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how much braid?


Graham Nash
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I am about to add braid to my reels.

 

I have one 30lB class rod that I intend using a full 300 met roll of 30lB braid ... would this be right?

 

I have a 12lB rod & 8lB rod that I was hoping to split a 300 met roll of 15lB braid ... would this be right or am I being tight?

 

Graham.

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at 150m the nylon really ought to be 'just backing', and I have even been known to tape over it before!

 

if you are going to use it then the know will depend to a degree on the strength of the nylon and there are many knots based around the general principle of putting an open loop in the nylon then feed the braid through, round and round the doubled nylon and back out the now closed loop and snug up. As you are only doing it once in a blue moon, in the workshop (or whatever) adding superglue (and even a sheath) isn't too much of a hassle.

 

basically look up 'leader knots' or 'attaching shock leader to braid' to get the full picture

 

example

 

allbright

Edited by duncan
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I load all my reels regardless of size with 20lb or 30lb mono as backing and then top up with the full 300m of braid finishing off with about 15ft - 20ft of mono leader.

 

If any of the braid gets damaged - loosing a few meters will not be such a problem if you start with the full 300m

 

Use the lowest diameter braid you can find.

 

Braid doesn't deteriorate like mono and therefore won't need replacing for several years - so just remove a couple of feet from the end every few months and it will last for years.

 

I also rinse the reel in fresh water to remove salt after each use, which may also aid longevity.

 

Others however, may do it differently!

 

Neal

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There are always pros and cons of backing.

Too much vs too litle., waste vs adequate.....

 

If you only use 150m of braid, the downside is that the first time you lose 30m, you are left with 120m and that will be fine on not too deep wreck and neap tide, but will definitely be using the backing if you fish deeper wreck. Then you have the dilemma of do I replace this lot or do I live with it?

 

No easy answer really, just whatever you feel is right.

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The allbright it is then, thank you Duncan.

 

so with the bigger reel would you still suggest 150 met of braid (even though the roll of braid is 300 met)?

Kam has summed it up well.

 

All my reels of braid start at 1800m, and I have never loaded 150m on at all (nor 1800!)

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Ok ... thanks everyone for your input. I have used 150met on each of the 8Lb & 12LB rods which are generally used in shallower water anyway. I have used the full 300met on the 30LB rod which I am hoping to be using in deeper water and for bigger species. I have added about 3 rod lengths of mono as a leader to each as well.

 

I bought the whiplash braid, which was the thinnest I could see at the shop.

 

Right .... we just need the wind & work to die down enough to let me get out there and catch a fishy!!

 

Once again thanks everyone.

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Graham

 

All good advice and I think very fair.

 

I will add my two penneth as usual. We tend to load our reels with 300m of braid as even in shallow water we tend to lose some line

 

and unfortunatey at times that can be cut or broken at the surface losing quite a lot of line.

As Kam suggests losing 40 out of 300 is OK, but 40 0ut of 150 is getting a bit short.

 

Do that twice and you will not have enough

 

 

What I now do to all my reels from new is,

buy the chosen braid [we also use whiplash] load all of it on to the spool from empty. then attach a good mono of the same breaking strain to the braid and wind it on as backing and fill the reel to the full level.

 

then the tedious part, using other reels [over the top of existing] I wind the backing on to one and then the braid on to another.

 

Now the reel is again empty you can add the backing mono, tie a very good braid /mono knot [Double Grinner is now my choice] and add the braid.

 

The reel is now full biggrin.gif and ready for the running leader.

when I think the diameter has dropped to much [and money is tight] I sometimes remove the braid and add more backing then put the braid back.

 

But using this method when I next want to fill the reel with new braid I have the backing already set up. I just ditch the old braid [or put on small fixed spool for breaming in shallows] and ditch the second length of backing

 

 

Unless you are using tiny reels, all would take 300m and still need a fair bit of backing. its amazing how thin that whiplash is, because of that the weakest I use is 25lb

 

Last weak I did this to my new avetSX and was amazed hom much mono backing went on such a small reel.

 

 

Hope that helps

Charlie

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"I am sure part of my problem with my fishing is that I do not hold the bottom and my line is often way off to the back of the boat being pulled by the tide. I am assuming this will help to get nearer to the bottom and potentially reduce the tangles with other crew?"

 

Fishing with other anglers is a totally different issue......

 

The thinnest Braid allows you to fish with the lightest possible weight to hold bottom. On a charter boat the accepted etiquette is the people to use progressively heavier leads towards the front of the boat - so as not to tangle the person next to you.

 

This always assumes the people in front or behind you are using gear that is capable of doing the same.

