Braided line on spinning gear.
- Thread starter Dungee
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SeaLegs
Escalante-Class Member
Beautiful fish!
Edward Gerdemann
Well-Known Member
I used Quantum and Shimano reels in the past, but over the last couple of years I've been using Okuma and Pfleuger spinning reels. I actually think they are better than Quantum and even Shimano and cost considerably less. I think the Pfleuger President is a great reel for the money, superior to a Shimano costing two to nearly three times as much.
Ed Gerdemann
birdsnest
Keeper of San Juan Secrets
my friend and fishing partner has the pflueger president which I would most certainly buy
I used Quantum and Shimano reels in the past, but over the last couple of years I've been using Okuma and Pfleuger spinning reels. I actually think they are better than Quantum and even Shimano and cost considerably less. I think the Pfleuger President is a great reel for the money, superior to a Shimano costing two to nearly three times as much.
Ed Gerdemann
birdsnest
Keeper of San Juan Secrets
You'll get it..
GregC
Well-Known Member
Dungee
Keeper of San Juan Secrets
Spool to the rod tip, so it doesn't get a kink over the winter!
Ha but i need to practice it! Im finding lots of different lengths for different applications. Anyone here use a leader long enough that it goes into the spool?
I use this on all my reels and it helps prevent line twist.
http://www.basspro.com/shop/en/blakemore-real-magic-lubricant
http://www.basspro.com/shop/en/blakemore-real-magic-lubricant
GregC
Well-Known Member
(Secret): Sometimes I do. It really helps to put a drop of super glue on the knot. It smooths out the knot and lets it pass thru the guides a little easier. Don't tell any one that I don't always use a rod-length leader.
GregC
Dorado
Keeper of San Juan Secrets
I set up my rods with 15 20 feet of leader and use the improved Albright knot. It sails through the guides without any glue. A strong, fast tying knot with a low profile. I like the braid for casting topwater and especially for jigging. I have found (when ice fishing anyhow) the having a long section of leader makes a difference. I do not think it matter for reaction bites. IMHO, for most freshwater applications, just using mono works just fine and is less of a P.I.T.A!!!
Meatwagon
Keeper of San Juan Secrets
I use about 10 ft of leader, I can retie a few more times without replacing the leader. never have an issue with the knot going through the guide,use 10lb. Braid (power pro)with 6lb seagar on my light action setup Garcia cardinal 10, 20lb. Braid and 10lb seagar on my med. action. I have had as many wind knots with mono as I have with anything else. I would agree with kbass as to the reason why.
Tyler Allan
Active Member
Hi Preston,
I appreciate all the posts and videos!
I have used braid for quite a few years. I like to use 10 lb. Power Pro. I've also used Berkley Fireline which casts even further. I think the number one issue is closing the bail with the handle and not by hand. (Which you mentioned) I love the mono and flouro on mybait casters. But use braided on my spinning gear unless I'm throwing a top water. Sometimes you can see your braid isn't tight on the spool. Cast out and make sure you get that loose spot off the spool and reel again.
To me the braid casts further and is stronger. Use the uni knot to tie on a flouro leader (12 lb.).
Good Luck!
Ty
Not Yet You Bet
Well-Known Member
Thanks a lot, I tried to order one and they said you got them all. Out of stock
Thanks for starting this thread. There has been a lot of great information passed along. I will add my thoughts that have come with trial and error over a very long time.
Monofilament line is the long standing standard and perhaps most versatile line available. It casts much better (on a spinning rod) than fluorocarbon line when the pound test exceeds 6 pounds. Braid has a smaller diameter to pound test ratio. Mono is more visible to fish in clear water than fluoro. Obviously braid is the most visible. So use the right line for the right technique.
I fish mostly for stripers therefore I use braid on my spinning rod with an attached leader most of the time. Stripers looking for anchovy bait can see braid and mono but fluoro is less visible to them. When bait fishing there is not a better line combination than braid for casting distance and strength with an invisible leader attached.
