Braid - What Brand?????

[Marlin_Mike]

This will most likely raise some debate, as we all have our own preferences for alot of things.

I am off to buy some 80lb braid to go jigging with. But when you look in the shops, there are an awful lot of spools hanging on the wall.

What brand?? :-/ What colour??:-/ Are the braids sold on ebay no more than cheap stuff?? The prices on ebay are way way lower than the shops, but does this cheap price match the cheap quality or are they OK off ebay??

Gee I am getting a headache from looking at all the pretty stuff in the tackle shops............... lucky i got me heaps of Panadol ;D

Anyway, would welcome everyones opinions, likes and dislikes when it comes to brand colour etc of braid.

Mike

[barracat66]

Jigging braid, I have done a lot of jigging and have found the best guid lines are to pay the money for the better brands-Dawia sensor PE, Line systems PE frog, the emthasis is PE ( poly etholen ), it is a fine fibre and stronger for it diametre, these braides have more fibre strands that are spun into the the line 7 , 8 , 9 ,10 strand, which makes for a thougher and stronger line.
Micheal.

[davez104]

Jigging braid, I have done a lot of jigging and have found the best guid lines are to pay the money for the better brands-Dawia sensor PE, Line systems PE frog, the emthasis is PE ( poly etholen ), it is a fine fibre and stronger for it diametre, these braides have more fibre strands that are spun into the the line 7 , 8 , 9 ,10 strand, which makes for a thougher and stronger line.
Micheal.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I was under the impression that that was what all braids where made from, GSP = Gel Spun Poly-ethelene. Mike, you could try going for some of the multi coloured stuff, changes colour every 10 metres so you know how far down you are, that would be pretty handy I think. Once you have settled on the brand you want, shopping on ebay could be worthwhile. I've bought Spiderwire (my fave) from ebay before and its really good. I've never done any jigging so see what the hardcore jiggers reckon.

Dave.

[barracat66]

Well, Gsp is as you have stated but remember braid ( super lines ) come in various styles, the most common braid is made from dyneema fibre known around the world for the creation of bullet proof vests.

[davez104]

No probs, I'm not clued up on the intricacies of what they are all made of. You can blame the fishing journo's for that one, they seem to lump all braids together as GSP lines.

Thanks.
Dave.

[Marlin_Mike]

I have seen the name Dyneema used alot on braid listings on ebay.

Mike

[barracat66]

Braid is a generic name, that of all things covers all the super lines, braid is just that braided fibre-dyneema,gsp,pe, what ever to create a single line, then there are the extruded fibres- Fireline, this is a extrution of singular or multipul fibres in a continuouse run.
Braid and everyone thinks it so easy, bring back the good old mono ?

Micheal.

[banshee]

Dyneema,Spectra,PE etc are all the same thing (Gell Spun Polly-ethylene) used by companies to market their individual product,some heat fuse the strands to gether and some weave the strands together.As stated the better of the braids use a higher number of strands in a tighter weave which helps the braid keep a round profile,that's not to say that the fused or open weaves are no good.
Colour coded line is definately an advantage in jigging,being able to stop your jigs just off the bottom is going to save you a bit of gear (and strain),if I snag up I generaly lose 80-100m of line as it breaks at the fish donger I have it wraped around.Out of the colour coded line I've used (Daiwa/Sunline) the sunline is a better product BUT I have also jigged along side people useing Tunna Terror and Exocet colour coded and it has lasted and performed well and it's about half the price of the Jap PE's.
One thing to be mindfull of.........Leather Jackets love yellow,if the place you fish gets invaded each year (very shortly) like here you may want to find a coulor coded that does not use yellow as a marker or go with standard braid,three years ago I lost a Jigs Ace jig ($40) and 50m of braid (the yellow section) three times in 15min to jackets.
If you go with normal coulored braid I've found Whiplash in 80lbs to be great and is all I have used since buying a reel with a line counter.Finaly,make sure your guides are in top condition nothing destroys braid quicker than rough guides,any nicks will cut it instantly and heat build up can weaken braid considerably,if this style of fishing is for you a rod with Alconite or Sic guides will be an advantage at a later stage.

