What's your favorite kind of braided line?

[Maverick]

Brand? Color? Pound? Why?

[Cleve]

I like alot of things about Spiderwire, however I use it only my Steelhead setup that gets used once or twice a year.  I store the rod and reel in the garage and it seems that each year it has expanded to a point where the entire spool spins freely on the reel.  Have you guys ever had that happen? Does it dry out or what? It is usually ok again if I get the line wet and re-spool it.

[lokidog]

50 lb Power Pro - Yellow for bottomfish/lingcod.  Same line for salmon, though dedicated salmon rod I might go to 30 lb and red.  The yellow shows up much better when working the bottom for watching your line than the red.

I just spooled a new spinning reel with Gorilla 50lb and it sucks fish heads compared to the P Pro.

[Mfowl]

I have always liked powerpro and tufline. I use 65lb hi-vis yellow on my Columbia River salmon setups and 20lb hi-vis on my float rods and plug rods for steelhead. I have 65lb hi-vis on my halibut rods as well. I like to go to 15lb green for plug trolling for walleyes, bass and trout. I really haven't tried other brands as both tufline and powerpro have done well for me. When I steelhead fish with plugs or jig/float I always color the last 10' or so of my line with a green sharpie and then use a flourocarbon leader after that. I like the hi-vis for my Columbia River stuff because whether trolling of anchored its easy to see line angle and distance between lines to keep the gear spread out and even. For float fishing its easy to see on the surface and therefor easier to mend.

[Mfowl]

Cleve- do you have any backing on your reel? Braid won't grab a spool like mono does and will slide around on a bare reel. You can fix it by either putting some mono on your spool as backing or what I like to do is put a tab of surgical tape on my spool before I run the line on to it. The braid will bite or hold the tape much better than a bare spool.

[carpsniperg2]

Power pro 50 green for most all of my fishing.

[Smossy]

Power pro, green, 30lb, this is why..


Line size comparison.

[huntnnw]

Power pro yellow 50lb.. steelhead drift rods..the yellow has become a fav...see each others lines and where they are..I have green on another and hard to see it

[Button Nubbs]

50lb yellow power pro for float fishing. there is no other braid that even comes close. i do switch to green or color the last 15' or so of the yellow with a black sharpie for low/clear water situations. mono for drift fishing/spinners/spoons.

[wildmanoutdoors]

Ive used Fireline for the last 15 tears.
Not a braid, but a fusion. Awesome stuff. 14 pound for my Steelie setups, 20 for salmon.
Only on drift or metal rigs though. Use mono for downrigger and plugpullin rods.

[Maverick]

I'm usin 15 pound green power bro for bass and walleye fishing. Very impressed.

[h2ofowlr]

Power pro 50 green for most all of my fishing.

I second this.  Good line, I buy it in bulk.

[lokidog]

I am surprised at all of the Power Pro responses.   I think a similar question was posed a couple years ago and very few PP responses were given. 

I do like the visibility of the yellow even over the red.  I don't know if it is a problem for the fishes but have not had issues that I know of.

A few years ago, I brought my bottomfishing spinner with me for sockeye in AK.  Everyone laughed at my 50 lb test... until they had to retie after snagging the bushes on the other side of the river and I just yanked the branches off, straightened my hook and went back to fishing.   

[MtnMuley]

Kinda surprised that all of the guys using Power Pro aren't using the Superslick 8.  Maybe it's too new and harder to find, but it's basically advanced Power Pro that is quieter.  Also surprised that Fireline hasn't been mentioned. I know this isn't braided line, but has anyone used Nanofil?  It's spinning reel line, but I'm impressed so far.

[Maverick]

I use the power pro on two of my spinner reel setups with no problems.

[Rick]

50lb Jerry Brown

Yellow

[carpsniperg2]

Now all you guys running braided I am wondering are you running it direct to your lures or do you use a mono leader? When I was fishing for steelies I tried braid for a little bit and stopped hitting as many fish. So I quit it for a little bit. I tried it on a couple of my float roads with a mono leader and I was back in business. So I am wondering how many of you guys have seen this?

[mkcj]

I run 30LB PP on all of our downrigger rods, I put 50-100 yards or so of 20lb mono backing then a 300 yard spoon of PP then a 50' top shot of 30lb fluorocarbon so it holds better in the clips. But I have found a different release that holds carbon  so I'm trying those now and so far so good. On my drift rods I use a carbon leader.

[sirmissalot]

50lb Jerry Brown

Yellow

Same here. Jerry brown is actually a spectra not a braid, which has a lot of advantages over something like power pro. I run 50lb for salmon, tuna and bottom fish, and 80 for halibut. Those of you that like braided lines really should try some Jerry brown, I'll bet you won't ever go back.

Carp I run a mono or fluoro topshot on most everything. Reason being, spectra or braided lines don't have the abrasion resistance, downrigger clips have more to hold onto for fishing deep water, and of course visibility can be an issue with bright yellow line.

[Fishaholic]

Power pro 50 green for most all of my fishing.

I second this.  Good line, I buy it in bulk.

Thats what I use.

[carpsniperg2]

Cool. I have never been around down riggers. I got tired of the stretch in mono. I would have out a good amount of line on a float and swing on fish and not be able to stick them. It started to tick me off so I went back to the braid about 4 years ago and a few ft mono leader and when I swing it gets tight fast

[Button Nubbs]

Yeah, no braid for leader. I never add a top shot just use a mono leader. I've caught low clear water spooky steelhead with the pp yellow all the way to a swivel then the leader. But I only use braid for float fishing and plugs. Never drifting or chucking gear.