However, if I am using my level wind reel for striper fishing then I only use 12-pound fluoro line (trolling or casting) because it casts well from the level wind and is almost invisible. Using braid is a problem on a level wind because the small diameter line can cinch down when playing a fish and cause a problem when trying to cast once more. Mono works just as well but has more visibility to fish.
If casting to surface striper boils when fish are reacting immediately to lures hitting the water it is fine to use straight braid for long casts and line strength.
If fishing plastics for bass then I use only light fluoro (for better casting distance). It is wise to have a bass reel set up without braid because the braid floats more than mono or fluoro, which makes it slower to descend and does not let the light plastic bait go as deep as it would on mono or fluoro. It is more effective to fish for bass with mono or fluoro.
Casting and retrieving is all about closing the bail without slack. The line has to be tight to prevent a large number of problems that can develop if a loose level of line is trapped under many tight levels of line. Sometimes the problem of closing the bail on a loose strand of line is mis-identified as some other problem. When fishing topwater I watch the lure closely and close the bail one-foot before the bait hits the water. That stretches the line out and lets me reel quickly at the surface impact without worrying about slack line. Most of these things I do out of habit while thinking about fish instead of casting essentials.
Preston - my best advice is to use the right rod, reel and line combination to match the fish species, time of year, and feeding habits. This is all very easy if you take 8 rods along for each person on every trip. Oh wait that is not a very easy thing.............
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Dungee
Keeper of San Juan Secrets
Thanks for more great info Wayne. My current set up is five rods (not quite 8
), two spinning and three baitcasting. Spinning has 8lb mono and the baitcasters have 12lb mono and one with braid for top-water. On boil trips I'll bring our boil rig which is an over-sized spinning reel with braid. I honestly have no complaints with the current set up but do see the positives with braid so i want to cover my bases. I haven't noticed a deficiency in bites while bass fishing with these set ups but we do usually fish the dirtier waters of the far north. When we finally put forth more effort towards spooning I think I have a set up with braid and fluoro, and if we get into clearer waters I can always tie a fluoro leader to the mono as well. Looks like I will keep practicing in the street and get odd looks from those driving by.
Once while bait fishing for stripers in the clear water of Navajo Canyon we got a school going and caught fish on every cast. We waved a boat over to join us but they did not catch fish despite the wide open bite that was going on. They were right next to us and I suspected they had on the wrong gear for the event that was going on. I waited for the angler next to me in the unlucky boat to cast out to the striper school. As soon as he cast to the school I purposely cast over his line and snagged it. I apologized as I reeled it in to unhook his line. I looked at his line and it appeared to be about 12-pound test monofilament. I threw his line back in the water and as he reeled in I suggested that he tie on a 6-pound test leader, which he did. He then caught a fish on the next cast and each successive cast until the school quit and moved on.
When fishing in murky water it is not quite as critical to use fluoro but I like to catch fish and will eliminate as many impediments to catching as possible.
When fishing in murky water it is not quite as critical to use fluoro but I like to catch fish and will eliminate as many impediments to catching as possible.
Edward Gerdemann
Well-Known Member
I use 15-20 feet for a couple reasons. First, I don't like having to splice on new leaders all the time, so I can break off several times without having to change a leader. Second, Fireline, which is my main line, floats while fluorocarbon sinks and sinks quite quickly. The longer leader enables my bait to get to the fish quicker. Finally, the further the lure is from the main visible line the less likely I believe fish are likely to associate the main line with the lure. I use an 8-lb.-test fluorocarbon leader which splices very easily to 14-lb.-test Fireline. The knot is small and rarely hangs up in the tip or causes a problem on the reel. This system works for me with the way I fish, however it might not work for everyone. Each angler needs to develop his or her own fishing system and tackle setup that best suits them.
Ed Gerdemann
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