doodle fishing

[Quillback]

I tried straight braid to the jighead the other day.  I got bites, but had problems with fraying, so I went back to using a leader.  I fish Ned rigs this time of year on the bottom, dragging them through rocks and trees, fraying becomes an issue, braid seems to be much worse than mono or floro when it comes to fraying.  Tying on a leader is not that much of deal either, so I'll keep on using one.  I'll bring a few spinning reels with me with pre-tied leaders on them, I'll just swap out the reel.  If using straight braid works for someone, that's great, but if you want to use a leader it isn't super complicated or very time consuming to use one.  

No doubt that braid is very sensitive, and really helps in detecting very light bites typical of this time of year.  No stretch so hook setting power is better too.  And on spinning gear you don't get line twist problems and snarls like other line types.  

[Champ188]

37 minutes ago, Mitch f said:

Well I’m not disagreeing with Bo, just wanted his take. And I totally agree about an A-Rig. Although an A-rig’s flash and action seem to cause the vicious reaction bite. A spinner bait kind of does does the same, in a smaller way. When a lure is by itself motionless or slowly twitching, the fluoro may come into play.

 

[Bill Babler]

The bites are extremely lite here also, but not catching fish is not the problem.  The problem is them swallowing it.  If you don't pull on them when it gets heavy or you feel that slight tick or even lose that bait for a split second, they have got it.  They are simply wolfing the small swim bait. These fish are not spitters, they are eating it

If he was missing bites because he didn't feel them, that would not be a problem on this end as they are eating it to their Poo-Toots.  If your dragging a FB jig you simply cannot take it away from them.  I swung and missed 3 times the other day and when I got the slack picked up each time he had it back.  Of course I was dragging that jig in 45'

[Guest]

52 minutes ago, Quillback said:

I tried straight braid to the jighead the other day.  I got bites, but had problems with fraying, so I went back to using a leader.  I fish Ned rigs this time of year on the bottom, dragging them through rocks and trees, fraying becomes an issue, braid seems to be much worse than mono or floro when it comes to fraying.  Tying on a leader is not that much of deal either, so I'll keep on using one.  I'll bring a few spinning reels with me with pre-tied leaders on them, I'll just swap out the reel.  If using straight braid works for someone, that's great, but if you want to use a leader it isn't super complicated or very time consuming to use one.  

No doubt that braid is very sensitive, and really helps in detecting very light bites typical of this time of year.  No stretch so hook setting power is better too.  And on spinning gear you don't get line twist problems and snarls like other line types.  

jeff, i thought about calling you since we have been catching a lot of bass on the doodle.  why am i the only one that does not seem to have a big issue with fraying with braid???  i am fishing through the same rock and brush.  yes, you do have to retie once in a while, but you also have to do so with floro or mono.  i watch the "pros" catch a fish on floro and very often they have a knick or fray and are retying.

just trying to figure out why everyone says they have a fraying issue.

bo

[Quillback]

49 minutes ago, merc1997 said:

jeff, i thought about calling you since we have been catching a lot of bass on the doodle.  why am i the only one that does not seem to have a big issue with fraying with braid???  i am fishing through the same rock and brush.  yes, you do have to retie once in a while, but you also have to do so with floro or mono.  i watch the "pros" catch a fish on floro and very often they have a knick or fray and are retying.

just trying to figure out why everyone says they have a fraying issue.

bo

I don't know, maybe the brand you use is more fray resistant?  I was using 10 lb. Seaguar.  I don't have a problem tying on leaders so it is not a big deal to me going with a leader or not.

[snagged in outlet 3]

On 1/14/2020 at 7:44 PM, merc1997 said:

i have not posted anything for a while.  it has not been because i have not been or have not been catching any bass.  catching lots of bass, but not a great amount of keepers.

today, we caught 49 bass and had 6 keepers.  one of those was a 3 lb. lmg.  i am using some 10 lb. test braid that is smaller than a 2 lb. test diameter, and am using a NuTech 1/8 crappie jig for a head.  we are catching these bass 25 to 35 ft. deep.  the bites are next to nothing.  this is where the super thin braid comes into play because of the depth and nothing bites.

i took taylor sanders with me last week, and i was catching all day and he was not.  why?  because he was using 6lb. test floro  and was not feeling the nothing bites.  he finally took my rod right before we quit and promptly caught 6 bass.  he could not believe the difference in feel.  so, he went with me today and showed up with a reel that needed line, and put on some of the 10 lb. braid for him.  he caught fish all day this time.

wonder where all the better bass are up this way when you are catching the youngsters as deep as we are.  have spent a lot of time fishing a jerk and crank, but no love on either.  guess catching something is better than catching nothing.

bo

What brand braid?   If you don’t mind.  

[IL Fisherman]

I used to be a fireline guy.   Was a great line for a good time then started having fraying issues.  Switched to Suffix 832 much better.  Can drag a ned all day and maybe retie once or twice.

[Smithvillesteve]

I think all three line types have their value per lure selection. Only in the last few years have i gone to braid and/or floro for certain applications. I read the BassBlaster and they will post their tournament results with the lures, rod, reel , line used etc. so i pay some attention to that. My question to you boys, and maybe Mr Babler can answer this: the last couple of years i have used floro for my jerkbaits. Now I'm hearing Mike McClellan  prefers mono for this. I'm figuring this is a great guy to copy for fishing jerkbaits down at Table Rock

[Bill Babler]

As far as jerk bait fishing there are lots of different belief's.  Mike does not like the carbon because it sinks and particularly sinks the nose of the bait, pulling it nose down.  Most ardent stick bait fishermen want the bait to fall either slightly tail down or slowly sink or suspend in a horizontal attitude.

Buster Loving one of the best in the business that is not on the Pro tour, likes carbon and likes it to sink the bait.  He counter balances it to take away some of the nose down attitude.  I cannot really tell a ton of difference in either as I weight my baits pretty heavy.

I have also fished all the popular braids along with nanofil and have not liked any of them.  They catch around rod eyes both micro and regular, they suck down in the reel and just like Quill that durn stuff breaks and frays on me something terrible.  The breaking is on the cast, not so much playing a fish as the  reels I use have really quality drag systems.

I currently use it for a couple of things, a frog or any topwater.  I'm about to give that up also as at times the topwater rear hook on the cast will penetrate the braid causing another mess to deal with. If your throwing a propped top water and it gets around the prop, lordy your in trouble.  I have and so have others totally quit using it on A-rigs as it sucks down so bad in the reel.  Catching a fish or hanging up is a total nightmare with the stuff as it will pull down thru a 1/2 dozen line wraps on the bait caster.  Seems to fish a bit better on a spinning rod, but I just don't like it.

Ford/Chevy

[Mitch f]

Some of those braids are designed to be round, I believe those braids actually do better in their abilities to resist fraying, because they actually braid the fibers, while the Seagaur Smack down type braid seem to be separated fibers that flatten out and would tend to fray a little more.