Mono Vs Braid

[Splash]

Hi Team.

I know - another mono v braid thread...before you hit the 'BACK' button, please jsut take a minute reading this post..if you like reply:D

I have read a huge amount of threads about this topic and it seems the jury is still out on whether braid or mono is good for bottom bashing in around 40m max.

Some still swear by mono - others have been converted to the silky stuff!

I want to know the lastest thoughts on whether I should be using mono or braid for bottom bashing in depths of up to 40m max.

Forget trolling - i know the answer and mono is the logical (to me anyway) wa y to go for trolling.

THoughts??

SPlash

[disorderly]

Splash ,I reckon this is one area that you are going to have to figure out for yourself.
Try both.I still am and after 6 months of using braid in both deeper water and up on the reef for trout,I can say that I prefer braid for deeper water and a mono handline for trout fishing in the shallows.
Whatever you use the braid for however,always put a good length of mono or leader material on( 3-6m).

Scott

[tunaticer]

I run both generally in both deep water and shallow. Its a technique preference more than anything i think.

Jack.

[Splash]

Here is an excerpt from "Finding Time":
".....Fishing for reef fish in 70m or less you will have a higher catch rate with mono!! Braid lacks any give , and fish like Reds , trout and big sweeties, with there pulling power are hard enough on gear on mono without using braid that has no shock absorbing feature! Yes you feel more bites with braid, but trust me you'll feel any decent sized reefie bite using mono!!! Braid has it's uses, eg plastic fishing and deep fishing where it's less affected by currents but reef fishing and braiddont really mix, it's also easier to retie rigs using mono and on the reef you do this alot. I wouldn't waste my money on braid for bottom fishing the reefs, and many good fishermen i know agree!! " ....

THankas "Finding_TIme"

Splash

[Splash]

Splash ,I reckon this is one area that you are going to have to figure out for yourself.
Try both.I still am and after 6 months of using braid in both deeper water and up on the reef for trout,I can say that I prefer braid for deeper water and a mono handline for trout fishing in the shallows.
Whatever you use the braid for however,always put a good length of mono or leader material on( 3-6m).

Scott

Thansk Disoredely.

What do you call "deep" and "Shallow"?

Why mono handline and not mono line on rod for trout?

Splash

[disorderly]

Thansk Disoredely.

What do you call "deep" and "Shallow"?

Why mono handline and not mono line on rod for trout?

Splash

The advice from Ian(finding time) seems right on the money.

I generally reef fish in 20-30m
and fish the shoaly areas in depths more than this.

Handlines are quick and easy for shallow water reef fishing for trout,sweetlip etc.
Just watch the way the pro dory boys fish the reef for trout with a handline.

Scott

[NAGG]

Braid for me ..... All bottom bait & live bait fishing ... regardless of depth ( The feel is direct to the fish) ..... Just use some Mono for the last couple of meters8-) ... Nagg

[Splash]

Thanks boys.

What lb mono do u use on your handline for trout Disorderly?

Nagg- how do u cope with fish making last minute dives for deep when at boat - with briad?

DO u guys beleive that fish can "feel" you too at the other end of braid?

What techniques woudl u change when using briad over mono for bottom bashing?

Splsh

[disorderly]

60 or 70lb splash.Any thinner and it can cut the crap out of your hands.
You dont need to strike as hard with braid-no stretch.This has taken me a bit of getting used to.

[Splash]

Why don't some fishers liek braid for bottom bashing and woudl rather use mono

[finding_time]

Well for starters you will pull less hooks using mono!! Mono's cheaper, easier to retie, and less likely to be rubbed off on mono although this can be avoided using a long mono leader but involves another knot (tricky one aswell)

The best advice i can give is have to rods, one with mono and one with braid and experiment. I've got some gear organized for the up comming 1770 trip i'm taking 4 rods with 50lb mono and 2 with 50lb braid for the deep stuff ( 80- 140m) i'm also taking a plastics outfit with braid and a deck winch with 200lb braid again for deep stuff. So it's not like i'm prejudice towards braid but for the 50m stuff i'm using a mono outfit , it's just nicer to use

Ian

[disorderly]

Well for starters you will pull less hooks using mono!! Mono's cheaper, easier to retie, and less likely to be rubbed off on mono although this can be avoided using a long mono leader but involves another knot (tricky one aswell)

