Mono V Braid

[Brian]

Would like to hear a few view points on this one.

I have been chasing Whiting Bream with 2 kg mono and 6 Lb braid over the past few months. I have found i will catch 10 - 1 on mono as the fish just don't seem to go near the braid and if they do will hit and will not return to finish the job. I have the drag backed right off but still no difference. I've even put a very long leader on my braid lines but still no improvement. ???

I have now removed the braid and restrict it to trolling for bass and lizards etc. :'(

Has anyone else had similar problems. :-/

[Lucky_Phill]

Well Brian, I have never fished for whiting or bream with braid. I would think that Mono would do the trick every time though. I am a real braid person, but only blue water stuff. Deep water and casting at Tuna etc, you can't beat braid. I would stick to the mono for the whiting and bream and even look for a soft mono, like Platyl Soft.

[Brian]

Well i had the option some time back to get some braid and with everyone raving about the stuff i figured i'd give it a shot.

Initially i only used it for trolling for bass, lizards etc however lately i have switched to Whiting and Bream.

For me i don't have a problem with it trolling, but for bait fishing for whiting and bream mono seems to be way ahead. I use a good line which is ANDE pre test.

I was just wondering if others had found the same. :)

[Slates]

G'day Brian.
When baitfishing for these species (I normally chase these using 2 kg mono too) I've had success using a 40 cm (or more) mono leader when using braided lines.
Give it a go and see how you get on.

Cheers, NS

[Brett_Finger]

Brian,
mate when useing the braid you could try useing one of Harro's Knotted Dog leaders,try a superlight one like the Bass Leader.very fine line could be the streach your looking for!!
Hookin, Brett

[lordy]

You might be right Brian. I can imagine a whiting just picks up and mouths a bait, the no stretch of the braid could put the off. Are you fishing a threadline with the bail arm open?

[Brian]

Hi lordy,

Yes fishing with threadlines and not fishing with bail arm open as i general drift. When anchored i tried that but still no help i just wonder if the fish pick up on vibs or something similar to wire ??????????

I am keen to see what happens now that i have replaced the 3 reels with mono.

[Brian]

I had tried using 40 cm of mono with no success and have used mono as long 3 metres but this gained little help.

As for the dogs they may help but as i said in the other post hereabouts i have a feeling the fish can pick up on the braid as they do with wire.

I will keep working on it maybe just unlucky rod outfist :)

[aussiebasser]

G'day Brian,

While I haven't fished with bait for a couple of years now, I can understand your concern. The braid I use, Fireline, is well suited to lure fishing, but the zero stretch factor may cause timid biting fish like Bream and Whiting to drop the bait. The solution to this could be to use a Quiver Tip rod, with a Knotted Dog leader. Before doing this, perhaps some thought should be given to why we use braid. The number one reason I use it is because it has zero stretch. Would it be easier and more cost efficient to use a rod with more give, and a leader with more give, or should you just stick with mono which has the stretch you are looking for, built in. My brother is currently fishing Lake Jindabyne for trout, using 4lb fireline for the first time. It will be interesting to here his opinions of fireline fished over fine wriggler floats with mudeyes. His reasons for picking Fireline were a: it floats, and b: hopefully it won't freeze onto the guides and break off as easily as 2kg mono. :o I think I'll stick to the warmer climes of South East Queensland.

[Luke]

G'Day Brian,
I've been using braid for bream and whiting now for a couple of years and the trick I use is a nice long whippy rod and a baitrunner for the bream. With whiting I just let them load it up and you don't have to strike to hard or you might end up with a set of dentures. I don't find them afraid of braid but if you have a stiff rod and braid you can imagine the fish trying to take off with the bait and having it catapulted back out of it's mouth when the slack was pulled up-no stretch.Unlesss they're real hungry I think it puts them off.

[Brian]

Thanks for the replies people,

I guess what i was getting at is both outfits are equal one is fished with 2 kg mono and the other is 6lb fireline (i call them all braid) with a 4 kg leader. I have used a number of different lenght leader on the braid but usually 1.5 m.

The rods are both light rods from the sabre stable about 1.6 m in lenght great boat rods

The reels are arrocast 1000's

I use trueturn 888 which is about 30 mils long and a 000 sinker just above the hook.

I drift fish and use yabbies ............... as each are the same apart from the main lines. I will catch as i have said before 10 to 1 on the rod with only mono. I've even swapped the rods around in the boat and no difference. I was wondering if i was doing something wrong and this was a problem shared by others or was it just on of those things that just happen.

I will look at some of the above suggestions and try them :)

[lordy]

Brian, if mono works for you stick with it. Just because a lot of other people prefer braid doesn't make it better. If mono was 10-1 better for me I'd wouldn't care how many people told me how great braid was. Don't get pressured into use braid because its the "superior" line. I prefer braid but I don't fish for whiting.

[robgps20]

Hey all,
In my opinion braid does not have any negative effect on catching the bread and butter species. I find it helps you catch more by increasing sensitivity and also having direct contact with your bait through the low stretch in braid. I have even caught whiting on 35lb braid!!!!
Cheers
Rob Russell

[flat_chat]

Try Spiderwire Fusion. Tuff as nails, has a bit more stretch than braid and has a smaller diameter than mono. I have caught plenty of lizards on this line.

[Muzzy]

I'm with Aussiebasser and lucky luke on this one I think the rod may well be the factor.

I have limited experience on whiting (only use the as live bait here after a throw net catchs them). But I did fish them in S.A and I used braid, it was deep and I converted my old school uncle from his faith full mono.

I was using a very light tipped rod, leader about 6ft long and the hook was snelled to the shank rather than a blood knot (this sort of thing adds to hook up with braid).

My two bobs worth but I am thick.

Muz