You guys laid out some great things about braid. Most if not all of it being true. With that said, I am not a fan of braided line. I use it only when the situation absolutely calls for it. Which for me pretty much means just when fishing around or over very heavy vegetation.

Here are some of the things I don't find incredibly positive about braid. Yes it provides incredible sensitivity ..... if there is tension on the line. If there isn't, it provides almost zero sensitivity and much less than fluorocarbon, or even a nylon mono filament line. Braid being so limp can also present problems while presenting a bait. Braid will wrap around your rod tip more easily. It will wrap around a branch more easily. If will in certain situations, hang up more easily because of its smaller diameter. Braid loses it's color becoming even more visible than when new. Sure you can use a leader, but leaders are a pain in the butt, and using a leader lessens the sensitivity of braid. The longer the leader, the more sensitivity you lose.

Braid's sensitivity can cost you fish at times. I understand you need to be able to feel a bite before you can set the hook, but, if you can feel the fish, the fish can feel you. There are times that if the fish feels you before you can react, that fish is going to spit or drop the bait, and it isn't going to come back for a second chance. There are more not so positive things about braid as well. I find it has less feel than fluorocarbon line when using light lures, and if the wind is blowing, forget about it. Braid is horrible in windy conditions. You also can't pop a hung lure using the bow string technique with braid. No way, no how. You want to free a bait hung with braid, you have to pull on it.

Anyhow ....If braid is your magic fishing line, that's great. But not everyone thinks it's the holy grail and it isn't because they are just trying to convince themselves they are right. Braid is a great line, but it's not great for everything. No type of fishing line is.

Edit for addition lol

I can't believe I forgot the most non incredibly positive thing about braid ........... it's the annoying as heck sound it makes as you're reeling it in LOL



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/11/2019 04:04PM by David Baylor.

David,
Copy your comments.
\\

Take care

Ed. Some posts need repeating, and expanding, and submitting as an article to Tom. Do it. I intend to repeat myself in a “Magic Wand” series about 10 different Bass techniques, blanks, handles, guides. Braid to FG Knot to Fluorocarbon will be emphasized in each article when the angler wants more distance or sensitivity. Call me if you like for a few suggestions for your article.
Rich Forhan

Excellent post once again David. No question braid casts farther, but that's not always the main concern. If you ever try fishing a Zara Spook with braid you'll soon find out what it's not good for.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/12/2019 04:56PM by Lynn Behler.

Oh come on Lynn ...... who doesn't love it when braid wraps around the front hook of your walking bait. ;-) lol

I always use a fluorocarbon leader, no problem walking the dog.
Norm

maybe rub some candle wax on the first 5 or 6 inches to stiffen the braided line to walk the dog..

I fish specifically for LM bass. I know I'm in the minority in this but I despise FC line. Especially on spinning equipment. I DO NOT see why it is so popular. Especially with the price companies want for it. But, those that like it have justified it and that's fine. I am a braid man and I love it. I agree with an earlier post that says backlashes are a little easier to remove using braid. Braid in my opinion is much more sensitive than mono or FC. I have tried a lot of braid. Sunline, Suffix, Power Pro, etc. In my opinion, they are so close I now pick out which line by its color. If there is shade on the water or if the reflection of the tree line is in the water I cannot see the OD green line anymore. My older eyes just cant do it. I have gone to using yellow or bright green braid on my spinning and slow moving bait rods. On my cranking rods I keep the OD color. Don't really need to watch the line while cranking. I'm also very skeptical on how much lines bother the fish. Sometimes I say it does other times I say it doesn't. No one will ever know until we teach them to talk. I have fished the phosphorus pits in Florida that has swimming pool clear water using braid and have been very successful. Might I have been more successful with FC? I'm going to say no because my fishing partner hates braid and is a FC guy. We caught about the same amount fishing similar techniques. The BETTER Question is; Which caliber rifle is better when hunting deer? That just opened pandora's box!!!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/13/2019 09:46AM by Dondi Rogers.

Ben, there's a big candle making operation about a mile from here, what scent do you recommend?lol

Ha, good question Lynn, i,m not into scents for fish but my nephew is a big time cat fisher..he makes his own scented baits, a real witches brew are his baits..i,ll have to ask him..he might give me some ideas and i,ll pass them on to you..lol.

Ben, I was thinking if this might actually work (which I have no intention of finding out lol) beeswax might be a better option.

yea, that,s along the same line of thought..any thing that stiffens the line like beeswax or nail polish or super glue..something that also doesn,t readily wash off..i haven,t tried it either but may someday..i,m not much of a spook fan and i don,t fish at night anymore..i used to love it for swippers at night but haven,t done it in years..

I don't fish at night either, but I'll always be a spook fan!

ben belote Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> yea, that,s along the same line of thought..any
> thing that stiffens the line like beeswax or nail
> polish or super glue..something that also doesn,t
> readily wash off..i haven,t tried it either but
> may someday..i,m not much of a spook fan and i
> don,t fish at night anymore..i used to love it for
> swippers at night but haven,t done it in years..

i meant wipers..we haven,t fished for them in over twenty years..they quit stocking them..a real fun fish.