The best advice i can give is have to rods, one with mono and one with braid and experiment. I've got some gear organized for the up comming 1770 trip i'm taking 4 rods with 50lb mono and 2 with 50lb braid for the deep stuff ( 80- 140m) i'm also taking a plastics outfit with braid and a deck winch with 200lb braid again for deep stuff. So it's not like i'm prejudice towards braid but for the 50m stuff i'm using a mono outfit , it's just nicer to use

Ian

Sorry to butt in splash but

Ian ,WTF are you fishing for in 140m of water (reds?) and how much lead do you need?

Scott

[finding_time]

Big pearlies and snapper wide of musgrave and i've got the deck winch for chasing some flame snapper a little bit wider in 300m - 400m

Ian

[disorderly]

fair enuff but I'd consider buying a pair of etecs if you are that far out.Better safe than sorry,know what I mean!http://www.ausfish.com.au/vforum/../yabbfiles/Templates/Forum/default/wink.giflol

Splash make sure you dont put all your eggs in one basket.I still find fishing with braid a bit odd having fished with mono all my life till this year.I still switch back to mono if the current is not to great .I reckon braid's main advantage is if in deeper water there is a lot of run.Then its easier to get to the bottom and feel the bites.

Scott

[Splash]

well done boys thanks.

It woudl be nice to be able to have a spare spool of line for your reel at hand - when out on water. - is it easy to change out spools on the fly?

Splash

[slabjig]

Braid is the only way to go in heavy currents with big baits or large jigs in really deep water. Mono just has too much water resistance in the same weight class line, plus the stretch in the line often means that any attempt to impart action to a jig in really deep water is just taken up by the line, and the jig actually isn't doing much. The same stretch makes it hard to set the hook. Braid always means you can use lighter lures or weights to achieve the bottom in any significant current with equivalent weight class lines

[Splash]

Fantastic post Slabjig!

Doesn't the "no-stretch" also pose problems for fighting fish and inadvertently pulling hooks?

What type/brand of hook do/would you use for bottom bashing for biggins?

Splash

[Noelm]

there was a lot of big fish Jigged and bait caught in very deep water long before braid ever hit the market! but that is to say it is not necessarily better (arguably) I find these days I have gone back almost entirely to mono, after using braid on various outfits for sometime, nearly all my reels have mono on them now, and I do not catch any less fish or have less fun than when I had the braid, I just found that for price and ease of use it was better to have mono than braid.

[Splash]

Another fantastic post! THe leveleler!!

Why have u gone back to mono then?

Why is using braid difficult?

Splash

[Noelm]

braid was not really difficult, well unless you got a good 'birdsnest" then it took some time to get it undone, but I guess I just started going back to mono without really thinking about it, everytime I had a need to respool I tended to go back to mono, and that was for all sorts of fishing from Bream to Snapper ,baitcasters to Game gear, braid seemed to really always need some sort of 'attention" and if you get a snag and just give it a grab and a yank, you soon learn once again how easy it cuts hands! so I guess I just went back without any real thought, but personally will never go to braid again (just my thoughts) but I am not saying it is not OK, but a lot just have it because they read about it or some Celebrity used it, I like to form my own opinions, and have done so.

[B_E_N]

im hearing alot about pulled hooks but i didnt think reef fish had whitting mouths, they after all live on the reef and would have very strong mouths.
also if the fish gives you some stick near the boat shouldnt your drag take care of that, i thought after all thats why they wer made.
i feel braid is better, it helps when setting a hook into a tough mouth of a big snap, unlike trolling where a boat speed and the fish swimming all help to set a hook

[Noelm]

yes partially true, but how many times have you pulled in a fish that was just barely lipped? with braid, that may mean a lost fish, but in saying that, pulling hooks is not one of my reasons for swapping back, I simply prefer mono to braid for a whoe range of reasons, from price, ease of use (knots and so on) no cut fingers, mono I think lasts a lot longer, far better abrasion resistance than braid, lots of things, but I still say that if you like it, go ahead, I am not trying to tell everyone to give up braid, far from it! these days however it is "not my bag"

[Splash]

Your thoughts on schneider 55lb mono then?

What mono do u use?

Splash