High time for a chat about modern braided line...

[Torpedo Jack]

Hi, All!


I have noticed of late that most chats concerning braid date back to somewhere between 2006 and 2014....   So much has happened over the past few years that I think we need to discuss the new braid variants, rated on quality, diameter, casting ability, abrasion resistance, durability, suppleness, and price. Additionally, this data should based on actual experience with the lines, not just on hearsay or marketing ploys.


Please note that this is my experience alone, and that I fish the coast when I can. I fish hard, but not ultra-hard, so my braid lasts a year or two. I have friends who live at the coast, and pop off 300 to 400 casts on a single morning spinning session (they use clickers to keep count), and change their braid every month!


I'll start off:


1. Gosen Casting Braid (17 & 25lb)

General quality         : 9/10
Diameter                  : Very thin (Good)
Casting ability           : Very good (see explanation below)
Abrasion resistance   : Good
Durability                 : Very good (colours fade after a few months, but all braids seem to suffer from this)
Suppleness              : Soft and easy to work with
Price                        : Very expensive (from R899 to R 1100 for 300m, or around R3.30/m)



2. Boss Whisper Braid (15lb)

General quality         : 8/10
Diameter                  : Thin (Good)
Casting ability           : Very good
Abrasion resistance   : Good
Durability                 : Good (so far. Only used on about 6 outings)
Suppleness               : Reasonably soft, easy to work with
Price                        : Good (from R320 - R390 per 300m, or around R1.20 per metre)



3. Berkley Fireline (8lb)

General quality         : 7/10
Diameter                  : Fairly thin (Good)
Casting ability           : Good
Abrasion resistance   : Good
Durability                 : Good
Suppleness               : Quite stiff, thus not as easy to work with as the softer braids. Sometimes springs off spool.
Price                        : Medium (around R400 300yards (270m) or around R1.48 per metre)


4. Berkley Fireline Crystal (10lb)

General quality         : 7/10
Diameter                  : Fairly thin (Good)
Casting ability           : Good
Abrasion resistance   : Good
Durability                 : Good
Suppleness               : Quite stiff, thus not as easy to work with as the softer braids. Sometimes springs off spool.
Price                        : Medium (around R400 300yards (270m) or around R1.48 per metre)


It would really be helpful if you guys would weigh in with your experience with other line types. I know some guys swear by JDB, and other hate it. It may also be of value to add the reel and rod combinations used with the respective lines, since these can influence their performance. For example, my laaitie and I used nearly identical setups, as follows:


Line     : Gosen Casting Braid, 17 lb
Rod      : Assassin Sierra Heavy (Microwave guides)
Reel     : Shimano Stradic 5000 (Laaitie)
Reel     : Shimano Sustain 5000 FJ (Mine)




I had hundreds of wind knots with the 17lb line, and my laaitie never had any! Even playing with the spool spacers on the reel made no difference. Eventually I had lost so much line that I respooled with the 25lb line, and the problem went away!    What I'm getting at is that some combinations simply don't play well together, even if they fall in the higher end of the market. Sometimes fine-tuning helps or, as was seen in this case, simply changing breaking strain made all the difference. Please bear this in mind before "dissing" a particular line.




I look forward to your input and experiences! If you want to add other qualities (eg. knot strength or something else) please feel free to do so! The goal for me here is to find a line which is not expensive, yet has the characteristics of a good, expensive line.  Additionally, we could discuss things such as the line profile (flat or round) which can influence the "lay" or "packing" on the spool. This could help newcomers distinguish between those lines which are better used as backing (such as the Berkley Fireline, because it packs tightly and you can get more on), and the rounder lines, which cast better because of their round profile and coating.


Tight lines!


Mike

[Zak-e-Boy]

Topedo Hi ! interesting topic, I changed to Gosen Casting braid quite a few years back and I found this to be the best braid for me for the type of fishing I do, I use 17 and 21 lb. I live at the coast and I do many hours of beach spinning during an outing. Ps I have never had any wind knot problems with either the 17 or the 21lb braid, I use two Stradic 5000 reels.   

