Centrepin fishing - float size

[Guest bbamboo]

Yes I do Gary.Ive tried most makes over the 20years Ive been using braid.Spiderwire remains my favourite.I dont like Fusion though only true braids.

 

For trotting I use it in 10lb BS which is billed as being a similar diameter to 2lb mono. Ive not tried Fireline Crystal in light BS's simply as Ive never found the Spiderwire lacking.

e

 

 

Hi Budgie

 

Can you explain what you liked about the spiderwire please

 

Thanks

 

Gary

[Alan Roe]

I didn't think chameleon was any good for trotting with it being a sinking line. I have a spool of fireline crystal in 10lb unused as I just hated the stuff as soon as I saw it. One day i might try it out, I'm in no hurry though. I think i'm like Brian and much prefer mono to braid for trotting, must be a lancashire thing.

 

Clearly it must be as I prefer mono as well for all of my trotting :D

[Dick Dastardly]

Maxima Chamelion has IMO been the first choice nono for mant jobs for many years but for top and bottom float work its sinking makes it a poor choice,My prefered line for the waggler still.

[Dick Dastardly]

e

 

 

Hi Budgie

 

Can you explain what you liked about the spiderwire please

 

Thanks

 

Gary

 

Yes sorry Gary I was guilty of my own pet hate there! I first started using braided mainline (modern HPPE as opposed to Dacron) back in the late 80's when on a trip to the US I was shown some Femwick Iron thread,Origonaly looked at it for an ultra thin but still strong carp hook length for fishing Collingbrook. Just playing with it showed me it wouldnt be any good for this due to the worry of the "cheese wire" affect it could have. We did take a spool each back though to try for lure fishing. Its floating properties were soon adopted for float fishing for pike as "greasing up" was allways a pain in the bum (oooer mrs!) got to like its lack of stretch too for setting hooks,feeling live baits working as well as its ease of pick up.From then on I tried most braids (well me and my mate between us) from LEEDA Outcast to the latest offerings! Allways returning/prefering just a few of which Spiderwire was one. The "origonal is still my preference but Im happy to use any of the ones as long as its a true braid and not fused (I wont prolong by going into why I dont like fused braids here). I tried it over the years for many types of fishing.Some it was good for others I reveryed to mono.As said trotting with it is relatively recent (5 years or so? in fact the first AN fish in on the Itchen).Why-

 

I much prefer the tighter woven/braided ,round profile braids to flat profile ones. Spidewire is possibly only behind Power Pro and Whiplash for this. And as Whiplash is renowned for its problems that only leaves Power Pro (a brand I rate in the higher BS's just as much as Spiderwire.) I find this weave sits better on the spool (of any type of reel) and doesn't bed in quite as bad as others.

 

Its also not prone to sudden unexpected breaks like some are (I put this down to having a better abrasion resistance than a lot of other brands,despite the claims on the packets most braids have poorer abrasion resistance than equivalent BS mono simply due to the much lower diameter,) Never found it as susceptible to "shock" breaks (like if you cast and the line caught on something stopping the cast) as others.

 

Doesn't fray/go "fluffy" like some do.

 

Not wiry like a lot of braids (unless coated like "Stealth" but this soon soften ups as well)

 

Knots well.

 

Lasts forever! (well a lot of seasons any way! soon becomes "cheaper" than mono)

 

It has NEVER let me down and the only other braids I can truly say this of are Power Pro and strangely enough Fox Troll Master!

 

Not so important (or really I should say relevant) but its not hard on fish should it come into contact with them.A lot of this is again down to the round rather than flat profile rather than its finish though.

 

So that about sums it up I think.BUT like a lot of tackle it seems personal preference and technique comes into braid choice a lot! Try it and see is the only real way.

[watatoad]

I didn't think chameleon was any good for trotting with it being a sinking line. I have a spool of fireline crystal in 10lb unused as I just hated the stuff as soon as I saw it. One day i might try it out, I'm in no hurry though. I think i'm like Brian and much prefer mono to braid for trotting, must be a lancashire thing.

 

Vaseline just a touch on the fingers,m run the line through them and he presto makes just about any sinking line float nicely. When done a good wipe first with a cloth covered with washing up liquid followed by a clean damp cloth to rinse it off then a dry cloth and you are ready to go again...But BIG BUT it will reduce the life of the line a little.

 

I prefer the Maxima to all else but I will give the spiderwire a go.

 

I did not get on with Trilene, nor Sensor, nor Ultima I am not saying they are a bad lines just not lines for me.

[Guest bbamboo]

Wow in depth review cheers for spending the time to put that together mate.

Just looked spiderwire up on the net

Not sure are there differences or is it just all down to colour?

Silly question but do they all float.

 

Thanks Budgie

 

 

Gary

[Dick Dastardly]

As far as I know mate Spiderwire make all their braids from HPPE so they all float.In fact as far as Im aware all "sinking braids" are in fact "floating braids (as the materiel they are made from floats naturally) and are made into sinking ones by adding a few strands of sinking material in to the weave,

 

The various Spiderwire braids only really vary (from what I know can tell) with the colour or the coating (Stealth for example has a "lubricant on it) Don't get Fusion though as as its name implies its a fused braid and IMO horrible! Incidentally shop around for Spiderwire products as the cost can vary immensely.Another tip is if your not bothered by the colour there are some real good deals on the red stuff as so many dont like the colour!

[Tigger]

Vaseline just a touch on the fingers,m run the line through them and he presto makes just about any sinking line float nicely. When done a good wipe first with a cloth covered with washing up liquid followed by a clean damp cloth to rinse it off then a dry cloth and you are ready to go again...But BIG BUT it will reduce the life of the line a little.

 

I prefer the Maxima to all else but I will give the spiderwire a go.

 

I did not get on with Trilene, nor Sensor, nor Ultima I am not saying they are a bad lines just not lines for me.

 

 

Did you never have prob's with the vaseline causing the line to stick to the other line or drum on the trott ?

[Guest bbamboo]

As far as I know mate Spiderwire make all their braids from HPPE so they all float.In fact as far as Im aware all "sinking braids" are in fact "floating braids (as the materiel they are made from floats naturally) and are made into sinking ones by adding a few strands of sinking material in to the weave,

 

The various Spiderwire braids only really vary (from what I know can tell) with the colour or the coating (Stealth for example has a "lubricant on it) Don't get Fusion though as as its name implies its a fused braid and IMO horrible! Incidentally shop around for Spiderwire products as the cost can vary immensely.Another tip is if your not bothered by the colour there are some real good deals on the red stuff as so many dont like the colour!

 

Fantastic thanks again.

 

PM sent

 

 

gary

Edited November 14, 2010 by bbamboo

[lutra]

I think Perlon is Kamasan (don't know if it's always been) so it must be part of drennan I think. Brian, what do you find better about perlon than sensor ? It's around the same diameter to b/s as sensor (maybe a bit higher) but it's around £2.50 to £3 ish per 100 mtrs where as sensor is only £6 to £8 for over ten times the ammont (depending on the b/s).

I never tried sensor for trotting Ian, so can't answer that one.

 

I only put new line on when there is a blue moon, so price don't really come into it. As Dave says, keep it in the dark and it last a long time.