Braid and its Breaking Strain Is it Cheating?

[johnlikes2fish]

Hi I'm just a bit interested in other peoples opinions of the breaking strain of braid.
With braid breaking anywhere between double and four times it's quoted breaking strain (home testing of some braid using milk cartons very scientific I know) is catching a large fish on 6lb braid as difficult as 6lb mono and are line manufacturers conning people into thinking they are light line fishing when they obviously arent.

[Gbanger]

the breaking strain of braid is based on its knot breaking strain.. and there is always atleast one knot in a setup..

imo, in lots of situations having 6lb mono would be an advantage to 6lb braid... you have the advantage that mono has good stretch once the fish is hooked up and fighting.. and also its more resistant to abrasion...

6lb mono around rocks covered in oysters may go the distance where braid will last about 2 seconds..

[Bushbasher]

What line breaks at 4x it's stated strength? I know fireline is under rated by about 70% but I've never heard of anything going 400%.

[finding_time]

Yamatoyo is now making a braid that breaks at its stated strength!!! Bloody expensive though ;)

Ian

[johnlikes2fish]

Two lengths of 4lb fireline (I think its fireline as its spooled and I no longer have the packet) wrapped around 2 lengths of dowel and taped to secure this gives 8lb strength (no knots as different knots have different breaking points how well they are tie will affect this too) it took 5 by 3 litre milk bottles filled with water which is 15kg or over 30lb (I think its 2.2lb to the kilo) to break. I know mono has advantages in some instances but with everything being equal 6lb mono will snap well before 6lb braid. Does it really say braid's breaking strain is measured at the knot.
I'm not a record fisherman but I'm sure when you register a record dont you just send a single length of unknotted line to be tested.

[lippa]

Yamatoyo is now making a braid that breaks at its stated strength!!! Bloody expensive though ;)

Ian

bloody hard to tie knots in too!!

[Cheech]

I have caught big fish on 6lb braid, and once had my 18fter towed around the bay on 6lb mono when I hooked up on an unstopable on a whiting rod. I would call it pretty even actually (just some bias to the braid). As previously stated you have extra connections with braid at the join that can give way before the actual line. You also sometimes loose fish due to the lack of stetch in braid. No I don't think it is a con when you take all things into account.

[finding_time]

Yamatoyo is now making a braid that breaks at its stated strength!!! Bloody expensive though ;)

Ian

bloody hard to tie knots in too!!


Didn't notice what knots are you using Lippa?

ian

[Jeremy]

It is not cheating, but it is deceptive to the angler and anyone hearing the story to claim a fish was caught on "6 lb line" for instance. A good bimini in braid and albright to a mono leader will give very close to 100% knot strength. Not all mono breaks at its' stated strength either tho.

The only genuine way to claim a fish was caught on a stated breaking strength line is to use pretest mono, although as Ian said (kindof), I have heard that there is some pretest braid coming out in the future.

On a related topic tho, you do hear of people using 6 lb braid on a rod rated 2-4 kg. IMHO there is NO WAY this rod will fish that line to its potential, so although the line may break at 12 lb, they may well only be using 2 lb of drag.

Jeremy

[onerabbit]

I agree with JL2F, I think braid is much stronger than it's rated bs.
While bottom bashing with 30lb Platil millenium we have often found the 70lb mono trace will break before the braid if it gets snagged or put to the test by something like a cuttlefish.
Maybe a bit of chaffing on the mono comes into the equation also, but sometimes it can be that hard to break off that you need to hold your gear with all your strength.

Muzz

[phatty]

i have 20lb fins on my low-profile that i use for the barra at awoonga.

i know for a fact that it has been under far more pressure than 20lb, and it seems as though the more i wore it in when i first got it.. the stronger it became. Knots are posed as a weak spot but have rarely broken at the 20lb rating.

i have fireline 8lb on my spinning rod for plastics. the knots are weaker.. and on the spool rated the 8lb as the knot breaking strain.

matt.