Braid - anyone

[GeeTee]

I’m changing in my fishing a little bit.

so far I’ve always just been a bit of a hope for best angler. I plumb up, have a little search round with pole. Not so good with feeder, just chuck and chance really. A few bites and I’m happy,

however, I’m trying to improve and evolve. I’m not a carp angler, though I might have a go come summer but I’m just trying to target better fish on natural venues, some are quite big pits. I’m anticipating having to fish a bit further out and searching features on lake bed.

as well as carp I know there are nice perch, roach and tech in the pits i fish.

I’m going to get a marker rod, reel and braid for that.

I’m just thinking about trying braid for the feeder at a longer length. Anyone any experience with it, tips?

 

[tipitinmick]

Don’t forget a shockleader if you’re going to throw some distance. Measuring sticks are useful. It’s advantageous to have at least two rods set up on line clips. One to fish 30m and one set to fish say 50m. Another idea is to time your bites. A stopwatch is ideal for this. Good luck pal. ?

 

[crumpercatcher.]

Mono shock leader & mono hook length to compensate for the lack of stretch in the braid, you will get used to it. Depends on the style of fishing / rig but you don’t need to strike at bites, more lift into them.

Braid needs to be loaded onto the reel correctly, don’t be afraid to soak it a few times and load it under tension. Fill the spool lower than you would with mono. Feather the cast down and try to keep the braid straight to avoid tangles and wind knots.

A bit more feature finding and accuracy of feeding / casting should in time bring rewards. Don’t forget the largest and most overlooked feature on every water.

 

[CarpCatcher86]

I only ever use braid as a mainline for lure fishing. 30lb on my light setup and 64lb on my heavy setup. I previously used 20lb on my light setup, but after loosing a few lures to snags, and the fact that I had no confidence in such a fine diameter line I eventually stepped up. The lack of stretch in braid makes it great as a main line for lure fishing and for spod and marker rods in the right bs and diameter, but rubbish for everything else, it lacks the abrasion resistance as many have discovered. I use Spiderwire Dura 4 braid for lure fishing, even in 99lb bs (which I don't use) it's only 0.40mm, which is still 0.15mm thinner than 30lb mono (Maxima Chameleon) For feeder fishing I have always used 8 and 12lb mono, I used to pair it with 8 and 12lb Drenna Super Specialist braid which in all honesty was thinner than cotton. Then one day I caught a 3lb perch using a 12lb braided hooklink, the perch wasn't targeted of course but I had never caught one that big before so it was a nice bonus. The fish rolled and flipped in the net dragging the braid across it's side and part of it's dorsal fin which tore straight through it. The braid not the fin. Not long after that I lost two big carp after something caused a 30lb coated braided hooklink to snap in half twice. Since then I have never used braid for hooklinks and I never will again. I switched to fluorocarbon and never looked back.

 

[GeeTee]

I only ever use braid as a mainline for lure fishing. 30lb on my light setup and 64lb on my heavy setup. I previously used 20lb on my light setup, but after loosing a few lures to snags, and the fact that I had no confidence in such a fine diameter line I eventually stepped up. The lack of stretch in braid makes it great as a main line for lure fishing and for spod and marker rods in the right bs and diameter, but rubbish for everything else, it lacks the abrasion resistance as many have discovered. I use Spiderwire Dura 4 braid for lure fishing, even in 99lb bs (which I don't use) it's only 0.40mm, which is still 0.15mm thinner than 30lb mono (Maxima Chameleon) For feeder fishing I have always used 8 and 12lb mono, I used to pair it with 8 and 12lb Drenna Super Specialist braid which in all honesty was thinner than cotton. Then one day I caught a 3lb perch using a 12lb braided hooklink, the perch wasn't targeted of course but I had never caught one that big before so it was a nice bonus. The fish rolled and flipped in the net dragging the braid across it's side and part of it's dorsal fin which tore straight through it. The braid not the fin. Not long after that I lost two big carp after something caused a 30lb coated braided hooklink to snap in half twice. Since then I have never used braid for hooklinks and I never will again. I switched to fluorocarbon and never looked back.

It’s all new to me. I wasn’t thinking of using it for hooklengths. Indeed, I was planning 5 metres of mono for a shock leader. I haven’t used fluorocarbon either. It is something I’m thinking about though!

 

[lucc]

I am no longer using shock leaders for braid with feeder, the knot is a source of problems (dirt stuck, breaks of line and quiver tips...)
Just calibrate your throw and accompany the line at the end when it reaches the water.
My nylon (which btw is fluo 23/100) length is around 50cm, no more

 

[gingert76]

always use a mono leader with braid, doesnt have to be a really heavy mono either but 8-12lb Mono, i use the same leader knot i use for sea fishing and had a issue with the size of knot, others are uni to uni, albright etc. but never had issues though more and more fisheries ban braid that i fish.

 

[ATTICUS FINCH]

I have never bothered with a shock leader when using braided mainline.
I can see the point but I have never had a problem either with casting or playing a fish.

 

[Godber]

I tie my braid to 1m of 4-8lb mono depending on how far l'm casting. I use a 6-8 inch twizzled loop with a couple of stotz butted up to the knot. Long casts l use the helicopter system, shorter casts l use the conventional hooklength system.

 

[Mike atkinson]

Yep, braid direct for me, tied to 4ft of 0.30mm mono, to tie my rig to

 

[Irishhybrids]

Never use shock leader for 95% of my feeder fishing