First Time Using Braid

[moguy1973]

So I took advantage of the Tuf-Line Supercast free (plus shipping) offer they had and got some 20lb braid from them.  I put it on a new set up I bought primarily as a jig/topwater/creature bait rod.  It's a BPS Bionic Plus 7:1 reel on a 7' MH Fast Bionic rod.  

 

First impressions of the braid is that it's way more sensitive than I ever had with mono or hybrid lines.  I could feel every stick and branch I dragged my jig over.  Pretty cool stuff.  The other thing I really liked is when I got a backlash it was a lot easier to clear and that's worth having braid on the reel alone.  It also cast really smooth, just like mono.  Unfortunately, the fish weren't interested in my jig.  They were only biting on wacky worms this morning and that was on my other rod with Yo-Zuri on it.

[Darren.]

Agree with you that undoing braid backlashes is easier than non-braid. I love the sensitivity, and I've recently switched over to XPS Fluorocarbon leaders and wow, I have been amazed at the difference (increase) in sensitivity over copoly leaders like YZH and P-Line...

[BassinLou]

If that reel is also used for your topwater applications, braid is going to present differently. You may or may not like it. I personally do not use braid for my topwater applications like jerkbaits, spooks, or flukes. For frogs and swimbaits I do use braid.

[gramps50]

First impressions of the braid is that it's way more sensitive than I ever had with mono or hybrid lines.  I could feel every stick and branch I dragged my jig over.  Pretty cool stuff.  

 

Did you use it with a leader?

[moguy1973]

Did you use it with a leader?

 

Straight braid.  Not planning on using a leader with this setup. It'll still catch fish.

[Arv]

All except my cranking set up have braid now. I love the stuff. I do tie leaders on pretty often though. I can catch fish on straight braid, but there are definitely times when adding a leader helps a ton.

[gramps50]

My new Lews spinning reel has a braid spool guess I will have to give it a try.

[SirSnookalot]

My new Lews spinning reel has a braid spool guess I will have to give it a try.

A braid ready spool is a rubberized strip on the spool, or an elastic band that the line is slipped under.  Whether my reel is " braid ready" or not I always put a piece of tape on the spool before loading it up, I even use tape to load up my mono on a conventional reel.

[hooah212002]

A braid ready spool is a rubberized strip on the spool, or an elastic band that the line is slipped under.  Whether my reel is " braid ready" or not I always put a piece of tape on the spool before loading it up, I even use tape to load up my mono on a conventional reel.

 

Well whaddya know, I always wondered why some (spinning) reels had that. The more ya know.

[gramps50]

Had some Tufline XP #30 sitting around so I spooled it up and hopefully I can get out tomorrow and give it a try.

[Hogsticker]

Straight braid.  Not planning on using a leader with this setup. It'll still catch fish.

Yes you will! Zero stretch = amazing sensitivity!!

[Smallmouth Hunter]

My only concern with leaders on braid is that when I go to cast, the connection knot between the 2 lines will either hit the line guides and over time break from that or the knot will get stuck on a line guide for even a half second and then I get backlash.

Does this ever happen with braid -> leaders connection knot?

[SirSnookalot]

Even using a thin profile knot like an alberto the knot going thru the guide is apparent to me, I do not care for it.  I haven't seen any evidence damage or the knot hanging up, but when using a joining knot I prefer to keep my leader short enough not to go thru the guides. Most people however tie longer leaders as not wanting to replace the leader more often, I don't mind.