Questions about braid...

[DJD]

I have been using/experimenting with braid for years. My favorite is FireLine by ..get it at Walmart if your out of town as well. I like the dark smoke color and the mono feel it has. Seems to keep the color longer and roundness longer as well. I only use it on my spinning reels and it casts great.
Ever try and feed a thread through a needle eye? Well that's what some cheap or old braid makes you feel like your doing when tying onto a small hook, not Fireline. It's fused with a bonding agent to give it that roundness and smooth feel. There are many types out there and alot of them are good just gotta figure out what your willing to pay. Try a few but my hands down favorite is FireLine.

[waterdog101]

I've used it to drift for cats, in the Ohio river. and below loudon dam in tn. but other than that, I don't like it.

[linedrager]

tried braid years ago and hated it, recently put it back on a spinning reel to use for sauger fishing, worked a lot better than I remember, I am going to proceed with caution and just use it on one or two reels and see how it goes, one thing I hated about it before is if you put any pressure on it it would cut into itself on the spool and the next time you would cast it would stop short from being stuck in the other line in the spool, good luck with your choice.

[GeoFisher]

I have been using/experimenting with braid for years. My favorite is FireLine by ..get it at Walmart if your out of town as well. I like the dark smoke color and the mono feel it has. Seems to keep the color longer and roundness longer as well. I only use it on my spinning reels and it casts great.
Ever try and feed a thread through a needle eye? Well that's what some cheap or old braid makes you feel like your doing when tying onto a small hook, not Fireline. It's fused with a bonding agent to give it that roundness and smooth feel. There are many types out there and alot of them are good just gotta figure out what your willing to pay. Try a few but my hands down favorite is FireLine.

I've been using fireline for years too. Not for everything, but for quite a bit.

[onemorecast56]

I used braid the hold time in Northern Wi musky and bass fishing and loved it,,but get spiderwire ,,i used some cheaper braids and had trouble with it breaking real easy some times when i was casting a real heavy baits..never had trouble with siperwire,,,but i love the way it cast on bait casters and spinning

[stoner]

Started out throwing fire line then experimented with some others. Power pro is slightly more limp I believe than fire line and doesn't seem to dig as bad. Spider wire stealth (I think) is the best casting of the three. Stren sonic braid is ok, but would opt for the power pro over it. These were all on bait casters if I spooling a spinning reel I try the spider wire stealth.....jmo!

[OldBasser]

Thanks for all the good info...I'll probably be fishing Southern Florida so I think I'll try 50/60 lb. braid on three or four of my reels. I used 25lb mono a long time ago with pretty good success but, I did break off some. I think I should be good with 50 lb braid.

I'm sure glad I don't need to fill up all my reels with braid, I'm cheep. Looks like I need to study the braids a little but, I'll take your reccomendations. I may buy two ro three different brands and see what works best. I'm going to try it just on my bait casters for now and if I like it I'll try it on my spinning reels also. If anyone else has anything to tell me I'm all ears.

Thanks

[sweetwater]

I would recommend you keep doing whatever you have confidence in. Confidence in your equipment and methods is everything. A good example is I hate using spinner baits and I've had very little luck with them, on the other hand I love crankbaits and I can outfish almost anyone with a crankbait. It's just a feel you acquire with experience.

I use mono almost exclusively, I like using it, I know how to fish with it and doesn't break the budget. Sometimes I use a flouro leader with it especially with c-rig. If you want to use braid Tyme2fish's response absolutely nailed it, unless your wealthy or single.

[Deven Hall]

I read above about a few guys using Fireline. I have been using it for about 5 years now, 6-12lb on my Spinning rods and 50lb on my Catfish rod. On my spinning rod I use a mono backing then spool rest with Fireline. On my Catfish rod however, I use all braid. A few years back I hooked into a pretty big fish down on the river and it ran my line down to where I used to split braid/mono and it instantly broke off and the fish was gone. If you are targeting big game fish I would highly recommend using all braid on the spool.

[Fishin is life]

Give the power pro super slick 8 a look....Handles better than any other braid on the market

[smljaw]

I threw braid more last year than I ever have. I've not tried lots of it but really like Power Pro (40 & 50# is what I use for football jigs and frog fishing for bass). Pappy gives good advice about spooling about 50 yards on mono backing.

As for making it last a long time, I've heard of guys fishing it for a season or 2 and then directly spooling it to another reel. This allows you to use the other end that's been deeper in the spool for a year or 2. That's more or less new line if you have enough on the spool.

[JUSTINHALL]

I have fished with fireline since 98-99 on my bass rods it is very critical for feel in up in Lake St. Claire and Erie when dragging tubes for small mouth. It also lasts a very long time, I have had the same fire line on my bait casters for easily 5 years now. I tie a florocarbon leader on about 4-6 feet long for clarity and the fire line will last for ever. Albright knot is most def the strongest and slides through guides best when joining the two but takes practice to make it perfect. You can watch on youtube how to tie it makes it easier.
Power Pro Super Slick 8 as someone else suggested is very good too, that is what I use on some of my saltwater rigs. I have 80lb on jigging rods for Amber Jack and 100 lb on my bottom rigs for Grouper and Snapper, but again a leader is needed I dont run straight or Amber Jacks wont touch it.
As others suggested you must but mono on first never tie braid directly to the spool or it will slip.