Braid, Flourocarbon, Spectra... - Kayak Fishing Adventures on Big Water’s Edge

Jimmyz123 · 01-23-2013, 05:44 AM

When I'm going to be doing a lot of casting of irons I like mono for the stretch, and the smooth casts. If I'm going to fly line I like to use a 20 to 25 pound floro leader with 65# green braid. I do pretty much the same if I'm dropping to the bottom. Go with what you are comfortable with. It took me a while to really embrace braided lines. I loved them for bottom fishing, but wasn't comfortable with them casting. I soon got over that. Keep in mind that braid will cut your skin very easily if you're tying knots, or if you're trying to pull on it for some reason do be careful.

taggermike · 01-23-2013, 08:07 AM

I started using braid as a backing with 1/2 the reel filled with braid and the rest mono. As I became more comfortable fishing the actual braid I began filling my reels all the way with braid. Now I typicly use a 3-5 foot leader of fluoro with the braid. I like the extra feel of the bait or lure with the no stretch braid. Mono has up to 20% stretch so you deffinatey miss some of whats going on. In LJ I use 65lb braid with a 30 or 40 lb leader, mostly for braid's kelpcutting ability. In the bays for fishing plastics I go 20 or 30lb braid with anything from 8-15lb leader. Braided lines do cast very well but backlashes can be a disaster. I cast braid on spinners and baitcasters but for surface irons I still prefer 40lb mono. Mike

janines.fishtales@cox.net · 01-23-2013, 10:53 AM

Awesome info guys. Thank you much.

J

Dirty Curti · 01-23-2013, 04:00 PM

WOW! This is some good stuff!

JeffB · 01-23-2013, 07:20 PM

Nicest thing about braid to floro, is that you can feel everything it the deeper water. Mono not so much. The bays however don't make too much of a difference for me.

jaws197 · 01-23-2013, 07:25 PM

Brilliant thread and information here!!!!

Fiskadoro, your post especially should be stickied to the top of this forum! That info would save so many "why braid ?" questions in the best way!

I would love to have seen such a concise explanation to that same question when I first started considering the Braid versus mono question....

This thread is precisely why this site is one of my favorites!

janines.fishtales@cox.net · 01-24-2013, 07:50 PM

Wow. Again to everyone, thanks for all the info. Learned alot. This is obviously a topic where everyone has their own ideas and opinions, but what it boils down to is what the fisherman is comfortable with. I will try the braid and fluoro leaders. I'm still not ready to give up mono though!
I posted this question on my Kayak Fishing Addicts site too, and drew a huge amount of interest there too. In my opinion, this kind of info exchange is what these web sites are all about.
Janine

01-23-2013, 05:44 AM	#1
Jimmyz123 Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: San Diego Posts: 2,385	When I'm going to be doing a lot of casting of irons I like mono for the stretch, and the smooth casts. If I'm going to fly line I like to use a 20 to 25 pound floro leader with 65# green braid. I do pretty much the same if I'm dropping to the bottom. Go with what you are comfortable with. It took me a while to really embrace braided lines. I loved them for bottom fishing, but wasn't comfortable with them casting. I soon got over that. Keep in mind that braid will cut your skin very easily if you're tying knots, or if you're trying to pull on it for some reason do be careful. __________________ No better time than being on the water, God Bless, JimmyZ

01-23-2013, 10:53 AM	#3
janines.fishtales@cox.net Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 555	Awesome info guys. Thank you much. J __________________ Fishtales

01-23-2013, 04:00 PM	#4
Dirty Curti Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Oceanside, CA Posts: 419	WOW! This is some good stuff! __________________

01-23-2013, 07:20 PM	#5
JeffB Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: La Jolla Posts: 1,216	Nicest thing about braid to floro, is that you can feel everything it the deeper water. Mono not so much. The bays however don't make too much of a difference for me. __________________ If you're looking for me I'm

01-24-2013, 07:50 PM	#7
janines.fishtales@cox.net Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 555	Wow. Again to everyone, thanks for all the info. Learned alot. This is obviously a topic where everyone has their own ideas and opinions, but what it boils down to is what the fisherman is comfortable with. I will try the braid and fluoro leaders. I'm still not ready to give up mono though! I posted this question on my Kayak Fishing Addicts site too, and drew a huge amount of interest there too. In my opinion, this kind of info exchange is what these web sites are all about. Janine __________________ Fishtales

01-23-2013, 08:07 AM	#2
taggermike Senior Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Chula Vista Posts: 1,589	I started using braid as a backing with 1/2 the reel filled with braid and the rest mono. As I became more comfortable fishing the actual braid I began filling my reels all the way with braid. Now I typicly use a 3-5 foot leader of fluoro with the braid. I like the extra feel of the bait or lure with the no stretch braid. Mono has up to 20% stretch so you deffinatey miss some of whats going on. In LJ I use 65lb braid with a 30 or 40 lb leader, mostly for braid's kelpcutting ability. In the bays for fishing plastics I go 20 or 30lb braid with anything from 8-15lb leader. Braided lines do cast very well but backlashes can be a disaster. I cast braid on spinners and baitcasters but for surface irons I still prefer 40lb mono. Mike

01-23-2013, 07:25 PM	#6
jaws197 Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Poway, CA Posts: 148	Brilliant thread and information here!!!! Fiskadoro, your post especially should be stickied to the top of this forum! That info would save so many "why braid ?" questions in the best way! I would love to have seen such a concise explanation to that same question when I first started considering the Braid versus mono question.... This thread is precisely why this site is one of my favorites!