Do you topshot your braid (barra , bass)

[NAGG]

Hi All

I was on the phone to a mate yesterday & the conversation turned to the cost of braid and how to get the most out of what you paid for it .... buying cheaper braids , imports etc
OK!!!! ..... the conversation progressed
What about on reels where the working part of the braid is minimal.
We have baitcasters / spin reels that have capacities of 120-150 yards depending line class but we really only use 30-50yards at best ....... eventually our line capacity falls to a point where we loose performance and we need to replace it ..... or do we
From a personal perspective ..... I like to use reasonable quality braids , nitlon being a favorite. .... & at around $50 for a 150M spool - it hurts when you throw away 70-80M of often pristine braid all because the capacity level has fallen. - but on the quiet - I'll let you in on a little secret ....... I dont

When it comes to my barra , bass & bream baitcasters / spin reels I'll topshot ...... Usually I reverse the braid first so that the smaller length is in the lower portion of the spool ....... this also reduces the knot having an effect on casting or thumbing.
Now with the amount of barra casting that I'm doing ..... I reckon I'm saving a 150M spool of braid per each outfit per year ...... or about $300 - add to that another $150 for my bass outfits ........ not a bad little saving.

So how do you get bang for your buck - do you do the same ?
or ....... No way!

Cheers

Chris

[snodger 08]

Yep, I do the same Chris. The stuff at the bottom of the spool is pristine, so why not use it hey.

[Apollo]

Chris

Yes I do top shot but the couple of times I have been spooled down to the braid to braid join by a fish, I really start to rethink that top shoting was not a good idea. What connection do you use?

Steve

[NAGG]

Chris

Yes I do top shot but the couple of times I have been spooled down to the braid to braid join by a fish, I really start to rethink that top shoting was not a good idea. What connection do you use?

Steve

Hi Steve

Having confidence in your chosen joining knot is critical - I have full confidence in a double uni knot....... its proven itself in my fishing over the past 15 years including light game fishing.
As for barra ...... over the past 4 years - the amount of times I've been down to the knot ...... I could count on 1 hand. Having said that .... there are times where I will cut a wind knot out and re tie using the double uni - that's how much confidence I have

Chris

[Luc]

On my bass gear, I topshot with aroung 50m of braid and when it gets to low simply top shot again.

Do the same on the outfit I same for jacks & barra.

Luc

[tunaticer]

Similar, I top-shot braid to braid, generally winding the full 150m onto the spool first then top-shotting with older braid, then reversing it on the spools so im not wasting the new 150m by cutting it at the full mark. Keeps that joining knot further away from the coal face.

I also wash my braids once a year in very warm soapy water by running it through a jig that fits into a bucket of water and runs the line around several wheels under water. Nothing worse than getting low into the reel under drag and salt shards glue the line together after drying wet with salt.

[NAGG]

Similar, I top-shot braid to braid, generally winding the full 150m onto the spool first then top-shotting with older braid, then reversing it on the spools so im not wasting the new 150m by cutting it at the full mark. Keeps that joining knot further away from the coal face.

I also wash my braids once a year in very warm soapy water by running it through a jig that fits into a bucket of water and runs the line around several wheels under water. Nothing worse than getting low into the reel under drag and salt shards glue the line together after drying wet with salt.

I wish that I could get a year out of a spool of braid ..... barra fishing just takes too much of a toll on it !

Chris


Chris

[snodger 08]

I wish that I could get a year out of a spool of braid ..... barra fishing just takes too much of a toll on it !

Chris


Chris

Thats cause you do too much of it.... Is there such a thing???

[Apollo]

Hi Steve

Having confidence in your chosen joining knot is critical - I have full confidence in a double uni knot....... its proven itself in my fishing over the past 15 years including light game fishing.
As for barra ...... over the past 4 years - the amount of times I've been down to the knot ...... I could count on 1 hand. Having said that .... there are times where I will cut a wind knot out and re tie using the double uni - that's how much confidence I have

Chris

Thanks Chris, that is what I use as well. I must say, it has yet to let go, but when you see that knot run through the guides to a rampaging fish, your heart beats just a little faster I also use a different colour braid to easily tell when I am getting into the serious zone.

Steve

[NAGG]

Thanks Chris, that is what I use as well. I must say, it has yet to let go, but when you see that knot run through the guides to a rampaging fish, your heart beats just a little faster I also use a different colour braid to easily tell when I am getting into the serious zone.

Steve

Steve

You'll be surprised how much pressure that knot will take ..... its a good join.

Once you hit that knot ..... maybe back off slightly on the drag pressure - that may reduce the stress

Chris

[NAGG]

Thats cause you do too much of it.... Is there such a thing???

Never ! - I would have been there this weekend if I didn't have to do work stuff
..... Hopefully i'll get up there in mid July too ...... & early August - fingers crossed!

Chris

[Tropicaltrout]

Yeah very much the same Chris , also when I spool up the reels each spool of braid there's a bit that gets left over thats my topshot later on.

Also as peace of mind, that area of high use the first 5 yards or so I cut off and that's were I join the topshot of the remaining braid from the spool. Probably a conferdence thing or a bit finatical but I just think that area is getting rubbed up trees or what ever so rather then risk it if I should run down to the knott I just cut it off for peace of mind....

Nath

[Pete62]

Ok, so I lost 20 odd mts of line off my twin power yesterday so I want to take it off, put some poorer quality braid under, reverse the good braid. What's the trick with taking the braid off and reloading after I fill the spool a bit.

Tie the end around my sons finger and then set him off on his bike??

Pete

[snodger 08]

Ok, so I lost 20 odd mts of line off my twin power yesterday so I want to take it off, put some poorer quality braid under, reverse the good braid. What's the trick with taking the braid off and reloading after I fill the spool a bit.

Tie the end around my sons finger and then set him off on his bike??

Pete

I have a couple of cheap nasty reels I transfer the good stuff too.
Steve

[Steve B]

Do pretty much the same.

Have been thinking about importing 1000 yrd spools of my favorites....you can spool exactly what you need too...some good savings.

Sometimes its worth asking you local tackle store if they sell braid off their spools. I know a tackleworld that did 3 spools of FINS for me once, charged by the metre. worked out around $20 per baitcaster or something similar.

cheers Steve