Braid For Everything

[tugsandpulls]

the more i use braid foe everything the more i like it the only rod i have mono on is my spinning rod who else uses braid for everything?

[The Commodore]

I actually like to use braid for spinning more than casting.  I would use braid for everything if I could.  

[CKFishin]

I only have braid on my spinning setup and a baitcaster for arigs that I have never used...

[Scott F]

I use braid 100% of the time on baitcasters and on spinning rods. Never use a leader either.

[QUAKEnSHAKE]

All but one of my reels have braid, the one having Nanofil.

[flyfisher]

you can add me to the all braid club too but i have been tempted to try some flouro on my finesse spinning rod set up.

[OkeechobeeAngler]

All braid here. Both fresh and saltwater. 

[ww2farmer]

All braid for me, with fluoro leaders when I feel the need for one.

[dodgeguy]

all braid no leaders.

[thehooligan]

All braid for me, with fluoro leaders when I feel the need for one.

Same

[Darren.]

I used to use braid for everything, years ago. But now I use a leader 99% of the time. As I've explained in other posts, whether or not the bass see the line is irrelevant to me. I like the money savings of not having to cut my braid and retie every time I lose a hook to a snag or such. 

 

That's just my reasoning, and my preference, and my experience. Then again, I'm now using XPS Fluorocarbon leaders and find the slack line sensitivity has been amazing with the FC leader (moreso than Yo-Zuri Hybrid, P-Line FC, and other leaders I was using).

[mikeeasttn]

I use braid on all my rods except for 2 which I fish glide baits and top water on. Gives me more confidence that I will land the fish. Also for me it seems to last longer than the fluro or mono. Also I never use a leader.

[Long Mike]

Braid on all my rods with the exception of my trout rod.  Also, I use an XPS Flouro leader on all but the "slop/A-Rig" rod.  That one is 60# braid all the way.

[rockchalk06]

I have a total of 6 combos. All but one have braid with a leader when I need one. The only rod that has fluoro, is an on going review I'm doing on some fluoro. I really don't care for the combo with fluoro at all. As soon as the review is done, it's getting spooled with PP slick brown in 40 like the others.

I went back and forth for years and finally have settled on straight braid.

[lmbfisherman]

I use braid on 90% of my setups, the others have P Line and Yo Zuri.  However on my braid I always fish with a leader, like Darren states.  It's a cost cutting thing for me too.

[GeorgiaBassBros]

All braid unless im cranking. 50# for baitcasting, 10-15# for spinning. IMO you cant beat the added sensitivity and the no stretch of braid. Since i switched to braid (two years ago) ive lost a total of probably 5 hooks/lures and on all of them i just gave up and pulled out the knot. I usually end up taking up my shirt off and wrapping my hand in it and pulling about as hard as i can or walking away with the line. I never use a leader either and dont have issues but most of the water i fish is VERY stained

[POPRG]

I use braid on most,but yo-zuri on a few set ups too..i always use a fluro leader with braid,not for cost reasons,but i tried straight braid throwing the big 3-hook zara spook last week,and the front hook woul'd 

constantly get tangled up in the braid..!! added a leader and all was o.k.

[skeletor6]

I use braid for frogging only. I feel there's a better line for every other technique. I couldn't imagine cranking with a line that doesnt stretch and gets cut by treble hooks. Furthermore, lack of slack line sensitivity negates the point of having a very sensitive rod.

With that said, on cheap rods it does offer a way to feel whats on the bottom. Tight lines only though. And the longevity and lack of memory are positive features as well.

Don't see the point of using just 1 line when there's such a wide variety of options.

[Hooked_On_Bass]

Like skeletor6, I only use braid on my frog rod.

[derekxec]

started using power pro when it first came out after the first day of fishing with it i went back to the store and bought more and filled all of my reels with it and havent used anything else since then

[SirSnookalot]

I fish braid on all my gear except 1 situation, which is a saltwater driftboat and they don't allow braid, too many tangles with other fisherman.  I do not use a conventional reel except when I'm using live or cut bait and still prefer spinning.  I use leaders 100% of the time both in fresh and saltwater, 10# and 15# in fresh and 10-15 and 20# in salt.  I do have a few set ups with 30# braid, as I'm matching the line to the reel not the fish. I go thru a lot of line and respool often, we have a lot of cut offs here and I get more than my share of windknots, does not alter my opinion of using braid.  I do not take chances when my line gets beat up.

[skeletor6]

I have no issue with slack line sensitivity. If a fish bumps the bait and the line moves, I feel it. I can feel the wind pickup and catch the line. I am a budget fisherman. I have 2 baitcasters and one spinning. I like to use my PQ on the Duckett mostly so this is why I use 1 line. 

 

I find most will agree slack line sensitivity is at the very least poor with braid. Just as most will agree tight light sensitivity is phenomenal with braid. That is besides the point. Directed directly at the question at hand, one can actually use braid for everything. You just need to use the leader system and get good at tying alberto/modified albright, or those uni-uni knots. It won't be great for every technique, but if you only have one rod or a limited number of rods it might be the way to go. Also, it can enhance "dead" rods to the point where on a tight line you can actually feel what's going on. My friends Abu Black Max combo is a testament to that.

 

What I pointed out earlier was just in regards to my personal use. Your situation is clearly different and requires different circumstances. Fishing with 2 rods requires a different approach. Being a budget fishermen, braid is cost effective. The line lasts for years and one can get decent quality at a low price. This is unlike fluoro where one has to at least get mid-grade fluoro otherwise they will be dealing with a headache. 

 

 

I feel mono is often forgotten in these conversations though. It is not a very exciting line, but it can get the job done with just about every technique.

[SirSnookalot]

Braid shines because it's diameter to strength ratio as compared to mono or copoly, secondly hook setting is much easier, thirdly it manages better on spinning gear.  What I do like about mono even though I seldom use it is that I make sure I use the drag as it's intended and not muscle a fish in with super strong line.

I wouldn't be in the least bit upset if braided lines were reduced in strength while keeping the same diameters.

[rockchalk06]

How does color hold up on the super slick.

So far just a bit longer than the regular PP. It's still brown just faded some.

[Loop_Dad]

I went all braid last year. I'm mostly happy, but I am thinking about going back to fluoro on some of them. My reasoning of going back is

 

1) braid floats too much for some application

2) braid might spook the fish

 

Someone pointed out that if you are using fast moving bait, the visible braid might spook the fish BEFORE the bait get to where fish is. I thought about this before and forgot about it. But his commented brought back this doubt in my head.

 

I might have to go back and forth for a couple of more years before I settle.