8th Oct 2019

Fishing With Braided Line On Your Reels

At the fishing tackle shop, we know our customers are very particular about their braided line. We also know that our more discerning customers are always on the lookout for the latest, most advanced braided line to give them an edge on the water.

From the proven classics to the latest innovations, it’s our diverse range of quality line we sell that keeps our customers returning time after time to our online fishing store. Importantly, there’s no need to go anywhere else because our prices are competitively sharp.

The fishing tackle shop has a wide range of braided line for sale that will suit your application impeccably whether you fish the rivers and creeks for bass, the rocks for kingfish or the deep blue for tuna.

We stock a vast range of super line brands for sale which often include Daiwa, Sunline, Sufix, Shimano, Berkley, Rovex, Australia’s Platypus and more. It’s common knowledge that super lines will cost a little more than your average mono. While generally speaking this might be true, the fishing tackle shop has types to suit all budgets, including the tightest wallet.

It’s important to remember that typically braided line will last longer on the reel compared to mono. So, while an initial outlay my cost a little more, there can be some economy by using interwoven fishing lines.

Potential economies are not the only benefit, however. Braided line has become very popular in the last decade or so for a host of reasons. Let’s have a look at why more anglers are choosing this modern fishing line over monofilament.

Braided Line Came First

Back in the day, it was interwoven line that was the go-to fishing line before the invention of nylon. Fishing line was commonly made by weaving multiple strands of natural fabrics such cotton and linen. Other materials included silk, horsehair and catgut.

With the rise of plastic and synthetics, especially nylon, mono fishing line became the most widely used and widely available on the recreational fishing market.

After many decades of monofilament reigning supreme, it is Braided line has returned big time to take its place back upon centre stage. This time it’s in the form of multi-strand woven synthetics. Typical braid line construction weaves 4, 6 or 8 strands to make a single intertwined line. However, some brands make as many as 12 carrier versions.

In many respects, braided line has left mono fishing lines in its wake, and there are a few good reasons for this.

Let’s have a look at why the braided fishing line has, in several applications, relegated mono main lines.

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The Key Benefits

Strength

Braided line has far greater muscle relative to line diameter. For example, where you might fit 200 yards of 8-pound mono on a small baitcaster. You can install even higher amounts 20-pound line on the same spool using a super line due to its thin diameter.

The benefits here are significant. While targeting small fish, you have plenty of strength in reserve should an incomparable fish take your lure.

You don’t discourage timid fish with a bulky monoline, and you don’t lose big fish because your under-strength line fails.

With braided line, you have plenty of strength and plenty of range to tackle a monster should it take your lure.

Braided line is stronger for far less diameter than other types of fishing line like mono. Simple as that.

Non Stretch

Braided line has negligible to no stretch at all. There are a few benefits with this feature, but the key befits are in hook setting and sensitivity.

Even the best monofilament lines will stretch as much as 30%. When you strike, particularly at depth or with lots of line out, the stretch will negatively impact your ability to set hooks.

With braided line, the power of your strike directly transfers to the hook, without power loss due to stretch.

Being without stretch makes braided line far more sensitive than mono. With braids, you can feel everything, including the slightest of timid bites, as well as the structure and seabed undulations your rig or lure hits.

Braided line will also better allow you to maintain the tension on a fish during the fight. This feature comes into its own when wrestling a bass or barra from around structure such as a log, submerged tree or pylon.

Longer Casts

Castability can vary between brands, but generally speaking, the smaller diameter of a braided line will support much longer casts.

Braid profile or roundness has been improved over recent years, further enhancing casting distance: the rounder the line profile, the better the casting qualities.

Importantly, many brands coat braided line with materials such as resin and this gives the line a very smooth feel and mitigates against length killing friction.

A resin-coated braid, with a rounder profile and tiny diameter, will cast impressive distance, depending on the angler’s skill and the balance of their outfit, of course.

Durability

Mono fishing lines will degrade over time while on the reel. Many manufacturers have developed UV protection for mono, yet they will still need replacing following several sessions in the sun.

A combination of UV degradation, stretching, as well as abrasion, require mono to be frequently changed to avoid failure under pressure. Braided line will last considerably longer than mono, therefore potentially offsetting some of the extra cost associated with using braided line.

A note about abrasion resistance

As a marketing imperative, just about every fishing line will market as abrasion-resistant, and braided line is no exception. While many anglers, articles and critics will sell the praises of braided line abrasion resistance, controversy remains.

Mono will indeed get nicks, cuts and abrasions quite quickly. However, mono can cope with this better with less chance of failing under pressure.

As you battle a bream from the barnacles, your mono will take a severe beating, and likely need replacing. Braid will suffer the same fate but will show fewer war wounds, following an identical battle.

However, and this is a strong “however.” When mono hits the sharp stuff under pressure and strain, it tends to have greater resilience. Yes, it will get damaged, but it is less likely to fail.

Conversely, the braided line on surviving such a battle will hardly show the scars. However, there is a strong likelihood of failure when it comes in contact with the sharp stuff while under pressure.

As with anything, there is always some level of compromise. To deal with such concession, we strongly recommend using a fluorocarbon leader when using braided fishing line.

Why is Braided Line so Popular?

Given the performance features mentioned above, it’s no wonder anglers love it. We could talk for hours as to why it has become so popular, but there is one correlation that seems to be driving the rise and climb of braided line.

It’s easy to link the growth of braided line to the explosion of soft plastic lures. One could argue that the soft plastic phenomenon was responsible for the increase in all lure fishing generally.

Braided line allows anglers to extract peak action from lures. Without the stretch of mono, the sensitivity of the braided line will enable anglers to make their lures dance to whatever tune the rod tip plays.

For the majority of serious-minded lure anglers, and that is a lot of us these days, braid is king.

Need Advice?

There’s a lot to know about braided lines, the sheer volume of options can be overwhelming for many anglers, particularly those new to braid.

At the fishing tackle shop, we have experts ready to field any questions you might have about selecting an appropriate braid for your fishing style.

If you know your stuff, it’s easy. A few mouse clicks and your favourite braided line is on its way to your house.

If you’re unsure, the fishing tackle shop will set you straight. Give us a call or email.

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