Braid Vs Mono for Stripers

[Never - Satisfied]

In the past I only used mono for stripers but have been considering using braided line. Have you used it in the rips and/or for chucking? Any bad experiences? I have been using braid for every thing else except tuna and shark and just love it.Thanks in advance....

[phillyfishing]

whe i used it it always became lose i guess i was doing something wrong... so i took it off and went to mono

[The Edge]

I have always used mono regardless of specie. Everyone says braids are teh best and maybe they are right but I just like my mono. Maybe one day I'll convert but I'm and Ande Mono kinda guy.

[Fisherguy53]

N.S.:
I changed over to Braid (Power Pro) and used it last spring and fall. It seemed to me that everyone that uses it really liked it, but after missing more bites than usual for me, I changed back to Mono for the stretch.......

I fish ONLY circle hooks for chunking bass in the bay and when the bass picks up the bait I take off the clicker, hold the spool with my thumb, hold the rod at a 45 degree angle and close the bail and wait for the rod to bend, then crank my reel as fast as I can and usually the stretch in the mono will hook up for me better than the braid did......

This is only my opinion based on personal experience and I am not knocking the braid, but the Mono works for me......Good Luck Geo.

[Bass_Rookie]

I have been a Bass Fisherman in Freshwater for years. I refuse to use braid for those situations because there are a lot more snags and chances for backlashes.

For Stripers however i love it. Snags are few and far between. Personally I love the ability to feel subtle strikes, especially with eels and clams.

I do not tie directly to the baits though I use a leader of 30 Fluoro. I use Power Pro 10/40 and it has been very sucessful for me.

I find it worked great throwing Bucktails in the Rips last yeah as well.

Honestly I think it is just all about personal preference. Some people like it some don't.

Good Fishing!!

[TheAdamBomb]

For live bait they usually hit hard enough that you don't need braid for subtle strikes. However, when lure fishing I love it because you can detect the slightest bump and in windy conditions you have a much better feel for the lure. Have fun!

[2dogs]

I've been using Power Pro for about 5 years for everything in the salt except trolling, I like the stretch of mono for trolling. Circle hooks and Power Pro are my choice for stripers and tuna.

[upchuck]

I use Power Pro & Fire Line. I prefer the Fire Line over the Pro. Use braided for everything, I like feeling every little bump or tug. I believe I catch more fish with the braided.

[ulackfocus]

The first line I ever put on my original Calcutta was Spider Wire braid, and now I only use Cabela's RipCord SI (silicone coated braid). I love it for any drift fishing since you can tell the difference in every type of bottom material from the feel - sand has a much grittier feel than mud. I'm not kidding, you can actually feel the difference. I have just started using circle hooks in the surf, but I still use octopus hools on the boat and nothing can cross a bass's eyes like a sideways sweep with braided line and a cutting point hook. I have a new knickname on our boat..."Kong", because I have snapped two rods from over-zealous hooksets while tog/seabass fishing over the past two years. Once you learn the nuances of fishing a no-stretch line, mono will make you feel like your hands have gone numb after fishing with super-sensitive braids. The only rods I have mono on are my tuna sticks, a 30 lb and a 50 lb outfit since neither reel has a level wind and I don't want to cut off my thumb while trying to level the line on retrieve against a fish that can rip a 150 yds off in a flash.

[riprnner]

Braid all the way for me.You feel everything.Its an art.

[Joe D.]

I've just started using braid on my one set-up. I used it about 5 times this year and didn't do too well. Maybe when I went the fishing was off or I'm just not experienced enough with braid. I think braid is great for some instances (deep water fishing, fish that give very little bites); however, it does require some practice.

After using both, I wouldn't necessarily say braid is better (IMO now). Braid is a little more sensitive, but if the fish is just going to play with the bait and not put the hook in it's mouth, it doesn't matter what you're using.

[ 11-04-2005, 04:20 PM: Message edited by: Joe D. ]

[BUCKTAIL WILLIE]

I hate Power pro, BUT use Stren and Ande 100%
I can feel every bump and even feel the fish fart which allows me to keep the bait in the strike zone
Stren and Ande much better than Power Pro in my opinion,no fraying, very few if any wind knots
Have one reel spooled with Stren that has been on all year and no fraying and I only fish the days ending in "y"

[bass ackwards]

i went back and forth using braid and mono and finally settled on braid. I love using braid but there are some things to look out for witch I learned the hard way. make sure all guids are good any crack will break line, make sure you have the right knot for braided line. watch out for cheap fish finders that will weaken and even break line, look over line if you rap line around rocks or structure it will eat up line.

[HVY HITTA]

POWER PRO ...

[Brian E. Mullaney]

Chunking i prefer mono - MOMOI mono - 30 lb

plugging the Surf, deepwater fluking, toggin, pretty much everything else I like Power pro.

[Captain Cuda]

I have used Braided lines as well as monofilament and both have their place in my arsenal. When I go out on my own boat or with at most 3 others, I fish the braided because you can feel every single bump and nudge and tell if you have picked up seaweed. Also, you can fish less lead in deeper water with the same test line due to the reduction in diameter. The Stretch of mono is nice for trolling and even for tuna chunking, due to the way you hook a tuna while chunking the stretch leaves a margin of error when you go to move the leverdrag to strike. When you pass into the realm of partyboat land, do the mate a favor as well as the others on board and bring mono. No matter what. Braided line is a major pain in the @##! Tangles are easier in mono as well as line handling.

[Mullica Bob]

There is no substitute for braid......But you need to use caution in some disciplines. I run it exclusively on every rod. Trolling reguires a rod that will take some of the strike as well as a properly set drag. Make your knots loop through twice before you continue, all the knots in the guide that comes with the Power Pro work very well. I personally run a trilene knot looped through twice first of course, I NEVER have knot problems. When it comes to tangles the best advice I can give is to cut off a terminal tackle and never pull a knot so tight you can't get it out, take your time and pull the lines through the knots. Ever see a stretch 20 go down 27,28 feet on 30# mono, it will on PP or a stretch 25 get down 32 or more on 50# mono? It will on 50# PP!


Just remember,"you can' polish a terd"