minutes 46 seconds ago


I was poised to volunteer and greatly disappointed to open this post and find only talk of 'fishin line'.

Yes, well if he followed the forum on a regular basis He would see considerably more subjects up for discussion...they are called threads. Just remember anyone can WHINE about ANYTHING at ANYTIME....Frankly, if that is all he is going to do, maybe he does need to take it elsewhere....my experience on this forum is much better than his...and like I always say...YOU GET OUT OF SOMETHING WHAT YOU PUT INTO IT.

Not the kind of person I would want volunteering to get minnows for me....

Now that is seriously FUNNY! Brings to mind Dutch working as some kind of consultant to Victoria's Secret.

Man, I misread that post...I thought we had a guy dishing Dutch and the Forum....Wasn't going to stand by and let that happen!

I'm with ya. If you catch more fish with a leader, glad I don't use a leader because I would have more problem with my shoulder & wrist. When you discussing strength, your only as strong as your weakest spot. Buy braid to strengthen you line, then tying a leader reduces the reason for adding the braid. Might as well load you rod with whatever you are using for a leading.

I tie braid 10# straight to the jig. When I hang up, just grab braid with my hand and pull. It straightens out my #2 Sickle Hook, reshape the hook, and right back to fishing. I'm sure there is something that I am doing wrong, which is explained to me with ever post. But the freezer is full. So I'll just keep doing it the wrong way.



Keith

Yep. I keep doin it all wrong too. No thump bandits, no 8, 10, 12' rod. A cheepo $200 fish finder and every now and then I catch a fish.

Keep doing it your way no mater what others say. As long as you are having fun it's workin!

yeah next time i hang sumtin with my braid direct
i am gunna have piscatur "grab" it with "his" and pull it free ....
and dont worry i got a first aid kit on board ....ROFLMAO

Braided brand?, what's on sale generally. I've used Spider cause that's what I bought. Absolutely love it on my flyrod. Piscator knows this as he's fly fished with me plenty. You can throw a flat loop under low hanging limbs and get to those hard to reach places easily. And if it sticks on something - snatch it out, however, crappie fishin he's also seen me pull up entire condos with my braid (hooks will straighten but sinkers stick). Open water crappie and brush piles I'll use mono, for timber, braid.

If your gona use braid may as well use 30 lb. Thats what I use with no leader.

Where you fish you need 30#!!! I use 20 and it works over there fairly well.

I use 10#!!!