Braid, Mono, Fluorocarbon

[CaptainJoe]

I know this topic has been discussed before, but I wanted to bring it up again to see which way the winds are blowing today in light of all the new products and product improvements that have come our way.

For topwater, I use 15# Spiderwire Ultracast Invisi-Braid tied directly to the topwater bait with a King Sling Loop knot. I use a cheap 12# mono for reel backing (1/4 of the reel).

For all spinning and baitcasting equipment for shaky head, dropshot, jigs, and just about all soft plastic fishing, I use the Spiderwire Ultracast Invisi-Braid 15# (open, clear water, very little cover) or 20# (heavy cover/dirty water)with a uni-to-uni knot to either a 4-5 foot leader of P-line Floroclear or Yo-Zuri Hybrid Clear (8# - clear water up to 15# dirty water) tied with a Fish-N-Fool knot. I use a cheap 12# mono for reel backing (1/4 of reel).

It is so easy to set the hook with braid. You can feel everything and see your line in all water and sky conditions. The leader provides near invisibility in the water. I can cast just as far with this braid and it lasts many fishing seasons. I am on year THREE with most of my braid. Do you get TWO to THREE years out of your mono and fluorocarbon? I have used Fireline and PowerPro, but the Spiderwire Invisi-Braid is the smoothest and strongest. It is rod friendly and casts the best. When using braid with no stretch, you must change the way you set the hook. It only takes a small jerk of the rod (about an 18" jerk with rods 6'6" and less and 12" with a 7' rod).

For crankbaits, jerkbaits, spinnerbaits, flukes, swimbaits, swimming jigs, etc., as stated before, I do not use any fluorocarbon line. It just does not hold up for me. Get it tangled and that part of the line is history. It is brittle and breaks too easy in Winter. The knot strength is not good. It is overpriced. Mono has too much stretch and does not have the abrasion resistance. I use a hybrid line that is nylon on the inside and coated with fluorocarbon. I use the same P-Line Floroclear and YoZuri's copolymer line that I use as leaders on my braid. All are tied with the Fish-N-Fool knot. The copolymer construction makes the line very castable and amazingly durable with high knot-strength and low-memory. And, it is affordable. The fluorocarbon coating gives it the same near invisibility under water as expensive fluorocarbon. Depending on the water clarity, cover, and the lure, I will use 8#, 10#, 12#, and 15# test.

I use Blakemore's Reel Magic or KVD's Line and Lure Conditioner about 18-24 hours before fishing on ALL of my line.

If any of you really try some of the suggestions, above, I would appreciate some feedback. I am continuously trying to improve my system.

What do you use?

[focused fishing]

Fluorocarbon on everything except topwater (17# mono).

6# - 25# depending on the technique and fishing situation.

I do use Power Pro on frogs, but never get to fish them around here.

In my experience braid floats and casues drag on sinking lures, in particular jigs. Having the proper fall rate on a jig is much more important than anything braid can offer in sensitivity and strength.

I don't break off many fish, I can only think of one last year on 6# when the drag on a spinning reel locked up. Of course I retie about every five or six casts, anytime I catch a fish and whenever I hang a bait up and pop it loose.

I know several guys that swear by braid, more power to ya.

EP

[nwaoutdoorsman]

I use a variety of lines for different applications. I use Berkley Big Game 15lb for spinnerbaits and topwaters.

I use 10-15lb Berkley 100% flurocarbon for jigs, carolina rigs, crankbaits, jerkbaits, rattle traps and spoons.

This year I spooled up some 6lb P-line fluroclear on my spinning rods to throw a grub, shakey head worm and senko on, but I haven't had the chance to go since I spooled it on. I heard good things about it, so we'll see.

I've used braid on spinning rods and my spinnerbait rod before, but I just didn't like it. I did like the sensitivity and strength, but I didn't care for tying on a flurocarbon leader or like it around wood. Seems like with flurocarbon or mono I could pop or shake a bait loose if I got hung and with braid it just doesn't pop. Maybe its just me and my inexperience. If theres a trick I would love to hear it.

I agree that fluorocarbon is over priced, but it does have more sensitivity than mono, better abrasion resistance and doesn't break down as quickly. I am very fortunate to a connection to get my fluorocarbon for free or I wouldn't be using it. I would just use Berkley Big Game or maybe give braid another try. I actually bought some power pro awhile back to try again, but ended up spooling on the fluoroclear for a try.

Anyways, just a few of my opinions and experiences.

[Flippin]

I have been throwing Spiderwire Ultracast Invisi-Braid with a 6lb Seagar flouracarbon leader on most everything except a jig. On the jig I will move up to a 8 or 10 leader. I like the flexiblity of using a leader.

This weekend in order get the grub to sink properly I tied on a flouracarbon leader that was about a cast length.

[fozzype]

I have been using the seagar red label for jigs and finesse fishing. However, I don't use anything less than 8lb and I am probably going to use 10 lb for finesse this year. I like the sensitivty and how it sinks which allows me to use lighter weight baits and get them down quickly.

However in shallow/dirty water or in heavy cover I love the Yo-Zuri Hybrid Line. It is the toughest, best casting, longest lasting line I have ever used. It does have some stretch, but that is OK for most applications I use it for.

I had bad luck with the P-line co-polymers, but I like they have a blacklight visible line that will sink like florocarbon.

Does anybody have an opinion on any of the florocarbons in the 10-12 range ie- Viscous, Red Label, Etc ?

[focused fishing]

I have been using the seagar red label for jigs and finesse fishing. However, I don't use anything less than 8lb and I am probably going to use 10 lb for finesse this year. I like the sensitivty and how it sinks which allows me to use lighter weight baits and get them down quickly.

However in shallow/dirty water or in heavy cover I love the Yo-Zuri Hybrid Line. It is the toughest, best casting, longest lasting line I have ever used. It does have some stretch, but that is OK for most applications I use it for.

I had bad luck with the P-line co-polymers, but I like they have a blacklight visible line that will sink like florocarbon.

Does anybody have an opinion on any of the florocarbons in the 10-12 range ie- Viscous, Red Label, Etc ?

Really big fan of Seaguar Invisx, it's all I use.

[Wayne SW/MO]

I use braid on most of my rods, with Tuff XP 20/6 being the favorite. I have some Power Pro and I recently picked up a spool of Suffix at the BPS outlet. The Suffix has a nice tight wind to it, but I haven't used it enough to say much at this point. Tuff XP is my go to. I shy away from anything smaller than 20/6 in braid because I worry that its hard on guides and hard on fish. I use a leader most of the time so size isn't a big issue.

For mono/co-polymers its P-line original for me and Floroclear for leaders.

I use braid all the way on topwaters, and jerbaits most of the time.

Using a leader on braid allows me to adjust line size and abrasion resistants at will, and if I break off, 6' is about the most I'll leave behind.