Braided Line, How Long Before You Change It Out?

[tnriverluver]

I am slowly starting to change over from mono lines to Braided. Does the braided line last a lot longer than mono? Due to the cost I would like to get more than 1 season out of the braid. My main reason for changing is I have bought several bad spools of mono in the last couple of years both Stren and Trilene that will break with the slightest pull. Never ran in to this in nearly 50 years of fishing before. I just fish for fun now so a tournament is not on the line, but I hate losing fish or lures because of weak line.

[gripnrip]

Braid can last up to 4 years. Depending on what type abuse you put it thru. I usually change mine after 3 years or so.

As far as the mono I hardly use it anymore. With all of my line regardless of what kind I keep it in my house in a dark drawer. I believe temperature and sunlight plays a major factor in line failure.

[Crappiebasser]

Braid is the cheapest line you can use when you consider how long it lasts. I have some Power Pro on a spinning rod that is 6 years old. If it ever does start getting frayed and easy to break you can take it off the spool and put it back on backwards and get another year or 2.

[Darren.]

I would agree braid will last for years.

Currently going on 2 years on my Stradics. Although I have spare spools with different types of line, I use the braid 99% of the time.

In fact, I plan on buying another couple spools of yellow PowerPro soon, for other reels in my arsenal.

But fwiw, I don't fish straight braid. I always fish a leader. Typically a copoly like P-Line Floroclear or YoZuri Hybrid. This way the braid lasts even longer as I only have to cut a short amount off when I change out leaders.

[Jig Man]

The nice thing about braid is once you think you need to change it out, just take it off and reverse it putting the older used part on the backing and go again. Some of it I have used for way over 5 years doing that.

[tnriverluver]

Never heard of or thought of reversing braid. That is a great idea!

[LgMouthGambler]

The nice thing about braid is once you think you need to change it out, just take it off and reverse it putting the older used part on the backing and go again. Some of it I have used for way over 5 years doing that.

Well said. This is what I will do if the braid lasts more than 2 years of use. If I have to cut too much off do to abrasion/re-tie, I will just respool, otherwise I will reverse it.

[ww2farmer]

I change mine out when It gets to where I am casting the backing out on an average lenght cast. I don't worry about it losing it's color as I use fluorocarbon leaders anyways, except with frogs, other topwater and some cranking, an dI don't care about the color of it there either, I just check it and retie as needed as if it was any other kind of line. Everytime I tie a new fluoro leader I inspect the braid and strip any off that looks all fuzzy and frayed up as well. I usually get a full seasons use out of a fill up on things like my frog rod, and cranking set ups. On my jig/worm, flipping and spinning rods, some of that braid is 2-3 years old and still going strong.

[SirSnookalot]

I use braid and spinning gear for 100% of my freshwater and inshore saltwater fishing. My freshwater probably gets changed about once a year (we have a 12 month season and I fish every day), for some reason I get more than my share of windknots, probably from throwing lighter flukes. I don't encounter too much in the way of my line getting abrasion, due to the kind of water I'm fishing. My inshore fishing uses up a lot of line, get cut off on rocks, coral, barnacles and the kind of fish we catch, most of the time I'll add line using an alberto knot. Only fresh spools for offshore use, don't trust a connecting knot out here.

[matt996]

I change all my line before each tournament no matter if its braid FC or mono.

[The Next KVD]

I change all my line before each tournament no matter if its braid FC or mono.

I agree with that up to where the braid part. On my reels I spool half the reel with backing and than put electrical tape over it creating a shallower spool. I than spool my braid on with most reels it equates to roughly 75 yards which I use until I start seeing my electrical tape. This allows me to use less braid per reel which means I can get more than 1 or 2 reels out of a spool of braid. The longest I've had braid on is 1.5 years but this is because I put my braid through alot of abuse and when bass season opens here in MN I fish 6 days a week until ice up.

[Addicted to Smallies]

I usually get at least 2 seasons out of my braid, and I've never had it break. I use a high quality mono backer and also typically use a 3-4' fluoro leader, so the main line usually doesn't get much damage unless I'm fishing around rocks or heavy debris.

Plus, by doing like the earlier posts mentioned, I can wind my braid onto a different reel so that I'm using the "fresher" part of the line and the older part is buried on the reel. It's a great trick and it keeps the co$t down a bit.

For the smaller diameter stuff like 10lb braid on my ultra light gear, I usually change it out more frequently since it's only 2-3 strands of fiber instead of the multiple strands you have on the higher-test line.

[alexczarn]

Usually a year.