Switch to braid. Need advice

[DADAKOTA]

I put Cajun Red on as the backing and then about 60 yards of braid.  When you start seeing the red you know you are getting close to a re-spool with the braid.

[Flysmallie]

1 hour ago, Johnsfolly said:

Haven't had one spool me completely, but a couple of close calls lately where I was close to the mono backing. Never saw either of those fish since the hook pulled on the one and the other cut off. Was using 15 and 20# at the time. Now those rods have 30 and 50# braid.

Have had that a few times while fly fishing from the beach. Have no idea what any of them where but they peeled line off that reel faster than anything I have ever seen. 

[Nick Adams]

Great advice guys. I have a lot of mono around. It will give me some knot practice, too.

[Daryk Campbell Sr]

All great ideas. I switched bout 2-3 years ago.  Best and worst decision I've made.  I decided I don't want to use a leader.   I stand by that.  I don't fish nearly as often as much as some, so I cant tell you if that has made me lose more fish or not.  Just chiming in to warn you of some things.  *You can no longer "cut" your line with your teeth. 

*You will need about 5 pairs of braid scissors.   You will find ALL of your nail clippers that you couldn't find, when you used your teeth to cut line.  They work, but very inefficiently. 

*After catching a good fighter, or tough snag, your line may be sinched into the rest of the line.  You will understand why the pros peel line after each cast.  This often is the reason for backlashes on my spinning reels (whole nother rant of love/hate).

*I have really decided the supplied hooks are good enough for most baits.  I  want them to bend or break.  I get more snags in and out of the water,  and the braid does not break off nearly as easily as mono. I have bent many more hooks than ever before.  But I also save many more lures. Talking same test.  I don't lake fish much.  Creeks and rivers are my desire. 

*Braid absorbs water.  This doesn't much matter in the summer and fall, but cool spring and cold winter days, my hands go numb quicker because the braid flings some water on my hands each cast or retrieve.  

*I needed to learn new knots.  Probably should have known then before, but braid expedited the need.  

I know that sounds like a lot of reasons to not use braid, but at the same time, I am satisfied with it. 

*I can cast longer distances than with my P-Line CXX. 

*The casts feel much smoother as the braid is cast through the rod. 

*I t gives me more reasons to go out, because I have to "make sure" the newly spooled reel is ready for the next trip. 

*No memory on spinning reels.  This was mentioned before, but I really like that factor. 

*I feel like I can pull harder against the snags to keep my lures.  

All in all, I love it as much as I hate it. 

[Quillback]

Cuda makes a pair of what they call "braid shears", basically modified scissors for about $7.  Good, inexpensive stuff.  I have two pair for over a year now and they are still cutting braid.  Tried the Rapala braid scissors, they are cheap, but after a month or two of use would not cut braid.  

[Daryk Campbell Sr]

27 minutes ago, Quillback said:

Cuda makes a pair of what they call "braid shears", basically modified scissors for about $7.  Good, inexpensive stuff.  I have two pair for over a year now and they are still cutting braid.  Tried the Rapala braid scissors, they are cheap, but after a month or two of use would not cut braid.  

I only mentioned having 5 pair because, sometimes I take my vest it has clippers, sometimes I take my tackle bag, it has clippers, sometimes I take just a tray,  some have clippers,  etc.  I haven't had any scissors or sheers that have quit working.  But then again, I don't fish as often as many. 

[moguy1973]

32 minutes ago, Quillback said:

Cuda makes a pair of what they call "braid shears", basically modified scissors for about $7.  Good, inexpensive stuff.  I have two pair for over a year now and they are still cutting braid.  Tried the Rapala braid scissors, they are cheap, but after a month or two of use would not cut braid.  

I'd have to agree with you on the "braid" scissors that came with my Rapala tool kit (pliers, diagonal cutters, scissors).  They don't cut braid.  I've found a good pair of athletic tape scissors work well.  I really need to upgrade mine to something else.  Doing a quick Google search it seems a lot of people like the Gerber Neat Freak scissors.

[MOPanfisher]

Hmm I will look for a pair of Cudas, the Rapala one I bought years ago were absolutely useless on braid.  Sharp utility knife is what I have been using.

[Dutch]

I buy my scissors in the sewing department at Walmart.  They are super sharp and cheap.

[Flysmallie]

I have a pair of hemos that have a little scissor section that works great. Or some cheap pliers I picked up at Academy work well too. When I first started using braid, back when it first became a thing,  I had some small side cutters that were awesome for cutting it. 
 

I never use a leader and it hasn’t made a difference. Tested that many times on streams that are gin clear. 
 

Never learned any new knots either. The ones I started out using have always worked fine.,