Braided vs monofilament/ Sorry I originally posted this in the wrong place

[Douglasdzaster]

Since I’m really close to finally getting back on the water and have my boat rigged for drifting,trolling etc. Basically going after some big fish and I know they’re in there. Trophy blue cats , flatheads , and stripers. Most of my equipment is pretty durable. A collection of Abu Garcia on All Star nano rods 6’6”. But that’s just a little little light for what I’m about to start. Since I’m not sure what’s going to fit me until I figure out what fishing style works for me. I have put together one rig no big investment. 8 foot King Kat med/heavy fast action rod with another Garcia 6500 on it.
Now it’s down to the line. I purchased Sufix 832 40lb. Braided size is equivalent to 10lb. Mono. I know braid has no stretch and if it gets a big hit it could snap. But when looking for channel cat I hold the rod because some times you barley feel them and braided is sensitive to that. I haven’t spilled up the braided yet. If I do I’ll start off with mono a few rounds then splice in the braided. Also make my leaders out of mono so there will be some stretch when hit and fitting a fish. I currently have braided line on my 9 foot spinning combo I put together for fishing from the beach in Matagorda. Rigged it up the same way except for the leaders. They where steel we catch a lot of sharks there especially at night. Guys will kayak their bait way out and drop it off and catch monster bull shark, hammerheads etc.
Any way the deeper part of the lake has no hazards that I’ve found as far as timber , rocks except for right at the dam. All the structure is shallow water which I will be going there also at certain times. So what is your opinion on fishing line? I put together an economical rod but not going to skimp on line.
I see a lot of the pros using high visibility Mono. But I think there reels are a little bigger than mine as far as compactly. I like the high vis for night fishing which is why I’m going to paint my rod tip that I can see good under my led light. I wished I had gotten black light instead. So what do you think on the big rod keep the braided or go with some high vis mono say 40 , 50 lb? For channel cat I’m rigging up one of my All Star Nano rods with braided (because of the sensitivity). It’s got Fuji alconite guides that braided line can’t hurt.
What do you big fish catching guys use?

 

[sonny1]

Braided line seems to be the big rave lately. I tried some out last year and will stick with the Mono line myself. I fish Lake Eufaula in Oklahoma mostly in the coves and around creek beds. Dragging the line over rocks and submerged objects seems to tear the line up quickly. The braided cast better and has less stretch but all that does no good when your line breaks. I asked a few catfish what they prefered but got no answer. I like watching the line so I'll stick with a high visible mono line.

 

[Douglasdzaster]

Braided line seems to be the big rave lately. I tried some out last year and will stick with the Mono line myself. I fish Lake Eufaula in Oklahoma mostly in the coves and around creek beds. Dragging the line over rocks and submerged objects seems to tear the line up quickly. The braided cast better and has less stretch but all that does no good when your line breaks. I asked a few catfish what they prefered but got no answer. I like watching the line so I'll stick with a high visible mono line.

Thanks for the reply. What size high visible mono are you using if you don’t mind me asking? A lot of fishermen won’t tell you anything about how they fish. When I was big into bass tournaments I was the same way.
Some body would ask where did you catch that fish. I curve my finger and hook it in my lip and say right here.

 

[sonny1]

I like 17 pound test when fishing for blues or channel. Flathead 25 pound seems to work out. You have to play the fish a bit more but it works. Most of the catfish I catch are within 5 lbs to 15 lbs.

 

[Douglasdzaster]

I like 17 pound test when fishing for blues or channel. Flathead 25 pound seems to work out.

You sir are a true fisherman.That sounds light compared to everyone else. A lot of the blues I’m after run 30 plus and flatheads can get huge. Where you are though they get plenty big. But I’m looking for that rare bite of a huge fish and expect to be able to muscle him in instead of truly fighting the fish. I fought a 22 lb channel cat on 12lb line and it took a little while but man it was fun playing that fish. He felt like a little perch nibbling on my bait until I set that hook. First words out of my mouth where get the net.
I’d go lighter line because I like high vis mono but what ever I catch I’ll have to control to stay out of my drift sock or anchor line and all the other lines I’ll have in the water. Except for channel cat then I use one rod and hold it.
Thanks for the information you got me thinking now if I’m way over kill even with the obstacles at the boat.

