Braid too loud? Thinking of going to higher pound FC for flipping/Pitching

[dgkasper58]

I have been transitioning to more braid applications for heavy vegetation.  As I go deeper into the stuff, my bait gets louder and louder as I go through it.  I know There are differences in 5 vs 8 carrier braids and coated braids yada yada yada.  But in general I feel that I am being too loud fishing through all the vegetation as the bait raises and drops over stalks and through hole.

 

I just feel likes its too loud to go through this stuff while still fishing it effectively.  I try to hit what I consider higher percentage areas but they can be anywhere in that slop and I feel by the time I get there I may have scared EVERYTHING away with the grinding on all of these stalks.  

 

Next summer I plan on experimenting with straight higher lb FC in these situations but assume some of you already do this as I have gone to leaders in many of my applications already and enjoy them but while flipping/pitching in this heavier stuff I have lost several on the hookset/impact usually near the knot near the bait.  

 

No rocks or wood where I am fishing

 

Any thoughts on straight FC?

 

 

 

[Bird]

I believe the squealing that braid makes going through the guides triggers the fishes predator drive. ?

 

It's really about confidence though, if you feel the need to experiment with a quieter line and feel it may produce more fish then give it a go.......and report back.

 

I personally like the characteristics of braid and when I deem necessary, will add a flouro leader.

If you go straight fluorocarbon make sure it's a quality line, don't skimp as it'll make a huge difference in your experience.

[txchaser]

8 carrier braid will make a huge noise difference, but I don't think it cuts through vegetation as well as 4 carrier. There's a few great brands out there; I'm a big Vicious (no-fade) and Fins (sling braid) as they are tightly woven and don't fade at all.

 

On straight flouro, the 22lb tatsu is pretty amazing. It's goofy strong, like wrap it on a boat cleat to break off a snag kind of strong.

 

Double SDJ is the only knot for flouro, it solved almost every mystery breakoff I had. 

 

Seems like a great place to experiment!

[NorthernBasser]

I think we, as anglers, overthink stuff far too often. I've heard the argument before about how braid makes too much noise. Yet, we also use baits that rattle, squeak, click, vibrate etc. to trigger bites.

 

But somehow braid going through vegetation is gonna spook the fish? Eh, I don't know. I've caught a lot of bass punching with straight braid. 

[LonnieP]

Strait Fluoro works well for me.

[RDB]

I use braid to fluoro leader on all spinning rods (FG knot), rarely use braid to leader with baitcasters (occasionally topwater), and use straight braid for heavy vegetation (the rougher the better).  Otherwise, I much prefer fluoro for everything baitcasting with the exception of topwater.  Once I nail down my Big Game sponsorship like many on this site, my opinion may change ?.  As far as braid noise, that is a worry that I don’t have.

[WRB]

Braid does a few thing better then mono/cploy/ FC lines and that cuts through aquatic vegetation.

The noise is in your head, FINS original PRC is quite coated braid. Use it straight no leader.

Tom

 

[FishTank]

If you are looking for things that scare fish away on the water.... The noise you make on the boat with line out of the water is small compared to the trolling motor and the transducer in the water.  If you step on the boat frame or on the deck, that could scare fish.  The list is long for noise you can make and I would put braid through the guides towards the bottom.  

 

Even though I am not a fan of braid as regular line, I do use it in heavy vegetation with jigs and flipping a beaver. I have never thought the sound would scare fish away but the loudest braid I can think of is 832. Not bad line but to me it's loud. 

 

[Captain Phil]

Every fishing line is a compromise.   Mono stretches, fluorocarbon coils and braid is rough.  The real question is "Do fish care?"  I flip cover at least 70% of the time.  I like to catch big bass and nothing works better.  I don't believe the noise of braid falling through cover scares bass.  If anything, it may help lead them to your bait.  I do believe most anglers use line that is too heavy for the job.  Thirty pound braid is much thinner than 40 or 50.  I rarely flip hydrilla where heavier line is a necessity.  When I switched to braid for flipping, I did have to up-size my weight from 5/16 oz. to 3/8 oz.  Most of our flipping is done in Kissimmee grass where punching through is not an issue.     I don't use a leader when flipping.  I snell my line directly to the hook shank.  This tilts the hook into the fish and has increased my fish in the boat ratio substantially.  Bass in heavy cover don't have time to inspect your line, they react.  Don't overthink bass fishing.  It's not that complex.

