Time to replace my braid

[Fishin' Fool]

Okay guys I've had the same braid on a few of my spinning rods for the last 2 years and it's time to strip what's remaining. I'll probably looking at grabbing some during the TW Black Friday sale. For me I've determined that 15-16 pound test is what I like best. What brand do you guys recommend in that size test? Has there been any upgrades in braids the last 2 years?

[A-Jay]

Don't know what you're using now (which btw seems to be working OK ).

 

I'm liking Sufix 832, Daiwa Samurai Braid (which is super thin, something to consider) & Seaguar Smackdown Braid is good too.

A-Jay

[Fishin' Fool]

12 minutes ago, A-Jay said:

Don't know what you're using now (which btw seems to be working OK ).

 

I'm liking Sufix 832, Daiwa Samurai Braid (which is super thin, something to consider) & Seaguar Smackdown Braid is good too.

A-Jay

 

A-Jay I have a mix of SX-1 hi vis yellow in 12 pound and Power Pro Slick in the 15. If no one has a good recommendation for me I think I'm just gonna up the SX-1 to the 16 pound test. I don't really see any advantages of using 12 pound.

13 minutes ago, A-Jay said:

Don't know what you're using now (which btw seems to be working OK ).

 

I'm liking Sufix 832, Daiwa Samurai Braid (which is super thin, something to consider) & Seaguar Smackdown Braid is good too.

A-Jay

What pound test are you using?

[A-Jay]

Just now, Fishin' Fool said:

 

A-Jay I have a mix of SX-1 hi vis yellow in 12 pound and Power Pro Slick in the 15. If no one has a good recommendation foe me I think I'm just gonna up the SX-1 to the 16 pound test. I don't really see any advantages of using 12 pound.

I have not used that line - which actually means nothing especially since you've been quite successful with it.

Perhaps if it ain't broke . . . . . 

A-Jay

 

[PatrickKnight]

I have been using 10 lb hi vis 832 this season and I am pretty happy with it. That being said I like regular Power Pro just as much and its a good bit less expensive. Best braid I have ever used is Fins Windtamer but its hard to find local and I do my best to spend my money at my local tackle shops.

 

I use all 10-15 lb but both the Fins and PP are thinner per pound test than the 832 is with the PP being thinner than the Fins.

[fishballer06]

832 and TCB are my favorites for spinning gear.

[NHBull]

832 on spinning gear as it sinks better than most and most of my presentations from spinning gear are sub-surface

 

Edit:  I am surprised you only got 2 yrs out of it.  You can always swap ends and this year fish with the "dark" end

[OnthePotomac]

Another fan here of 832.  Been on my frog rod for three years now.

[Choporoz]

First year with Gliss 12 and 18 on spinning gear and I love it.   Is it possible for a line to be too thin and too smooth?  Castability and sensitivity of braid aren't even very close.  I haven't had any issues with wear or feathering that I've read about.   My only complaint is that I bought all spools of moss green and and it is invisible.  I use leaders anyway, so my next spool will be hi-viz.

[Boomstick]

I don't have any long term experience with it yet, but so far the best braid I've found is Daiwa's x8 J-Braid, although I wouldn't be surprised if the x4 or Samurai perhaps was better for lighter lines. For 30# and up, the x8 is great and freys a lot less than some others I've tried.

 

I have no experience with Sufix 832, but from the amount of recommendations I see here, I will try that the next time I buy some braid, plus the Siege monofilament line is amazing.

[Fishin' Fool]

3 hours ago, NHBull said:

832 on spinning gear as it sinks better than most and most of my presentations from spinning gear are sub-surface

 

Edit:  I am surprised you only got 2 yrs out of it.  You can always swap ends and this year fish with the "dark" end

 

I don't know if I got wind knots or just a tangle but every once in a while I'd get a birdsnest off a cast and end up having to cut 20 feet of line off. Now the braid portion is too short. I have mono backing on my reel.

[Fried Lemons]

832 is nice and smooth but I had issues with how quickly the color faded from the line. I’ve been using smackdown which is thinner than the 832 and seems to hold its color better. I also love sunline fx2 for frogging.

[NHBull]

Not to confuse you furthered, but I do love Gamma too

[WRB]

Small diameter braid for spinning reels is Sunline PE-X8, 16 lb is .0067 dia, 20-25% smaller than brands referenced, except Samuari that is very soft and tends to wind knot. 

Tom

[fishindad]

5 hours ago, NHBull said:

832 on spinning gear as it sinks better than most and most of my presentations from spinning gear are sub-surface

 

Edit:  I am surprised you only got 2 yrs out of it.  You can always swap ends and this year fish with the "dark" end

I'm also a huge fan of 832 for spinning, the lime green and neon yellow since my old eyes need all the help they can get. Like NH, I find 832 sinks much better than my second favorite, YGK SS112, which is the smoothest, quietest braid I've used to date. SS112 just tended to blow around in the wind too much for my liking. I also use original PP but it is noticeably noisier than the 832, at least through my rod guides.

 

Disclaimer: I've never tried the SX-1 or PP Slick lines so cannot give a direct comparison.

[fishindad]

2 hours ago, Fishin' Fool said:

 

I don't know if I got wind knots or just a tangle but every once in a while I'd get a birdsnest off a cast and end up having to cut 20 feet of line off. Now the braid portion is too short. I have mono backing on my reel.

IMO, you'll get wind knots with any braid on spinning tackle unless you drag the line through the water every few outings. As JFrancho and others have mentioned before, people think braid isn't prone to twisting or wind knots at all but, with spinning reels it's inevitable, and with all lines including braid if you don't "untwist" it before or after a couple outings.

 

This is off topic but my main goal this season was to try and limit my use of spinning gear and - other than casting upwind or crosswind in open water (which is avoidable 90% of the time) or needing to cast <1/8th oz. baits - I rarely used my spin setups this season. I've upgraded my casting reels and lines such that I don't believe spinning gear is as necessary for bass fishing as we (at least me) are led to believe. And I grew up on spinning tackle and finesse fishing. I'll probably always have a couple spin sticks on board for dropshotting but I've caught smallies dropshotting with my MBR782 GLX on LSC. Doesn't feel "natural" to me though.

[Fish n Things]

I have only just begun to experience with braid.  I have used Flouro since the beginning.  I ma originally from New Mexico, so not a lot of heavy grass.  I currently live in NC now, so braid is a must as almost every lake type body of water is heavy grass n pads.  braid is a must.  I have been fishing with 25 pound, but I think im going to downsize to 15. Even with a decent 2 plus feet of flouro leader (10 pound) I still see less hits.  The diameter is to large on the 25 and easy to see.  Thanks for the thread.  I am getting my learnin on for the braid game.  Cheers