Braid question

[Pirogue]

I have yet to use braid on my reels. But will be rigging my rods with it before the next tournament.

Question is, do you back the braid up with monofilament before you spool it? A recent post on Cap Mel's seems to lead me in that direction. Also, how tight do you spool it? Just a little pressure between the finger and thumb?

Thanks Gents.

[ZeroSix]

I think you will get as many options as you do replies b/c there are many opinions out there.
Mine:

Yes - it is best to lead with mono as backing as it gives the braid something to grip to as most reel spools are slick at the base. Some of the new reels actually have a hard rubber linging around the spool which do not require this - but, on most, asides from using a layer or two of tape, mono backing is the way to go. The other advantages are less required braid and (if were to ever be needed) you have a 10-20 yard "warning" before you are spooled.

Having learned the hard way more than once and losing multiple yards of line make sure you do the following:

After you place the braid on the reels and BEFORE you even make the first cast - with nothing tied on, release the bail and allow the line to be pulled out behind your kayak as you are paddling until you are to the backing. Once complete, wind the line back in, the drag created by its resistance is enough to get a good seat. What this will do is remove the line twist and prevent many wind knots and four letter words from your initial day on the water.

The only other advice is to only "spool" one reel behind your kayak at a time.

Hope this helps.

[jbdba01]

Entering the fray...no pun intended. My $.02 which I suspect will be countered with something else.

On my bigger reels (Shimano 4500B) I'll use mono backing filled with finger pressure as you described. I've only come close to that backing once - on a big poon on the initial run.

I'm not so sure I would start with braid at a tourney - perhaps carry a second spool filled with mono (just in case). Or one rod with mono. For me it was a frustrating learning curve.

The below I learned by hard knocks (man I hated braid - I was the wind knot king), taking a newbie out fishing, and listening to Cooknfish.

- Don't overfill your spool - that's a disaster waiting to happen. It's amplified by braid.

- Newer reels are made for braid. If you were to take the spool off and roll it on a desk the older models will roll in a circle - the newer ones will go straight. It's a minor difference - like millimeters, but that extra friction will slow the braid down and minimize windknots. At least that's what it seems to do. I'm not an expert - but the visual was pretty effective. So on my older reels I really underfilled. Course that kinda happened by accident - after enough wind knots it culled itself out.

- When I cast I avoid having the leader in the guides, the extra friction of the knot and fluro goes slower than the braid and when the braid goes out to fast that's when you get a nasty birds nests in your guides; I've cast plenty of times with the knot past the guides, but I find I get extra distance and less windknots this way. The whole process is smoother.

- I'm off the power pro train and on ohero - it has less memory than power pro and is very fine; it feels to me that it goes through the guides much smoother. I'll probably try pfins in later.

- Every now and then I just wing one out there and reel it straight in - just seems to keep things happier.

- Getting a wind knot on spoons is pretty hard; plugs and jigs you'll have to pay more attention. It's that one loose loop that will get ya.

- On my Sabalo 2500 I don't use backing - it only holds 100 yards.

- I carry an extra spool - just in case.

I think that's about it. My $0.2 - your mileage may vary.

[krash]

I spool with mono backing, joined to the braid using uni-2-uni, as you described. running the line through my fingers with a stiff tension. I do see that backing once in a while with Bonefish on the flats however, and have seen it on canal Tarpon.

I tend not to over power, many people use braid that is much heavier than the rod is rated for or the reel's drag can handle.

At the terminal end I tie a bimini twist maybe 6' long doubling the braid, then again use uni-2-uni form doubled braid to fluro or mono leader.


When I cast, I always close the bail manually and pull the braid tight on the spool before reeling in, and if possible keep finger pressure on the line for the first turn or two so there is no slack in the line between spool, rod tip, and lure.

And once in every several dozen cast & retrieve light one up, very long cast to no-where retrieve carefully watching to get any slack out.