[Torpedo Jack]

Hey, Zak!


Yes, the Stradic seems to love the Gosen braid!!


Any experience with another brand?


Mike

[Zak-e-Boy]

Mike, I have over time tried many other braids and I have settled for the Gosen Casting on my go to outfits. I do use 15 LB/8 J Braid on a lighter outfit with a BG3000, I have had no problem at all with this line however it appears to be a slightly thicker and "harder" line. I think each to his own when it comes to selecting the line which you prefer and if you can bring yourself to spend loads of money on some of these very expensive lines. That said what isn't expensive now days, I bought a "small" bunch of leeches for R50 the other day and they weren't even sweet...         

[Torpedo Jack]

Come on, Guys!


This thread won't work without you! Zak-e-boy has already weighed in - where are your experiences? Let's build a nice database on all the lines out there...


Regards,


Mike

[travelmember]

Good post and very relevant!


With the exception of lightweight fly reels, every reel I own has braid on it, and that is somewhere around 80 reels (incl those we use for a charter business). From 1000 size up to 80W and on the fly front 8,9,10, 12 and 15 weight all have braid backing. Just a note that I do not do any shore based spinning locally so cannot comment on that.


Looking in the tackle room now I see JDB Camo in 15lb. Fireline in 12lb, Kingfisher braid in 50lb, Sufix 832 in 20/30/50lb and PowerPro in 20/30/50/65/80/130 and then a spool of Grinder 8 in 50lb as well.


The requirements vary depending on the target species - backing braid on a fly reel is a capacity thing and as long as it breaks higher than 30lb (average core strength on a flyline except the heavy duty stuff) anything will do. This is where I use the Kingfisher.
Bass and carp braid need easy casting and good durability (for the social fishing I do).
Offshore backing needs hi vis, good knot strength and good abrasion resistance.
Offshore spinning needs durability, knot strength, abrasion resistance and thin diameter (but not so thin it tangles in a wind).
Deep drop reels require a big spool (1500m), high breaking strain, outstanding resistance and good "handling" feel.


After quite a few years of trial and error (and several lost large fish) I have settled on the JDB camo in anything less than 15lb and Power Pro or 832 for everything else.


There are many stories of PowerPro having bad batches (Chinese copies?) but I guess I have been lucky as it has always delivered for me. In 50lb guise it is our line of choice for charter tackle - all of the 6000/8000 size spinners have it on and we also use it as backing for the lightweight (12-30lb) trolling rigs.


For the smaller spinners (4-5000 size) we use 30lb 832 and successfully land sails, dorado and plenty of yellowfin up to 15kgs.


For the deep drop rods, I stick to 80lb Power Pro. A break off here can cost R7,000 in terminal tackle and line alone so we don't skimp.


The same 80lb is used as backing on the billfish reels if we have enough or we use 100lb J braid - which is the same we use on the heavy popping gear for big tuna and GT's.


I stay away from Fireline and heavily coated braids - too many bad experiences with poor quality, poor knot strength  and a lack of feel.


I do find the 832 is easier to knot and stitch so if I had to choose one line, that would be it.

[REEFMAN]

I'm with Travelmember on this. Most of my light and medium spinning reels have Sufix 832 (15-30lb) on them, and have had on for 5 years ++!     But then I don't get to the coast that often anymore. It has been my go to braid for many years now and is soft and supple, easy knotting, easy stitching and has proven it's durability.

I have also fished with Gosen (too expensive), JDB has been good too. Powepro Slick is also excellent, but very expensive. Berkley Tracer, Fireline have been used too, but are not as casting friendly as the softer braids.

All my multipliers have Berkley Whiplash 50lb on as backing, some have been on for 10 years+.

Brands I stay away from include Nanofil, just way too finicky with knots.

Don't overlook the locally made HMP brand. Excellent value for money and has now become right up there in terms of quality.

