Should I go mono or braid?

[Damned67]

Amongst some other goodies, I just got my hands on a Penn Slammer 560 (very similar to the Spinfisher).
Primarily grabbed it for it's spool size, and many people I know are quite fond of their old Spinfishers. Plan on using it for the bigger, sort of game fish, that one might encounter, ones where a large spool of line will be of benefit.
Anyway, it's rated for 300yds of 15lb. I haven't bought mono for a long time, but that's a lot of braid to go on there ($$$).
So, should I just bite the bullet and go with braid, or give some quality mono a shot?

If mono, what's a decent brand to go with?

Cheers!

[Apollo]

I have a 760 Slammer spooled with 50lb fins braid. Seems to work a treat and you wont regret the slammer.

I picked up a 600y spool of 30lb tuffline on ebay for less than $100 to use as a backing on a couple of fly reels. Have tuffline on some of my other gear and it is ok.

Steve

[dayoo]

Do yourself a favour and get some platypus platinum.

You can buy a 300 metre spool of 40lb for around $30 but it is better if you get a 1 kilo spool (holds about 4000metres of 40 lb) for approx $110. Naturally a spool of 30lb would hold more metres.

Tackle stores can order it from the manufacturer at Brendale through the distributor Alvey. Takes about two weeks to arrive at your local tackle store.

Cheers
Barry

[timddo]

Barry is on the money. i did the same and it's much much cheaper.

Filled all my tld's up with mono and have plenty to spare.

[gr hilly]

i did just as barry did but it was hard for me as ive been using schneider for a verry long time now and i still do on all my other reels ive tried all the others but its as if schneider is a line that can take a thumping, and still stand up i dont know why but ive paid good money for braid, not the cheap ones and lose mainly big snapper on it the head banging starts and gone. all of my reels are penn tight lines glynn

[Noelm]

kind of funny this, I was doing some re-spooling and general fooling about some time ago, and I noticed that nearly all my reels now have mono back on them, whereas I had about 80% braid before, I have just been respooling reels as I either don't like braid for the reel or type of fishing I used the outfit for, and never really noticed that I was replacing braid with mono on everything over time, kind of doubt that I will ever use braid again, except on my really deepwater Blue Eye rig.

[finding_time]

Same

The braid is only on the deep rig, the plastics gear and the jigging/ poppering gear. All the rest a mono

Ian

[Damned67]

Well, that really sounds like mono is the line of choice.

Only reason I would still consider braid, is the amount of line that will fit on the reel for a comparable breaking strain......

Being rated for ~300yds of 15lb, I could fit on something like 300yds of 30-50lb braid, or probably about 150-200yds of 30-50lb mono (at a guess).
I just like the idea of spending much less for the mono than the braid :-/

[WestOzDesertFisher]

If you go mono, I'd suggest any from Platypus or Berkley Big Game in 8 or 10kg - better than braid imo if you plan on doing a lot of surf/rock fishing or trolling.

If braid then I'd probably go 600yds of 30-50lb Tuf Line XP (what I use for everything) or 500yds of FINS (with backing of course) which I've only heard good things about. Both braids are mid-range braid and will set you back $80-$100 in those lengths, cheaper if you know where to look. If you're casting a lot or fishing deep water then braid is the go imo.

Goodluck!

[Stik-ugly]

I probably will cop flak for this suggestion but with the aussie dollar doing so well try some of the online tackle stores in the U.S I just purchased some Spiderwire stealth in a 300 yard spool ,30 lb breaking strain for $19.95 U.S

[Chamelion]

I've made the move over to braid exclusively and I honestly could not imagine having to go back to mono.. It's stretchy, unresponsive, thick for its breaking strain...

Bugger the cost, braid is worth every last red cent.

Matt.

[finding_time]

I've made the move over to braid exclusively and I honestly could not imagine having to go back to mono.. It's stretchy, unresponsive, thick for its breaking strain...

Bugger the cost, braid is worth every last red cent.

Matt.