[1okbyme2]

Depends on your spool. I just bought a Penn Battle & it has a spool designed for braid & it is working well, no need for mono backing. If your spool is older it is best to use mono backing.
It takes a lot of braid to fill it $$$$.
So far I've found a length of braid 10% longer than my longest cast is working for me where i use backing.

[Rik]

For those with patience, here's a method to consider.

150 yards of braid is plenty. Beyond that you just have real expensive backing if you spool completly with braid. Using two spools, first put 150 yards of braid on and then fill the rest of the spool with backing to the correct level. Of course, you know have a spool with the line on backwards.

Then transfer from that spool to the one you will actually be using. The backing goes on first followed by the braid. You now have the correct amount of backing and 150 yards of braid. When it come to changing out line in a year or so, 150 yards fit perfectly. While transferring from the first spool to the second you'll want to measure from the lip down to the backing once you have the backing spooled on the second one. You can use this to get a correct level on that first spool when you spool it up.

I started doing this when I bought a 300 yard spool of braid and ended up with 200 +/- yards on one spool and 100 +/- yards on another. That really is not what I had in mind. Trying to guess the amount of backing isn't easy.

[krash]

For those with patience, here's a method to consider.

150 yards of braid is plenty. Beyond that you just have real expensive backing if you spool completly with braid. Using two spools, first put 150 yards of braid on and then fill the rest of the spool with backing to the correct level. Of course, you know have a spool with the line on backwards.

Then transfer from that spool to the one you will actually be using. The backing goes on first followed by the braid. You now have the correct amount of backing and 150 yards of braid. When it come to changing out line in a year or so, 150 yards fit perfectly. While transferring from the first spool to the second you'll want to measure from the lip down to the backing once you have the backing spooled on the second one. You can use this to get a correct level on that first spool when you spool it up.

Thats exactly how I spool up my reels..

[no time]

Depends on your spool. I just bought a Penn Battle & it has a spool designed for braid & it is working well, no need for mono backing. If your spool is older it is best to use mono backing.
It takes a lot of braid to fill it $$$$.
So far I've found a length of braid 10% longer than my longest cast is working for me where i use backing.

I second the Penn Battle. Great reel. I put braid on it with no backing and it works great.

[chuckm310]

2 reasons for mono-backing. First was said above, better grip on the spool. 2nd, I fill my spools with 1/3rd to 1/2 with mono, "just to save money". I put the mono on tight and I lighten up a little when I add the braid. My .02 cents

[SRQGator]

...close the bail manually and pull the braid tight on the spool before reeling in...

Do this, and you can use braid on any reel. I have an old Penn 430ss that works just fine with PowerPro.

[DaveR]

I put on only 75 yards of new braid on at a time. I take a new 150 yard spool an walk to a neighbors mail box that I know to be 75 yards away. I add that to where I had the last 75 yard section on. That way I know I have another refill left in the package. I guess there's probably some mono at the bottom of the spool but it's been years since I have been to the bottom.

[mjrodney]

Rik said..........For those with patience, here's a method to consider.

150 yards of braid is plenty. Beyond that you just have real expensive backing if you spool completly with braid. Using two spools, first put 150 yards of braid on and then fill the rest of the spool with backing to the correct level. Of course, you know have a spool with the line on backwards.

Then transfer from that spool to the one you will actually be using. The backing goes on first followed by the braid. You now have the correct amount of backing and 150 yards of braid. When it come to changing out line in a year or so, 150 yards fit perfectly. While transferring from the first spool to the second you'll want to measure from the lip down to the backing once you have the backing spooled on the second one. You can use this to get a correct level on that first spool when you spool it up.

I started doing this when I bought a 300 yard spool of braid and ended up with 200 +/- yards on one spool and 100 +/- yards on another. That really is not what I had in mind. Trying to guess the amount of backing isn't easy.

Logic rules ex-engineers.

This is true logic in my book.

[Rik]

I have my moments, fleeting as they seem to be.