[Woody B]

9 hours ago, Bird said:

It's really about confidence though,

 

I believe that.  I don't catch as many fish on braid but many people catch a BUNCH.  

 

FWIW I can see 30 pound braid on active target, but I can't see 12 or 14 pound mono.  

 

I've also damaged the guides on 2 rods this year.  Both had braid at the time.   Both were the same brand also.  I've decided not to use braid anymore, and not to buy anymore of that brand rod.  (I'm out of braid, and the rods are being repaired under warranty)

[T-Billy]

I enjoy watching the pros break fish off and cry and throw tantrums while flippin with fluoro. Happens every flippin tournament. Poor saps gotta use what their sponsors tell em to use. Wasn't so funny when fluoro cost me two PB's in two years because I fell for their marketing crap. #NEVERAGAIN #STRAIGHTBRAIDBRIGADE !!!

[GRiver]

I have two rigs with braid, which I use around docks and heavy cover….. my flipping and pitching set ups. 
Everything else is mono…I didn’t like the noise ether. I wasn’t worried about the fish hearing it.

I could hear it, and didn’t like it, totally a personal quirk. 

[Catt]

Braid - frogging & punching 

 

Mono - everything else 

 

Flouro - trash can 

[Mike L]

Now this??

 

With all due respect…

I think you’re way overthinking and overreaching just looking for something. 
In my home water and others within a 3 hr drive I look for areas of the heaviest cover I could find. 
 

When actually punching through hydrilla, hyacinth laid down or blown over reeds and a 1/2 dozen other types of matted material, I use either 60# or 80# 4 carrier braid (original Power Pro) and couldn’t care less if it makes any sound as I have no complaints about the product or the results it gives. 
 

For areas that don’t require an actual punch technique to get through but still in areas of heavy vegetation it’s 20# Shooter. 

To me Braid is a specialty line that I use only on top, frogging and for flipping/ punchin.
Some folks use it exclusively regardless of technique because they have success and confidence in it. Others do not

 

But to worry or even give a fleeting thought that I didn’t catch a fish because my line made a little noise, I think I’d probably just sell everything and start bowling again. 
 

 

 

Mike

[Str8BraidPowa]

On 11/29/2022 at 6:30 AM, T-Billy said:

I enjoy watching the pros break fish off and cry and throw tantrums while flippin with fluoro. Happens every flippin tournament. Poor saps gotta use what their sponsors tell em to use. Wasn't so funny when fluoro cost me two PB's in two years because I fell for their marketing crap. #NEVERAGAIN #STRAIGHTBRAIDBRIGADE !!!

While you can tell I'm on the same team by my user name, I will disagree with you for one reason. I spend most of my time fishing jigs and t-rigs in brush and lay downs, I started having issues losing fish where the braid seem to cut into the wood and i had to break off. I have had much better success with flouro in that role. But as far as the OP goes I like 832 in the grass and swing for the fences! Nothing like hooking up on a bass in the junk and knowing you can get him out.

[T-Billy]

20 hours ago, Str8BraidPowa said:

I spend most of my time fishing jigs and t-rigs in brush and lay downs,

Me too.

20 hours ago, Str8BraidPowa said:

, I started having issues losing fish where the braid seem to cut into the wood and i had to break off

I haven't experienced that issue, but I've heard other say they have as well. Different strokes. Whatever works for YOU is what matters.

Edit to add: If your braid's biting into wood, you can go to a heavier braid. Better option than fluoro IMO. It ain't like the bass care about seeing it when buried up in cover.

