Help With Reel Choice

[Mr.Bassmaster29]

It was Spiderwire Stealth Braid...it wasn't frayed or anything. It was brand new line, and just a few casts out. I got the lure and swivel back, and the swivel was bent in the middle.

[bamabassman]

jsut my opion pal but trhow that away. get some suffix 834(?) braid. bigbassin144 knows the name of it. i personally hate spiderwire. i mostly use power pro in 30# got some in 50# and gonna put it on. and also get you some KVD line conditioner. works wonders. again, just my opion.

[BigBassin144]

Stealth isn't a bad braid. Fairly smooth for the price. But definitely not my favorite. Sufix 832 (you were only 2 off John! ) is probably my favorite with Sufix Performance Braid a close second.

BB

[Mr.Bassmaster29]

Well I think I'm gonna switch to the Suffix 832! What are the advantages/disadvantages of braid, flurocarbon, and monofilament?

[BigBassin144]

Well, I usually recommend mono for beginners as it's cheap to replace if you happen to get one of THOSE backlashes, lol.

Mono is good when you need a lot of stretch or a floating line. I use it for crankbaits and topwaters like poppers and spooks.

Fluorocarbon can have as much stretch as mono or not a lot. it just depends on the brand. It is also more sensitive, which is why I use it. However, I definitely would stay away from FC as a beginner. Even some lesser backlashes can kink a FC line, then it usually breaks at that kink on the next cast. Happened to be down in Alabama this spring. Had to swap reels for the rest of the day and change the line out that night. I use it for a lot of my contact baits like t-rigs, senkos, jigs and even baits like jerkbaits or spinnerbaits.

Braid is the most sensitive of the lines, but also the most visible. It is generally very manageable, and I find getting backlashes out of braid is generally easier. Although if it gets to the point it needs to be cut out, it can be costly to replace (as can FC). I usually use braid for some contact baits like jigs and t-rigs and for topwaters like frogs.

Each has it's own advantages and disadvantages. I make use of all three types of line in my arsenal, although many people only use 2 or even 1 type of line.

BB

[Bassboss]

Originally Posted by Mr.Bassmaster29

Well I think I'm gonna switch to the Suffix 832! What are the advantages/disadvantages of braid, flurocarbon, and monofilament?

I personally don't like Stelth. Yes, it is very smooth. I don't find it to have much body to it, and find it to limp. It is also not very tightly wound.

Mono is good. But like floro, almost no two are quite the same. I've used mono that I'd only use for things like top waters because it's so limp, as casts well, but not abrasion resistant, low diameter, and stretchy (viscous ultimate is one of them). Making it a pretty bad choice for much else.

But I've also used mono that is great for just about everything you throw on it, low stretch, tough, thick diameter, has a good bit of memory and is not the most cast able line there ever was. It wouldn't be my first choice for things like deep diver cranks because it's thick and not as long casting. But it's a good choice (not as good as fluoro, or braid) for jigs, and such (pline CXX is one of those). IMO this is the more versatile line.

Some mono's have both attributes. I've heard that sunline super neutral is one of those lines. But I've yet to use, as I cannot find it anywhere other than online.

One thing all mono has in common though is it floats, so not much of it (if any) is as good of a choice for bottom contact baits like jigs and worms.

Most fluorocarbon is low stretch, and sensitive. But some have more stretch then others. Seaguar InvizX, and AbrazX is an example. InvizX is the more stretchy, and cast able line. Where AbrazX is the the tougher, lower stretch line, with more memory. Both lines have different attributes, and you have to use them to your advantage.

All of it sinks, and is less visible then mono or braid, and most is more abrasion resistant than your average mono. So it's a good choice for bottom contact baits like jigs and worms. And when you want to get your baits down deeper (because it sinks), like with deep diving crankbaits. It's not a good choice for when you're using top waters because it sinks, so you can't get good action out of your plugs.

Some people like for spinnerbaits, but personally I hate it for them. When I fish a spinnerbait, I'm almost always trying to keep it high in the water column, and it's harder to do that with a sinking line like fluorocarbon, so I mono is the better choice.

Braid is you all around slop, super sensitive line, frogs, flipping and pitching. Some people like for for bottom contact baits. I personally do. Very sensitive. It's not to great in clear water, or around sharp rocks and it is easily seen, and cut. But adding a fluoro leader fixes that. It's zero stretch does not make it the best for treble baits, because it is easy to tear the hooks out of the fishes mouth on the hook set, and it is not very forgiving when a fish shakes it's head, and the hooks can be torn out.

Most braid floated before last year when Sufix came out with 832, and Spider wire made fluorobraid. Both make use of Gore fibers. Spider wire sinks faster uses 4 out of 8 gore fibers. Sufix sinks slow, and uses 1 out of eight gore fibers. I wouldn't use fluorobraid for top water's but I think 832 would work in a pinch for walking plugs.

Braid is, super thin, has near zero memory, and is strong. It casts the best, and is best for using things that require you to horse the fish out of cover like when fishing frogs, punching, flipping and pitching, and where this line really shines.