What thickness is your braid?

[Feral]

Whilst looking for a picture of the AFO boat in action I came across a shot of the box for my braid I use on my bass reels.

The subject of braid thickness is fresh in my mind because Clawhammer was using 20lb fireline on his bass reel on the weekend, and it was honestly like fencing wire. Thick as and stiff as! Initially I thought he had 100lb line!

Myself I pick my braid based on line thickness, not rated strength. Basically because it is well and truly strong enough for the thickness I want to use! I want a line that can take the pressure in the sticks, nice and supple for long casts, as well as being thick enough for my old eyes to see it to tie knots in it!

EG for Bass I am looking for a line thinner than quality 6lb mono, which is about 0.21 to 0.23mm thickness. Hence the 18kg (50lb) spiderwire, which is 0.20mm thick.

For Barra I am happy to go up to 0.25 to 0.30mm in diameter, so I use 30kg Spiderwire, which comes in around 0.25mm.

I dont even bother looking at braid that does not list the true line thickness, EG if it says 6lb equivilent on the box instead of an actual diameter, From experience I know they mean the equivilent of Jarvis walker 6lb, not a quality one!

[noname]

funny you mention this, i noticed my 6lb mono leader is thinner than the 6lb fireline i'm using, thought it was a bit strange.

[Dinodadog]

I have changed down to 8lb fireline now I am back to fishing from the boat.It depends on what type of fishing you are doing as to what type of braid suits you, spin or baitcaster, I like the fireline when using s/baits,jackals,blades or trolling with spin but prefer softer braid on baitcasters.Oh thats in the dam.

[efc]

i have used fireline, platypus super braid, tuff line, suffix and bionic braid. Bionic braid is by far the best out of the brands listed but the braid is rather thick. If they made an 8 pound line it would be a ripper braid.

Any suggestions for a good braid in the 6-10lb range, maybe berkley whiplash? or one of the japanese lines

[fishinking]

i use cast away, super pe, suffix and about to use s.w sensor

they are all great lines but the suffix is quite thick, 80lb is 0.5mm

[davefishmad]

I use Finns in light braid (6lb), it has performed quite well.

and fireline 8lb, which has been playing up a bit since i respooled.

I might go to fireline crystal 10lb instead of 8lb fused.

Dave

[chris_stewart14]

I use fireline and love it... I use 4lb for most of my bream, flathead and estuary species... Have never been broken off yet (at the mainline) and have caught some very substantial fish. I have my spare spool spooled with 8lb crystal fireline if Im throwing big plastics for flathead or bigger slugs.. Also if Im putting a lure anywhere I think I might be a chance of a Jack. Even feeling 8lb after always using 4 I felt like I could absail with the stuff so I can imagine 20lb must be "like fencing wire".. I will be using my 8lb spool tomorrow for my first shot at a Bass though considering I have no idea what Im in for.

[sappy]

I'am a fireline fanatic! its great for the price. ive never been busted off! i use 8 lb for my bream rod and 30 lb for the bigger stuff! the amount of colours you can get in are fanastic aswell. theres nothing better in my opinion:)

[apoklyps60]

i have used fins prt, berkely whiplash, fireline, spiderwire, ripcord si, powerpro, and tufline prt. of all of them the berkely whiplash was the thinnest and most supple. it is discontinued here. powerpro is the next in line. and they have improved it so it is now thinner and smoother. so i am a power pro user now because of the inability to acquire the whiplash.

[Little Grey Men]

I've still got my spool of Sunline Super PE 15lb on my bass spin stick. I haven't swapped it for 10lb Fireline Crystal yet.

I was using the heavy stuff landbased in the dam around some hell snags. I can cast tiny lures with it, although a good rod can help casting as well.

I don't notice much thickness difference between the two lines. Ones just a hell of a lot stronger.

My baitcaster is spooled with 10lb Fins PRT. I was in love with that stuff until I started using the Super PE.

Bright lime green so I can see any line movement.

[Feral]

Your missing the point of my question fella's, what thickness is you braid is what I am interested in.

