Who uses braid?

[SuperD]

Is anyone using braid in their Koke reels and what do you think about its characteristics? Does braid come off the reel like mono when you are letting out your lines?

 

[Mav186]

Hi SupD,
I personally stay away from the braid or Super lines for my Koke reels. The main reason is the zero stretch they have and the soft mouths of the fish, usally work against eachother. To answer your other question, I find it best to use mono backing to prevent spool slippage, and wind it nice and tight to help prevent the braid from cutting down and wedging into itself. Hope this helps, it's what works for me!

 

[SuperD]

Thanks Mav. I'm kind of taking on a challenge that I'll catch more fish on a Slide Diver Lite Bite than on a downrigger. The Slide Diver Lite Bite is recommended to be used with braid so I'm going to spool up an old reel with some braid and see what happens in the challenge.

 

[kokaneekid]

Hi SupD,
I personally stay away from the braid or Super lines for my Koke reels. The main reason is the zero stretch they have and the soft mouths of the fish, usally work against eachother. To answer your other question, I find it best to use mono backing to prevent spool slippage, and wind it nice and tight to help prevent the braid from cutting down and wedging into itself. Hope this helps, it's what works for me!

I'm with Mav.... Braided line has Zero stretch and zero room for error where mono stretches about 20% which gives lots of room for error. Even when you are using a high quality rod with lots of forgiveness it's not enough for a soft mouth fish like a kokanee. If you use mono and a good rod you'll see that you won't be giving so many fish back to the lake. Of course this is just my humble opinion.

Fish On kokaneekid

 

[Kokonuts]

On the other hand, I've been using Power Pro 10lb Braid for the last 2 years & I love it! I just add a 10ft Mono leader.

I dont worry about stretching or lack of it because there is already slack in the line from the release to the pole. In fact I think the no streach gives better hook ups because with the slack in the line & mono stretching up to 20% its easy to LOSE a fish!

2cents.....Kokonuts

 

[SuperD]

Again, this is for a particular tackle method of using a diver versus a downrigger. I got the impression that the drag of the diver would be too much for the mono. I will likely use a short mono top shot from the end of the braid to the dodger. Kokonuts, my big question is how easily does the line come off the spool on let outs? Does it require hand feeding or peels pretty easily?

 

[MMDON]

Dave,

I run braid on my larger reels for fishing for Macs, Ocean Salmon and large Trout. The braid leaves the spool as easy or easier than mono does. This should be a "non" issue.

Don

 

[KokeJunkie]

I've been a braid guy for years. I know most swear by mono for kokes due to the issues mentioned above but I can honestly say that I do not lose that many fish from them pulling off. We prob lose 10-15% of fish hooked and that includes the ones my wife beats off my line with the net. I use ultralight rods and do my best to keep them from going airborn and it seems to work. No snubbers, no mono, just 10 lb powerpro and a rod length section of 8lb fluoro leader at the end. I also loaded up a couple of spools of 5 lb power pro which I plan on using for jigging this summer. Hoping it gets the jigs down quick and gives the jigs better action than bulkier lines. Thats the theory anyway.

 

[KokeJunkie]

In fact I think the no streach gives better hook ups because with the slack in the line & mono stretching up to 20% its easy to LOSE a fish!

2cents.....Kokonuts[/QUOTE]


101goodpost101 I agree!

 

[skookum9]

In my opinion, Kokonuts and KokeJunkie have it spot on. I made the switch several years ago and have never looked back. For a few years I kept a rod or two spooled with mono just so I could continue to compare the results. What I found was that I had much greater success by using braid. When I use a spin reel for jigging, I find I like 8lbs superbraid the best. When I use a level-wind for trolling, I find I like the 14 - 20lbs superbraid the best. This is simply a learned preference relating to strength vs control issue. Based upon what I have learned, stretch is not a good thing. Better hook sets and better control have landed me more fish, in addition to the fact that the stronger, thinner lines put me into fish faster than the mono lines ever could.

With that said, the three most important things I can think of about using braid are:
1) As previously stated here, very important that you use a monofilliment base wrap on your reel or you are in for one miserable time.
2) Watch out for rod tip wrap. If you allow slack in your braided line, it will try to wrap around your rod tip nearly every time. Save yourself a lot of grief and keep the line tight and check it if you don't.
3) Use the Palomar knot. I was blown away by the difference a knot can make in these lines. 8lb with improved clinch has a seemed strength of about 3 or 4lbs. 8lb with a palomar knot has a seemed strength of 15 or 20lbs.