[zaahidwp]

I have to Agree with Reefman to not look past the locally manufactured HMP. I started off fishing with grinder braid, it was soft and supple, but became weak too quick and it started to break after a few trips out with it. Thereafter i use daiwa j braid, the braid is extremely strong for it's rating, however I found it a bit thick and didn't manage to get enough line on my reels because of it. I now use HMP and can't fault it at all, I have not lost any of it due to breakoffs. All the braids mentioned above were 40lb x8.



HMP is now my braid of choice, the price is right, and the braid delivers on it's promise of being thin, strong and of an extremely high quality

[Torpedo Jack]

Thanks for all the replies, guys! I was not aware of the HMP brand until you guys mentioned it. I'll be sure to give it a try.


Mike

[Torpedo Jack]

Good post and very relevant!





For the deep drop rods, I stick to 80lb Power Pro. A break off here can cost R7,000 in terminal tackle and line alone so we don't skimp.




Wow, Travelmember! I had never considered that!! Here we shore guys want to cry when we lose a R300 lure!!!    I had no idea your segment of fishing had rigorous financial demands. Please share with us landlocked Vaalies what goes into such an expensive rig...



Regards,


Mike

[Torpedo Jack]

I'm with Travelmember on this. Most of my light and medium spinning reels have Sufix 832 (15-30lb) on them, and have had on for 5 years ++!     But then I don't get to the coast that often anymore. It has been my go to braid for many years now and is soft and supple, easy knotting, easy stitching and has proven it's durability.

I have also fished with Gosen (too expensive), JDB has been good too. Powepro Slick is also excellent, but very expensive. Berkley Tracer, Fireline have been used too, but are not as casting friendly as the softer braids.

All my multipliers have Berkley Whiplash 50lb on as backing, some have been on for 10 years+.

Brands I stay away from include Nanofil, just way too finicky with knots.

Don't overlook the locally made HMP brand. Excellent value for money and has now become right up there in terms of quality.

Thanks, Tony!

As stated in my other reply, I was unaware of the HMP until recently. I need to concur with you on the Berkley Whiplash - I had forgotten about it!    I also use Whiplash (45lb) for backing on my grinders, since it packs well because of its rather flat profile. That's also probably why I forgot about it - it sits quietly under my topshot just waiting for that "fish of a lifetime" to expose it. I find it quite "rough" though, but I never cast with it, so that's ok. When winding it onto the reel, using my left hand to keep the braid tight, I find it gives off its colour much too freely... But that's not a biggie - all braids fade...


Thanks for the heads-up on the Nanofil!

Do you think it would be worthwhile drawing up a little database of lines and their characteristics that we could keep on the UA site? This would help newcomers (both to fishing or to new segments of fishing) make an informed choice. Also, this would will allow us to keep abreast of new developments in braided line technology, and add new lines as they become available. I realize that most of this stuff is "personal preference", but experience with particular lines is of great value.

Regards,

Mike

[FishStyx]

I haven't bought braid in years... I went big early. I bought bulk spools of Jerry Brown 100lb, Saltiga Boat 80lb and Power Pro Super Slick 65lb for all my heavy applications... The JB is like rope but it's so strong and abrasion resistant... My number 1 go to for heavy popping and sticks. The Saltiga is okay, very supple, but I've only really used it for jigging. I really like the S/Slick... It's on all my medium size reels, and have even put it on my big Tranx now.


In the lighter braids, favourites are Tasline, Gosen (bought long ago when it was affordable), 832 and a spool of Fins (which I quite like). I have loved fishing Nanofil (on my lightest outfits) and have Fireline on ALL my bait casters.


I think my most recent purchases were various strengths of Tasline bought about 5 years ago... So no real input on the latest and highest tech stuff available.

[MIKE PIKE]

Interesting topic/discussion wrt braid ,  most of my braid on spinning reels is Sufix 832 and Grinder 8 braid , but have spooled up some reels with the local HMP and its pretty on par  with some of the major brands out there , its not as pricy and knots well . had no issues with it yet .