[apoklyps60]

10lb = 2lb there is no mm rating. but its as thick as 6 lb test mono. 8lb copolymer

[Fisherjoe]

where can i buy well priced braid?

as the stuff i use on 1 reel if javiswalker crap from gaymart but i want something better as this stuff shreds easily and has lost all its color

i want a better brand but dont want to pay the massive prices some places have, just a reasonable price

[faulked]

i like whiplash cheap but very thin the 20 lb is 0.17mm so thinner than 6lb mono

however for bassin in the boat i use 4lb suffix which is hard t tie its so thin or 8lb nitlon in flouro yellow which is loverly when bedded in but at more than twice as thick as the suffix

[Cowfish13]

Fisherjoe wrote:

where can i buy well priced braid?

as the stuff i use on 1 reel if javiswalker crap from gaymart but i want something better as this stuff shreds easily and has lost all its color

i want a better brand but dont want to pay the massive prices some places have, just a reasonable price

Braid is expensive unfortunately. You can't have good braid, but expect to pay cheap for it. I spose fireline might be alright? About $20-25 for 125yds. Tufline too (true braid) about $30-35 for 150m. Then Sunline Super PE is the cheapest pe braid i know of. About $40 from memory. It is pretty clouded though....

[Feral]

Buy it from the states, even with the dollar in the toilet you can expect to get it to your front door for about half the price it costs here.

[apoklyps60]

i get my power pro for 22 dollars for 300 yards.

[Feral]

Brand name braid here is usually anywhere from 35 to 80 dollars.

[Paulus]

Hi Guys

Interesting that you have noticed that the thickness as is the breaking strain on the box is far from factual.

The thickness on the box seems to be when the line is in an extreem stressed and stretched stage. Keep in mind this is not how you get it, when it gets wet it expands and stretches to an even greater extent.

The measurement is a flat measurement and as braid is oblong, and not round its not fair to call it a diameter, X by Y, like whiplash pro 20 lb for instant 0.209 x 0.269 = 0.239 av.

I buy my braid by its thickness and breaking strain, but by the way i measure it and not the way they state it.

Seems to work for me.

Paulus

[Davo_Dinkum]

well since i'm new to braid i got some 15 lb sufix .to the mono i was using its thin as like cotton light and sensitive.its 0.16mm,6.8 kg /15 lb .

got some stuff from aldi 6 to 20 lb not tried it yet ,only got 2 rods setup with braid.i'm lazy.

my bro got some u beaut stuff from bcf as we where there and got stuffed about and had to wait about ,can't remember the name ,but still trying to get some of it sine i had to wait too and i payed for his stuff and mine .think he spent 200$ and i 100$ and i owed him a few bob so i payed for it .i reckon i should get 1/2 the score too.

[c_para]

The thinest braid i have ever come accross is NITLON. I got 6lb on my bream setup, 40lb on my 6500B and 15lb on my advantage setup i use in the bay. It has been the most reliable line. Previously i used fireline, although it was thin after a short period of time i was losing fish.

[flyfish1972]

stick with what you have,nitlon is a very good brand

[Dano]

Can I get some recommendations on what braid to buy?

I have just purchased my first lures on the weekend and want to start getting into a bit more lure fishing

Is it too much to ask for the same spool to be good for having a flick for flathead etc and then fishing with live baits for threadfin?

What weight / brand would you recommend?

[HookedOnTackle]

Dano, you need to balance your rod and reel with the braid. If you have two spools per reel, a higher and lower line rating as suggested by your rod manufacturer should be good.

As for the topic, i soon learned that the stated line thickness was a bit suss and the reel suggestions could be off too. I have a spools with some line that should have fit onto a reel, yet they don't. So i don't worry too much about stated stats, just get what i think i will need.

[Dano]

ok well the rod is a 7' Steve sterling - Squidgy Soft Plastic 2-5kg / lure weight 4-15g

And reel is a Shimano Symeter 2500FJ I have never thought of it but are you saying I may be able to get a spare spool and be able to have 2 different line weights on each?

so question is 12 pound braid physically thicker than 12 pound mono???

[Feral]

No it is a lot thinner.

[Hayden1975]

For all of my estuary stuff I use Stren Microfuse 4lb. It measures a measly 0.08mm. You could use it to floss!! It makes the 8lb mono leader that I use look like a tree trunk. The combo will still land 70cm faltty though...

[aichepee]

im running 2lb microfuse on my soron 10 with a 3lb flouro leader for breamin

soooo thin and super sensitive

still has the balls to pull up bigger stuff like the 78cm flatty i got on a switchblade last tuesday. i think it breaks at like 6 or 7 lb

[apoklyps60]

i tried spiderwire stealth in the ten pound model. i will never buy that stuff again. it was on sale for 14.00 for a 300 yard spool. first time i used in the salt it worked perfectly. second time i used it at a lake i was snapping off at the cast. 28 gram sinkers would snap off like no tomorrow.i lost 7 sinkers. thinking it might be me i stripped of 30 yards of it. retied recast snap! ill stick to power pro. i did order a new braid Ohero SK71 Series Dyneema Braided 15 LB, 300YDs, 0.12mm. should be thin and hopefully it works well. ill keep u guys updated.