Braid, how low do you go?

andyco

andyco

Well-known member
I've started using braid on the Surfblaster, I did have 30lb on, (and have now put 50lb, with 80lb braid shock, on the deep spool, for rough ground). Even with 30lb (0.28mm) it really flies, I've been casting further than ever with it, but I've just filled the narrow spool with 15lb (0.18mm).

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Haven't tried it yet, I'm gonna wait till these winds ease off. I was wondering if anyone else is using such small diameter mainline?
 
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Try some 20lb whiplash!! Just be careful to check the knot to your shocker and retie occasionally.

Personally find 40lb with 100 leader to be the best compromise. At the end of the day the only thing that will give you real distance is a decent casting technique!
 
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Cheers. The 50lb with 80lb shock seems to work ok, but tbh the other night, along Whitburn, I was snagged and it snapped at the shock leader knot, so I fished the rest of the session with just the 50lb straight through, and found that ok, only lost a couple of leads when my r.b. snapped.

Maybe my technique changes when I switch from multi and mono to fixed spool and braid, but I definitely cast ALOT further with the fixie/braid.
 
I tended to use 40lb braid with 100lb braid shocker for all round use and 66lb power pro again with a 100lb braid leader for rough ground. I gave it a year or so with the braid and after initially thinking it was awesome, I realized it was a headache and went back to mono and multis. It has its applications, its just not for me.
 
Pighunter said:
I was told the rule of thumb was what ever mono you use double it for braid. So if you use 20lb mono use 40lb braid
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I can see the logic in that you end up with stronger line, for the same, or less diameter, but for distance I thought the thinner the line, the further it will go.

The thinnest braid I've used so far is 0.28 (30lb), and that does go further than my usual 0.40 (20lb) mono, so I'm assuming the 0.18 braid will go even further.

(NB. I'm not totally obsessed with distance! :p I know it isn't always needed, but it is handy sometimes. Lately I've been fishing two rods, one with a multiplier and 20lb mono as normal, and then the fixed spool rod/reel and braid at range).
 
andyco said:
I've started using braid on the Surfblaster, I did have 30lb on, (and have now put 50lb, with 80lb braid shock, on the deep spool, for rough ground). Even with 30lb (0.28mm) it really flies, I've been casting further than ever with it, but I've just filled the narrow spool with 15lb (0.18mm).

v598ir.jpg


Haven't tried it yet, I'm gonna wait till these winds ease off. I was wondering if anyone else is using such small diameter mainline?
Click to expand...

depends on how many reels spools you have and venue you fish clean beaches 15lb fireline
but think as already said you get what you pay for buy the chinese braid and is a lot thicker than whiplash or fireline which is realy thin and thats what you are paying for,thin braid casts further obviously on account of dia.
trying casting 30lb mono then try 30lb whiplash better still on a 16ft continental rod unbelievable.
 
andyco said:
I've started using braid on the Surfblaster, I did have 30lb on, (and have now put 50lb, with 80lb braid shock, on the deep spool, for rough ground). Even with 30lb (0.28mm) it really flies, I've been casting further than ever with it, but I've just filled the narrow spool with 15lb (0.18mm).

v598ir.jpg


Haven't tried it yet, I'm gonna wait till these winds ease off. I was wondering if anyone else is using such small diameter mainline?
Click to expand...

I use 15lb braid on my LRF set up because of the size of the reel being a size 15, its brilliant for that. I think its a bit light for a big rod and reel set up though is probably fine for clean beach fishing.
 
fishingmark said:
My braid goes really low. Right in the bottom of the bin!
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Lol..... A lot of old timers don't like the braid Andy ;):D

I've got 18lb braid on my lure fishing set up and I can throw a spinner as far as half the numpties with their beach rods and strings of maccy feathers haha. Can you not stick with the braid you have if its working so well mate? If it ain't broke...
 
I dont mean to hijack the thread but most of it is relevant to my questions on braid.
I'm looking at switching to 44lb power pro braid for use from the cliffs this winter, Is there a practical leader knot that can be tied with cold numb wet hands?
What is the abrasion resistance like?
Do I need a thumb guard for thumbing it back onto multiplier?
Is it best to fit a diamite tip ring to stop grooving?