[fishatic]

Do you think it would be worthwhile drawing up a little database of lines and their characteristics that we could keep on the UA site? This would help newcomers (both to fishing or to new segments of fishing) make an informed choice. Also, this would will allow us to keep abreast of new developments in braided line technology, and add new lines as they become available. I realize that most of this stuff is "personal preference", but experience with particular lines is of great value.

Regards,

Mike

Attached is an Excel file of data from a contact in the USA.
I have set it up for filtering to easily pull out info you want.

It makes for interestting reading if you are nerdy like me.
Diameters are all calculated based on mass and on the whole tie in with my own method of dia measuring.

Sufix 832 is good, if thicker when compared to other lines of similar Actual Breaking Strain  (this is down to the 2 Gore strands as part of its 8 weave construction.)
Super Slick is reliable in terms of consistent BS and dia.
Berley Trilene braid is excellent. (Whiplash not available any more in the USA, I suspect its the same stuff.
Yozuri Super Braid has some eye-opening numbers and it is not too expensive.

 
Be wary of some lines being brought in from the far east  and pegged at being thinner and stronger than anuything else out there.Real world reel filling says BS.

Most brand-name braids are good.
Some will give you the warm and fuzzies and make you want to use them.

Out of interest HMP was benchmarked against Whiplash in terms of BS and dia.

[FishStyx]

@Brandon... Is that spreadsheet originally from JustPaulus?

[Torpedo Jack]

Thanks, Fishatic!!

That's a comprehensive list! Saves us plenty of trouble!!


Regards,


Mike

[fishatic]

@Brandon... Is that spreadsheet originally from JustPaulus?

No. I have Paulus' data too if you want it?
It's not as current (his site went down ages ago)The Tasline he references is not the same as you buy now - it became too expensive to manufacture.

Useful Trivia:
Manufacturers use lower grade PE fibre for their heavier lines.
You will see evidence of this in the strength:weight ratio dropping off after lines get to around 50lb Actual Breaking Strain (ABS)
Financial reasons... customers wont pay more for a heavier line (in the same brand)  than for a lighter one.
The heavier stuff uses more of the same raw fibres - it is understandable it costs more.... but we dont appreciate this at the till point....

[FishStyx]

Cool... Thanks B. I have a copy of his old list somewhere. But what I'm gathering is that it's a fairly dynamic subject that changes as manufacturers and marketing companies change hands, locations and morals. All in all, braid is expensive stuff and not something that one wants to experiment too much with because of the expense.


I had tried to buy HMP a while back and struggled getting stock... No one seemed to have the 30lb and 50lb that I was looking for, but by all accounts, it's good stuff... That's when I bought Tasline instead. It would have cost half the amount from the local boys though.

[fishatic]

Something to try on my list:

1.Filter say 30lb on the stated BS column
2.Then by selecting all the data in the ABS column Excel will give you an average of 45lb.
This is to be expected based on average ACTUAL dia of around 0.32mm.
Anything lower is highly unusual / suspect which tells you brands that state 50lb bradi having a dia 0 of 0.17mm is total BS (Berkley Whiplash??)

3. Go to column I (% of strongest) and filter by colour "Green" to give you the best performers.
4. Column E will then show all the strength:weigh ratio lines of 2+ Look at the brands.

Now try filtering stated BS to show 50lb stated lines and Power Pro (except Maxcuatro) and J Braid disappear...
Un-filter column I and they are back but are now in a lower % of performers, being yellow.
Strength to weight drops to around 1.7 which indicates lower qulaity raw material for the heavy stuff.
Mic Drop my inner nerd.

[travelmember]

@ Torpedo Jack,
Deep dropping: 600m of 80lb braid to reach bottom (spool has 1500m on it - $300), wind on leader of 50m of 120lb fluoro, big game swivel, 5m of 300lb Momoi fluoro bite trace, 12/0 J or 16/0 BKK Monster circle. 5kg weight. 2kg weight. 2 x Lindgren electrolume lights.


Just a sample - the BKK hook is $7.50, the Momoi is $3.25 per metre, each light is $50....it soon adds up.


https://www.ultimatefishing.tv/home/video/458/900lb-swordfish-tagged-and-released

Sorry for the hijack.