Just traded for penn torque spinning reel and looking to spool with braid. I have used several different braids in past with varying results. Power Pro was main stay for many years. Down fall the least little sharp edge and boom its gone. Tried suffix 832 it seems to hold up much better around abrasive object than power pro. The suffix however only seems to out perform in the larger poundages 50 and up. Tried tuff line, really no opinion but only used in 50 pound and below. Looking for some opinions on braided line in the 80-100 pound size. I am going to use the reel for grouper, shark, and deep sea fishing. Thanks for great site.
Have had good luck (in terms of sharp edges) with 65# & 80& Tufline-fishing 100'-300' deep for Halibut mostly.
I like Fireline too but it's quite a stiff product and takes some getting used to.
i use sufix performance in all my battles i use the 65 pound when i fish for permits. it has hold pretty well on the rocks.
Higher pound test I would suggest Jerry Brown or Black Pearl sells quality line as well
bullbuster braid its also good i have heard from shark fisherman down here
See the Tackle Tour Braid Tests...
http://www.tackletour.com/reviewsufix832braid.html
http://www.tackletour.com/reviewpremiumbraidroundup.html
http://www.tackletour.com/reviewpowerpro.html
More tests by Tackle Tour can be found just by Googling...
Thanks everyone
Power pro is one of the lines I use on my rods but more often then not I use Mono on the majority of my reels, I like it better then the braided line because I do not have to worry about using a top shot or special knots. For the type of fishing that I do,I see no advantage at all. My targeted fish are Tog,Stripper,Fluke,Flounder,and Weak Fish. No reason for me to be concerned with break offs in the water that I fish. I usually change line every season, more often if I catch a lot of fish with one particular rod & Reel.
For an interesting comparison site try Paulus
http://www.paulusjustfishing.com/4linetesting.htm (http://www.paulusjustfishing.com/4linetesting.htm)
I find myself mainly using Fireline Tracer with a mono/fluoro/kevlar topshot (depends whether they have teeth/abrasive skins). The latest versions of Fireline are more round and appear to be quite tough. I don't like the the Crystal at all!
Intial feel, off the spool, is slightly stiff. But it soon softens in feel.
Most of my tropical fishing is for catfish. Most lakes have plenty of piliings and snags, the fish know where they are :D. I've yet to have any break offs with Fireline Tracer.
I would like to go with hollow braid on most reels but it's a case of "chamagne tastes and beer budgets" :D
Just on a slightly non related topic on lines.
Do a lot of the tackle shops in the USA do line recycling collections or anything like that?
Would be interested to hear as in AUS we do bugger all of it and it makes me think how much line goes into land fill.
Andrew
Andrew - in the UK if it's polyethylene (Spectra/gelspun) it can be re-cycled. Not because its fishing line but because of the type of plastic. Unfortunately, apart from myself, I know of no one who routinely re-cycles their line :-\ Plastic bags, usually HDPE, aren't re-cycled locally ??? Apparently they "clog up" the machinery - go figure
Quote from: Slazmo on May 07, 2015, 11:29:37 PM
Just on a slightly non related topic on lines.
Do a lot of the tackle shops in the USA do line recycling collections or anything like that?
Would be interested to hear as in AUS we do bugger all of it and it makes me think how much line goes into land fill.
Andrew
I have seen a monofilament recycling collection station at one of chain stores near where I live (West Marine in San Carlos, CA). Haven't seen much in the way of mono recycling elsewhere, nor any place that recycles braided line. But I haven't really be looking as I just use the one chain store location to drop off old mono.
If you wanted to collect and send mono to be recycled from Australia, based on this website, it seems like you could do so, as long as you are willing to pay postage to have it shipped to the US. The mono recycling program here is partially funded by our government. Here is the website that describes a little about it:
http://www.boatus.org/monofilament/
It seems like they have a similar program specifically for Florida that is funded by their state government.
