braided line on a fly rod

[roger]

can i use braided line on a fly rod as backing ??

[szopen]

Why not?

It will last much longer than mono line.

[catchy_fishy]

I use braided line as backing - product goes by the name of DACRON - I use it on all my lines from 2wt, to 12wt, in different strengths.

I'm sure if you searched google you'd find something more about it

[PMC]

Braid is now the most popular backing on fly gear. It allows much more backing than dacron through obvious diameter differences.You dont always need that much backing, but it helps if you are chasing pelagics.Weight can also be a factor.
I am pretty sure that braid started its fishing life as fly line backing, and when Harro and Don McPherson perfected the formula converted to fishing line, via the Bionic Braid brand.

[catchy_fishy]

In the great evolution of tackle have I missed something - what's the difference between Braid and Dacron - seems I'm behind

[pmartyna]

Hey guys,

Dacron is an older technology and was created by Dupont. It is a braided line made of polyester I believe. Been around since the 1920s. It is not as rot resistant as Nylon (mono) lines, but has been the backing of choice for flylines.

The new gelspun braids and fused lines have been taking off as backing over the last decade particularly for heavy saltwater applications where you need a lot of backing, and where you want to minimise drag in the water. If a longtail takes a 200 meter curving run, its pulling a lot of line through the water. The water drag alone can pull the hook or break the line.

I still use Dacron, firstly because its what I've got, but i have resisted switching because of fear of sliced fingers. I have caught tuna to around 5kgs on my 9# and not been spooled. Don't know how I would fair against a long-tail though ;)

Here is an interesting article on the subject for you:

http://www.midcurrent.com/articles/gear/cutchin_gelspun.aspx

And here's a small tuna to get your heart started....

[wessel]

There are people out there with 600 meters of gelspun on their reels. :o

If a fish can take that much backing, then he can everything thank you very much....

Gelspun cuts through fingers like the proverbial hot knife through butter.
You have to learn new knots

I prefer braid. If a tuna wins by taking 300 meters of braid, then you are definately not going to win the fight with 600 meters of line out either. The drag created by the line will cause the tippet to break every time. Extra cost with not benefit in my opinion,


Wessel

[Borumbaboy]

about 4 weeks ago i had a tuna take my fly line $130 worth of sci angler too i was so pissed off so i think its wiser to use a weaker tippett and loose your fly than all of your line. I only had about 200m of dacron so maybe 400-600m of braid would have saved my line but who knows im switching to gelspun now and i think its by far the best option for chasing the bigger fish.
Cheers
Nathan

[Borumbaboy]

Hey roger where do you hail from? i Know a roger were i live just wondering if your 1 and the same?
Thanks
Nathan

[catchy_fishy]

I have heard of gelspun, and am sure i don't have it, but I will check.

My tackle dealers usually rig up for me, when I change lines, as they have a nice little tool with apedal that spins the backing on - sure you've all seen it. I sit and watch fishing videos and drink coffeee in the shop, planning the next trip, or discussing the last one.

Next tiem I pop in, I'll be sure to ask what they would have put on.

Thanks for the heads up.

[wessel]

Both Mias and Solly's stock it. Cheaper per meter to buy the 1000 meter roll.
Gelspun has its advantages, but I am scared of the stuff.

I have witnessed a couple of bad cuts when an angler accidentally touches the line with a big fish on the other end running away with the line across its back.

[catchy_fishy]

Both Mias and Solly's stock it. Cheaper per meter to buy the 1000 meter roll.
Gelspun has its advantages, but I am scared of the stuff.



Service like that at Mias and Solly's (not to slate them coz they are good) but you gotta be joking, in comparison.
I was talking about Flyfishers Unlimited - run by Murray and Ricko. They have a huge spool of backing they wind on for you if you buy a new line from them - i'm sure its dacron.

Mike

[Jack_Lives_Here]

Bionic gets the double thumbs up from me. [smiley=thumbsup.gif] [smiley=thumbsup.gif] For tuna chasing I get 500m of 50lb on my Ross easily. My others reals have 30lb.

[Nick_Currey]

Dacron (20 or 30lb) is OK around the estuaries and near inshore, where do not lose a lot of line to speedsters. I Use 30 or 50lb Harros bionic braid when chasing tuna, mackerel etc, as lower diameter, and hence less water drag.

