Opinions on braid: Planning to give braid another try. Your opinions please :) 10 or so years ago I tried XPS braid and it seemed to limit casting distance and when live bait fishing...

FS Digest

Planning to give braid another try. Your opinions please :) 10 or so years ago I tried XPS braid and it seemed to limit casting distance and when live bait fishing on the bottom I wasn’t able to maintain a tight line. Overall, I just didn’t care for it which could have been because it was a larger diameter braid. I’ve been fishing lots of light and UL gear this year so definitely want something that’s a bit finesse. What do you suggest?

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by peacemakerTN

Billy Bob Loc: Terre Haute,IN

I like Power Pro. Use it from 85# to 20# and casts good.

Capt. Lou Loc: PA

UL & L is generally spin use mono ! Short range and open water mono is fine !

hhager23 Loc: Hatteras NC

It totally depends on your application. Braid has NO stretch so it is much more sensitive. I use braid (PP Max Cuatro - which is very thin) exclusively from 10-80# but I am 95% saltwater inshore and surfcasting. I use it because I get better casting distance and can feel more of what the lures are doing. I would suggest a flouro (Seaguar) or mono leader because that is both less visible and grabbing that leader makes landing larger fish easier. Very thin braid is no fun to grab when landing a large fish and can do a job on you with repeated casting of heavier lures.

Ben Bragg Loc: Dayton Ohio

Power pro is all around good braid
My preference is Seaguar Smackdown and Suffix 832 a close second

Bottom of the list
Spider wire
Fire line

I can’t say if I had to use these I wouldn’t fish , but I would think about it.

TonyB Loc: Dudley Massachusetts

I think power pro is best just my opinion.

CRKfish Loc: Southern New Jersey

I use power pro. 4 strand.

TonyB Loc: Dudley Massachusetts

It's all good gents

Huntm22 Loc: Northern Utah. - West Haven

Power Pro and you won’t look back.

hemihappy Loc: pawleys island s.c.

Hate braid but when you need a reel with a lot of line on it you have to go there. Mono takes up just too much room but I love it.

Don Fischer

When I got my sturgeon rod I was advised to put heavy braid on it, I didn't ask why. I did and we simply fished straight down over the side of the boat. No problem. Went od a guided walleye trip in the Columbia River and was advised to put 30yds of 30# braid on the end of whatever I was using if I used mono, I use mono. Didn't like the stuff and saw nothing special that would make me do it again. But the reason seemed reasonable. 30# braid is very thin and Lot less drag in the river current. If I were to go back out there myself and do the same thing I'd use 8# mono and take my chances. But you should try it maybe. Guy's a lot better at fishing than I am swear by braid!

Foodfisher Loc: SO. Cal coast

For sensitivity braid is the bomb. Power pro for my surf fishing. 20 lb. = 6 lb. mono. In diameter. After installed I was setting the hook on sand ripples till I got used to it.

will Loc: Tampa, Florida

FS Digest wrote:

Planning to give braid another try. Your opinions please :) 10 or so years ago I tried XPS braid and it seemed to limit casting distance and when live bait fishing on the bottom I wasn’t able to maintain a tight line. Overall, I just didn’t care for it which could have been because it was a larger diameter braid. I’ve been fishing lots of light and UL gear this year so definitely want something that’s a bit finesse. What do you suggest?

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by peacemakerTN

I have a love-hate thing with braid myself. I find I get further casting distance with it and can feel the slightest of bites. On the other hand, I hate that when you repeatedly reel in long stretches of braid without any tension on the line it ends up being spooled so loose that when you hook a good fighting fish and reel it in under tension, the braid tends to bind on the spool that's already real loose...then when you cast out again,sometimes it snags on itself coming off the spool,and it ends up not casting far as it should.

TonyB Loc: Dudley Massachusetts

When I reel braid on my bait caster I use my thumb and trigger finger to add tension to my line actually I do that with all lines it seems to give a good spool for I that as a boy and it's just my way too give a little tension will that's my 2 cents