Super User roadwarrior Posted March 5, 2017 Super User Posted March 5, 2017 How particular are you? I recently reviewed KastKing Mega 8 which I have now fished on several outings and have been impressed. The relative value of this line makes it a great choice at a very competitive pricing point. I like black, too! However, for those that are less concerned with price, Smackdown is what I would consider to be the best braid that I have found. If you have fished this Seaguar line please share your thoughts. Quote
kschultz76 Posted March 5, 2017 Posted March 5, 2017 Interested to see what folks have to say. I tried Sufix 832 and don't care for it, then I tried Daiwa Samurai and like it quite a bit. I have used 40 lb Samurai for a couple seasons now. I could just stick with Samurai, but wanted to look at something else to try and Smackdown is at the top of my list. Quote
Global Moderator Bluebasser86 Posted March 5, 2017 Global Moderator Posted March 5, 2017 I haven't tried Smackdown but I've had good luck with Kanzen on my spinning rods. It cast great and is very thin. @roadwarrior how does smackdown compare to flipping braid? I really like the flipping braid, I've pulled whole wads of water willows out of the bottom of the lake with 50lb flipping braid. Quote
CTBassin860 Posted March 5, 2017 Posted March 5, 2017 @roadwarrior would you recommend the KastKing over PP or 832?? Quote
Super User WRB Posted March 5, 2017 Super User Posted March 5, 2017 Back in the early 1990's Seaguar Spectra super braid was state of the art for off shore tuna/Marlin tournament fishing becuase of it's small diameter vs lbs test allowed the use of standard size 30W& 50W International reels in lieu of 80W reels and still have 500-600 yards of 60 to 100 lb line. The only draw back being white color line that was noisy going through the guides. Fins PRT came out with green color that didn't run and Teflon impregnated to reduce line noise, I changed to Fins back in the 90's and it's still my go to braid line. Daiwa Samuari braid came out in the early 2000's and the local bass anglers were changing from Power Pro to Samuari because it was softer and better casting, so I tried it for frogs and soon discovered the green dye ran and the line tended to flatten, annoying but performed well. Fins came out with WindTamer, changed the Samuari to WindTamer and see no reason to make any changes, 8 carrier round braid that is color fast, no wind knots, good knot strength and abrasion resistance. Seagaur is the sponsor and makes excellent line, I would try it if unhappy with what I now use. Tom Quote
Super User NHBull Posted March 5, 2017 Super User Posted March 5, 2017 @road warrior, how does this compare to Gamma Torque? Quote
Super User RoLo Posted March 5, 2017 Super User Posted March 5, 2017 I should start by saying that 'Line Diameter' means a great deal to me. About 3 years ago, I decided to respool my reels with Seaguar Smackdown braid because of its remarkable 'break test' to 'line diameter' ratio. A couple vacations ago we went to Sturgeon Bay, WI for smallmouth and our spinning gear was spooled with Seaguar Smackdown. Last year we went to Lac Seul, Ontario for northern pike and our casting gear was spooled with Seaguar Smackdown. In retrospect though, I discovered that the line on all reels appeared to be longitudinally frayed, it''s hard to describe because I've never seen that before on braided line. At first it appeared like a build-up of surface coating, but on closer inspection it appeared like separation in the braid strands. Though I never nailed down the exact cause, I replaced the line on all reels with another brand of braid. Credit where credit is due: Seaguar Smackdown behaved very well, and there were no surprise break offs. Owing to its fine diameter, Smackdown had great casting distance, and despite its fine diameter, line-burrowing and luff-knots were never a problem. Roger 1 Quote
Super User Big Bait Fishing Posted March 5, 2017 Super User Posted March 5, 2017 1 hour ago, NHBull said: @road warrior, how does this compare to Gamma Torque? to me , Gamma Torque is very , very similar to Samuari , but more stronger . i don't care for really soft braid as i like to have a tad more body to it . the thing i hear a lot with smackdown is that it's thin but no as strong as most braids lb. rating, you have to up size your line so you can't take advantage of the small diameter or you will be breaking off ... Quote
Super User roadwarrior Posted March 5, 2017 Author Super User Posted March 5, 2017 4 hours ago, Bluebasser86 said: how does smackdown compare to flipping braid? I really like the flipping braid, I've pulled whole wads of water willows out of the bottom of the lake with 50lb flipping braid. Smackdown is not as stiff, is uniformally round, thinner and quieter. 3 hours ago, MassBassin508 said: @roadwarrior would you recommend the KastKing over PP or 832?? It has been a long time since I have used PP, so I'll leave that alone. I still use Sufix 832, like it and think it is comparable to the Mega 8, just not as smooth. 2 hours ago, NHBull said: @road warrior, how does this compare to Gamma Torque? Never used it. 1 Quote
The Bassman Posted March 6, 2017 Posted March 6, 2017 6 hours ago, WRB said: Back in the early 1990's Seaguar Spectra super braid was state of the art for off shore tuna/Marlin tournament fishing becuase of it's small diameter vs lbs test allowed the use of standard size 30W& 50W International reels in lieu of 80W reels and still have 500-600 yards of 60 to 100 lb line. The only draw back being white color line that was noisy going through the guides. Fins PRT came out with green color that didn't run and Teflon impregnated to reduce line noise, I changed to Fins back in the 90's and it's still my go to braid line. Daiwa Samuari braid came out in the early 2000's and the local bass anglers were changing from Power Pro to Samuari because it was softer and better casting, so I tried it for frogs and soon discovered the green dye ran and the line tended to flatten, annoying but performed well. Fins came out with WindTamer, changed the Samuari to WindTamer and see no reason to make any changes, 8 carrier round braid that is color fast, no wind knots, good knot strength and abrasion resistance. Seagaur is the sponsor and makes excellent line, I would try it if unhappy with what I now use. Tom I use Windtamer some and find it quite user friendly but little known. Unless I am mistaken I believe it is a 4 strand, but suprisingly quiet. 1 Quote
