[snapper]

Is braid any good for beach fishing or is mono better if so what brand color and breaking strain would you recommend for general beach work ?

 

[Barrelreef]

Not really sure about Braid but seems to be used a lot for spinning and boat work

Main (clean i assume) beach fishing 15lb bs would be ok and colour probably depend on water clarity. Clear water - neutral colours coloured water/night time - don't think it would matter

 

[mickylad]

braid can be used from the shore but only over clean bottom, if you fish it over rough ground it will rub through on any rock. Over clean ground though its fantastic i only use mono when i absolutely have to, bite indication is miles better and you can feel the fish fart. you just have to be a bit more careful playing the fish as there is no stretch you cant bully bigger fish but it beats mono for me...

 

[Ryan]

Snapper, do you use a fixed spool or multi? casting braid on a fixed spool is ok but if you use a multi forget it. Most shore fishing multis cast best with a line dia of around .30 to .40 with .35 (15lb bs) the best choice for a small multi. Braid has a very fine dia to bs, this means the spools level drops allot slower than with mono. As your lead slows it will still be getting a large amount of braid per revolution of the spool, slow lead getting lots of line = birdsnest big time.

I use braid from the shore but only for my spinning, braids non stretch really means i can work a lure great, feeling everything through the blank. If you intend using braid for spinning i would say a firm through action rod is best as it offers control but still bends enough to prevent you pulling hooks out of fish, this can be a problem if you use a blank with fast action, they are not very forgiving. Keep a check on you drag also as again the non stretch braid will pull hooks if your drag isnt set. Whatever you choose 20lb bs braid is the min, even this has very little resistance to abrasion and will also need a mono shock leader.


Regards Ryan.

 

[Tony b]

braid is fantastic bite indicator and you feel every gulley on the retrieve ,ryan is right what his said but you can overcome this by first putting 150 yards of mono on your reel first,

 

[Ryan]

Tony b, 150 yds of mono is quite a bit, IMHO its way too much, you would have to be fishing baits a long long way out or in very deep water to get any benifit from the braid. Even a small amount of mono has a fair bit of stretch.

Yes you are right you can feel every bump on the sea bed with it but i feel its lack of resistance to abrasion, it tangles far more than mono + the price makes mono tops for me, unless Im spinning.

All the best guys Ryan.

 

[Tony b]

hi ryan, i was only taking about casting, putting mono on first makes a bigger turn on your reel , sorry if i didnt explain myself , all the best .

 

[Ryan]

Tony b, Im with you now, however braids fine dia still makes for very interesting casting with a multi. Its all to do with the dia of the line + the spools dia, a full spool lets of more line per rev than a half full spool, as braids dia is very thin this means its still very full with 200yds out. Even if you can cast a bit that means as your lead is slowing the spool is still letting off loads of braid, too much for your lead. Again slow lead lots of line= nest, nest with braid is a nightmare, out comes the knife, ouch the cost!!!!

Ryan.

 

[Tony b]

ok ryan i see now you hate braid for me its great for matches as well for casting but your right about the speed i have the scars on my thumb to remind me ,,, but braid does go on and come off the reel very tight and this compared to mono does it for me ,

 

[Ryan]

Tony b, its not that i hate braid i just feel its not very suited to casting long distances from a multi. I do use it for spinning and from the boats as it enables me to fish lighter tackle. Just dont do it for me as a casting line.

I do like all the banter though, thats what makes fishing, in lots of cases there isnt a right or wrong answer just personal taste.

All the best Guys, Ryan