Fishing Line

    I am often asked why I use Braided Line. It's simply because of its sensitivity and small diameter. I can spool a reel with 3 times the amount of line, with Braided, as I can the same pound test Monofilament. Braided line has almost zero stretch, therefore, allowing me to feel exactly what the fish is doing. 

    I use the Quantum Big Cat Rods the majority of the year. These rods are made of E-Glass which is a very tough material but has a much softer feel than Graphite. When fishing with the Big Cat Rod with Monofilament line and having 200 plus feet of line out, setting the hook is kind of like pulling on a rubber band. With the softness of the rod and the stretch of mono line, the power in the hookset is diminished greatly. Also, the feel of the fight is diminished. I don't know about everyone, but I want to feel every surge and jerk of the fish. The fight of a fish is why I am there to begin with!  

    Now, don't let me lead you to believe that I never use mono because I do. I use mono on Graphite Rods when I am fishing tight to cover at short casting distances and always use mono as a leader, with or without Braid as the main line. One thing to remember when using a good Spectra Braided line is to use heavier leader than normal because it is easy to snap the mono leader upon setting the hook since the Braid won't stretch. When I went to Braid 3 years ago, I went from 20/30lb test leaders to 30/50lb test. Mono is always best for leader material because it has more abrasion resistance, and believe me, those Catfish teeth and fins can cut a line in a heartbeat. 

    Another note about Braided line is that it has no memory and will last longer than mono. When my Braid gets worn and looking bad I will tie the end to the boat and let the current un-spool the reel down to the mono backing. I then retie, the end that is tied to the boat, to the backing and reel the line back on, reversing the line so that the fresh unused line is exposed. 

    Always use about 1/4 inch of monofilament, of about the same diameter, as backing for the Braided line. Braided line will slip on the spool if used without backing. The Uni-knot is an excellent knot for joining the mono to Braid. 

    Also, the rumors of Braided line wearing guides are, in my opinion, not true if the rods have good quality ceramic guides. With the new high quality Braided lines, friction is greatly reduced with coatings, much different than the early Braids.

    Braided line, due to it's small diameter to strength ratio, has one characteristic that could be negative to anglers making long casts. That negative trait is that Braid will imbed itself. This usually happens when great amounts of pressure is put on the line and it is forced down between the remaining line on the spool. After the tension is applied to the line, such as when the angler is pulling against the rod and reel to free a hang up, or after the battle of a large fish, the imbedded line will cause the spool to stop suddenly during a cast.

   This imbedding is not as bad as it was with the earlier Braids. The new Braids are more round and have slicker finishes, therefore, minimizing this problem. However, always hold on to the rod tightly when casting and look for rods with trigger reel seats. The triggers will give you something to wrap your finger around and help hold on.