Super User QUAKEnSHAKE Posted March 6, 2017 Super User Posted March 6, 2017 On 3/5/2017 at 11:12 AM, NHBull said: @road warrior, how does this compare to Gamma Torque? here is my take on 3 of my most used last year being .011dia pps8s gamma torque smackdown strenght/dia 1 2 3 quietness 1 2 2 price 2 1 3 subtleness 2 1 2 smoothness 1 3 2 bleed 1 2 3 my findings knot strenght wise smackdown 30# isnt quite as strong as PPs8S 20#. Gamma Torque braid is very limp off the spool will fall straight off while unwinding where S8S and Smackdown will have coils 1 Quote
Preytorien Posted March 6, 2017 Posted March 6, 2017 I loved Smackdown on my smallmouth spinning reel but then I found Gliss. I may go back on my casting rigs but for now I'm using 832 Quote
Super User Further North Posted March 6, 2017 Super User Posted March 6, 2017 1 minute ago, Preytorien said: I loved Smackdown on my smallmouth spinning reel but then I found Gliss. I may go back on my casting rigs but for now I'm using 832 I have Gliss on one spinning rig...after a year...it's frayed and spooky looking...not sure what it is...lotsa rocks and rugged cover, even with a leader...It'll be getting replaced this season. Quote
hawgenvy Posted March 6, 2017 Posted March 6, 2017 About half my casting rigs are spooled with #40 Smackdown. Smooth, thin, quiet, strong. Knots hold great but I always use the super-strong San Diego Jam. Smackdown hasn't let me down yet. 1 Quote
Super User roadwarrior Posted March 7, 2017 Author Super User Posted March 7, 2017 On 3/5/2017 at 9:19 PM, Further North said: I have Gliss on one spinning rig...after a year...it's frayed and spooky looking...not sure what it is...lotsa rocks and rugged cover, even with a leader...It'll be getting replaced this season. I like the initial performance, but have had the same issues with Gliss. Quote
PatrickKnight Posted March 7, 2017 Posted March 7, 2017 On 3/5/2017 at 7:05 PM, The Bassman said: I use Windtamer some and find it quite user friendly but little known. Unless I am mistaken I believe it is a 4 strand, but suprisingly quiet. Windtamer is a 4 carrier and while it might not be to popular in these parts if you go to the Texas coast its one of the most popular lines on the pro redfish trail. Quote
5fishlimit Posted March 7, 2017 Posted March 7, 2017 I've got several reels spooled with Smackdown, and have been extremely happy with it. I've got 10# (spinning), 30#, and 65#. I love the 10# and 65#, but the 30# I'm not a huge fan. To be honest I'm using the 30# one my senko setup, and believe it's just a matter of me getting used to braid for this technique. I've noticed that the color doesn't fade as quickly as some other brands I've tried. It is very limp and casting is excellent. Noise is minimal compared to brands like PP and 832. Overall its been a winner for me! Quote
The Bassman Posted March 7, 2017 Posted March 7, 2017 1 hour ago, PatrickKnight said: Windtamer is a 4 carrier and while it might not be to popular in these parts if you go to the Texas coast its one of the most popular lines on the pro redfish trail. But what's novel is that it's made in KY. Quote
Super User Montanaro Posted March 7, 2017 Super User Posted March 7, 2017 Smackdown is easily the best braid available barring price. Easily. But that price tag keeps me trying other brands Quote
Oklahoma Mike Posted March 7, 2017 Posted March 7, 2017 Smackdown is my favorite braid and gets used on a lot of my reels in 30# and 40#. For me it is the gold standard of braided lines. On 3/5/2017 at 7:19 PM, Further North said: I have Gliss on one spinning rig...after a year...it's frayed and spooky looking...not sure what it is...lotsa rocks and rugged cover, even with a leader...It'll be getting replaced this season. I have had the same experience, and I also disliked it for being too limp and prone to breakoffs. I think I have found the solution, albeit at a higher price point. A few months back I picked up a spool of this: http://www.tacklewarehouse.com/YGK_G-Soul_Upgrade_X-8_Braided_Line/descpage-YGKGUX8.html from TW. So far so good - I get the casting performance I was getting with Gliss, but it is not as limp and seems to have better knot strength. Looking at the line I think it will hold up better over time too, but I will see what kind of shape it's end at the end of this season. Quote
Hogsticker Posted March 7, 2017 Posted March 7, 2017 Smackdown and Maxima are my 2 favorite braids. 10 and 20 lb Maxima, 30 and 40 lb Smackdown. I had too many Phantom breakoffs with the 10 and 20 lb Smackdown. Aside from that, I love the way it handles and performs. Quote
Super User fishballer06 Posted March 7, 2017 Super User Posted March 7, 2017 I tried some 30lb. Smackdown about 2-3 years ago. It felt really nice in the hands. However, I had all sorts of issues while using it. Lots of wind knots for no explainable reason. Maybe I got a dud spool, because I've heard lots of good things about it. I now stick to 4 different braids for my braid needs, depending upon availability and application: Suffix 832, PLine TCB-8, PP Maxcuatro, Sunline FX2 Quote
Super User NHBull Posted March 7, 2017 Super User Posted March 7, 2017 Just pulled the trigger in some 30lb.....curious kinds! Quote
Nole Basser Posted March 11, 2017 Posted March 11, 2017 Bass Pro here in town has 150yd spools of 40 and 50# Smackdown for $12.88. Got 2 spool of 50lbs to try out. Quote
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