[reggy]

Banshee

What is your opinion of Rod Harrison`s bionic braid and Tuff line braid?

Reggy

[banshee]

Harro's Bionic and Platypus braid are the same product (so I'm led to believe) and I've only used them in the lighter class up to 10lbs,at this size I've found them to be excellent in both wearing and knot strength and cant see why the heavier classes wouldn't be an excellent product.
Tuffline comes with a good rap,I was set to spool up with it after I lost most of my Sunline but I was offered a full reel of 80lbs Whiplash off a bulk spool for a bargain and have stuck with it,having said that,I wouldn't touch it (Whiplash) in the lighter line classes as it can suffer poor knot strength due to it's ultra thin diameter.I know that Neil at Jones's Tackle uses and rates the tuffline as good as any for jigging,from memory I think the Tuffline is a little more exspensive than most.

[GPB]

YGK Jigman, name says it all, comes with 10m colour changes.;D

[onerabbit]

Jackets, that's nearly a swear word Pat, & yes , the mongerels will be here soon, good thing they dont reach out to the deep water .

Dont do A LOT of jigging , like you guys, but when it comes to braid, Platil Millenium is it.

Muzz

[plastic_paul]

i have jigman on my reel, it's smooth as silk.... yet to get a hook up though, any pointers from the guru's?

[reggy]

Thanks Banshee, just the verdict I was hoping for.:)

[kingtin]

Sufix braid????? Anyone know how good it is? I saw some 80lb bs multi coloured at only 59bucks for 300 metres which I thought was a bloody good price. I did think that it was a bit thicker than most at .51mm, or is that about right?

I've always used fireline myself but only for light work and now I want some for offshore.

Also, I've been buggering about with knots and have mainly been using a knot that is supposedly specific to braid, and a stren knot for joining mono to braid. I have always used the clinch knot with mono for attaching to hooks etc, but read that this would not hold in braid. Last time out, I tried it and it held up with no bust offs. Was I just lucky? I tried slipping it by hand and couldn't get it to slip. If it works, why is it not recommended?

kev

[Marlin_Mike]

Where'd you see it 80lb for that price KEv? Ill take a spool at that price

Mike

[kingtin]

Where'd you see it 80lb for that price KEv? Ill take a spool at that price

Mike

That's why I'm asking if it's any good. seems too good to be true. BCF Lawnton had only 3 rolls down on the bottom of the shelf with no price on. I asked the girl at the checkout to scan it for me, and that's the price they came up with. The other mart nearby had it on at 10 bucks dearer but would price match. I'd not seen it before and it seems strange that both are now stocking it. I just wanted to make sure it was ok before spending the deckie's hard-earned bucks. The diameter, as I say, seems somewhat bigger than most, but I may be mistaken.

kev

[scottym]

Kev,

I picked up a spool of the multicoloured suffix braid in 30lb and put it on my baitcaster for barra fishing. So far I have given it a good workout and caught a few nice barra on it. It has not let me down yet so Im fairly impressed with it. The only downside is that the colour fades fairly quickly although this does not affect its performance.

[metaloid]

Hi Marlin-Mike,

All the keen jiggers choose coloured braid because it makes it so much easier to work your lure in the right zone. Re. brands, all jap braids are top, but since you're thinking of using 80lbs (personally I use 40lbs Varivas), you'll have a comfortable safety margin and you can use any brand (except wiplash, it's crap).

NB: Dyneema or Spectra is the (manufacturer) name of the fibre used to make super-lines. If the fibres are weaved, then it's called braid (eg. Bionic) and if the fibres are fused then it's gsp (eg. Fireline). PE is just a rating scale invented by the japs (eg. PE5 = 5*10lbs= 50lbs, etc.)