 

[Douglasdzaster]

Braided line seems to be the big rave lately. I tried some out last year and will stick with the Mono line myself. I fish Lake Eufaula in Oklahoma mostly in the coves and around creek beds. Dragging the line over rocks and submerged objects seems to tear the line up quickly. The braided cast better and has less stretch but all that does no good when your line breaks. I asked a few catfish what they prefered but got no answer. I like watching the line so I'll stick with a high visible mono line.

Have you ever used a San tee rig with a dragon weight? It helps me with keeping my line from dragging and getting snagged. The dragon weights are expensive but I make my own cheap with lead and shrink wrap from HarborFreight.

 

[eeshaw]

My bigger rod is about the same as what you're rigging. I do a lot of flat head fishing and get some really good size ones, 50+ lbs.. I use mono on a big bait caster with a clicker. I fish a lot of fast water though, not so much the stuff with a lot of obstacles. I like below spill ways and dams. Most of the hits you get are at night but I know where and how to get those day time strikes and that's what I like.

 

[Douglasdzaster]

My bigger rod is about the same as what you're rigging. I do a lot of flat head fishing and get some really good size ones, 50+ lbs.. I use mono on a big bait caster with a clicker. I fish a lot of fast water though, not so much the stuff with a lot of obstacles. I like below spill ways and dams. Most of the hits you get are at night but I know where and how to get those day time strikes and that's what I like.

Can I ask what size mono for those big cats? I’d like to use some high vis mono if I have room on that 6500 for it. Ive been told all my life that flatheads only hunt at night but I’m hearing more and mora people that say they can get a bite in the day also finding out it doesn’t always have to be live bait.
I’ve never river fished except from the bank. I live 5 minutes from the Colorado river but I’ve been warned it has a lot of shallow spots and rocks in this area. But I’ve seen some serious flatheads pictures. May neighbors teenage son has a friend who’s dad grew up here and has a few aluminum boats. Those boys are always tearing up props , lower units etc. I was going to get him to show me around but he tells me to get through the shallow spots you gotta run wide open which I understand the boat drafts less water but there’s some big rocks and timber in there and I don’t have extra boats. I’ve found a spot up stream to put in about 20-30 minutes from here where I walked the bank a ways on someone’s ranch and it looks like a completely different river there. Water looks good and vegetation along the banks. I’m going to take it easy and see how far up stream I can go while scouting spots to try on the way back. I’ll keep running w.o. On the lakes I know which the old 40 Yamaha likes it that way.
Thanks again for replying.

 

[thill]

I use light braid on all my casting gear, whether spinning or conventional.
I use heavy mono for heavy bait situations, like catfish, and heavy braid for big red drum or amberjack.
I use mono on rods to lend to inexperienced anglers, as they will invariably make a ton of wind knots and make a mess.

At first braid seems like a hassle, but after you get used to it, you don't even think about it.

One thing that helps is start off using braid that is similar in thickness to the mono you like. Then lighten up as you get used to it.

 

[Ray Clark]

I use braid on most of my rods; up to 30 lb test. These are rods that I use for walleye and northern pike in Ontario. I do use a fluorocarbon leader tied to the braid, and when I'm casting for pike, I will use steel leaders.

I've never broken braided line. I have had a couple pike bite through the braid; that's why I started using steel leaders.

I use 6lb mono on my ultralight and crappie rig.

I don't go after catfish, so I can't speak to what works with them.

 

[LDUBS]

Braided line seems to be the big rave lately. I tried some out last year and will stick with the Mono line myself. I fish Lake Eufaula in Oklahoma mostly in the coves and around creek beds. Dragging the line over rocks and submerged objects seems to tear the line up quickly. The braided cast better and has less stretch but all that does no good when your line breaks. I asked a few catfish what they prefered but got no answer. I like watching the line so I'll stick with a high visible mono line.

