Spider wire , fire line and braided lines

[turkeyfeathers]

So what do you do when you get a snag ? Looks like you’d break a rod or reel trying to free it. Are you using a monofilament leader ? I saw special scissors at Cabelas to cut the stuff.  I hung up on a long strand last year on a drift and eventually it all came up holding multiple lures   .Whats the advantages of it ? Can you feel the hits as well ? Cast better ? Special reels for it ? 

[ncountry]

It's what I use for worm(plastic) fishing bass. Has less stretch making it very sensitive easier to see and or feel those subtle bites. Gives you a good hook set too. With rubber worms you have to have a pretty firm hook set to get the hook through the rubber and into the fishes mouth. 

They do make reels and pole that are supposed to work better with braided lines. I have never found the need though.

I pretty much always use a bait caster. When I get snagged I just point the pole at the snag, put thumb on reel, and pull.. sometimes it breaks, sometimes you get the tree..lol

For the equivalent strength line it seems like the braided does cat better. More limp and no memory. 

[Robhuntandfish]

i have used it but i am so used to mono that i stick to that.  The advantages are strength and increased feel.  Fishing buddy Corey uses it for drifting and says he can feel the hits better.  Have to be a bit careful setting the hook as there is no stretch or you will just yank it away.  It is a Pita if you get snagged but if drifitng he uses a leader that will break.  Just like post about from ncountry if flipping the grass with a worm or a frog you can rake em out of the slop.  Dont need a special reel to use it but we have always used backing for it with mono, even just a little cause it holds the spool better and the first few yards of line you arent really ever gonna use. 

like i said i have tried it.  I dont really prefer it only because i am used to mono and rigs are all setup with mono. But wiht braid you can use line that is 30lb strong with the same diameter as 8.  I think the best application is for bass fishing the junk, weeds , lilly pads etc.  

and yes def point the rod at it if you try to break it, otherwise your rod will do the breaking.  

[turkeyfeathers]

19 minutes ago, ncountry said:

It's what I use for worm(plastic) fishing bass. Has less stretch making it very sensitive easier to see and or feel those subtle bites. Gives you a good hook set too. With rubber worms you have to have a pretty firm hook set to get the hook through the rubber and into the fishes mouth. 

They do make reels and pole that are supposed to work better with braided lines. I have never found the need though.

I pretty much always use a bait caster. When I get snagged I just point the pole at the snag, put thumb on reel, and pull.. sometimes it breaks, sometimes you get the tree..lol

For the equivalent strength line it seems like the braided does cat better. More limp and no memory. 

No comment on the last line 

[wolc123]

If you are fishing for smallmouth on lake Erie (or any water that has been scrubbed clear by zebra mussels), clear flourocarbon line is your best bet.   It has a refractive index that matches water making it invisible to fish, plus it does not stretch like mono does, giving you a much better "feel" of the strike.  I have one reel loaded with spiderwire and with that, I usually use a flourocarbon leader (double strand if there is pike around).  I use that mostly around heavy cover for largemouth and/or in stained water.  I would also avoid the "tinted" flourocarbons.   My brother in law was using blue tinted Stren flourocarbon, while I was using clear Berkely "vanish" last week up on the St Lawrence (which was clear enough to see the bottom in 30 ft).  On the five days we fished I caught roughly 5X as many smallmouth as he did.  By the last day, when I had my limit in under an hour, he was ready to toss his rod in the river.   

Good luck out there today.  If the bass do not cooperate, the walleyes probably will.   Erie seems to be really infested with them this year, with the average size of the prevalent year class being perfect for eating (about 22") right now.      

[Uncle Nicky]

I don't know much about spiderwire or fireline, but I've used my shair of braided line. The upside to braid IMO opinion is the sensitivity factor, you can feel every rock and tap if you are fishing on the bottom. 

Most of the time you DO use a fluorocarbon leader with braid.

On my freshwater reels, it's all mono line, but I mostly troll or cast, I'm in the rocks or logs a lot, and I don't see the advantage.

I use braid on my saltwater reels that I bottom fish with, it's made a world of difference in feeling hits and eventual hookups.

 

[ncountry]

Using a monofiliment backer is a great idea too. When I 1st darted using it years ago I had just bought a new baitcaster . I couldnt get the drag to hold. I tore the reel apar multiple time trying to figure out the problem.  No matter what it wouldn't work. 

I sat the the reel on the shelf for a few years until I heard someone mention that braided lines have a tendency to not grip the spool..Duh. .. sure enough that was the problem..lol

[eagle rider]

I am a saltwater angler.  I exclusively fish braid.  Pro are better feel, better abrasion resistance, more reel capacity and no stretch.  There are times when a little stretch is preferred (slow troll) but braid won't give you that.  Knots should be tied a little differently, pretty much blood knots are the way to go.  Cons, wind knots are annoying with lighter weight braid, its 5 times the price of mono, need to spool the reel with some backing material.  I find that my landed fish number increased when we made the move to braid exclusively.  More fish on the deck.

[tarheel95]

I am a saltwater angler.  I exclusively fish braid.  Pro are better feel, better abrasion resistance, more reel capacity and no stretch.  There are times when a little stretch is preferred (slow troll) but braid won't give you that.  Knots should be tied a little differently, pretty much blood knots are the way to go.  Cons, wind knots are annoying with lighter weight braid, its 5 times the price of mono, need to spool the reel with some backing material.  I find that my landed fish number increased when we made the move to braid exclusively.  More fish on the deck.

