Excellent info, thanks.

"Steve @ OutdoorFrontiers" wrote in
message ...
Hi Bucket,

Yep, the subject has been beaten up quite a bit, but not to death yet.
Here's my take on the subject.

But, can you guys give me all the pros and cons of braided line?

***Pros:

Unrivaled sensitivity, you'll feel your lure working like never before and
bites that might have otherwise gone undetected. Thinner diameter means
there's less resistance in the water and you can use lighter lures in
deeper
water or current, crankbaits will get deeper than before and the thin
diameter also means that it cuts weeds much better than mono.

Just about zero stretch means that you'll get better hooksets at longer
distances.

Unbeatable strength to diameter ratio. Typically I use 50 pound PowerPro,
which has diameter similar to 14 pound monofilament line. On spinning
tackle, I use PowerPro 10/4 (10 lb test/4 lb dia.) or 8/2.

More resistant to bite-off's from pike/muskie than mono (highly important
in
my neck of the woods)

If used on a baitcast reel, kinked line because of a backlash is not a
problem. Superlines are not weakened by kinking as mono can be.

Exceptional life. Superlines can be used for quite a while, then simply
spooled onto a different reel. This reverses the line and you can then
utilize the unused portion for another season. So while the initial cost
is
higher, by reversing the line, it actually costs less to use than mono.

Cons:

Some people find the noise of the braid coming through the guides
annoying.

No stretch means you have to be more careful about drag setting. No
stretch
also means that you'll have to be careful with fish when at the boat side.
A surge with an improper drag setting can tear or straighten hooks and
result in a lost fish. No stretch also means that you either have to set
the drag so it slips a little on hooksets, or tone down the MONGO set that
you're used to doing. Too much hookset or too tight of a drag will result
in huge, gaping holes torn in a fish's mouth and probably a lost fish. A
quick wrist snap will usually do.

Some people have problems with the line cutting down into the spool.
Those
that have this problem have not spooled the line on tight enough. Any
superline must be wound on under extreme tension or this problem can
occur.

Any superline is slippery, and thus must be secured to the spool of the
reel. This can be done either by simply taping the line to the spool
after
it is tied on, or 20 - 30 feet of monofilament line can be tied on as
backing. If you don't do this, the line will spin on the spool when it is
under pressure from a hookset or heavy fish.

People think that because the line is not clear, that fish can see it and
thus it will result in less bites. I have never found this to be a
problem,
but the simple addition of a mono or flourocarbon leader eliminates this
gripe.

I like it because I keep more lures longer than with mono as well, many
snags will come loose, or I can straighten the hooks and retrieve the
lure.



I'd greatly appreciate it. I've used mono all my life, but I'd ike to
try one of the braided lines on a few of my baitcasters.

What brand is the best in your opinion (I was leaning towards Spider
Wire Stealth).....

I still find that PowerPro is the best available on the market today.
I've
used FireLine and find it all right, but I don't like the Spider Wire
products.


Can braided lines ruin the eyes on your rod?

Not unless you're fishing with an extremely cheap rod. Any decent rod
will
have guides that can withstand the use of PowerPro.


I've heard people talk about how the color fades....

Personally, I like the line when it fades. It becomes nice and limp.
Plus,
if fishing crankbaits or spinnerbaits, and the fish looks up from below,
what is the color of the surface? Light gray/blue, right? PowerPro turns
gray and blends right in. Some people will take a wide tip magic marker,
cut a slit in it and camo the line by running the line through the slit.
But I don't think it's as much of a problem as some think it is.


How do they cast?

It's been my experience that I get longer casts from broken in superline.


How often do you re-spool?

About once a season, unless I've cut and re-tied so much that I don't have
enough line on the spool. Even then, if there's enough line left, I
occasionally will use fresh mono as a backing line to fill the spool.


Are they as tough as they say?

I fish for muskies with my bass tackle, throwing spinnerbaits without a
leader, how tough is that?


What color is the best?

I like the smoke color.


Any info you can give me is greatly appreciated.

How's that for information? This is just my experience with the line,
others milage might vary.
--
Steve @ OutdoorFrontiers
http://www.outdoorfrontiers.com
G & S Guide Service and Custom Rods
http://www.herefishyfishy.com