Braid for the first time…..

[charlie_the_tuna]

So my reel should be here tomorrow. I picked up a nice little rod today. Now to load it up with braid. This will be my first time using braid. My kid’s been breaking my balls to use braid.
WOW!!!
This stuff is expensive! Looks like it’ll run about $40 bucks to spool up with decent braid.
So what do you guys use? What’s a good braid to use? I’m spooling a 3500 on a medium light 7 foot rod. I’m thinking 10 pound. Maybe 15.
And… GO!

[Giorgio]

Charlie, I use braid, only for bottom fishing, fishing for blues, stripers and weaks I use mono, because I feel I need the stretch in the line, but that's how I use it, everybody uses it differently.
As for the brand, to tell you the truth I've used, Power Pro, Suffix and I don't see much of a difference, again, that's just me, not an expert.

[charlie_the_tuna]

G, if I had your money I’d have a different setup for each species of fish. Basically, I have a conventional setup and now a spinning setup. My fluke setup is pretty stout so my boy has been using it for deep water fluking in montauk. We stripped about 75 yards of mono off and tied on 100 yards of braid. That’s all he uses. Now when we fish, I’m basically using braid. It’s a completely different experience for me.

[phatdaddy]

On my trolling rods,4 0 levelwinds, I use 80 lb power pro, bout 150 yards pre spooled with 60 lb mono and a 30 ft 40 lb leader

Braid has no stretch, u need mono when trolling for a shock absorber. I also use these for bottom fishing offshore, usually 150 ft or less. Then I just tie a swivel on the braid below whatever weight I am using

For 3500 spinning reels, I use 20 lb power pro with the reel preloaded with a mono backing and then a fluorocarbon leader, usually 17 lb vanish

It is expensive,but last a long time. I don***8217;t try to fill the reel, just the section I fish with.

When tying braid to mono, I like the FG knot. I used to use an Albright, but my old fingers won t let me do it on a bouncy boat

I know most reel and rods are built for braid now, but if tying directly to spool, a couple of wraps of electrical tape make it easier to tie to. It also eats a groove in softer ceramic eyes on older rods

If u get a knot in it,cut it.

If u get it in your prop, go overboard and untangle it

Switched to it about 15 years ago and love it. Only place I don t like it is surf rods. No stretch and slinging a 6 oz pyramid weight is not a good plan

[spareparts]

the main reason I use braid is because it doesn't have a memory, I don't fish anywhere near as much as I'd like to, so when i cast a line, I hate seeing all the circles feeding out from the rod tip. Normal rule of thumb is to use twice the weight on braid that you would use on mono, the idea being braid is much thinner than mono, so you can run heavier line without affecting your casting or reel capacity. Start with a mono backing, you'll have more than enough line on your reel to not have to worry about getting into your backing. I use the Uni knot, I'm comfortable tieing it, i use it exclusively, and can do it without thinking about it. There are better knots (FG) but I like the Uni, and it will go thru my guides when casting. Use a fluorocarbon leader, you can tie your lure on to the flouro. The biggest issue I have with braid is wind knots, they will drive you crazy. Bring scissors, a knife wont cut it. Periodically, let most of yor line out behind teh boat at a slow troll and wind it back on to keep it from digging down between itself.

[charlie_the_tuna]

I’ve been tying uni to uni on my kid’s gear so I’m getting pretty good at it. I think I’m just gonna grab a spool of bass pro store brand 15 pound and wind on 125 yards of mono and cover it with 125 yards of braid. I plan to use this setup for smaller inshore stuff. For bigger sport, I have my 5500 and my 7500. I figure those 3 setups should cover just about anything that comes along.

[SkunkBoat]

12 or 15 would be good on that reel.
I have no spinning reels without braid. Its way better than mono on spinning reels. (except on a beach in the wind, in the dark)

It takes getting used to.

Figuring out how much mono backing is a pain. I started spooling the whole reel.

Always use a Palomar knot to tie on swivels, hooks and lures directly.
I often fish with no mono leader (on small spinning) for stripers and fluke and mahi

I use an albright with the braid doubled to tie on a leader if needed. You can use a swivel and mono too.

[charlie_the_tuna]

So I figure I’ll uni to uni some fluorocarbon to the braid. About 5 to 10 yards worth. Should I tie on 20, or 30 pound fluoro? This will most likely be my bluefish, Spanish and bonito rod. Maybe some smallish dolphin if we can find.

[SkunkBoat]

I don't use more than a rod length of mono as a leader on spinning gear.
A long mono topshot kills the benefit of braid...the long smooth casts.

Lately I have been using a barrel swivel and 2 or 3ft of mono if I use a leader.
Problem can be winding the swivel into the top eye and also too much dangling on the cast. But it makes tying and replacing the leader so easy.
Braid gets Palomar to swivel, Mono gets clinch knot to swivel

Uni to Uni splice rarely works going from mono to braid because the diameters are too different and the braid slips when you try to draw it tight.

Doubled Albright is easiest for me. In that case I make it one rod length since it will wind thru the top guide.

I don't drink the flouro koolaid. Mono catches just as many fish and ties knots better and is way cheaper.


If I didn't say it before, use a Palomar to tie braid to hardware. If you can't use that then use a Palomar...or you could substitute that with a Palomar knot.

[charlie_the_tuna]

My main reason behind loading up with a good length of fluoro is for when the albies show up. I’m gonna dedicate my life to targeting them.
As far as uni to uni, I always use it for braid to mono for my boy’s gear. I do like the Albright, although I’ve never used one.