Braid Education 101

[oneyedeer]

my reels spooled with both 50 and 65 spectre 20-40 flouro leader tied with albright special.....brand i prefer is powerpro or izoline don't throw your money away on other brands. Daiwa is same quality but your paying more money for it. Spiderwire is crap. Colors whites and yellows when there is a need to see where your line is. If it doesnt matter the moss or red. my 2cent

[eertkao]

I have a question about the mono backing to fill up the spool before putting spectra on top:

how often does that backing need to be changed? or can you keep that on there (underneath) the spectra for a long time?

Also, does the 20# to 40# fluoro need to be replaced often or can that also be "reused" so long as there aren't any kinks?

Thanks guys

[Devildawgjj]

Originally Posted by eertkao

I have a question about the mono backing to fill up the spool before putting spectra on top:

how often does that backing need to be changed? or can you keep that on there (underneath) the spectra for a long time?

Also, does the 20# to 40# fluoro need to be replaced often or can that also be "reused" so long as there aren't any kinks?

Thanks guys

About the backing.....I would say not for a very long time. Spectra lasts for years. How much leader are you using? If it's under 5 feet, then change it out every time you hit the water. If you have 100 feet, then just keep an eye out for fraying. IMO.

I'm sure others will chime in.

[Fiskadoro]

Originally Posted by Devildawgjj

About the backing.....

I like to put 300yards minimum of spectra on my reels, so I'm almost never in the backing that said I've been playing with 100 pound Chinese Dyneema Braid for backing. Dirt cheap, works and doesn't age like Mono. The only issue I have found is it's got low knot strength so I always use heavier test then I would with Mono or normal spectra.

Jim

[eertkao]

Ok, yeah I got the part where the spectra lasts a long time, but what I was referring to was the mono that goes underneath the spectra. Does that mono need to be replaced often? If so, can I reuse the spectra that went on top of the mono?

Thanks for the help and let me know if that made sense or not

[Fiskadoro]

Originally Posted by eertkao

Ok, yeah I got the part where the spectra lasts a long time, but what I was referring to was the mono that goes underneath the spectra. Does that mono need to be replaced often?

Yeah I got it.

Spectra lasts virtually forever except for friction wear. It's made of ultra high molecular weight polyethylene, super high density shit that is basically immune to oxidation, UV, and it does not absorb water.

Technically spectra is tough because it's long chain polymers have a high molecular weight. It's a got so many bonds it just doesn't want to break down or come apart.

I still have the first twenty pound spectra I ever bought (over a decade ago) on a reel and it is still good. I'd have the first spectra I ever bought but the rod shook out of a rod holder and fell over board out at the pistol bank in rough weather. I've never had to throw away spectra because of age, though it will wear.

Mono is essentually plastic. It's a polymer pretty much extruded nylon, and it's susceptible to UV degradation, and it also absorbs water. As backing it's alright. It's in a limited UV situation but it can absorb water and still oxidize over time. I'd say if you change your mono backing every few years you'd be fine. Unlike spectra mono ages even sitting on the shelf. I still have some bulk spools of thirty and sixty pound Ande that I use as backing, but it's looking kind of old, and though never spooled, I'm starting to not trust it.

In the future I think I'll skip the mono and buy cheap 100 pound Dyneema from China. It has a the diameter of maybe 30 pound mono but is three times as strong and since it's also made of ultra high molecular weight polyethylene it lasts like spectra.

Jim

[Luis_Ochoa]

thank for the info JIM,

[Devildawgjj]

Concise as always, Jim...

You da Man!!

I was going to respond, but sometimes if your not going to say anything nice, then you should keep you hole shut.