Mono or braid for spodding?

[Steve Walker]

I've decided to retire the beachcasters from spod/marker duties and have bought the TFGear Banshee spod and marker rods and a pair of Mitchel Avospod reels. I've also bought a 300m spool of 30lb Berkley Whiplash braid.

 

Currently trying to decide what to fill the reels with - braid for the marker rod is a no-brainer, braid transmits vibration so much better. The spod rod, though - not sure I really see a massive benefit to braid with that versus cheap 15lb mono and a shock leader (which I would use anyway).

 

Realistically, I won't be fishing at 150 yards, ever, so I could split the braid between the two reels. Or I could use some 20lb Power Pro that I have for spinning, though I'm reluctant to waste that stuff.

 

It is worth the faff of splitting the braid between the two reels, or would you just fill the spod reel with mono and be done with it?

[John Weddup]

I've decided to retire the beachcasters from spod/marker duties and have bought the TFGear Banshee spod and marker rods and a pair of Mitchel Avospod reels. I've also bought a 300m spool of 30lb Berkley Whiplash braid.

 

Currently trying to decide what to fill the reels with - braid for the marker rod is a no-brainer, braid transmits vibration so much better. The spod rod, though - not sure I really see a massive benefit to braid with that versus cheap 15lb mono and a shock leader (which I would use anyway).

 

Realistically, I won't be fishing at 150 yards, ever, so I could split the braid between the two reels. Or I could use some 20lb Power Pro that I have for spinning, though I'm reluctant to waste that stuff.

 

It is worth the faff of splitting the braid between the two reels, or would you just fill the spod reel with mono and be done with it?

 

 

Steve

 

I use braid for both but mono would be fine.

 

What I prefer with braid against higher strengths mono is when the reel is off rod and not being used braid does not coil off the spool like mono does.

 

I also sometimes use a mini spod which weighing less can be a little more difficult to get distances with accurately and the braid helps with that. I bought a 2nd hand big spod reel that had some old braid on it of quite a thin size. You can buy a special shock leader braid to add to this and end up with a good combination of lighter braid for good casting and strength for giving it plenty when needed.

 

John

[Errrm]

I've decided to retire the beachcasters from spod/marker duties and have bought the TFGear Banshee spod and marker rods and a pair of Mitchel Avospod reels. I've also bought a 300m spool of 30lb Berkley Whiplash braid.

 

Currently trying to decide what to fill the reels with - braid for the marker rod is a no-brainer, braid transmits vibration so much better. The spod rod, though - not sure I really see a massive benefit to braid with that versus cheap 15lb mono and a shock leader (which I would use anyway).

 

Realistically, I won't be fishing at 150 yards, ever, so I could split the braid between the two reels. Or I could use some 20lb Power Pro that I have for spinning, though I'm reluctant to waste that stuff.

 

It is worth the faff of splitting the braid between the two reels, or would you just fill the spod reel with mono and be done with it?

 

When spodding the mono will sink making it so much harder to reel the spod back in, if you use a floating braid then it comes in many times easier and will make spodding much less tiring.

 

Also as John says, I always find mono in higher breaking strains horrible to use.... this might just be personal preference or crap line though but I would always use braid for spodding.

[Anderoo]

Steve, split the braid and use it for both marker and spod reels. Spodding is so much easier with braid, and as Errm says, retreiving it is miles easier than with mono - a quick sharp flick lifts all the line off the water and reeling in the spod is then easy. With mono you'll be reeling in down into the water and it'll drive you mad.

[Steve Walker]

Any idea whether the Wingham crocodiles prefer to crunch sunken spods or surface spods?

 

Sounds like I should split it then - right, the local football pitch is 75 yards wide, I shall need a couple of tent pegs!

[John Weddup]

Any idea whether the Wingham crocodiles prefer to crunch sunken spods or surface spods?

 

Sounds like I should split it then - right, the local football pitch is 75 yards wide, I shall need a couple of tent pegs!

 

 

Do your spod rod first by filling with mono up to where you want to add braid. !00 metres of braid will not fill a great depth on those big reels. Thread your mono onto rod and tie a weight on the end. Drag out about 2 yards of line laying on floor mark floor wind in one complete turn and measure how far one turn gives you in retreive.

 

I would then put about 120 yards on your spod and rest on marker.

 

I don't think you will ever get 120 yards spodding but if you attach it to mono filler material it wouldn't matter if you did.

 

You could always add spod braid shock leader to extend a little.

 

Use the rest on the marker rod where you might chuck it a bit further in plotting out waters and want the line in one solid peice rather than joined.

 

John.

[Si...]

I use 10lb mono and a 30/40lb shockleader when spodding, imho theres no need to use braid on a spod reel as mono does a good enough job, and for the amount of time the spod is in the water, the mono won't sink too far and cause a problem.

Also when clipping up with braid, you run the risk of cracking off due to the lack of stretch, with mono, you have plenty of stretch to prevent that. Also mono is less affected by side winds than braid is.

[Steve Walker]

What I usually do with backing is put the line I want to use on first, then fill to the lip with backing, then swap the spool for a spare and load it from one to the other so that the right line ends up on top.

[Rusty]

Sounds like I should split it then - right, the local football pitch is 75 yards wide, I shall need a couple of tent pegs!

 

So you still haven't bought one of these then

 

 

[Steve Walker]

Old school me, none of your new fangled line counter malarky!

 

Hmm, might have to get me one of those!