HELP: Braided line questions

3854 Views 26 Replies 16 Participants Last post by lewisfishing, May 27, 2014

bonz

Discussion Starter · May 25, 2014

After picking up flyfishing a while back, I literally hadn't touched a baitcasting reel since. I want to fish more and realize I'm limiting my opportunities, so ive gotten the ol bass rig back out for our city ponds in Charlotte.

needing to re spool my reels, I picked up some braided Spiderwire. Never used braided line before. I'll say, even before my question, I'm not a fan of the stuff. The way it handles, cuts, visibility. I do like the sensitivity and lack of stretch.
That being said, in my only two days of fishing this stuff, I've had two situations where I'm trying to make a hook set and the line flies back at me with no fish, or hook....

I can can probably count on one hand the times that's happened in my life, but something is amiss here. Does braided line require a different knot? Different technique?

fyi, it's 20lb Spiderwire, I use a basic clinch knot. It seems strong after I tie it....
Obviously, I'm doing something wrong or either the line I have is defective, which I doubt...although it was on sale.

im rushing to get some mono or flouro, but really want to know what's going on with this stuff.

1 - 20 of 27 Posts

trigger22

· #2 · May 25, 2014

The clinch knot is not a very good knot to use with braid. Try the palomar knot.

Reactions: 4

Fish_Fiend

· #3 · May 25, 2014

^ palomar or uniknot get my vote

Gene - Red》X《 - Asheboro

bonz

Discussion Starter · #4 · May 25, 2014

Thanks guys for the very fast responses, googling now.

my main goal is to strip this reel...but if I manage to get up early tomorrow I might have to rely on the braided stuff.

trigger22

· #5 · May 25, 2014

Give the braid a chance, it will likely grow on you. It is almost all that I use now.

Bleedingblue

· #6 · May 25, 2014

Braid is very slippery and not every knot will work. Besides the one's mentioned here are a couple more. The Eugene Bend knot won't slip and is easy to tie. If you like a clinch knot try the Berkley Braid knot. It is almost like a clinch knot only using doubled line.
http://www.netknots.com/fishing_knots/berkley-braid-knot

ChltBnks

· #7 · May 25, 2014

First of all you do not want to set the hook with braid like you set the hook with mono. You do not need to cross her eyes with braid because it does not. You just bring the rod back and start to reel.

Second is as Bleedingblue said braid is slippery especially when new. You want to thread the needle of your hook or lure twice. This will make a huge difference.

Last tie the improved clinch knot. I have been using it with braid for 10 years now and after learning to thread the needle twice I have never lost a lure since. The palomar knot mentioned by everyone else is probably the most used knot for braid but I am stuck in my ways.

Big Dawg

· #8 · May 25, 2014

Ive been using 20lb spiderwire for about 3 yrs straight and the knots that work for me are the improved clinch knot and Berkley trilene knot..however with 30lb camo braid the "improved clinch knot" will ocassionally slip but not with 20?..for this reason I don't use 30lb no more..also 30lb is pretty heavy on my reels..kinda weird but it is what it is I guess

Reactions: 1

h2ohhh

· #9 · May 25, 2014

Never had a Palomar slip with braid. Double uni knot for leader connections. At the risk of starting braid wars you might want to give the Powerpro brand a try if you don't like spiderwire (which I tried for exactly one day before respooling).

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk

Reactions: 1

Jay

· #10 · May 25, 2014

I've only used the uni knot to tie braid on to the hook. And uni-uni for the leader. When not using a leader I've run the line through the hook's eye twice, I have no idea if that made a difference, but have followed that suggestion because of people's comments. That has worked for me tying bass jigs straight to braid, and also tying a lupton rig directly to the braid for the old red drum. Nothing too fancy and no knot failures with either type of fish!

This isn't about losing knots but check this video out from Aaron Martens. He is using braid as backing. I am currently trying this out on one of my reels, with the exception I don't use an overhand not (uni-uni instead). I've got about 1.5-2 full casts worth of fluoro on this. So the problems with re-learning your hooksets isn't an issue because none of the braid is out in the water. I don't know if its improving casting distance like he claims, but I am extremely intrigued by the eventual cost savings here (on the fluoro). However, the spool does seem to spin more freely when pitching. So far it is working out well. When I first started using braid I'd tie only about 6-10 ft worth of leader to it and I got frustrated by retying leaders in the winter after the inevitable snags. I love the sensitivity of braid but can't seem to adjust my hookset for T-rigs. It works awesome for dropshot though, you never need to really whack them with the dropshot.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CRxWUEvFeuc

See less See more

Ringo Steele

· #11 · May 25, 2014

I have 20 lb. Spiderwire stealth on one of my baitcasters, and have not had any issues. It does get better after you have used it a few times, as far as handling goes. I always use a fluorocarbon leader about 3 to 6 feet long for visibility as sake. I will say I prefer Sufix 832 or PowerPro Super Slick (8 strand) for handling, though. It didn't take long to get used to using braid, and for most uses, I prefer it now to mono.

Reactions: 2

bonz

Discussion Starter · #12 · May 26, 2014

Ok, tried a few of these different knots yesterday. At one point checked the knot and it was really frayed looking. Cut it off and retied with a improved clinch that was looped thru the eye twice. Fish bite, set hook, empty line comes back at me.

Went straight to the store and bought some flouro and mono and respooled. Went back this morning and caught several fish no issues at all.

Braid just isn't for me.

Reactions: 2

ChltBnks

· #13 · May 26, 2014

It is always better to try and fail than to do nothing and succeed. Glad to hear you are happily catching fish now.

Reactions: 1

Drum Runner

· #14 · May 26, 2014

I have never had the first problem with braid.
If you can tie a Palomar knot, you won't either.

Swampin'

· #15 · May 26, 2014

I've tried some cheaper braid and no matter what knot you tie in it it will slip out when its new. Once it gets wet a few times it's usually better. To me any braided line is only properly worn in after at least one season of fishing. Last years power pro line on my heavy cover bass rod is just right now and I love it. Can't imagine going back to all the memory and stretch of mono. Plus being able to pull a truck out of the ditch withit without it snapping is a plus

Brenardo

· #16 · May 26, 2014

Uni knot with a dab of super glue will NOT slip.

Reactions: 2

bonz

Discussion Starter · #17 · May 27, 2014

Thanks guys for the additional tips. Maybe one day I'll give braided a shot again, but im all good with what I've got now.
Really weird deal with what was happening.

The competitive part of me wants to spool up more braided line and figure out what the deal is...the logical side of me says, "you don't get many opportunities to fish, dance with the one you've known and trusted your whole life." If that makes any sense.

Reactions: 1

Drum Runner

· #18 · May 27, 2014

bonz, it took me a long time to crossover to braid. When I did, there was no going back.
The sensitivity alone is worth it.

biglenr

· #19 · May 27, 2014

I can't get the line through the hook the second time, and I succeed in tying the palomar one out of 4 times I try... My fingers just aren't agile enough. I use a clinch with 7 loops, and then twice through the loop before pulling it tight... Maybe not as good as a palomar, but I can tie it.

Reactions: 1

wademaster

· #20 · May 27, 2014

biglenr said:
I can't get the line through the hook the second time, and I succeed in tying the palomar one out of 4 times I try... My fingers just aren't agile enough. I use a clinch with 7 loops, and then twice through the loop before pulling it tight... Maybe not as good as a palomar, but I can tie it.

I've never had an improved clinch knot give me problems. I use it 100% of the time!

Sent from my kayak...

1 - 20 of 27 Posts

This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.