lb test and brand of braid on Baitcaster?

[SoFloSully]

What kind of braid do you guys like? What lb test braid is most manageable on a baitcaster? I will be putting it on a Daiwa Tatula CT Type R and a Medium Fast rod.  

[Smokinal]

I have 20lb Power Pro Super Slick on my baitcasters and 10lb Sufix Nanobraid on my spinning setups. All get a fluoro leader due to rock.

[Clinton john]

I only use braid on my frog rod so guess my thoughts can't really help you much but I use power pro

30# .

[MickD]

Most use braid of from 30-50 for baitcasters, with everyone having a favorite brand.  I prefer Power Pro and Suffix Premium Braid.  I know from experience that all braids are not equal, so I would avoid any that don't get endorsements from the people on this forum.  I expect many more to chime in.

 

The pound test is not for super strength, but is for casting characteristics, and you will want to experiment with your drag setting, which will be much below 30 pounds.  Too high a drag setting with the fine diameter braids will cause it to dig in on the spool, and believe me, you don't want that to happen.  Cutting a spool full of braid off a reel could take hours.  It certainly isn't fun.

[Angry John]

I like 40 for contact baits and 30 for cranking.  I currently run 65 for frogs but plan to step down to 50.  If I had to choose one for everything it would be 40.

[WRB]

Not a big braid line user however have been using Fins PRT for over 25 years, doesn't fade or run the moss green color, quite going through the guides and made in America. Fins Windtamer 12 lb is good for spinning reel, 30 to 65 lb for bait casting reels depending on how heavy the vegetation cover may be. Medium action rod I would go the 30 lb.

Tom

[Darren.]

I use 20# Power Pro on my baitcaster, regular

version. I have no digging issues, though it is

a distinct possibility given the smaller diameter.

That said, being aware of that issue and taking

measures to avoid it (like pulling off a measure

of line after a snag or big fish fight) will help

alleviate the issue. This is how I roll with 20#.

[Jar11591]

I use 40 and 50 lb Power Pro.

[fishnkamp]

I fish 4 Tatula Type Rs and 2 Tatula Cts. Some have braid and some have P Line FloroClear ( copoly line coated in floro)

 I do not have a "favorite" brand or pound test. I like to use Suffix 832 in 10 pound test ( 6 pound mono equivalent in dia) to throw paddletail swimbaits on my 6 ft light action baitcaster. I use 20 and 30 pound test 832 for some of my crankbait rods, especially the ones I use on bass and stripers. I like 832 because it lays nice on the reel and it is a bit softer than other braids. However that exact thing is why I never use t in heavy vegetation.

I use 30 pound Power Pro Spectra on my wife"s frog rod (a 7 foot heavy spinning rod) and I also use Power Pro Spectra in 65 pound test on my frog rod and heavy flipping stick. Both of those rods have Daiwa Tatula Type Rs on them.

For me it is not about favorite brand line but matching the best line to the jib I need it to do.

 

[CTBassin860]

50# Power pro or Sufix 832

[MNGeorge]

Tried many different brands of braid over the years and can't say any one of them outperformed the others to a great extent...been satisfied with them all. On the recommendation of a local tackle store employee, I switched from 20 lb. test to 30 lb. test a number of years ago and was quite surprised at the increase in casting distance with the 30 lb. It must have to do with the line digging issue talked about above so I'd say 30 lb. test is the minimum to consider.

[new2BC4bass]

A few years ago when I researched for my first braided line purchase, the consensus was 40# or heavier for baitcast reels.  I went with the lower cost 40# Sufix Performance.  Fades rather quickly, but lasted several years until I spent several hours casting a saltwater spoon tied direct.  Lots of line twist.  Tried reversing the line, but wound up throwing it away.  Replaced with 40# PP (Original) because that is what Walmart carried.  A lot noisier going thru the guides. A used Alphas F came with 30# Sufix White Ghost.  Spent some time removing dig-ins, but have had no problem with the line since then. 

 

I like 40# not because I need the strength, but because of its handling qualities.  Made what were no doubt my longest casts ever that day.  A 3/4 oz. spoon flies pretty good.    Actually I was surprised at how well the 30# handled once I got the dig-ins out.  I didn't get any dig-ins even though I got snagged in the lily pads a few times.

[bagofdonuts]

suffix 832 or power pro for me. 50lb most of the time

[EastCoastAngler]

I love 40lb 832 on my heavier bait-casting gear and power pro on spinning gear. There is an old "rule of thumb" that says never use heavier than 20lb braid on spinning gear, and and never lighter than 30lb on baitcasters. 

[NHBull]

In my next of the woods, it is hard to find anyone using more than 20 lb....

 

[Scarborough817]

50lb diawa j braid never really had an issue with it 

[webertime]

Flip/Frog 50lb (mostly the heavy cover/digging issues)

Moving 30lb

Spinning 10lb with a top shot.

 

I've used super cheap Chinese braid up to Daiwa Samurai, for me the best for the buck is still OG Power Pro, or when you can get Sunline Braids on sale.

[mllrtm79]

I have limited experience with braid, but I use the GM brand 40lb on 3/5 of my baitcasters currently. Really have been impressed with it for the cheap price (it is made by Sunline). It is a bit noisy through the guides, but I have little to compare it to.

 I do know that I was not impressed with the even cheaper spiderwire stealth glo-vis because of the amount of fraying I got and the softness of the braid compared to the GM. It seems to be a looser weave for lack of a better descriptor, and that makes picking backlashes more difficult. 

[blckshirt98]

20# seems to be the cutoff for spinning/casting reels.  Don't go above 20# braid on your spinning reels, don't go below 20# braid on your casting reels.  For braid I stick with old faithful PowerPro and Sufix 832 - both are easy to find anywhere, usually on sale somewhere, and haven't given me a reason to switch to another brand.

[Mike L]

Power Pro...30# for heavy cover / 50# for frogs/ 65# or as high as 80# for punching

 

 

 

Mike

[QUAKEnSHAKE]

I have a smorgasbord of braid pp 8-10-20, pps8s 10-15-20-30, Gamma Torque 30, sufix performance 20, 832 20, Smackdown 30 40, Kanzen 15, Trilene Pro 30 40, Samurai 40,            j-braid 30, YGK G-soulX8 60. 

 

Id say get .011" dia of your choosing. If smaller(or any) get the line on VERY TIGHT this helps greatly.

  PPS8S the quietest.

  Trilene Pro holds its color the longest.

  Sufix performance 4 carrier 20 the loudest. 

  Smackdown way overpriced for its performance.

  Kanzen is the worst/weakest I have used.

 

[jdz197]

Sufix 832 or power pro super 8 slick, but i've had good luck with spider wire 8 carrier as well. 40-65 lb on baitcasters.

 

That being said I've bought enough cheap fluoro lately that I'm gonna spool up some reels with it. Always save and reuse your braided line, no point in throwing away perfectly good line. A drill and an empty line roll works wonders

[Michael Sturman]

50lb berkley X9 

[MN Fisher]