Braided line?

I’m getting back into fishing after about 10 years. I see a lot of people using braided line over mono now days. How does line rating for braid work? For example, if a rod is rated for 8-17lb test does this refer to mono AND braid?

 

Usually each package has a number of what its equal to. Such as 20lb braided spiderwire is equal to 8lb test line.

 

Theres good and bad things about braided line. I've been using braided now so long Ive just got used to it. Theres a time and place for each type of line though.

 

I fish braid but always tie about 1' of 20lb mono with a fishermans knot to the end. Braid doesn't want to break if you get hung up and I would hate to lose 30' of line every time it happened because you have to cut it.

 

Yes. But the line will be so much smaller in dia that the reel will hold a lot more.

I still use mono on my light tackle because its easier to work with and less expensive.

In my larger inshore salt fishing i use braided, but with a leader of mono close to the length of the rod I'm using. Less visible, but more line on spool, less stretch, easier hookset on light bites. All important when working from a kayak

 

Also, in my experience, braid works well on bait cast reels and not as well on spin cast.

 

I like it on my spin caster, but it does get bunched up on the reel with a good sized fish...that part I dont like.

 

To be clear, 20lb. Braid is equal in STRENGTH to 20lb mono. It has the DIAMETER of 8# mono. The advantages of braid are that you can use a smaller reel to get the same amount of line, saving weight, and braid casts better. I don’t know what kind of fishing you do, but for soaking bait in saltwater, mono is my preference, I’m just comfortable with it. If I’m throwing metal lures for blues or Spanish and need distance, I’ll use braid.

 

Braid doesn't stretch like mono so you will feel lighter bites and have a more sure hook set.

 

My plan is to run mono for my light setup over shallow reefs using 1oz poppers and braid for my medium-heavy setup, dunking 3-5oz lead sinkers. I’d maybe like to set up a reel with braid that could do both.

 

I always use braid with a flourocarbon leader for bass fishing for sensitivity. I use mono with my catfishing setups so I can 'load up' on the fish better.

 

Where I'm from 1oz isn't light tackle.

 

I use braid on my baitcasters with a flouro leader that allows me to break off if I hook a log or tree or something.

 

Braided is basically my favorite thing ever. The biggest dislike I have of it is sometimes it doesn't tie very well. It also lets me get away with using like 8lb in place of 2lb mono.

 

This is great advice. I do somewhat the same. All my soaking rods are mono. I have one 10 foot and 8 foot both with 20lb braid with 40lb shockleader/leader on specifically for throwing metal/lures/Carolina rig live bait. I have a TLD 15 I use for sharks that has a top shot of 100 yards 50lb mono and then over 300 yards of 40 or 50lb braid. I have yet to catch anything to have the braid spool out.

Braid certainly has its advantages of being smaller and having no stretch, just depends on the application. If you ever are fishing in a crowd, the polite thing to do is run mono. Braid will cut through mono in a hot second. In my experience braid casts significantly better than mono out of a open face. That's why I like braid for metal with a mono shock leader/leader, kinda the best of both worlds.

 

what kind of knot you are using? I had a flourocarbon leader on a hook set the other day and broke both of them off at the swivel. So either I got a big fish or it just snapped the leader...

 

Improved Clinch generally. I find that the braided sometimes comes apart when trying to pull it back through the eye, which makes it a pain.

 

I use the Palomar knot or double palomar. Ive yet to break a knot. I usually have to snap the line if I get snagged, the knot stays though. Plus Palomar knot is easy.

 

They palomar knot is the best knot for braid. I've never had a knot fail on me. What you said X2

 

I've honestly never broken a knot either. I'll give the palomar a try if I ever have time to go fishing again.