Hope that helps!;)

[Marlin_Mike]

Hi Marlin-Mike,

All the keen jiggers choose coloured braid because it makes it so much easier to work your lure in the right zone. Re. brands, all jap braids are top, but since you're thinking of using 80lbs (personally I use 40lbs Varivas), you'll have a comfortable safety margin and you can use any brand (except wiplash, it's crap).

NB: Dyneema or Spectra is the (manufacturer) name of the fibre used to make super-lines. If the fibres are weaved, then it's called braid (eg. Bionic) and if the fibres are fused then it's gsp (eg. Fireline). PE is just a rating scale invented by the japs (eg. PE5 = 5*10lbs= 50lbs, etc.)

Hope that helps!;)

Thanks for that metaloid, I will go spend some dollars on braid today. I think more likely to go 60lb though. See how i go.

Mike

[Cheech]

Kev, I have been using suffix on one of my reels for a couple of months. But not in the heavy class.

In the lighter classes the diameter and rating are less than what we consider normal. ie; 10lb normally breaks at a much higher load with most braids, but with suffix, 10lb is 10lb. You need to keep this in mind and get a higher rating than what you would normally use. I got some 15lb and it broke at about the same as my 10lb fireline.

I like the way it performs. Very smooth and casts a mile.

I also spooled up my 4500 baitrunner with 30lb, but have not used it yet.

As for joining, I use a bimini and a braid/leaderknot. Braid/leader knot is like a bristol knot but without the initial feed through the loop. Very fast and easy knot to tie and suppose to be one of, or the best to tie your leaders with. Just wrap the braid loop around the leader 6 times (no more), bend the leader tag back and through teh end of teh braid loop, and tension it up.

Cheech

[banshee]

Hi Marlin-Mike,

All the keen jiggers choose coloured braid because it makes it so much easier to work your lure in the right zone. Re. brands, all jap braids are top, but since you're thinking of using 80lbs (personally I use 40lbs Varivas), you'll have a comfortable safety margin and you can use any brand (except wiplash, it's crap).

NB: Dyneema or Spectra is the (manufacturer) name of the fibre used to make super-lines. If the fibres are weaved, then it's called braid (eg. Bionic) and if the fibres are fused then it's gsp (eg. Fireline). PE is just a rating scale invented by the japs (eg. PE5 = 5*10lbs= 50lbs, etc.)

Hope that helps!;)

Tend to dissagree with the later part of your statement (2nd Parragraph) but will happily stand corrected if I'm wrong.If I read correctly you are claiming that only the fused product is GSP and the woven product is braid? I believe that the lines we class as 'super lines' are all in fact made from Poly-Ethylene Gell,it is then spun into fibers,line manufacturers aquire it and class it as 'Braid' wether it is fused or woven,I also believe Dyneema/Spectra to be made from the same product,as for the PE, my understanding is that it simply stands for Poly Ethylene with the following number being a thickness rating more so than a weight class.

[snelly1971]

I am a lover of Finns Braid...but I have used several others over the years...Sufix is good...Tuff is good...and I recently gave Cortlands a go...and it is holding up well so far...I like to go with the green or moss colors...It is just a personal liking...Most of the braid i use is 30..50..80...130 pound...

I dont think there is a really bad braid on the market...it just that some seem to last longer than others and i find Finns to be superior in knot strength than others...hence my personal choice...

Cheers Mick

[Steve B]

Hi all. I have always used siperwire stealth then FINS on baitcasters and have been extremely impressed with their perrformance. especially arounf timber and structure targeting big barra etc. I have recently spooled a reel with a new japanese braid called NITLON PE. I use there leader (especially in lighter classes) and have had good results, so I thought I would try the braid too. Ultra impressed! A big barra dragged 30lb NITLON PE thru acres of timber at monduran recently and it stood up well with no freying or breaking. I gritted my teeth and held my breath listening to it grind against the trees mind you, expecting it to break! I probalbly wont go back to any other braid for a while.

