Braid vs Fluro

[NickMurray]

I'm going to spool up my spinnerbait and jig setup with either 30 pound power pro braid or 17 pound fluorocarbon, I know that braid has no stretch which makes for better hook sets but I really love fluorocarbon, what line should I use

[Adleyfishes]

Braid is my go to especially 30 pound most my rods are rigged up with it. No stretch, durable, long lasting, little memory, and small diameter for line capacity. Your also doing to be fishing lots of terrain with the jig so the braid will hold up better for things like zebra mollusks.

[iiTzChunky]

I just recently switched to braid, and I will say flat out... I will never go back. I love it so much. Just flows off the reel just right and setting hooks has been a breeze. Backlash isn't  really a problem. I actually find it easier to pick out the backlash. 

 

/e I guess I should add that the water I fish is never clear. At best 2ft visibility but typically not even that. So I can get away with braid being more visible. If I would to fish table rock I would put a floro leader on due to the clear water. But I don't expect to fish that anytime soon. All the water around me is stained and dirty. 

[geo g]

If you fish clear water I would go with Floro.  Real heavy cover, or dirty waters, I would go with braid.  Floro has little stretch also, but not all Floros have the same cast ability.  Berkeley professional grade is what I use.  I fish a lot of gin clear water.

[flyingmonkie]

Oh, how I love the line debates! 

 

I was once a braid-on-everything kind of guy, but I've had a 180.  The only baitcaster I have braid on anymore is my frog rod.  Don't get me wrong, I love the sensitivity of braid... I really do... I just hate how it digs into itself, I don't like the way it effects the fall of my bait, I don't like that it's visible, I don't like that it frays, I don't like that I can't cut it with my teeth, I like to fish around rocks, and I like a little bit of stretch.

 

My vote is for flouro.  Get a good flouro, and use line conditioner routinely.

[Bluebasser86]

If you're using the same rod for both, I'd go fluoro. 

[NorthwestBasser]

2 hours ago, flyingmonkie said:

Oh, how I love the line debates! 

 

I was once a braid-on-everything kind of guy, but I've had a 180.  The only baitcaster I have braid on anymore is my frog rod.  Don't get me wrong, I love the sensitivity of braid... I really do... I just hate how it digs into itself, I don't like the way it effects the fall of my bait, I don't like that it's visible, I don't like that it frays, I don't like that I can't cut it with my teeth, I like to fish around rocks, and I like a little bit of stretch.

 

My vote is for flouro.  Get a good flouro, and use line conditioner routinely.

Nailed it! Flouro on my baitcasters except my frog rod, which has 30lb braid. I actually do use braid on my spinning reels though, 20lb with a flouro leader of 8 to 14lb test depending on what, where, and how I'm fishing... braid has basically zero memory from what i can tell, which is why I put it on my spinning reels. Flouro on a spinning set up has been disasterous for me! By the way, my preferred flouro is sunline sniper. Casts like a dream, backlashes only when I deserve it, haha... 

[PatrickKnight]

If you love flouro then go with that. I think line debates are strange because I really do believe people should use what works best for them and the type of fishing they do.

[Tracker22]

I just had some experience with this choice. I got a new setup and wanted to try 17lb seguar fluorocarbon. I also have the same setup with braid. The fluorocarbon blew up on me twice. I've never had that problem with my 12lb fluorocarbon setups. The 17lb is stiff. Needless to say, I'll be switching it over to braid and I will not use any Fluorocarbon over 12lb.

[TX-Deluxe]

7 hours ago, NorthwestBasser said:

Nailed it! Flouro on my baitcasters except my frog rod, which has 30lb braid. I actually do use braid on my spinning reels though, 20lb with a flouro leader of 8 to 14lb test depending on what, where, and how I'm fishing... braid has basically zero memory from what i can tell, which is why I put it on my spinning reels. Flouro on a spinning set up has been disasterous for me! By the way, my preferred flouro is sunline sniper. Casts like a dream, backlashes only when I deserve it, haha... 

I like that comment very much

[Further North]

2 hours ago, PatrickKnight said:

If you love flouro then go with that. I think line debates are strange because I really do believe people should use what works best for them and the type of fishing they do.

I don't mind the debates...as long as they don't deteriorate into the silliness where some folks call others stupid for their choices...that's the kind of behavior that always puzzles me....

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

Zebra mussels cut braid like nothing. Fluoro or a co poly is my choice for them either as a long leader or main line. Each has its place and arguments for both have merit. If you want to experiment go ahead. If that's not your thing stick with what works for you. 

[Team9nine]

Go straight fluoro and avoid the song of the (braid) Sirens 

 

-T9

[Tucson]

1 hour ago, Further North said:

I don't mind the debates...as long as they don't deteriorate into the silliness where some folks call others stupid for their choices...that's the kind of behavior that always puzzles me....

We're fortunate that you seldom see that kind of response on this site.  Thumbs up to the moderators.

 

I found fluoro to be too stiff, at least on a spinning reel.  I suspect it would behave better on a bait caster.

 

[Further North]

36 minutes ago, Tucson said:

We're fortunate that you seldom see that kind of response on this site.  Thumbs up to the moderators

We are, and I should have said that.

 

The moderators here do a great job keeping the noise and cultural static down.  I can think of very few sites I visit that do as well.

[Bucky205]

We have really clear water where I live and I throw a lot of braid with a floro leader and an FG knot between them if I'm fishing plastics.  Crankbaits, flipping, and pitching 20# mono works for me, I get a lot of nicks in my line flipping and mono saves a lot on line cost, and I like that little bit of stretch when flipping.  I've used both braid and floro flipping and I end up ripping their lips off.

[Jon G]

I go back and forth between braid and fluorocarbon a lot. Braid has its time and place and so does fluorocarbon. Braid is great for a lot of situations but it can be an absolute PITA some times. For instance have you ever tried casting braid into the wind? Believe me it is not fun at all lol. If you are fishing offshore and dragging a jig in 15+ foot of water your braid will have a huge bow in it and you will have a hard time feeling a bite. That is where fluorocarbon comes in handy because it has a lot of slack line sensitivity.

 

I've never had a problem with casting fluorocarbon, granted it doesn't cast as far as something like mono but it is only maybe 10 feet less. With fluorocarbon you really get what you pay for. My biggest thing I tell people when it comes to fishing in general is you can get away with cheap rods, reels, and lures but never be cheap with terminal tackle and line because at the end of the day those are what is really going to land you your fish. 

 

I also don't really believe the whole braid spooks fish thing. I think as long as you use a leader you should be fine. When I use braid my leaders tend to be anywhere from 6'-12'

[Further North]

If braid spooked fish...do we 'spose they'd be able to net a gazillion walleyes every year for restaurants?