I found that on a particular mark last season in big sea I was getting dragged about by the cross waves so im looking at line diameter to stop this and braid is the obvious choice
 
jamiebrennan said:
I dont mean to hijack the thread but most of it is relevant to my questions on braid.
I'm looking at switching to 44lb power pro braid for use from the cliffs this winter, Is there a practical leader knot that can be tied with cold numb wet hands?
What is the abrasion resistance like?
Do I need a thumb guard for thumbing it back onto multiplier?
Is it best to fit a diamite tip ring to stop grooving?

I found that on a particular mark last season in big sea I was getting dragged about by the cross waves so im looking at line diameter to stop this and braid is the obvious choice
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44lb power pro is very low diameter to put on a multiplier - IIRC it is .28mm. I use the 66lb on my Saltist which comes in at .36mm or the equivalent of 15lb line. I then use an 80lb mono leader which I tie using a Bimini in the braid and a Slim Beauty in the leader. Very very strong knot; I've had 70lb rig body go before the knot has (wasn't expecting a snag) and if I use 50lb rig body / not so rotten bottom this always goes first.

Can't speak for off the cliffs as I don't fish them - abrasion resistance isn't braids strong suit and if it is rubbing against rock regularly you will be asking for trouble. That said reading around a lot of the Yorkshire lads have been using braid off the cliffs down there so it must be OK.

As for getting dragged around remember braid has zero stretch so in a big sea your rod tip will bounce around a lot more so it may not be the answer you are looking for
 
Thanks for the reply, I have been using 30lb ultima distance straight through and that is 0.50mm so any reduction in diameter would be better, the mark I would probably use it on is relatively clean but I may use it elsewhere depending on abrasion quality. I usually hold the rod so not to worried about the bouncing around unless it causes the lead to pop out but would the leader absorb this?
 
Thanks for the reply, I have been using 30lb ultima distance straight through and that is 0.50mm so any reduction in diameter would be better, the mark I would probably use it on is relatively clean but I may use it elsewhere depending on abrasion quality. I usually hold the rod so not to worried about the bouncing around unless it causes the lead to pop out but would the leader absorb this?
 
Juliogeordio said:
Lol..... A lot of old timers don't like the braid Andy ;):D
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On a serious note Marc it's not a case of " I've always used mono and I'm not changing now". I have tried the stuff and I have found no positives at all in the fishing I do, hopeless on a multiplier, tangles and air knots that are impossible to get out if you let any slack go and it cuts your hands to ribbons with any kind of snag. It is said that you feel the fish more but to me without that bit give in the line it gives the fish much more chance of shaking itself loose, more sporting in giving the fish a chance to get away but personally I don't want them to get away. Useless for float fishing, the stop knot cuts off and the tangles when chucking out are infuriating. It may be of some use for light spinning but I don't do much of it anyway. Night fishing is a nightmare with it and trying to tie knots with cold wet hands is almost impossible.
I know fixed spools and braid are very de rigueur at the minute but I honestly think it's a fad and the majority will go back to mono, if they don't hopefully the manufacturers will put down the price of the mono.:)
And another thing, how can the manufacturers justify the price of what is basically thread? daylight robbery.
I'm expecting to be hammered now but for the fishing that I do I have found no plusses at all to using braid over mono.
 
As mark says, been there, done it, tried for a year or so to get on with the stuff and went back on mono, apart from spinning. Brilliant for seeing/feeling bites and losing less gear in heavy ground but as already said I had plenty fish just shake themselves off. It's easy to say don't pull the fishes head off on the retrieve but when all said and done when your fishing heavy ground, taking your time with a fish isn't an option.
 
use a short mono rubbing leader.along with a momno rig body,not bumped any fish off.cant understand this loosing fish crap.braid is being used all over the place for bigger fish than we get up here.shark fishing--tuna fishing,loads of boat lads use braid,loads use it off the cliffs and pull fish all the way up.use it the right way and its fine,pulls fish through the kelp no probs
 
Never bumped fish off just find it a pain at times with the bigger fish in really heavy ground, unless you snap your lead of straight away.
 
When we changed over en-masse on the freshwater match scene in the 90s we had to change to slightly more forgiving rods. But it was worth it.
 
I take both when fishing. Multi outfit with my Tip tornado using nylon/ I have fixed spool with 50lb Chinese braid on and 80 lb braid leader. Used with Salt 15 ft beachcaster. Ok most of the time.
Mick.
 
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