Thread: Thinking about going to braid?

Originally Posted by Loop Knot

I'm vertical jigging about 98.763947% of the time. I tried braid for a while and didn't like it. The sensitivity was fantastic. However tying knots was complicated. Every time I would cut it to start tying a knot the line was so frayed it was difficult to thread it through eyelets. Also difficult to cut the tag ends off my knots. I think I'm committed to flouro.

Just touch the tip end of the fray to the flame of a lighter for half a second,and you will be good to go.

10/2 PP will catch in the wind on retrieve big time. It will make you lose your religion. I love it for vertical jigging straight down. I've gone to 4 lb.Stren clear-blue and gold-crappie for casing. The clear-blue is stronger than the gold-crappie. Spider rig with left over line from bass fishing. All mono 6-15 lb.
Soak that mono in water for a couple of days. It works. Use line conditioner. Stren is what some guys on here told me to try and I love it. Cast great, smooth, easy to see and low memory.

Originally Posted by delmuts

I've used braid on panfish rods for years. Up here we are vertical jigging, casting, or working baits under floats. I run PP 2/10, but run a 8 # flour leader on 7 ft lite rods. Love this set up.

I proved to myself; ( was walleye fishing and catching fish. Broke my leader off, so tied direct. No bites! Tied leader back on and caught fish again) you need some type of leader when using braid.Yes it can be hard to cut, but i found i had to change the blades on trim knives often for a clean cut. Then last year i gave he Rapala scissors a try. One tip was to run them thru a work sharp sharpener first. ( which i had) They were sharp but afterwards were much sharper. The lighter idea is got idea too.

Originally Posted by delmuts

I proved to myself; ( was walleye fishing and catching fish. Broke my leader off, so tied direct. No bites! Tied leader back on and caught fish again) you need some type of leader when using braid.Yes it can be hard to cut, but i found i had to change the blades on trim knives often for a clean cut. Then last year i gave he Rapala scissors a try. One tip was to run them thru a work sharp sharpener first. ( which i had) They were sharp but afterwards were much sharper. The lighter idea is got idea too.

I hate to disagree but this is too broad a statement. This may be true for crystal clear lakes, I don't know as I have never fished one. There may be a few special conditions on any lake under which you need a leader for braid but most of the time a straight tie to the jig works on the lakes I have fished in Oklahoma,Louisiana and Texas.

I use 20# test braid tied straight to my jigs all the time. The only time I am nor catching crappie are the days when the minnow fishermen with small diameter mono are also not catching. So I doubt those lack of bites have anything to do with tying braid straight to the jig on those days.

I no longer use any brand braid but buy it direct from China where I can get 3000 yards for around $20.

ezgoing
One of the places I fish is a gin clear quarry. The bottom is visible in 18 fow. The only thing you can catch there with braid is bluegill. Pike, bass, and crappie will avoid it. Switch to a clear mono and it makes all the difference. Other places I fish with mainly braid due to the stained water.

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Great info from everyone so far.
I mainly fish murkier water of S Arkansas, E Tx, OK , and N.La


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Originally Posted by silverside

ezgoing
One of the places I fish is a gin clear quarry. The bottom is visible in 18 fow. The only thing you can catch there with braid is bluegill. Pike, bass, and crappie will avoid it. Switch to a clear mono and it makes all the difference. Other places I fish with mainly braid due to the stained water.

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As I stated I have never fished the clear lakes,