Oh yeah, casts brilliant new too! sits on reel nicely.
cheers steve

[GPB]

I too have gone to YGK Nitlon braid, from Whiplash 20lb [worn out] on a Corado and from Spiderwire Stealth 10lb [upgraded] on a Citica, casts like a dream on bait-casters and about to use 30lb on a Emblem Pro [yes I do own 1 Diawa] for medium spinning/popping. I believe it is the same as the 8ply YGK Jigman which has not faulted us over the last four years in 50, 70 and 80lb Jigging outfits.;D

[kingtin]

Mmmmmmmmm/ I did post a reply earlier but it seems to have not made it to the page?

Thanks fellers for the replies.

The unpriced sufix that scanned at 59 bucks scanned today at 69 ::) I bought some anyway 'cause I like all those pretty colours ;D

Now back to knots. I've googled a lot and some folk use improved clinch knot (although with more turns than mono) for attaching to swivels etc, and some say to steer clear. I've never had one slip in fireline at 14lb but am wondering about it's strength (self cutting) in the heavier class. I can tie this knot with my eyes shut (50 yrs practice) ;D and would like to stick with it.........anyone else use it?

cheers

kev

[Toddy_again]

Harro's Bionic and Platypus braid are the same product (so I'm led to believe) and I've only used them in the lighter class up to 10lbs,at this size I've found them to be excellent in both wearing and knot strength and cant see why the heavier classes wouldn't be an excellent product.
Tuffline comes with a good rap,I was set to spool up with it after I lost most of my Sunline but I was offered a full reel of 80lbs Whiplash off a bulk spool for a bargain and have stuck with it,having said that,I wouldn't touch it (Whiplash) in the lighter line classes as it can suffer poor knot strength due to it's ultra thin diameter.I know that Neil at Jones's Tackle uses and rates the tuffline as good as any for jigging,from memory I think the Tuffline is a little more exspensive than most.


Naa Banshee its not the same.Bionic is not as limp as Platapus but having said that Platapus is good stuff.
There are heaps of good braids around now and prices have come down heaps.(Thank god)
Got a mate that uses Suffix in the 80lb jobby and he loves it.


Toddy

[banshee]

Naa Banshee its not the same.Bionic is not as limp as Platapus but having said that Platapus is good stuff.
There are heaps of good braids around now and prices have come down heaps.(Thank god)
Got a mate that uses Suffix in the 80lb jobby and he loves it.


Toddy

Who makes Bionic?

[GPB]

Bionic Braid came about through a collaboration between Rod Harrison and Don McPherson [Mr Platypus]. They saw short comings in existing Spectra/Dyneema braided and fused lines and set out to make a superline that was both distinctive and superior.
They succeeded. Made in Australia, from Type 75 Dyneema fibres - currently the industry's finest denier - Bionic Braid is stronger than any fused Spectra/Dyneema lines of comparable diameter.
Bionic Braid is subject to progressive refinements as thinner yet finer fibres become available. Those upgrades have allowed Bionic Braid to maintain it's edge as the world's most versatile, durable and user-friendly gelspun super line.

Taken off Rod Harrisons web site.;)

[Kiktz]

My preference in heavy line classes are YGK and Tuff,
Both of these have never failed me, where others have

Aj

[Davemclean]

I like the Penn Dynabraid, comes in 200 metre spools I think, my local tackle shop has a sale on the stuff half price for £15 (about $30 a spool), it's buy 2 spools and and get a third of lesser or equal value for free, so I bought two 9kg spools and got a third for free

[Toddy_again]

Bionic Braid came about through a collaboration between Rod Harrison and Don McPherson [Mr Platypus]. They saw short comings in existing Spectra/Dyneema braided and fused lines and set out to make a superline that was both distinctive and superior.