[RDB]

On 11/29/2022 at 6:03 AM, Catt said:

Mono - everything else 

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Tight lines,

Trilene Big Game Management Team

 

???JK???

[Bluebasser86]

Heavy vegetation calls for straight braid. Nothing else is is even a decent option. If it's sparse grass that can be moved with brute force, you could try heavy flouro, but I'd still go straight braid, and I'd rather fish flouro of the 2. 

[T-Billy]

LOL. Just watched Chris Lane break two off that would have put him in the lead in a Heavy Hitters replay, pitching laydowns with fluoro. Of all people, he should know better. His response... Tomorrow, I'll have braid on. Better late than never I reckon. 

[crypt]

On 11/29/2022 at 7:03 AM, Catt said:

Braid - frogging & punching 

 

Mono - everything else 

 

Flouro - trash can 

this....period.

[Str8BraidPowa]

18 hours ago, T-Billy said:

Me too.

I haven't experienced that issue, but I've heard other say they have as well. Different strokes. Whatever works for YOU is what matters.

Edit to add: If your braid's biting into wood, you can go to a heavier braid. Better option than fluoro IMO. It ain't like the bass care about seeing it when buried up in cover.

I agree on them not caring what it looks like, just seems to work better for me. Just sharing my experiences, my resume is not one to make recommendations. I have learned that my opinion is often wrong. My fishing partner likes to do odd stuff and he still generally out fishes me, for instance one day he started throwing a square bill on a 7' 4" H frog rod with 65 lb braid and yes he still out caught me that day. 

[FrnkNsteen]

I use some flouro when pitching around mild laydowns (17 -20 Abrazx), but always braid around vegetation. We don't have much vegetation here in Indiana. Flood control reservoirs water levels fluctuate too much for it to flourish.

 

But,.. up in Minnesota,... around the reeds, cabbage beds and pads..... Straight braid on all jigs and texas rigs!!!

 

Lost a couple large smallmouth on cabbage bed sand flats. They pick up the bait and take off through the cabbage when you set the hook. With braid,... the cabbage stems just go pop, pop, pop as the make their run and braid cuts through!!

[ScottW]

On 11/29/2022 at 5:30 AM, T-Billy said:

I enjoy watching the pros break fish off and cry and throw tantrums while flippin with fluoro. Happens every flippin tournament. Poor saps gotta use what their sponsors tell em to use. Wasn't so funny when fluoro cost me two PB's in two years because I fell for their marketing crap. #NEVERAGAIN #STRAIGHTBRAIDBRIGADE !!!

While I much prefer braid over flouro on all my rigs, I’m experimenting with 10# flouro (Seaguar InvizX) on one of my spinning rigs. While before I would cast and the braid would fly off the rod, the flouro seems to do the same but as the lure hits the water it tends to want to coil up. I don’t like that and have to give it the stink-eye when retrieving to make sure there’s no wind knots or snags. Never had to do that with braid. As far as noise goes I think it may depend on brand and what test it is. Just my 2 cents.

[casts_by_fly]

We don't have a ton of wood here in most lakes and the vegetation, while abundant, is not heavy/sturdy.  We don't have canes or heavy reeds.  The worst we have is lily pads and curly pondweed.  For sliding through and cutting through pads/milfoil/eeelgrass/pondweed braid is far better than mono/fluoro.  I don't see any problem with noise personally.  I run 832 braid (50 for pitching and frogs, 30 for my crankbait rod).  Its noisier, but not something that bothers me.

 

 

[dodgeguy]

On 11/29/2022 at 6:23 AM, Woody B said:

 

I believe that.  I don't catch as many fish on braid but many people catch a BUNCH.  

 

FWIW I can see 30 pound braid on active target, but I can't see 12 or 14 pound mono.  

 

I've also damaged the guides on 2 rods this year.  Both had braid at the time.   Both were the same brand also.  I've decided not to use braid anymore, and not to buy anymore of that brand rod.  (I'm out of braid, and the rods are being repaired under warranty)

Any rod that has Fuji alconites or better should not be damaged by braid.