What Pound Braid?

[snagger]

I'm going to put some Suffix 832 on one of my walleye reels. I intend to use it for deep water jigging and throwing plastics. I always tie on a fluorocarbon leader for walleye fishing. I've used 8 lb Power Pro in the past and like it with the exception of bad wind knots. Sometimes to remove the wind knots I loose 1/2 my spool of line. So, I was thinking of increasing my pound-test to 20 lb Suffix (equiv. 9.1 lb mono). I'm hoping the heavier line/thicker diameter will help with the wind knots.

Anybody have any input or suggestions?

[JosMN]

I personally use 6lb or 8lb 832 with a flouro leader on all my walleye rods, never had a problem with wind knots. 20lb to me would be much too heavy IMO.

[delmuts]

I would not go to that heavier a braid either. I've haven't had much of a problem with wind knots.( yes once in a while thou) At first I used the 1/8 PP, but had some problems with holding to the flouro leader.( used uni knots and modified Albright) Switched to 2/10 and no problems. I do relax my line after every other fishing trip, and that does help! You could try other brands, and see how that works for you.

[JohnMickish]

I use 20 to 30 pound 832 for most of my walleye rods. Sometimes the knots on smaller braid will cut themselves, not a problem with the 20 pound stuff, plus if I get a crank or weight stuck in the rocks, I get it back.

[RiverDewey]

I don't have much experience casting plastics with that kind of setup but it is great for jigging, especially deep and trolling. You can feel everything. I have been using a variety of mfg in 6 or 8 pound braid with a fluoro leader. I always use a double uni knot (6-8 for the fluoro and 10-12 for the braid). Never seems to slip or come loose. It does seem that some brands are more prone to wind knots than others. I did pick up some nanofil for casting so I am going to be interested in how that works.

John - do you use a mono or fluoro leader too?

I fish a lot in a very clear lake and for a long time I thought you had to use a fluoro leader. Then one night I tied a favorite crank bait directly onto some fireline crystal. You could see it for 20 feet behind the boat. Ended up catching a 6# walleye. Go figure!

[gunner55]

No experience with 832 but if I'm worried about the uni to uni connection I have always just doubled the braid end with a surgeons knot.Mostly 6# here but do have 10# on the trolling rod.

[Mr Special]

i use #10 in 832 i havent had much trouble with it.

uni to uni and double the braidas well

nanofil is good and has a ton of qualities i liked, but didnt seem to have a long life and i lost sum pretty nice fish due to it. after a few months fishing it seemed very brittle and i broke off alot.

[JohnMickish]

Nanofil takes a special knot, if you don't use ONLY that knot it will come undone.

I usually use a flouro leader because of the abrasion resistance since darn near all the lakes I like to fish have zebras in them.

[jmg]

I was thinking about switching to 832 for jigging this year and was wondering what length fluorocarbon leader you use? Seems like some people advocate using a small swivel to connect the 2 lines while others say the swivel will wreck your guides and say to use uni knots. Just looking for some guidance from those of you who have used these 2 lines for awhile. Figured on using about 10lb for the mainline, mostly because the old eyes and hands need something at least that thick, esp. in the wind. Think Spring!

[delmuts]

jmp. Most times I only run a 12-14 in flouro leader, but most of my fishing in and around rocks below dams. In more open water you can use a longer one. I use the back to back uni knots for several years, but switched to the mod. Albright knot. Seems easier for me to tie. I also keep a pr. of the cheap cheater glasses in most of my plano boxes! Trying to tie 10# flouro in low light is a pain with out them!

[Northlander]

For jigging I like the Suffix 832 in 8# test. For long lining cranks I like 10# or 12# on a long limber rod that telegraphs the lure action. For dypsie diver and downriggers I like 50#.

[Mr Special]

if you're careful using a swivel isnt bad at all.

i like used to use a swivel but not anymore, i go with Uni to uni but any good line to line knot will wrk as well.

but for me personally "kinda clumsy" i have reeled the swivel into my guides before, nvr broken any but have gotten them wedge many times.

plus when pitching baits its easier w/o a swivel and excess leader since u can reel up to the bait IMO

i like to have about 2'-3' of #12-#14 fluro or clear mono leader. i like to have a little extra leader incase u need to retie for bents or dull jigs, change weight/color...

