Is braided line sporting

[LONGEARS]

As I read the post on line types, I can't help to wonder where is the sport in having a cable tied to the bass?

Is the art of fighting fish lost because of braided line?

When you hook the BIG one don't you need the thrill of knowing the outcome is still in doubt?

Should braided line be restricted as a fish management tool?

The answers will be interesting and all discussion is good.

[flechero]

To me the sporting aspect of bass fishing isn't whether or not my line will hold up... it's finding and hooking the fish. Sure there is a little better chance of braid holding up but you can just as easily cut it up in the rocks or become lazy about re-tying, etc. There are probably as many issues to think/worry about with braid as mono. Some will argue (me included) that it's harder to get those bigger fish hooked using braid and therefore maybe it's harder with braid than mono... I caught way fewer fish with braid than mono... again, some would have the opposite story.

When you hook the BIG one don't you need the thrill of knowing the outcome is still in doubt?

I don't think braid eliminates that... knots still slip, hooks still bend, fish still throw hooks on occasion, poor netting skills or poor lipping, etc.

When braid starts winning all the tournaments and lake records, I'll think about switching over to it.

[Raul]

Ditto.

[fourbizz]

Nope, and neither is bed fishing, live bait, and fishing during the week. That was for you Fish

Of course braided line is still sporting.

[ThaKing]

i use braid just because i feel the bite alot more.

i also get better hooksets, it takes effect also when your fishing alot of structure.

I do use it with fluoro leader but like u said everybody has their own use.

i do alot of saltwater fishing so it comes in handy there alot too since i use some of my baitcasting reels in saltwater.

[flyphisher #]

When I use braid, it is an absolute must. I throw it in the nastiest places. With the drag kinda tight. Almost like hand to hand combat. Yet you have to be careful to not straighten the hook. So yeah it is sporting.

PLus it lasts forever.

[dodgeguy]

the faster you land and release the fish the better it's chances of survival.this is a fact.that way they have less lactic acid buildup in their bodies which can kill them.so yes it is sporting to use braided or heavier lines.

[linesider7]

Should braided line be restricted as a fish management tool?

Huh?

I feel the sport is locating fish and enticing the bite with an artificial lure.

Besides, the common goal is to put a big bass in the boat right? Why wouldn't you use any advantage you could get your hands on?

I've caught big bass 6' away from me in 2' of water out of kissimme grass, and there's no way I would have done it without braid. But I guess there's always the argument that that is not sporting either.

[Redlinerobert]

Is the Pope German?

[Maxximus Redneckus]

I use braid for grass thats it .......Braids downfall is a lot of ppl think its the best for everything,its does have drawbacks and most ppl have no clue what they are and many are mentioned in this thread .Being a confident fisherman is one thing but thinking that your line is a savoir is a whole new ballgame.Its why i choose mono over braid / floro 99% of the time i know the limits offensivly with my line .I know my knot will not break or my line will not break as long as i no its limits .Braid makes a lot of ppl feel like superman Then when a knot gets loose or IT breaks becuase of reasons unknown wich happens a lot from threads i have seen on this forum with braid and floro. IT makes you realize nothing is foolproof i dont see braid as a non sporting line just a tool that needs to be used with experiance!!!

[burleytog]

Is the Pope German?

Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor?

I just can't see a connection between the so-called 'sporting nature' and line.

I fish braid because I don't want to lose $25 swimbaits.

[Redlinerobert]

Is the Pope German?

Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor?

I just can't see a connection between the so-called 'sporting nature' and line.

I fish braid because I don't want to lose $25 swimbaits.

Amen.

[Supermat]

Braid comes in so many strength classes that its hardly not sporting. Plus, what many don't realize, is that rocks and often wood will cut braid like a knife in hot butter! Braid is VERY susceptible to being cut, that's why man will use a mono leader, to gain abrasion resistance on the rocky end. Also, I don't know about everyone else but I tend to use braid in places where it levels the playing field, where with mono my chance of getting that bass out is about 95% in the favor of the bass. With the braid I'm probably 50/50.