Quote from: Tiddlerbasher on May 08, 2015, 10:01:51 AM
Andrew - in the UK if it's polyethylene (Spectra/gelspun) it can be re-cycled. Not because its fishing line but because of the type of plastic. Unfortunately, apart from myself, I know of no one who routinely re-cycles their line :-\ Plastic bags, usually HDPE, aren't re-cycled locally ??? Apparently they "clog up" the machinery - go figure
We once had a big push on the recycling of plastic bags which are LDPE and now that those so called "enviro bags" are in its all gone to the dogs. No more bag collection stations...
Quote from: esgeo on May 08, 2015, 03:09:17 PMI have seen a monofilament recycling collection station at one of chain stores near where I live (West Marine in San Carlos, CA). Haven't seen much in the way of mono recycling elsewhere, nor any place that recycles braided line. But I haven't really be looking as I just use the one chain store location to drop off old mono.
If you wanted to collect and send mono to be recycled from Australia, based on this website, it seems like you could do so, as long as you are willing to pay postage to have it shipped to the US. The mono recycling program here is partially funded by our government. Here is the website that describes a little about it:
http://www.boatus.org/monofilament/
It seems like they have a similar program specifically for Florida that is funded by their state government.
With that link it seems that Berkley USA are heading the recycling push, I know that nylon lines are recyclable however gel spun and polyethylene lines.
Too expensive to even entertain the idea of sending line that far across the pond however I will enquire with Berkley Australia and see what they know within regards to recycling schemes?
Great idea to get into - especially with all the lines we go through and put into land fill.
Thanks
Andrew
For fresh water I have been using #8 and #10 fireline which I have come to like Most of the time I don't even use a top shot just a double palmer knot and no problems For salt water I 'm still a mono user
Quote from: Doug on May 09, 2015, 01:31:38 PM
For fresh water I have been using #8 and #10 fireline which I have come to like Most of the time I don't even use a top shot just a double palmer knot and no problems For salt water I 'm still a mono user
It's my understanding that the top shot is basically for head boat use so the mates can grab the line to gaff the fish without worrying about getting sliced hands, second it makes it more convenient to tie to and also gives a little stretch to the line where braid doesn't. Outside of that it's supposed to be stronger line that is smaller in diameter then it's equal in tinsel strength. So I guess it helps if you need more line on you reel and it may cast a bit further. My opinion, it's more expensive and doesn't show me where it has any great advantage for fishing in most cases to justify the almost double cost over Mono. I do have braid on one reel for bottom fishing with a top shot, for Tog and Fluke.
It lasts almost forever and in the long run is far cheaper than mono. Almost no stretch so your sensitivity is better. Use a topshot lighter than your Spectra mainline so it breaks first and you do not leave spectra in the environment.
Quote from: Keta on May 09, 2015, 02:00:57 PMUse a topshot lighter than your Spectra mainline so it breaks first and you do not leave spectra in the environment.
I've lost about 300 meters of 30lb braid here in the Broadwater on the gold coast... Fish just kept running and the spool kept getting hotter and hotter and drag kept failing more and more...
Wonder how long it'll take for it to break down?
I personally like the Jerry Brown solid braid. Just a note that their 80# braid is thicker than Power Pro 80# braid. Here is what they gave me when I emailed them:
50# - 0.013''
65# - 0.016''
80# - 0.018''
I only emailed because I assumed the diameter was the same but the reel didn't fit the amount of line that it was rated for using power pro.
braid's main purpose is to boost capacity of todays reels due to the smaller diameter, say you have a fin-nor 9500OFS, you can put 470 yards of 65# on it, it makes 65# of drag, you now have a spinning reel that outclasses a 30W trolling reel if you use mono on it, and it makes 1.5X the drag.
I use braid for another reason also, longevity, I run a mono topshot on my 9/0 class reels, change the 200 yard topshot every 2 years, the braid lasts 6-7 years, plus I have the added capacity of braid.
mono is more abrasion resistant so the topshot makes sense.
js
Spectra has nearly no stretch which I like for bottom fishing. It's so sensitive that I can feel when a fish comes by and looks at my bait. Oh yeah, that capacity enhancement and longevity thing too. Maybe that's why it's on almost all my reels.
You are so right Mark.
On a calm day when the drift dies, I can feel my jig touching the rocks, and can jiggle it in place to entice the rockies, like a fresh water bass.