Wish this wind would POQ

Nick

[Matt]

50lb Bionic for me as well. (tuna fishing) Some are using jigging braid now with the colour change so they can see how far the tuna run. ;)

Matt.

[Voltzy]

mainly bionic for me.

30lb bionic upto my #10 reels then 50lb.

if you are good at knots and use sensible tippets/leaders you wont lose anything.

[Paul_Dolan]

I've got 30lb Bionic on some reels and it's great ;D Aussie made too [smiley=thumbsup.gif],and some 30lb Scientific Anglers XTS on others and find them both good lines [smiley=thumbsup.gif].Also got some dacron on an old SA 1011 thats been there for about 17 years and still going strong and has caught more tuna and goldens and others that I'd care to count.Usin it in the dams now for Barra so it wont see water too often any more.
Paul

[catchy_fishy]

Bionic gets the double thumbs up from me. [smiley=thumbsup.gif] [smiley=thumbsup.gif] For tuna chasing I get 500m of 50lb on my Ross easily. My others reals have 30lb.

What Ross ?

[Jack_Lives_Here]

Big Game 6

[Maxg]

Gel Spun Polyethylene is pretty good backing but hates knots. You can get a 100% connection by doing a coasxial splice, see pic. Its done by stuffing your backing right through a 10 inch length of 20lb Gudebrod braided monofilament braid. Theu you splice it into a loop, as per the pic and trim it off and add just one little drop of Loctite CS,"super glue".
You can terminate any GsP braid, NOT FIRELINE, with this loop, for any kind of fishing. Cherrs MaxG

[Strikezone_fly]

Yes, Dacron dose rot over time. I have tried Bionic braid which is a very good braid but found the Bionic absorbed water causing some of my fly reels to corrode. I changed to the Berkley Fire Line which doesn't take on any water and has solved the problem. Now I wouldn't use anything else :).

Tight Lines, Craig

[Maxg]

I suggest you read carefully the three posts on GSP, Thats what they were put there for, so you, and everyone else would know what it is and what makes it tick. I am sick of reading uninformed posts on the subject. And the very ill advice handed out to others by guys who obviously know nothing about it. So I puled this stuff out of a book manuscript, it was too big anyway, and made it public domain, and posted it here.
Frstly GSP is hydrophobic, its doesn't absorb water, and if the reel spool corrodes is a crap reel because it shouldn't if its anodised. Anyway whats wrong with taking the line off every now and again to clean it.
Fireline will give you the same result on your reel, it isn't the line that is causing it, its the salt in the bundle of line, and between the line bundle and the anodising thats getting at the reel.
Its certainly not the lines fault. Look at yourself for this one. MaxG

[Maxg]

For the record, Dacron and Micron does not rot, its made of polyester but it is high drag in the water because of its diameter. And BB is not MADE in Australia, its braided here, it the fibre is made in Japan by Toyobo Co and its the best braided line available since its made of the latest yarns.
For BB 20lb breaks at 28lb, 30 breaks at 42lb and 50 breaks at 74lb.
Its made like that deliberatly to have the same diameters as other braided lines to keep abrasion resistance high.
Mien Gott?????
MaxG

[pmartyna]

Hi Max,

I know I made a comment in my post about Dacron not being as "rot-resistant" as new braids. Maybe the term should have been "Perish". I do know that some of my old dacron (and I mean OLD) eventually became quite weak as though rotten. and that was line that had never touched the salt.

Likewise I have had fireline that just started snapping after a year or more of use. *shrug*

Don't know why it happens though.

Cheers

[Maxg]

Well considering the number of views shown on those GsP braids 1,2 and 3 postings its very apparent that the technical bits about the fibre, which is or should be important for guys who use it or want to know what the hell "braid" is, isn't on the average guys agenda.
It beats me you know, the stuff is on this forum for everyone to read, and it has everything you need to know to make the stuff work for you, but its ignored and the forum is full of grabage about braids which is very misleading.
Aren't you guys curious as to why I would put that lot on the forum.
There are a few facts. GsP braids are braided from Gel Spun Polyethylene yarns and the stuff is thin, very strong and hates knots. NO knot makes 100%.
It doesn't cut hands or fingers if handled correctly, but if you want to wrap it around your hands with big fast fish then "Hullo Stumpy".
Cheers I suggest a read of those GsP posts. Its all factual stuff. MaxG