Braid for feeder fishing

[Renrag39]

It was just an observation TM, not a personal attack. I have indeed in the past taken a swipe at you but I did apologise for it, which you kindly accepted.

I do not want for bad blood, but I will make my feelings known and make observations and maybe even contribute occasionally to the positive.

I just found your comments on occasion, whether by intention or not, can appear contrite and without compromise. I have only noticed this in the last week or so.

 

Yes, I am a 'young' man of average experience and joined for the very reason that there are many knowledgeable and vastly more experienced anglers on here, from which I can glean new ways of looking at different situations and enjoy even a heated debate from time to time.

 

I seem to have upset you again and I again apologise for that. Do not take my comments to heart, I'm sure it would be different over the table with a bottle of whatever you fancy.

 

Sorry if I have caused trouble Newt, I'll try and behave.

Mea culpa, mea maxima culpa. I always do

 

Renrag

Edited May 15, 2011 by Renrag39

[Renrag39]

I definitely don't belt out rock when I fish unless its via headphones. However, many of the areas I fish are heavily used by loud diesel powered tourist boats (which all have radios tuned to 'radio gangsta' it seems), so I doubt I cause much in the way of disturbance. I act differently on stillwaters and the quiet stretches of river, thats a given. Volume at the first notch usually.

 

I still don't see how a fish can be damaged in the fight whilst using braid, I think I'm having a brain fart though lol.

 

Renrag

[Renrag39]

I know, no worries mate.

 

Have done, I think I'll keep using it as I do. I limit it to mainly Pike and broads feeder fishing for the Bream (mono hooklength) as braid is mostly banned on the commercials in my area anyway. If I notice I'm actually causing damage by using braid then I'll stop using it.

 

Renrag

[Anderoo]

I think for proper debate you need to back up your opinions with evidence or experience. It's all very well putting forth an opinion, but then refusing to elaborate on it and back it up makes it almost worthless, regardless of how well known you think it is. In fact, it's usually the stuff that 'everyone knows' that ends up being wrong.

 

Not an attack on you Teme Man, just a general observation. The people on here who back up their views with evidence or experience are usually the ones who get taken more seriously. Especially those who are willing to change their minds when presented with evidence that contradicts their views. I like it when people challenge my views as it makes me think, far from taking offence I welcome it. But only when it's backed up with something.

 

A good case in point is the upper Thames report that Teme Man mentions. I have to say it made me very happy as I expect most people will read it and dismiss the upper river and its tributaries as dead or dying, leaving me with even more fantastic river fishing all to myself I wonder how many people who repeat the depressing horror stories have actually fished it recently?

 

Anyway... Braid has some unique qualities that make it very suitable for some forms of fishing and very unsuitable for others, and like everything else in fishing there are too many variables to come up with hard and fast rules. I use it as a mainline for trotting (floats well, very visible, easy to mend), lure fishing (very sensitive, visible, good for hook setting as no stretch), and for marker float/spodding (way better transmission of feeling than mono, good for long range casting). I used to use it for piking (bait fishing) when I did a fair bit, but I haven't pike fished seriously for ages. I use mono for everything else at the moment for various reasons, mainly because I want my mainline to be a bit stretchy and tough for fishing gravel pits with sharp bars and snaggy rivers.

 

I haven't ever used it for feeder fishing, but on a stillwater with few snags I bet it beats mono hands down.

 

Damage to fish - I haven't seen any personally, but I can imagine that if a big fish like a mirror/leather carp, tench, etc. (something without 'normal' scales) rolls over a thin braided mainline during the fight it could graze the flank. Just supposition though. However, I think some of the mouth damage you see on hard fished waters is because of people using stiff, powerful rods with braided mainlines, and playing the fish too hard. But even then, the braid is only one aspect. Use a softer rod or be more gentle and the problem goes away. If it was only the braid causing the problem, I'd have seen the same thing when I use it, but I haven't.

[lutra]

I know, no worries mate.

 

Have done, I think I'll keep using it as I do. I limit it to mainly Pike and broads feeder fishing for the Bream (mono hooklength) as braid is mostly banned on the commercials in my area anyway. If I notice I'm actually causing damage by using braid then I'll stop using it.

 

Renrag

If you stick to using braid hook lengths that are made from braid designed to be used as hook lengths, you wont have any problems at all. On the other hand if you use thin but strong braid main lines as hook lengths with a heavy rod and start bullying fish, you might cause some damage.

 

I have been using and know lots of anglers that use braid for hook lengths for years and haven't had any problems at all.

[Renrag39]

I just prefer the feel of a mono hooklength and it gives me a feeling of security with that little shock absorber there (even though my rod is very delicate anyway, think its more of a mental support until I get more confidence). The benefits I want from my braid at the moment is low stretch and diameter for running water. I'm just cutting my teeth in the braid world atm. Will have to try some of the newer hooklength braid as not used it for over 5 years (then I had an enforced break from fishing).