Ditto. Switching to braid, esp eeling for bass, made all the difference. Better feel and more consistent hookups. Mono backing on reel, then braid. Swivel attached with uni knot then florocarbon to terminal tackle. Snags break the floro below the swivel.

Special pliers to help in tying the knots and cutting braid. Also, gloves to handle the line if you get a snag. Braid cuts right through your skin.

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[eagle rider]

45 minutes ago, tarheel95 said:

Ditto. Switching to braid, esp eeling for bass, made all the difference. Better feel and more consistent hookups. Mono backing on reel, then braid. Swivel attached with uni knot then florocarbon to terminal tackle. Snags break the floro below the swivel.

Special pliers to help in tying the knots and cutting braid. Also, gloves to handle the line if you get a snag. Braid cuts right through your skin.

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It's true I have nicks in my teeth from synching braid splices lol.  A good set of angler pliers or a Leatherman tool is the way to go.  Great feel for live lining bait.  Eels, spots, and snagged bunker.  Just watch the seminal tackle, too many swivels isn't a big advantage and can make for some messy knots.  One ball bearing or barrel to a leader with a snap is perfect for blues, big stripes and albacore.  But even for the big stripers I'd rather tie to like 60# flouro and avoid wire as much as I can.  Speaking of which when you hook up on false albacore braid is the way to go every twitch that fish makes when he's pealing off your line is instantly felt in the rod tip.  You'd never feel that on mono.  

[Pygmy]

I use it for vertical jigging for lakers, with a fluorocarbon leader...Lack of stretch allows you feel  a fish BREATHE on a  1 or 1.5 Oz. jigging spoon  100 feet down and deeper...Mono is like a rubber band at those depths....

[tarheel95]

It's true I have nicks in my teeth from synching braid splices lol.  A good set of angler pliers or a Leatherman tool is the way to go.  Great feel for live lining bait.  Eels, spots, and snagged bunker.  Just watch the seminal tackle, too many swivels isn't a big advantage and can make for some messy knots.  One ball bearing or barrel to a leader with a snap is perfect for blues, big stripes and albacore.  But even for the big stripers I'd rather tie to like 60# flouro and avoid wire as much as I can.  Speaking of which when you hook up on false albacore braid is the way to go every twitch that fish makes when he's pealing off your line is instantly felt in the rod tip.  You'd never feel that on mono.  

Agreed. Other tip is to make sure when loading line on the reel that the braid is soaking wet. It helps make sure the line is packed down correctly. Also same advice when tying knots with it.

As noted, the feel you get with it is without comparison. Outstanding for live lined bait. Great for bass and eels where you need to wait for it to swallow the whole eel before setting the hook.

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[ATbuckhunter]

I also use braid for every single fishing application except when I’m fly fishing or on the salmon river fishing for salmon (also using fly equipment). How ever I always use either a mono leader or a Floro leader. I don’t back my reels with mono, I just lay a piece of tape down on top of the knot when I tie it. I’ve never been spooked so I have yet to see if it works well, but in all the years I’ve done it, Its served me well. I try not to use any swivels so I usually tie an Albright not from the braid to the mono.


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[WNYBuckHunter]

I use braided line on everything, no special rods or reels. If Im snagged up to the point I cant get it loose or bul whatever its snagged on up, I just cut the line. No special scissors required.

I have used Fireline and SpiderWire, both are good. These days I use Power Pro.

[grampy]

I'm almost exclusively a floro and mono guy. The floro has much less stretch than the mono, and is more difficult for the fish to see. This is what I use for the vast majority of my fishing, (mostly bass). The only time I use braid or spiderwire is when I'm pitching the weeds and grass with a baitcaster and heavy action rod.  

[moog5050]

I hate tying knots with braid.  Our trolling gear is all mono with flouro leaders.  My son use the braid. with his bass gear.  I might have to let him know of Grampy's preference.

[ATbuckhunter]

It’s funny you guys are saying you hate tying knots with braid, I actually find t much easier to tie knots with it. It’s easier to manipulate for me. That could also be that I switched to braid over 10 years ago and I’m used to it


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[grampy]

10 minutes ago, moog5050 said:

I hate tying knots with braid.  Our trolling gear is all mono with flouro leaders.  My son use the braid. with his bass gear.  I might have to let him know of Grampy's preference.

Also remember, floro sinks, mono floats.  So use accordingly.

[TurtleFace]

When you're super snagged, you can take a stick and wrap the braid around it a few times and pull with that. Prevents the stress on your rod, reel, and you won't need gloves. 

[DirtTime]

I used to swear by Spider Wire. It was on both of my bait casters, one with 12LB and the other with 16LB. Many moons ago.

8 or 10LB Mono on the open face set ups.

 

Now, I have gone back to the old failsafe Berkley Trilene, currently, Big Game ( green ) which is a mono on all my set ups except my ultra-light set up. My UL set up is still Trilene, but 4LB mono.

 

I really have no reason why I made the change. More or less it was where I fish and what I am fishing for. I'm not in a boat on the great lakes trying to land 20+LB lunkers of any species. I fish from shore on small lakes and ponds, and this is what works best for me personally.

 

 

[turkeyfeathers]

Good replies folks.  Thanks for educating me.  Side note : those pig drum yesterday were all on 6 pound monofilament.  Every once in a while I’d cut off 3-4’ as zebra mussels tend to give little fraying 

[The_Real_TCIII]

I hate the superlines. Can’t bite it, untangle it, or break off when you want to. It does fish great though especially jigging deep


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