Piking with braid?

[slodger]

'you know chris its a funny old thing zander fights.'

 

Yeh, I'm only joshing mate. I can think of one or two waters where they pull back a bit harder too.

 

Should clarify, I use braid for every lure fishing situation, including perch.

[mark barrett]

i know you were mate!!

[slodger]

Some valid points there Gerry.

 

I just feel Mono's semi translucent nature breaks up easier to a fish's eye when viewed in open water, particularly from below. No one, as far as I'm aware, knows for certain how a fish sees something, so I suppose we're all speculating to a degree. After all, that's a part of fishing eh?

 

If I were to believe all I read about a fish's eyesight for instance, I wouldn't bother about the colour of lures in any depths over a few feet. I've heard scientific evidence that suggests that the nature of light is such that nothing but blue is visible underwater.

 

As you say, I guess it's the confidence factor. I much prefer a Mono mainline and Flurocarbon hooklength for my bait fishing for perch.

[argyll]

'that type of rod would be useless for float fishing livebaits or lobs, an avon rod being a better bet'

 

That's because its a through action lure rod but its use in this respect is not merely because I use it with braid, its because I use it with 10lb braid and I feel that the line needs a bit of extra protection. My avon and barbel rods are all used with braid, this time 20lb and the tippier action hasn't so far proved fatal to my fishing. The spare spools are loaded with 10lb fluoro straight through but are still as dry as the day I put the stuff on. ie I've never had a set of circumstances where I thought it better to use fluoro. I've just described a Jim Gibbinson nightmare. Braid on one spool, fluoro on the other The fluoro is available as an option because I thought it might come in useful on some of the crystal clear shallow southern trout streams that I'll be fishing this winter.

 

I havn't fished for zeds since I said goodbye to Grafham, so it would be stupid of me to comment, but I do fish for pike...lures, deads and lives and can see absolutely no advantage to mono at all, in fact every disadvantage except one. Mono is more abrasion proof. But taking a bit more care and upgrading line in snaggy swims tends to even out the difference.

 

[ 18. October 2005, 07:24 PM: Message edited by: argyll ]

[Newt]

If the visibility of braid bothers you, get 4 or 5 colors of waterproof marker and camo the last 4-5 feet of line. Green, brown, black, blue, red and varying lengths of each from 1/4 inch to 2 inches.

 

Certainly the fish can see the colors but they will not see an unbroken piece of line. IMO it is better than fluoro for very clear water situations.

 

BTW - I use fluoro but only if I need a line that naturally sinks. With a crank bait for instance - where the lure thrashing is enough to make line visibility a non-issue - fluoro will allow you to get the lure a little deeper than with braid even though the fluoro is thicker.

[Charlie Bettell]

Scopex:

Surprised by some others views concerning the use of braid, I'm interested in others forum users use of braid when piking.

 

Since switching from mono, I use 50lb for deadbaits/lures and 80lb for jerkbaits.

 

I enjoy the benefits of using braid and personally feel that the extra b/s is a major benefit in that it enables me to return my catch sooner and in better condition. Also the threat of potential line snapping and the subsequent risk of the fish being tethered to some underwater obstacle or other are much reduced.

 

Can't fathom the criticism that it is somehow unsporting? I'll stick to safeguarding the welfare of my catch, whether it's sporting or not!

If I had to go back to using mono, I would honestly give up pike fishing - now that's a FACT!!!!

[Scopex]

Dave Horton:

I've honestly not read of Braid being considered unsporting? Perhaps it's on this forum somewhere?

I almost always only use Braid now and apart from having to learn not to bully fish so much I swear by it!

Dave, It's on a thread on the sea fishing section.

 

Certainly, agree you can't bully fish quite the same as mono, learned my lesson shortly after changing to braid by losing fish by being a little heavy handed.

[mark barrett]

argyll:

'that type of rod would be useless for float fishing livebaits or lobs, an avon rod being a better bet'

 

That's because its a through action lure rod but its use in this respect is not merely because I use it with braid, its because I use it with 10lb braid and I feel that the line needs a bit of extra protection. My avon and barbel rods are all used with braid, this time 20lb and the tippier action hasn't so far proved fatal to my fishing. The spare spools are loaded with 10lb fluoro straight through but are still as dry as the day I put the stuff on. ie I've never had a set of circumstances where I thought it better to use fluoro. I've just described a Jim Gibbinson nightmare. Braid on one spool, fluoro on the other The fluoro is available as an option because I thought it might come in useful on some of the crystal clear shallow southern trout streams that I'll be fishing this winter.

 

I havn't fished for zeds since I said goodbye to Grafham, so it would be stupid of me to comment, but I do fish for pike...lures, deads and lives and can see absolutely no advantage to mono at all, in fact every disadvantage except one. Mono is more abrasion proof. But taking a bit more care and upgrading line in snaggy swims tends to even out the difference.

at the end of the day gerry, if i said the sky was blue, you would say it wasnt.

[HOPPY4]

For me it is PowerPro on 90% of my reels and it has not proven to be a deteriant in the capture rate. The fact that you feel the initial strike and do not need to cross the eyes of the fish is a pleasure for me. On the feeder rods, the tip of the rod is an indicator that a fish is around the cage before the actual bite is made. As this requires more concentration on the rod, I limit myself to one ledgered rod and the feeder. Each has Braid and I LOVE it!!!!!!!!!!

 

HOPPY4

[argyll]

Well no Mark I wouldn't, I was just stating my preference without suggesting everyone should follow. I never ever suggest that everyone should use braid and I'm always careful to point out its weakness as well as its strength. Most that start using the stuff and catch well tend to use it for everything, but that doesnt mean that you have to go with the flow....thats your perogative. I though that was pretty clear, so I'm not sure what our comment was about.

 

Its just fishing for fun, not to win prizes.

 

[ 19. October 2005, 11:42 AM: Message edited by: argyll ]