Super braid on bait-caster input?

[Questor]

I guess I don't see eye to eye with Dances with Walleyes on this one. I can snap 30# braid repeatably almost every time I try to cast for distance with a weight exceeding one ounce. And I find no advantage over mono when pike fishing. On the contrary, the stretch in mono is an asset for these short-distance fish that are prone to spurts of speed near the boat.

Relatively small diameter and sensitivity are the benefits of braid.

Another technique: If you need to free a snag with braided line, you don't have to handle it or worry about cutting yourself on it. On a baitcaster, just thumb the reel hard and pull with the line going straight through the guides (i.e. no rod bend). That will free it unless you've got a lot of line out. Another trick is to carry a short dowel in your tackle box and wrap the line around the dowel. Then pull on the dowel instead of the line.

[Dances with Walleye]

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I guess I don't see eye to eye with Dances with Walleyes on this one. I can snap 30# braid repeatably almost every time I try to cast for distance with a weight exceeding one ounce. And I find no advantage over mono when pike fishing. On the contrary, the stretch in mono is an asset for these short-distance fish that are prone to spurts of speed near the boat.

Relatively small diameter and sensitivity are the benefits of braid.

Another technique: If you need to free a snag with braided line, you don't have to handle it or worry about cutting yourself on it. On a baitcaster, just thumb the reel hard and pull with the line going straight through the guides (i.e. no rod bend). That will free it unless you've got a lot of line out. Another trick is to carry a short dowel in your tackle box and wrap the line around the dowel. Then pull on the dowel instead of the line.

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But are you tieing a knot (Palomar or otherwise) where the line in sinching down on itself... If you're tieing a regular knot, it simply won't do and you're going to have the knot snapping, when enough force is applied to it... Such as a power cast on a heavy lure.

In a pinch I've had to put Musky Spinners on 10 pound braid, and had them hold, so long as I've had the right kind of knot tied on.

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As for the mono and short strikes...

I'd still rather have a rod with the proper level of forgiveness at the final third to half... 10 feet of 20% stretch Mono with a short strike only = 2 feet of forgiveness (Assuming it's new, and uncompromised)... My 7 foot BC trolling rod (Which is specially made for this kind of application has just over 3 feet of what I call "The Forgiveness Zone."

And with having a proper rod for the job you have something giving you information back... You can see your rod bend... You can hear your drag peel... And adjust your situation accordingly... You can't look at Mono, and estimate what level of stretch and integrity it's at.

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In the end Braided has it's uses and it's failings...

Just like how you can dig post holes with your ice auger, or cut a steak with a surgical scalpal... It doesn't mean those are the best tools to be using for those jobs, or the best jobs to be using those tools for.

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I have what I call "The 80% Rule."

I don't apply a product to a task unless it can be used for that task 80% of the time or better.

If 80% of the time you're going to be bobber fishing with your kids... 10% casting and 10% trolling... Braided line isn't for you... And a Strong mono would do you better.

If you're like me and 90% of your time fishing is spent in some conglomeration of Lindy Rigging, Trolling, or Casting for Musky... Then going out on the water with anything other than correctly used superline on the appropriate rods, is like bringing a knife to a gun fight.

*Musky Note: I go lighter than most on Musky Line and only run with 60 pound Superline... Could you imagine what size Reel I'd have to have to spool for 60 pound mono!

[TurnUpTheFishing]

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But are you tieing a knot (Palomar or otherwise) where the line in sinching down on itself... If you're tieing a regular knot, it simply won't do and you're going to have the knot snapping, when enough force is applied to it... Such as a power cast on a heavy lure.

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I have never used anything but a palomar knot on braids and have sent several lures into orbit on a cast/backlash. Most often it occurs with big muskie lures and 65 lb. test braid. I was told that its because of the line's strength characteristics, the line can actually cut through itself when overlapped and enough force is there, like backlash conditions.

Most times it has occured I was able to retrieve my lure and the knot was still intact on the leader or lure.

[Questor]

What TurnUpTheFishing said has been my experience too.

[Dances with Walleye]

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What TurnUpTheFishing said has been my experience too.

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See now I've NEVER had this happen...

And I've been blasting away with Braided line for 250-400 hours a year for the last 5 years now...

So if it's not a knot issue... I'm trying to think what else it could be...

I assume you guys aren't doing something like bomb casting 1 ounce lures on 6 pound test. (You mentioned 30 pound)

My other thought would be "Are you exceeding the casting weight of the rod?" While this can be a factor, I don't know that it would be the catastrophic issue that would cause such line snapping.

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Now let me re-define this thought to WS's original post about the Pro's and con's of braids...

Now let's put aside my A+ experience with no line snapping...

Would you guys who are having line snapping issues say that it breaks more or less than Mono?

[Questor]

Casting weight of rod is 1.5 ounces. Weight is 1.5 ounces. Line is 30# Sufix braid. Line breaks when casting for distance.

[Dances with Walleye]

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Casting weight of rod is 1.5 ounces. Weight is 1.5 ounces. Line is 30# Sufix braid. Line breaks when casting for distance.

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I haven't used Suffix, so I can't vouch for it... So outside of a brand related issue. (Such as how P-Line has knot problems).

The only difference I'm seeing between my experience and yours is weight... I'm always running between 10 and 14 pound line (Just spooled 20 pound on my BC Line counter trolling Rod this year without problem)... This year I'm exclusively Fireline on all my conventional rods... And still Running 65 pound Spiderwire stealth on my Musky Gear.

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So out of curiosity, have you noticed this same problem when you take your conventional gear, and only spool on say 12 pound superline?