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Picture Of The Month



SD2OR with a trophy fall walleye

Topic: Braid pound test  (Read 2411 times)

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Chromer

  • Perch
  • ***
  • Location: Bellevue Washington
  • Date Registered: Dec 2016
  • Posts: 76
Looking to pull the trigger on a bait caster for salmon fishing (probably a daiwa lexa 300 lc).  I don't have much experience with braid but decided to try it out..  As a basic all around trolling reel I was thinking 30 pound test but is heavier or lighter a better choice?
Any favorite brands of braided lines?
Thanks,
Joe


Tinker

  • Sturgeon
  • *******
  • Kevin
  • Location: 42.74°N 124.5°W
  • Date Registered: May 2013
  • Posts: 3304
Braided line wasn't meant for level-wind and baitcasting reels because it tends to dig in on the spool - but lots of folks use it without problems and I never had a problem with certain braids on a Lexa 200.

I had the best luck with multi-strand braids that have a round cross-section. I liked 30# Fireline Original because it's more round than most other braids.  50# Daiwa Samurai is a great round line, and it's a slightly smaller diameter than the 30# Fireline, but it's darned expensive.

I never had any luck using PowerPro or Suffix 832 on the Lexa.

Those are the only ones I've tried.
I expected the worst, but it was worse than I expected...


gnomodom

  • Lingcod
  • *****
  • Location: Seattle, WA
  • Date Registered: Sep 2015
  • Posts: 211
I use #40 domin8 on my lexa lc 300, and it works great. In general, I just use #40 braid for damn near all of my conventional / casting reels. For spinning reels I notice a huge difference using 8 carrier braids, and go between #20-#30. The most important thing when you're getting the braid on the reel is to have a fair amount of tension on the line to start, and it shouldn't really cut into itself too much. The 8 carrier varieties are better about this too. They are also quieter through the guides.

#40 braid is strong enough for damn near anything you'll be hauling, and it is still really thin, so you get the added benefits of your lures / bait getting to the right depths.


Low_Sky

  • Salmon
  • ******
  • Location: Anchorage, AK
  • Date Registered: Oct 2015
  • Posts: 521
Bear in mind that you'll have a hard time breaking off 30# braid from a kayak. Plan your leaders and bottom fishing rigs accordingly.


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2016 Hobie Revolution 16
2014 Perception Triumph 13


Tinker

  • Sturgeon
  • *******
  • Kevin
  • Location: 42.74°N 124.5°W
  • Date Registered: May 2013
  • Posts: 3304
Bear in mind that you'll have a hard time breaking off 30# braid from a kayak. Plan your leaders and bottom fishing rigs accordingly.

That's important!
I expected the worst, but it was worse than I expected...


gnomodom

  • Lingcod
  • *****
  • Location: Seattle, WA
  • Date Registered: Sep 2015
  • Posts: 211
THis is also a good point. I've straightened hooks from snags when using #40 braid.


yakbass

  • Lingcod
  • *****
  • Location: N. Portland
  • Date Registered: Mar 2015
  • Posts: 205
Straightened a gamakatsu 4/0 big river yesterday at swan island on 40lb braid. Wish I’d seen that fish he bent the hook a good 15 min into the fight. Came at the boat so fast several times my 6.2:1 gear ratio Cardiff 400 could keep up.


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Chromer

  • Perch
  • ***
  • Location: Bellevue Washington
  • Date Registered: Dec 2016
  • Posts: 76
Thanks for all of the replies.  I ended up filling it with 40 pound power pro and pairing it with a Lamiglas redline.  Cant wait to try it out!


Trident 13

  • Salmon
  • ******
  • Location: Kent
  • Date Registered: Jul 2016
  • Posts: 791
Pretty curious about how it works. Please post up. I’m looking for another line wrapper and have typically gone to spinning reels, but starting to get curious about a bait caster. Thanks


Tinker

  • Sturgeon
  • *******
  • Kevin
  • Location: 42.74°N 124.5°W
  • Date Registered: May 2013
  • Posts: 3304
And don't blame all braid if you have trouble with PowerPro.  I had trouble with it digging-in.
I expected the worst, but it was worse than I expected...


Ling Banger

  • Sturgeon
  • *******
  • Location: Lincoln Beach, OR
  • Date Registered: Feb 2010
  • Posts: 2588
The Redlines have pretty soft tips, but I think that the general consensus is that the advantage with the stretchiness of mono outweighs the benefits of braid for salmon. If you are combat fishing mono is much easier to get untangled. Mono casts more smoothly if you switch to a bobber. Should you get a bird nest it's easier to clear the jam with mono.




"We're going to go fishing
And that's all there is to it." - R.P. McMurphy


Lee

  • Iris
  • Sturgeon
  • *******
  • Fuck Cancer!
  • Location: Graham, WA
  • Date Registered: Jul 2009
  • Posts: 6091
Its important to make sure braid goes on REALLY tight when you first put it on the spool, if it isn't, you'll get the digging that's been mentioned above.

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Matt M

  • Sturgeon
  • *******
  • Location: Tigard
  • Date Registered: Mar 2016
  • Posts: 1236
I don't have nearly the issues with digging and birdsnesting with 30+ lb braid. Definitely quite a bit of it with the thinner diameter stuff. Still a great idea to spool it on tight.
-Matt

Old Town Sportsman 120 PDL


Chromer

  • Perch
  • ***
  • Location: Bellevue Washington
  • Date Registered: Dec 2016
  • Posts: 76
I bought this combo mostly for trolling for salmon on the Columbia and in Puget Sound so I figured the smaller diameter line would help get it deeper in the water column


AKFishOn

  • Lingcod
  • *****
  • Location: Kodiak, Alaska
  • Date Registered: Dec 2015
  • Posts: 271
I exclusively use Power Pro on all my reels and Maxima leaders.  I started to run 40 lb or heavier braid when I got out of practice casting...getting bird nests out with 30 pound or less is darn near impossible.  A Lexa line counter will be my next reel for trolling purposes. I've heard nothing but good reviews on them, enjoy!
"If your hands ain't bleeding, you ain't fishing hard enough!"


 

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