They succeeded. Made in Australia, from Type 75 Dyneema fibres - currently the industry's finest denier - Bionic Braid is stronger than any fused Spectra/Dyneema lines of comparable diameter.
Bionic Braid is subject to progressive refinements as thinner yet finer fibres become available. Those upgrades have allowed Bionic Braid to maintain it's edge as the world's most versatile, durable and user-friendly gelspun super line.



Taken off Rod Harrisons web site.;)



Thanks.:)

Gee my spelling is good.Platapus.;D

Toddy

[kingtin]

I've just bought some more braid. 50lb Jarvis Walker Hercules. I was wondering why they would be pushing using sufix mono as a leader so a bit of googling showed that the braid is actually made by sufix.

It's pretty cheap at 39bucks for 250 metres, but even cheaper when you buy it at 20% discount at K Mart...................thanks for the heads up on the current discounts Mike :D

kev

[3Vs]

Now back to knots. I've googled a lot and some folk use improved clinch knot (although with more turns than mono) for attaching to swivels etc, and some say to steer clear. I've never had one slip in fireline at 14lb but am wondering about it's strength (self cutting) in the heavier class. I can tie this knot with my eyes shut (50 yrs practice) ;D and would like to stick with it.........anyone else use it?

cheers

kev

Kev

I have found that one of the things about braid is that a lot of the time you can do away with having swivels in the rig. Fishing SPs and floating baits you can do without them - uni to uni knots and the like will do well by you for securing the braid straight to the leader. When using other rigs for things like trolling and bottom bashing I tend to tie a double in the braid and secure to the swivel with a cat's paw - http://www.ausfish.com.au/knots/

You also have the option of tying your double to the leader with a no-name knot (it seems to have gone from the knot page - have to find my Wilsons knot book). This allows you to have a longer leader that you can wind on - I normally have a swivel or a snap at the other end of the leader to attach different rigs.

For example, I never use a swivel with braid for casting slugs and SPs. Have never had any problems with twist on spin gear - and don't have swivels getting in the road.

[3Vs]

Kev - The No Name knot is now the Tony Jones.

Good Luck

[3Vs]

You will find that a japanese PE rating will give you an indication of line diameter - not necessarily strength. Different qualities of line will have the same PE rating, ie. the same diameter - but one will be stonger than the other.

Diawa Sensor No.3# - rated at 50lb (exxy)
Unitika Power Jig No. 3# - 35lb (fair bit cheaper)

No expert - but if you are after jigging line you are trying for the thinnest & strongest line you can get.

[JB]

Kev , hate to say it but that hercules stuff is garbage, hence why it is cheap. It will fluff up and turn into crap after some use. DC has used it on a few reels and I hate it, Penn Pro Power braid is a much better product and kmart now stock that. I have some Penn Power pro that is 3+ years old and it still is in perfect shape (faded a bit but that is all. )

Jason

[kingtin]

Kev , hate to say it but that hercules stuff is garbage, hence why it is cheap. It will fluff up and turn into crap after some use. DC has used it on a few reels and I hate it, Penn Pro Power braid is a much better product and kmart now stock that. I have some Penn Power pro that is 3+ years old and it still is in perfect shape (faded a bit but that is all. )

Jason

Cheers Jason,

I'll just have it on the spare rod........quicker to drop a spare, than re-rig when tackle lost. It won't get a hammering.

kev

[Toddy_again]

You will find that a japanese PE rating will give you an indication of line diameter - not necessarily strength. Different qualities of line will have the same PE rating, ie. the same diameter - but one will be stonger than the other.

Diawa Sensor No.3# - rated at 50lb (exxy)
Unitika Power Jig No. 3# - 35lb (fair bit cheaper)

No expert - but if you are after jigging line you are trying for the thinnest & strongest line you can get.

I am glad ya said that.I wondered about that rating.Thanks.


Toddy