Choosing braid by diameter or strength?

[billmac]

Do you choose your braid by diameter or strength, or both?  Where I fish, unless I'm going for musky, I'm unlikely to hook any fish that will break 20 lb braid.  So I tend to go for diameter rather than strength.  Any other parameters that I should look at?

 

Which braid do you think provides the best value for money?

[MN Fisher]

I go for strength primarily, diameter is a secondary concern. For tossing into heavy weeds (pitch/flip/frog/punch) I want line that's strong enough to rip through the weeds, so I'm going 50# there. For general tossing of cranks/jerks/spinners/chatters/buzz and weighted T-Rigs I go 20#.

 

For my budget-minded wallet - Power Pro Spectra has been fine. Hasn't let me down yet, so I keep using it.

[CroakHunter]

I don't determine line usage by how big the fish are, but where they are living and technique used to catch them. 

[Sam]

First, I always decide what test I want, with 8 pounds winning for my spinning rigs.

I go with a 12 pound test for baitcasters.

 

Second, I make sure I have the same test strength for the mono I use as backing on the reels to keep the braid from spinning.

 

Third, I look at the diameter to note how the leader will tie to the braid.

 

Keep it simple and make sure  you use fast drying glue on all knots to and from the braid to the mono/flouro.

 

 

[Fishingmickey]

49 minutes ago, billmac said:

Do you choose your braid by diameter or strength, or both?  Where I fish, unless I'm going for musky, I'm unlikely to hook any fish that will break 20 lb braid.  So I tend to go for diameter rather than strength.  Any other parameters that I should look at?

 

Which braid do you think provides the best value for money?

Hello Bill,

     One of the questions that comes to mind is are you using a spinning or a bait casting reel. With a bait caster I wouldn't go much below about 30# braid. On a spinning reel the lowest I'd go 15 or 20# braid. With small diameter/lb test braid on a bait caster it can have a tendency to "dig-in". In other words when you have been fishing and try to pull a snagged lure loose or fought a good fish that pulls hard. The line will "dig-in" or bury itself between layers on the spool. The smaller diameter line has much more of a tendency to do this then say 40-65# braid. 

     Spinning reels are usually used for lighter lures and lines. They also lay the line down in a wider pattern then bait casters do. So your much less likely to suffer from "dig-in" issues on spinning reels. All three types of line monofilament, fluorocarbon and braid have pluses and minuses to them, basically different properties to each.  Figuring out what works best for your style of fishing is pretty much your call.

Fishingmickey

[Fried Lemons]

Consider the type of fishing you are doing eg what type of cover, what kind of lures you are throwing. Heavy cover calls for heavy braid to quickly overpower your fish and drag it out. Open water with light to moderate cover go for something with low diameter to maximize your distance. Texture can also be a factor here. I like something rough like FX2 or maxcuatro for cover fishing to saw through weeds. For open water smooth line like j braid casts better.

 

 

[Jcj90]

I either use 50 for frogging and punching or 15 on my spinning reel...yes I keep it that simple 

[CrankFate]

Diameter, roundness, color.

[Catt]

4 hours ago, billmac said:

Do you choose your braid by diameter or strength, or both? 

 

Both!  ?