Now there one thing to remember Matt when the fish are finicky they can feel you and the rod just as easily as you can feel them!;) If fishing floating baits for snapper you are going to have more success with mono! I also think that mono lends it's self to circle hooks where you do not strike. as it definately comes off the spool easier! I personally have no trouble feeling bites in 130m on 15 kg mono!

ian

[vertico]

dayoo....what size mono were you guys running for reds up off DI recently ?
40 or 50 lb ?
sean

[PinHead]

I've made the move over to braid exclusively and I honestly could not imagine having to go back to mono.. It's stretchy, unresponsive, thick for its breaking strain...

Bugger the cost, braid is worth every last red cent.

Matt.

it can cut you easily..it tangles in the bloody wind..not worth the effort..my reels will all be going back to real fishing line..mono.

[deepfried]

The old arguement that braid is best or mono is best is a bit single minded and poorly thought out. Use mono when it is the best for the job and use braid when it is the best. Simple. What is going to be the reels main use : bottom bashing, spinning, livies, trolling etc etc. Base your decision on that and you will be happy with your choice.

I mainly spin, toss lures or deep drop outside ( 400 - 550' ) so most of my gear is spooled with braid. Mono on my live bait, trolling and beach reels.

Braid tangles in the wind ? :-/

[Chamelion]

it can cut you easily..it tangles in the bloody wind..not worth the effort..my reels will all be going back to real fishing line..mono.

I've only been cut by it when I've been absent minded and I haven't had any wind knots in ages.

Maybe you're doing it wrong? :P

[Damned67]

The old arguement that braid is best or mono is best is a bit single minded and poorly thought out. Use mono when it is the best for the job and use braid when it is the best. Simple. What is going to be the reels main use : bottom bashing, spinning, livies, trolling etc etc. Base your decision on that and you will be happy with your choice.

I mainly spin, toss lures or deep drop outside ( 400 - 550' ) so most of my gear is spooled with braid. Mono on my live bait, trolling and beach reels.

Braid tangles in the wind ? :-/

that's what I went with.
Ended up grabbing a 300yd spool of FINS 'original PRT'. Was cheap compared to the other spools in that size, so I grabbed 50lb. Interestingly, it's rated at '10lb mono diameter'. The spool on the reel says it's good for 325yds of 12lb. I've still got braid left on it's plastic spool, and I didn't put too much mono backing on?
I thought I put it on nice and tight, but I guess not?

[Chamelion]

Most braid manufacturers rate the diameter of the line at the smallest measurement. Often the line isn't round, it's flat. So generally speaking on 'side' can be as much as twice as wide as the other 'side'.

[Damned67]

That makes sense. Either way, there's still a good 250+ yards on there, so I should be OK. I'd love to tangle with the fish that spools that! ;D

[Chamelion]

I just checked Paulus' website and some of it is actually quite shocking. There are cases where the claimed diameter is 0.10mm when it actual fact it's more like 0.220 one side and 0.230 the other.

So I guess it comes down to them claiming whatever the hell they want, because it's not like anyone is going to bother measuring the line and then mounting legal action against them, is it? :-/

[Damned67]

Over the course of the last 24 hours (during this thread), I spent a lot of time looking at Paulus' site. It's awesome.
I'm actually pretty happy with the 'Fins'. I've almost exclusively used Fireline, and this seems no where near as stiff. My son bought a new reel tonight, a Daiwa Exceler DA 2500, to match his 3-5kg Daiwa Exceler rod that he bought on the weekend, both of which he bought out of his 'own' money. Anyway, the guys at Tackle Warehouse suggested some Spiderwire Camo braid for the reel. I'm impressed by the feel of that braid. Might have to buy some for my other new reels.

[PNG1M]

If you're surf casting with the slammer I'd say mono - approx 14lb good quality.

Or if you're using it out of a boat (deepish water) use braid as it has less current resistance & less stretch to deal with when u have a lot of line out.

So it depends on what your application is.

Best to try both over time and see for yourself...