I never bully fish, I don't have the equipment to do so, I tend to use an old soft light leger rod mostly and thoroughly enjoy every fight. Only exception is my pike tackle which is somewhat overpowered (the line, not the rod) to some but I've taken enough snap traces out that weren't mine to justify it.

Definitely going to get some HL Braid and try it on the local Bream when the season allows.

 

Renrag

[Tigger]

I just prefer the feel of a mono hooklength and it gives me a feeling of security with that little shock absorber there (even though my rod is very delicate anyway, think its more of a mental support until I get more confidence). The benefits I want from my braid at the moment is low stretch and diameter for running water. I'm just cutting my teeth in the braid world atm. Will have to try some of the newer hooklength braid as not used it for over 5 years (then I had an enforced break from fishing).

I never bully fish, I don't have the equipment to do so, I tend to use an old soft light leger rod mostly and thoroughly enjoy every fight. Only exception is my pike tackle which is somewhat overpowered (the line, not the rod) to some but I've taken enough snap traces out that weren't mine to justify it.

Definitely going to get some HL Braid and try it on the local Bream when the season allows.

 

Renrag

 

 

 

I wouldn't reccommend braid to use as a mainline when fishing a river, it's odds on your going to catch a rock or two and there's no doubt it will break. As Lutra says it's great as a hooklength and drennan sink braid is fine for this purpose.

I suppose if the river you fish is a silty/ clay substrate then you may well get away with it but your almost certainly gonna have the odd rock or abrasive object lurkin.

[Dick Dastardly]

3. think it is best suited for what it was intended.

 

 

And what would you say that is Teme Man?

 

Incidentally so far I agree with what Anderoo (which is quite normal) says and what Tigger and Brian (Lutra) says (which if anyone who thinks we are being cliquey can look up the recently long debated long v short drop bobbin debates)!

 

In fact that whole subject sums up my views on the differing of opinion on AN. People of similar experience normally have come to hold similar veiws so obviously they are going to often agree.People with different experiences will obviously have formed different opinions and therefore disagree! BUT when it comes to people who I have learned to respect over the years having an alternative opinion to me then I want to know why! and indeed if it has come about by different experience I want to learn from it. I dont have any interest in second hand experience! The repeating of old wives tales just does my head in.....HOWEVER with some people (and I include you here Teme Man) Ive found them to generally be quite interesting and knowledgeable so if they come out with something a bit at odds to me I like to discuss it.If their argument can change my mind or just simply reinforce my views then I win! If however I can persuade them what they think is wrong (by offering good evidence) and they change their mind we both win!

[Dick Dastardly]

however with the flat braids it can be less of a problem

 

 

A typing error maybe? If not I would definitely have to 100% disagree there I'm afraid! Ive found the "flat" profile braids to be the worst.In fact it was after seeing the damage that I had done to a river carp whilst using Kryston Silk Worm (or was it Super Silk? It was the only one they did in 25lb at the time) that I became aware of the trouble with flat braids. Also if some of the high strength/low diameter mainline braids are used as a hook length material this can happen.But its simple enough to see which ones will/may do this and avoid them.Obviously no excusing the manufacturers (or I should really say "re packagers"!) who market inappropriate braids as hook length material.

 

Incidentally braided lines were used as mainlines long before they were used as hook length materials.

 

Braided mainline should never come into contact with a fishes mouth simple as that! Also all this lark about it "lifting scales" is a load of old twaddle! Correctly selected braided mainline will (generally speaking) be not much thinner than most monos used for the same job and any way once again why would you use a set up that let the main line come into contact with the fish?

 

Misuse is the key here rather than the fault of the material and it is really starting to get on my tits that due to misuse of various items of tackle/methods/baits etc fisheries are having to bring in bans to cover for the idiots (who incidentally often flout the rules anyway!) as this only affects my fishing and choices and doesn't even solve any problems due to the idiots (as I mentioned) not listening any way!

 

Spreading such anti this/anti that stuff without really understanding it purely aggravates the problem.

 

Quite a pertinent thing for me at the moment as the lack of knowledge of certain anglers on a water I fish has recently affected my choice of tackle and yet the culprits still continue to cause the same problem.

 

Try barbless hooks by all means but don't be afraid to resist "peer pressure" to use them if you do find they cause more damage in the situation your using them. I'm sure you've read my views on barbed v barbless. My attitude now is that the only time a barbed hook causes damage is upon being taken out (incorrectly that is) but often a big barbless hook can cause damage before the fish is landed and by then its to late!

 

I once had a "I love carp more than anyone" tube look at me gloatingly (as he took the barbless hook from a carps mouth) and announce to the world to see just how easily his barbless hook was removed............................in fact it simply fell out of the great big gaping hole it had made..................

[Dick Dastardly]

I am mindful of the odd fish that does escape the net being left with a large barbed hook in it's mouth.

 

 

I know what your saying.It would be too easy for me to say that you shouldn't be losing fish full stop but of course there will all ways be a possibility of this happening. I like to play the percentages with things so in this case if leaving (for example) one barbed hook in a fish means I don't damage another 100 then so be it.