[Skillet]

Pretty much run 30/8 powerpro on all my stuff now.  I use an 10# flouro top shot/leader of about 6-8 feet on my jigging rods and a light wire snap swivel on my bottom bouncer and mooching/live bait rods (mono or flouro leader between weight and bait).  Swivel snaps end up giving way before the PP if the sinker hangs, but tbe leader gives way if the hook hangs.  For use with dowriggers, I went to those Pro Release bobbin style releases by Seas and Lakes out of Kent, WA.  Those are the only way to go for a release unless you want to run a long top shot.

 I back everything with 10 or 12# mono.  Length depends on spool size.
Oh, the halibut rods have Penn reels with 80# powerpro w/ dacron filler.

[nwhunter]

I like the powerpr 50 as well for my salmon/ ling rods. My only gripe is getting them to stay in the clipped on the downriggers. I have been going with a mono leader of 30 feet or so but hate the knot when reeling in a fish. Do you guys do anything special to keep the braided clipped in or what, maybe I neeed new clips. nwhunter

[h20hunter]

For your riggers.....try taking a rubber band...one of the wider ones. Snip a piece off and fold it over the line...then...pinch that in the clip. Give it a try.

[Skillet]

I like the powerpr 50 as well for my salmon/ ling rods. My only gripe is getting them to stay in the clipped on the downriggers. I have been going with a mono leader of 30 feet or so but hate the knot when reeling in a fish. Do you guys do anything special to keep the braided clipped in or what, maybe I neeed new clips. nwhunter

I've tried it all, but this is what works the best - I learned the hard way with trolling at 280-350 ft in the winter for macks on Lake Chelan with 12# balls - on manual downriggers... a false release makes you really appreciate a clip like these!

Seas and Lakes Pro Release



You have to be mindful of when you send it down that you keep pressure on the rod at all times - if you free spool it you will have a fail to release.  Once you get used to that little trick, you'll never go back to another release style, I guarantee it.  False releases are virtually a thing of the past, and you can dial in the release pressure very precisely. 

[wildmanoutdoors]

I love watchin my buddy jump everytime his braid pops out of the rigger clip.
Thats why I stick with Mono for rigger rods.

[lokidog]

Skillet, I used these for a while, thought they worked great, then had a day where we broke off eight or nine of them on the strike.  I think I forgot which direction to wrap and was doing it backwards or something.  This was also with mono at the time.  I haven't used them since.

I use the Scotty clips now, they are fast to clip and I only seem to not be able to keep my 50# PP in one that is older and not as tight.  If I use that one with a smaller dodger, it works fine.  The rubber band idea might refurbish that one, but at about $5 from outdoor Emporium in, I think I will just retire it.

[Wacenturion]

Chamberlain make a clip for braid.

[Skillet]

Skillet, I used these for a while, thought they worked great, then had a day where we broke off eight or nine of them on the strike.  I think I forgot which direction to wrap and was doing it backwards or something.  This was also with mono at the time.  I haven't used them since.

I use the Scotty clips now, they are fast to clip and I only seem to not be able to keep my 50# PP in one that is older and not as tight.  If I use that one with a smaller dodger, it works fine.  The rubber band idea might refurbish that one, but at about $5 from outdoor Emporium in, I think I will just retire it.

I had a few fail to releases with these at first as well, but quickly discovered it was me not putting enough pressure on the rod as I was sending them down.  If you wind the line on backwards (I mighta done that once or twice as well), it will  pop the bobbin out but won't let the line off of it... like chinese finger cuffs! 

If I was using the 50# PP, I might be more inclined to use the scotty's, but since I stick with the 30/8 for low drag through the water, I've had to learn how to use these and really like 'em now.

You get out fishing yesterday?  My bro put a little 11# king in the boat at Thatcher Pass.

[lokidog]

Skillet, I used these for a while, thought they worked great, then had a day where we broke off eight or nine of them on the strike.  I think I forgot which direction to wrap and was doing it backwards or something.  This was also with mono at the time.  I haven't used them since.

I use the Scotty clips now, they are fast to clip and I only seem to not be able to keep my 50# PP in one that is older and not as tight.  If I use that one with a smaller dodger, it works fine.  The rubber band idea might refurbish that one, but at about $5 from outdoor Emporium in, I think I will just retire it.

I had a few fail to releases with these at first as well, but quickly discovered it was me not putting enough pressure on the rod as I was sending them down.  If you wind the line on backwards (I mighta done that once or twice as well), it will  pop the bobbin out but won't let the line off of it... like chinese finger cuffs! 

If I was using the 50# PP, I might be more inclined to use the scotty's, but since I stick with the 30/8 for low drag through the water, I've had to learn how to use these and really like 'em now.

You get out fishing yesterday?  My bro put a little 11# king in the boat at Thatcher Pass.

Nice, nope, I was staining a deck.  Back at it again shortly.  I started a thread for fishing reports up here, hope people report on it.

[Button Nubbs]

Take the section of braid your gonna put in the clip and double it over itself and twist it up then clip it.

[Cleve]

Cleve- do you have any backing on your reel? Braid won't grab a spool like mono does and will slide around on a bare reel. You can fix it by either putting some mono on your spool as backing or what I like to do is put a tab of surgical tape on my spool before I run the line on to it. The braid will bite or hold the tape much better than a bare spool.

Never even though about the tape idea. Duh! Thanks for the tip! I will try it.

[plunker01]

I like the power pro superslick blue. I do a lot of bank fishing and its nice being able to use braid and still be able to slide down a flat fish or something and with regular braid I can still do it but it tends to not want to slide down the line as easy

[addicted2hunting]

power pro.

[elkfins]

I vote for Jerry Brown solid as well.

50 for tuna, 65 for hali & bottom fish.
I use Mono for salmon.

One good hint I learned recently is to use different colors on different reels... makes it easier to see the tangles when fish cross lines.