After reading the current topics of the breaking strains of various braid types, I would like to share the following with you.
This is my personal experience/views and don’t want to influence any person or any product in any way.
I have been fishing full-on with braid for a period longer than 10 years. Full on I mean using braid direct as a main line and not as backing.
Also before we continue I exclude any form of shark fishing in the below topic.
I first noticed braid while visiting the U.S.A back in 1991 ( lake Michigan ). Saw a angler getting off his boat and noticed this line on a reel. ( he called it fibre line ). After trying to find out about this line I was told it was given to him by a friend over from England. Back in S.A. I tried to get hold of this line but no one had either heard of it or seen it. In 1995 a friend of mine visited England who brought me my first roll of FIRELINE. I used it for freshwater fishing ( 9lbs ). That is where my braid fishing started and I have not looked back since then.
All different brands were bought and tried ( see photo ) Fireline, Viper ( rainbow, smoke, black etc ), Tuffline, Sufix, Kingfisher ( Their first being white, which in my opinion is much better than the one we get today ). From the expensive one to the damn expensive one. Lets face it there is no cheap braid.
Breaking strains given on the lines are according to me incorrect as all lines break way below what is given except Berkley fireline. Tried casting all without a leader and no-one can really take the punch when doing a full-out cast. They all break just above the rod tip. So started using a leader to absorb the initial energy of the cast. Great success. Not 2x the rod length but cast drop and only 4 to 5 turns on reel ( see photo )
When casting nothing is different than using normal line. ( whether casting further than other lines I guess that depends on the angler ). Burns like hell on the thumb if too much pressure is applied.( same as nylon ). After one or two casts the line actually gets a wet feel to it which makes casting much easier. I know it is said that braid does not absorb water but I beg to differ. Once the line has been used a while it looses its colour and stiffness. It is then more soft, flexible and will get that wet feel.
Striking of fish: one does not actually strike but gently lift the rod. As there is no stretch in the line if you move your rod tip e.g. 30cm you move your hook 30cm. Where with mono you will have stretch. ( barring the min. in your leader )
The feel you have on the line with a bite cannot be compared with any mono. You get so used to the feel that you can distinguish between your sinker rolling or a definite peck.
How long does braid last? see the photo of Fireline which I now replaced after 7, Yes 7 years. It is scarred, discoloured and completely soft---but still strong. ( Actually performs better when a little used as it becomes more soft and tends to be easier to handle )
Braid is mainly manufactured with either 4 or 8 strands ( see photo ). Don’t think this makes a diff in strain but only in dia.
Knots: I usually double up on the line when tying a knot. Meaning that I will fold the line double over itself when tying. ( does not apply to any loop knots--Bimini , Spider etc. )
Many a time it has been said " I don’t want to use braid as I don’t want to cut my finger". Maybe I am lucky as I never had a cut of any sort from braid while casting. My wife should be more lucky as this is her first year fishing with a multiplier ( filled with braid ) and also did not have any cuts. ( overwinds yes. but no cuts ).
Now this is a lot of words I just wrote but will follow it up with what I think are the pro's and con's of braid.
This is my personal experience/views and don’t want to influence any person or any product in any way.
I have been fishing full-on with braid for a period longer than 10 years. Full on I mean using braid direct as a main line and not as backing.
Also before we continue I exclude any form of shark fishing in the below topic.
I first noticed braid while visiting the U.S.A back in 1991 ( lake Michigan ). Saw a angler getting off his boat and noticed this line on a reel. ( he called it fibre line ). After trying to find out about this line I was told it was given to him by a friend over from England. Back in S.A. I tried to get hold of this line but no one had either heard of it or seen it. In 1995 a friend of mine visited England who brought me my first roll of FIRELINE. I used it for freshwater fishing ( 9lbs ). That is where my braid fishing started and I have not looked back since then.
All different brands were bought and tried ( see photo ) Fireline, Viper ( rainbow, smoke, black etc ), Tuffline, Sufix, Kingfisher ( Their first being white, which in my opinion is much better than the one we get today ). From the expensive one to the damn expensive one. Lets face it there is no cheap braid.
Breaking strains given on the lines are according to me incorrect as all lines break way below what is given except Berkley fireline. Tried casting all without a leader and no-one can really take the punch when doing a full-out cast. They all break just above the rod tip. So started using a leader to absorb the initial energy of the cast. Great success. Not 2x the rod length but cast drop and only 4 to 5 turns on reel ( see photo )
When casting nothing is different than using normal line. ( whether casting further than other lines I guess that depends on the angler ). Burns like hell on the thumb if too much pressure is applied.( same as nylon ). After one or two casts the line actually gets a wet feel to it which makes casting much easier. I know it is said that braid does not absorb water but I beg to differ. Once the line has been used a while it looses its colour and stiffness. It is then more soft, flexible and will get that wet feel.
Striking of fish: one does not actually strike but gently lift the rod. As there is no stretch in the line if you move your rod tip e.g. 30cm you move your hook 30cm. Where with mono you will have stretch. ( barring the min. in your leader )
The feel you have on the line with a bite cannot be compared with any mono. You get so used to the feel that you can distinguish between your sinker rolling or a definite peck.
How long does braid last? see the photo of Fireline which I now replaced after 7, Yes 7 years. It is scarred, discoloured and completely soft---but still strong. ( Actually performs better when a little used as it becomes more soft and tends to be easier to handle )
Braid is mainly manufactured with either 4 or 8 strands ( see photo ). Don’t think this makes a diff in strain but only in dia.
Knots: I usually double up on the line when tying a knot. Meaning that I will fold the line double over itself when tying. ( does not apply to any loop knots--Bimini , Spider etc. )
Many a time it has been said " I don’t want to use braid as I don’t want to cut my finger". Maybe I am lucky as I never had a cut of any sort from braid while casting. My wife should be more lucky as this is her first year fishing with a multiplier ( filled with braid ) and also did not have any cuts. ( overwinds yes. but no cuts ).
Now this is a lot of words I just wrote but will follow it up with what I think are the pro's and con's of braid.