Me too. I tried light braid on a trout rod. Longer casts but I guess after 50+ years using mono it just didn’t feel right. Mono costs less so I can justify changing it out more. 20# mono is heaviest I’ve ever used for salmon, strippers, sturgeon. These days I typically use 8# mono trolling with the down riggers.

 

[Douglasdzaster]

Me too. I tried light braid on a trout rod. Longer casts but I guess after 50+ years using mono it just didn’t feel right. Mono costs less so I can justify changing it out more. 20# mono is heaviest I’ve ever used for salmon, strippers, sturgeon. These days I typically use 8# mono trolling with the down riggers.

I’ve always wanted to go where I could fish for sturgeon.

 

[FuzzyGrub]

Way back when, I tried spiderwire when it first came out, on my spinning rods which are mostly used for casting some type of jig at smallies and eyes. I loved the longer distance casts, sensitivity to bites, and able to set the hook at long distances. Back then, was mostly wading, and found myself loosing fish right at my feet. I couldn't keep tension on them as they were darting all around. Tried more limber rod, helped but still happened more than I liked. I fish allot of rock and as would be expected, hang up allot. With mono, the streach helped considerably when using the bow and arrow method to get free. Doesn't work with braid. With braid, it was also easy to stress a spinning reel too much. I went back to mono, and continue to use it. Primarily 8lb, but also 6 and 10.

 

[dcbz]

Thanks for the reply. What size high visible mono are you using if you don’t mind me asking? A lot of fishermen won’t tell you anything about how they fish. When I was big into bass tournaments I was the same way.
Some body would ask where did you catch that fish. I curve my finger and hook it in my lip and say right here.

I use braid with a monofilament leader for everything. I usually attach the mono leader to the braid with a double uni knot, though I sometimes use a FG knot. Braid is strong and sensitive. I can also cast farther with braid. The disadvantage to braid is that it abraids easily on rocks, or fishes' mouths and it is not always to see how much it has abraided since it doesn't nick like mono or fluorocarbon will. I typically use a leader that is slightly smaller than the braid that I am using so that I only lose the hook or hook and leader when I hang up. Everyone has developed a way that works best for them, but here are typical setups for me:
Bass rigs.... 20 pound braid to approximately 30 inches of 14 or 15 pound monofilament leader, attached with a double uni knot
Catfish rigs.... 30 or 40 pound braid attached to approximately 12 inches of 30 pound mono leader with a uni knot, an egg weight then a swivel. After the swivel, I attach a 12 inch 20 pound mono leader, then my hook. I have yet to lose my egg weight or swivel when I hang a rock (common in Lake Amistad) and only lose my lower leader and hook or only lose the hook. I use this rig when I am night fishing with live bait for stripers too. If you are ever in the Del Rio area, contact me and I will take you out on Amistad.

 

[Douglasdzaster]

I use braid with a monofilament leader for everything. I usually attach the mono leader to the braid with a double uni knot, though I sometimes use a FG knot. Braid is strong and sensitive. I can also cast farther with braid. The disadvantage to braid is that it abraids easily on rocks, or fishes' mouths and it is not always to see how much it has abraided since it doesn't nick like mono or fluorocarbon will. I typically use a leader that is slightly smaller than the braid that I am using so that I only lose the hook or hook and leader when I hang up. Everyone has developed a way that works best for them, but here are typical setups for me:
Bass rigs.... 20 pound braid to approximately 30 inches of 14 or 15 pound monofilament leader, attached with a double uni knot
Catfish rigs.... 30 or 40 pound braid attached to approximately 12 inches of 30 pound mono leader with a uni knot, an egg weight then a swivel. After the swivel, I attach a 12 inch 20 pound mono leader, then my hook. I have yet to lose my egg weight or swivel when I hang a rock (common in Lake Amistad) and only lose my lower leader and hook or only lose the hook. I use this rig when I am night fishing with live bait for stripers too. If you are ever in the Del Rio area, contact me and I will take you out on Amistad.