 

Or alternatively, use a much longer rod and fish outside them - which is much more difficult and often requires specialist gear.

 

The only reason for all of this is to get your baits away from the potential "scare zone" which is created by the noise of the boat. Not always convinced with the relevance of this except in shallow waters where uptiding is used to great effect.

 

Neal

Edited by Neal
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The real answer for your problem is one reel for one fishing situation.

100m 10lb, 20lb, 30lb reels for really inshore use

200m 20lb, 30lb, 40lb reels for banks use

300m 30lb, 40lb 50lb for reels for off shore use.

 

However, can't see it being practical tongue.gif

 

Also as Neal said, it all depends on how you fish, I tend to use much lighter lead so I can really keep the bait on the move, so I tend to have more braid on my reels.

 

Experiment for a season or 2 and see how it goes.

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  • 2 weeks later...
I have now set up 2 new reels with 300 yds of 30lB braid on top of plenty of 20lB mono (as backing). I also have a couple of reels with 150 yds of 20lB braid (again on 20lB mono).

 

What weight/size leader should I be using??

 

Many thanks.

How long is a piece of string?

 

It all depends on the strength of the tide.

Just try it, if it's too light put a heavier one on, if that doesn't work put another one on, until it either sits tight on the bottom or just keep moving back slowing (if that's what you want it to do). smile.gif

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I assumed the leader would be similar strength to the braid, or possibly lighter (as it is much thicker for the same strength) but looking at t'internet it would seem some use 60/80lB mono as a leader ohmy.gifohmy.gif .

 

I don't have all these different mono's so was just looking for an idea so I can pop down to the local tackle shop to get the right stuff but alas once again it would seem its not quite as simple as that sad.gif .

 

I have 150lB as my hook length (just in case we go looking for tope).

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I would have either 25 or 30lb leader with 30lb braid for general fishing.

 

Hook lengths would be 20-25lb amnesia/flouro or similar for pollock/cod 20lb amnesia/flouro or similar or turbot etc. Your 150lb will be fine for tope but although I would use around 60/80lb for that with maybe a short piece of wire if expecting larger specimens although I don't normally bother with the wire.

 

Martin

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I think Kam got a bit mixed up with leader and leads laugh.gif

 

As Martiin says ref the leaders Graham

 

but we do use 60lb leaderrs when wrecking for eels

 

ref the tope traces rig them with the 150 mono as they also make conger traces.

 

If we start to get bite offs we have wire on the boat, so do not buy any.

 

Hope that helps

Charlie biggrin.gif

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OOOOPps .... and sorry if I am giving a wrong pointer here but in my book .........Leader and hook length / snood ......can be different.

 

On the end of 30lb braid I pop a 2 or 3 rod length of 30lb mono "leader"......this acts as a shock absorber for the braid [ braid has near zero stretch ] ..... Has a lead slider on it and a snap link tied to the end for attaching the hook link or snood.

The mono leader is also more abrasion resistant so is better on the sea bed....

 

When fishing for the more toothy specimens or over "rough" , steel strewn ground ....either a 70lb [ or whatever ] "snood " will be attached to the leader at the hook end to cope with the abrasion and, if deemed necessary, a wire tip to avoid a bite off.

 

As to backing ....using mono I would always strive to use at least a few more pounds breaking strain than the braid .... joining knot is going to be the weak point in the mono generally.

 

I don't know if it is every bodies idea of shangri la but it does for me with my range of species fishing !!

 

Charlie might "up" his leader material when fishing for conger because the steel wrecks are tough on the terminal tackle .... and more abrasion resistance is needed.

Wreck fishing for pollack and cod might also require heavier mono leaders but it is really "horses for courses". Leaders and hook lengths can be changed quite readily if conditions require it.

 

Happy to be corrected.... !! .....if I got it wrong that is !!

 

Dave biggrin.gifbiggrin.gifbiggrin.gif

Edited by pirky
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I think Kam got a bit mixed up with leader and leads laugh.gif

 

As Martiin says ref the leaders Graham

 

but we do use 60lb leaderrs when wrecking for eels

 

ref the tope traces rig them with the 150 mono as they also make conger traces.

 

If we start to get bite offs we have wire on the boat, so do not buy any.

 

Hope that helps

Charlie biggrin.gif

I was sure I tread it weigh of lead...... tongue.gif

Most be my failing eye sight huh.gif

 

The length of leader I use is about 1-2 rod length.

 

The size however will depend on where. I generally will use a weaker leader than main line if it is likely that it will snag. So I woulf therefore want the leader to break and not the main line. The exception is wreck for congers.

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