And yes, the superbraid lines will peel off of your reel like greased lightning. And not nearly as likely to get the wraps bound on the reel as you are with mono.

 

[Bduck]

I have gotten away from using braid except on a couple of larger rods & reels. Since I purchased some rods for koke fishing, I went over to mono. I think at this point I'm going to respool with a superbraid. I've always liked the way the braids handled. Some monos are good but there is a high volume of monos on the market that it makes it difficult to make a selection. I agree with the guys here about braids. I see more of a chafing problem with my mono than I did with my braid. I was always peeling mono off of my reel during the heavy fishing season. Braids will chafe but not as bad or quick. Thanks guys, I was a beleiver in the past and I still am about the braids today.

 

[Cariboospeed]

I tried using braid, to darn hard to see to tie a knot in, in a rocking boat, forgot my glasses, after a few pops, and cold fingers....

 

[bob r]

I agree with the braid camp, a light rod and a carefully set drag will overcome the non-stretch issues of braid and the sensitivity for light bite or taps is great. if stretch is what you like I would put a small snubber on it. Bob R,

 

[kelson]

I use both.....I put 90ft. of 6# Maxima Ultra Green on the end of my reel loaded with 10# Power Pro. I know when I'm around 100 ft. back for long lining and the low drag from the braid (vertically) when clipped into the DR let's me tighen up on the fish quickly.
K

 

[Full_Monte]

So, are there any tricks to use braid with down rigger releases? I've heard that it's not always easy.

 

[platypus]

--long line 100 ft with a light rod braid with no stretch probably not an issue.
--Same deal in close the amount of stretch in the mono as opposed to no stretch of braid line can be compensated with the rod lenght and flex or ligher drag.
-I also use a lo-stretch mono about 12% and I'm sure there are lo stretch fluorocarbons made for trolling as well but I'm guessing they are similar price as braid.
--A big deal is line diameter causing drag.. most mono's are thicker thus more water drag.. even on downrigger if thinner line used less bow, more accurate depth.
--The great thing is I don't think there is any right answer.. just preference, however less stretch likely requires more attention to what you're doing which may in part help with catch rate.
--same can be said for downrigger clips.. some will work better or you may have a larger range of settings depending on line diameter and how easily it will slip from the clip... again it is consistency I strive for..which allows adjustment of reel, rod, lure size etc.

 

[mrmike]

I will add my own personnel experience and just my opinion I use braided line and results for me are absolutely fine. I always,always double my line when tying my knots and never have a problem,if you don't you will have knots slip. Using a double hook set up with sickle hooks and I use a bigger hook than a #4 my results are extremely satisfactory. I run my braided to a blade/trolling Rig/Wobbler whatever after that I use Fluorocarbon leader line. My Rods absorb the rest, I don't see a problem. I don't have to keep replacing Mono all the time,braided is strong and knick free. I don't like to jig alot not that I can't, but braided while jigging with that no stretch is excellent. I only use braided on my open face reel/Spinning reels I like P-LINE with Fluorocarbon leader. T

 

[jestfishin']

I'm also thinking about using braided line this year. I've heard that the downrigger clip really tears it up over the course of a season. Any truth to this??

 

[bob r]

I've actually had braid tear up the pads on a cannon release (the ones that "click shut"), put little slashes in them that can catch the line preventing proper release. I use the "dial" release by cannon without that problem, I like it as you can get pretty much the same setting time after time. Some of the differences in releases and how they work depend on the thickness of the braid you use,the amount of tension it takes to "load up" your rod,and how far back in the release you put your line, anything under 10or 15 lb. test braid is pretty small diameter for clips and you may get premature releases after loading up rod. Also it's pretty slick stuff and that doesn't help, experiment with a few types to figure out what works well for you. It's worth the effort as the blowback (how much of a "drag ' the line causes) is really lessened with braid vrs. mono. Bob R

 

[Mojo]

1 thing about braid, you have to make sure it is wound tightly on your reel. The best method is wind it as tight as you can, then next time to the lake, tie on 2 really good swivels (6bead cahin or even better a coupel Sampo ball bearing swivels) a beer can or ford fender, start at a fast troll, and lett almost all your line out. Reel it back in while moving pretty fast, and you are set. Those pop gear rigs put enough tension on the rig.

I use braid on my slow action rods. It works great, and the rods act as shock absorbers. On fast action (stiffer) rods, I use 8 or 10 pound mono.