[LAO162]

After being away from Bass fishing for almost 20 years, I starting researching current techniques a few months ago.  I was shocked that people would use 50# test.  The strongest line I had ever used was 8#.  I'd moved down to 6# because I thought it was more sporting.  Watching a video of fishingman hauling a big luker out of the weeds without any finesse seemed unfair and not even fun...

However, I'm coming around.  You use need to use the right tool to get the job done.  Now, I can't imaging working a construction project without power tools...  Dodgeguy's point about putting less stress on the fish seems to be another benefit.

Since I fish mostly in open water, it is easier for me to enhance a "finesse" style of fishing.  That said, I think I would consider braid if I was going to fish in heavy cover.

One of the best trends I have seen is that fishermen are usually releasing their catch.  20 years ago most fisherman I new took it home.  Our small ponds were quickly fished out...

Perhaps more importantly than how we catch the fish, I think the manner in which we treat them indicates a sporting mentality.  Not only has catch & release become the standard, it seems as though fishingmen are now making a special effort to safely release their catch.  This behavior reflects a respect for our game.

Cheers

Leon

[Catt]

One thing I recently learned about braid is to use a line diameter equivalent to the mono you were using.

50# braid to equivalent to 12-15# mono  

Braid does not assure you of anythng but zero stretch  

[roadwarrior]

As others have stated, braid is just another option when selecting the right tool for the job. Although there are many specific advantages, as flechero pointed out, there are many disadvantages. Selecting the "right" line is a matter of determining which "compromises" are best suited to your specific location, cover & structure and the way you fish. Generally, for me, braid is probably the worst choice among all options. If I were throwing $40+ swimbaits and was still able to catch 15+ lb bass using braid, that would be my ONLY choice!

[Raul]

I know I can land a really big fish with 4 lb test in the right conditions ( literally no cover ) I 've done that several times and mostly out of luck rather than because I planned it, I mean luck not because luck had to do with me having the skill to land the fish, luck because catching the fish was accidental, I 'm out there panfishing and WHAM !  .... uh oh, I 've got a bigun  :-?.

Ok, I 'm a vet, I know about physiology, so screw the if I were fishing with a 40, 50, 60 bones bait mentality, if you don 't want to loose baits don 't fish;  my beef against UL light fishing for bass is the fact that fish surrenders out of pure exhaustion, which is a bad thing for C&R, there are all sorts of chemical compounds released during the fight, compounds that cause tissular damage, the more you fight the fish the more compounds will be produced the more damage they will cause thus reducing the probabilities of survival.

What 's "sportier", fighting a fish to the point of exhaustion reducing the probabilities of survival or horsing the fish in and retutning it with greater chances of survival ?

[dodgeguy]

raul is %100 correct on that one!!! :o

[Pa Angler]

No less sporting than using live bait.

[The_Natural]

Braided line is for inexperienced anglers that don't know how to properly play fish.  That's why I use 25lb CXX monofilament...it's just more sporting and takes more skill.  

[phase5supply]

No I don't  think braided line should be restricted. To me the sport is to tricking the fish into biting a man-made bait. We want the best graphite rods and smoothest casting reels why not have the best line.

[linesider7]

Braided line is for inexperienced anglers that don't know how to properly play fish. That's why I use 25lb CXX monofilament...it's just more sporting and takes more skill.

Wow.   :

[phase5supply]

After thinking about this question a little more it could be approached from another way. It may be at what level of fishing you are at.

Level 1 - you just want to catch a fish

Level 2- you want to catch your limit

Level 3- you want to catch a lunker

Level 4- you just want to enjoy it

I feel like I am in the 3rd level and want any advantage I can get although I still enjoy fishing I want to be successful.

[Pa Angler]

Braided line is for inexperienced anglers that don't know how to properly play fish. That's why I use 25lb CXX monofilament...it's just more sporting and takes more skill.

Wow. :

Double WOW!!!!!   25lb mono that's sporting. Denny Brauer uses 50lb braid when fishing heavy cover used at Champlain last year and won I guess he's INEXPERIENCED.

[Grey Wolf]

Triple WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Some people are just full of it !