You read my mind on using the type of leader you use. Especially if I get hung up n deep water. I’d much rather just loose a hook.
Just before I started the work on my boat I was trying something different.
I replaced the egg sinker with a dragon weight then a small float between it and the bait. I was catching quite a few channel cat drifting. Never hung one up on anything. The weight slides over most things and the hook is suspended a couple inches or how ever you set it up between weight and float size. Dragon weights are a little pricey but what isn’t now a days. I learned how to make them for a fraction of the cost and they’re easy and quick to make. I’m going to try this for catfish a little longer alone with the egg weight rig since I’ll be able to put out more rods now.
A trip on Amistad sounds good. Another lake I’ve wanted to fish for a long time.
I appreciate the invite. There’s got to be something I need from Del Rio.

 

[Douglasdzaster]

Way back when, I tried spiderwire when it first came out, on my spinning rods which are mostly used for casting some type of jig at smallies and eyes. I loved the longer distance casts, sensitivity to bites, and able to set the hook at long distances. Back then, was mostly wading, and found myself loosing fish right at my feet. I couldn't keep tension on them as they were darting all around. Tried more limber rod, helped but still happened more than I liked. I fish allot of rock and as would be expected, hang up allot. With mono, the streach helped considerably when using the bow and arrow method to get free. Doesn't work with braid. With braid, it was also easy to stress a spinning reel too much. I went back to mono, and continue to use it. Primarily 8lb, but also 6 and 10.

That’s what I did back then went and got me some Spider Wire. Braid has come a long we it seems like since then.
Back then I was big into bass fishing. Tournaments the whole nine yards. I got a small ultra light spinning rig with a rod that would double over with a bass on it. I spooled it up with spider wire and I could hold the rod in one hand and the lure in the other and pull back on the lure usually plastic and slingshot that bait way up under boat docks. I pulled a few fish out from under those docks. Until I shot it up under a dock that was full of spider webs. They stuck to that Spider Wire like it was super glue. Made a big mess.
And as you said it was a good quality spinning reel but I ruined it.

 

[thill]

Nowadays, there are many types of braid. Since posting, I have come across a line that would be perfect for some people, including you, from what you describe. It is Cabelas Ripcord SI+.

This line is thin like braid, but has a lot of stretch, although not as much as mono. A lot of guys I know really like it for big fish. Just thought I'd mention it. There was an off-brand braid that I tried a couple of years ago that was so stretchy that I hated it. Felt like mono, which doesn't work well with the type of finesse fishing that I do. If I can find which one it was, I'll post it.

 

[thill]

I looked back, and the brand was, "Sougayilang 500m/547Yards 4 Strands 12lb-72lb Multifilament Pe Superbraid and Braided Fishing Line (Grey Yellow Black Green Multicolor)

The hi-vis yellow was the super stretchy one. I traded it ouf for the black, and the black was just fine, but that yellow was like a rubber band- just like mono, just thinner.

 

[Douglasdzaster]

Nowadays, there are many types of braid. Since posting, I have come across a line that would be perfect for some people, including you, from what you describe. It is Cabelas Ripcord SI+.

This line is thin like braid, but has a lot of stretch, although not as much as mono. A lot of guys I know really like it for big fish. Just thought I'd mention it. There was an off-brand braid that I tried a couple of years ago that was so stretchy that I hated it. Felt like mono, which doesn't work well with the type of finesse fishing that I do. If I can find which one it was, I'll post it.

Thank you sir.

 

[LDUBS]

Braided line seems to be the big rave lately. I tried some out last year and will stick with the Mono line myself. I fish Lake Eufaula in Oklahoma mostly in the coves and around creek beds. Dragging the line over rocks and submerged objects seems to tear the line up quickly. The braided cast better and has less stretch but all that does no good when your line breaks. I asked a few catfish what they prefered but got no answer. I like watching the line so I'll stick with a high visible mono line.

Thanks for the reply. What size high visible mono are you using if you don’t mind me asking? A lot of fishermen won’t tell you anything about how they fish. When I was big into bass tournaments I was the same way.
Some body would ask where did you catch that fish. I curve my finger and hook it in my lip and say right

You guys mentioned high visible mono. I would like to use it on my surf rod/reel. But if you can see it can't the fish see it?