[wetaline1]

I have Power Pro Slick on a couple rods and love it, no wind knots.

Last year I put 6# 832 on a rod because I wanted the hi vis yellow tracer line, I had so many wind knots I ended up just cutting it all off. Well this year I gave it one more shot... Went with 10# hi vis yellow 832 and I still am getting wind knots but not as often.

I love the stuff for jigging or what have you, but NOT casting especially into any sort of wind.

I need to get my hands on some hi vis Slick

[jmg]

I got talked into putting 20 lb power pro slick on my new jigging reel. I used about a 6 ft. 6lb fluoro. leader on the end and did ok up at Leech, but noticed that the power pro seemed to really float, even with the fluoro on the end. I didn't seem to be able to maintain bottom contact as well as I would have liked, esp.since the fish seemed sensitive to the jig size. Does Sufix 832 float as much as the power pro slick? Have to admit that thicker line sure is easier to work with when tying double uni knots in 40 degree weather. Would I benefit from putting on a 10-15 ft. fluoro leader to get quicker depth or should I downsize the # test or just forget it and fish with what I have? The slick casts real nice-no issues with it, other than the floating issue when drifting and/or slow trolling with a jig/minnow.Have a Great Weekend!

[Nhamm]

Had fire line, really bad wind knots, switched to 832 not as bad but still annoying, trying PP this year so far so good, much better than last two, all on 610mxf, all 10#.

[Cheers]

What is a wind knot ?

[mainbutter]

@snagger, I've had issues with multiple brands of braid and wind knots as well. I don't know why, but it sure seems more prone to it than mono. Wind knots are caused from twisted line that has a tendency to furl on you when given slack. Of course the first thing that people say is "don't reel against the drag", and I'm certainly not some 10 year old just reeling away on a spinning reel without any regard for what the drag is doing.

Lighter lines are certainly more prone to it. Frankly, I only go heavy these days on my spinning reels and that seems to help. I've got 80lb on my current spinning rig that I use for river fishing, drowning bait, and generic bass/pike/musky fishing. It's overkill, but I bust myself out of snags without leaving tackle and line in the river.

If I want a smaller presentation, I go fly fishing. If I wanted a spinning reel for a small presentation, I'd probably select monofilament as my line, it's been a winner for decades for a reason.

[delmuts]

Relaxing braid helps a lot! I try to do it every other fishing trip. Don't have near the problems using 2/10 PP and flouro leader.

[jmg]

Kind of a follow-up question to a prev. post. Does Sufix 832 float as much as reg. braids do? I am thinking about removing the 20lb. power pro slick I put on for jigging(with fluoro. leader) and either go to a smaller dis. Sufix 832 or Fireline and either tie directly on or put a fluoro. leader on again. The 20lb. really seemed to float a lot. Any thoughts? As far as trolling cranks, Fireline does sink, right? Does reg. Fireline smoke color sink any better than Fireline Crystal?

I have read that it does and that it does not. ??

[H L Jackson]

I run 10lb 832 with a 4 ft fluoro leader & tie them together with a GT knot (strongest knot known to man}

H L

[BobT]

I've been using braided for years on spinning reels and have never had any issues with twisting. In fact, I prefer braids partly because I don't have line memory or twisting issues. I've used Fireline, Nanofil, and PowerPro in 8# and 10# and neither of them gave me any issues. 

Edited January 28, 2020 by BobT

[H L Jackson]

I think how braid is spooled onto the reel can have a big effect on wind knots. If your reel spools line in a counter clockwise direction from the rear of the reel, the line spool feeding it should have the line coming off of the spool in the same direction - counterclockwise. This prevents the line from twisting. After filling the reel spool, I take it off of the reel and soak it in warm water for 5 - 10 minutes.This resets the line memory. It works for me.

[Hoyt4]

I use 20 lb Suffix braid on my rods for eyes and bass. Never have any issues with knots the last 5 or so years of using it.