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505 Posts
Need some opinions on best braided line to try . I`ve used Fireline and Spiderwire and I`ve heard a lot about PowerPro
Braided line
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10,097 Posts
If you use PowerPro . . .
Learn to tie a doubled up Palomar knot for swivels and lures.
I was using a 10-turn improved clinch knot and had it pull right thru a number of times, including this past Sept on what felt like the largest Fluke of the season.
Not good.
Also, I hear good things about Western Filament's T.U.F.-line XP. Only have it on one rod and it went on there right at the end of Fluke season - so no long-term report yet.
Its kinda new and sorta like Powerpro, but the finish on the line is supposed to be longer-lasting.
I've used them all and think the XP is about the best I've tried of the currently available lines, even with the limited use I've given it.
But I STILL think that the old "Gorilla Braid" from Berkeley was the best stuff ever produced - still have it in 30lb on 3 of my deep-water tog rods and will continue to use it till there isn't enough left on the reels to reach the bottom. Sorta like silk in consistancy - dead limp, which I like very much for the reels that get use in very cold weather. Not for use on spinning reels - way too limp for that. Real hard to find though.
You might find some here VERY cheap - if you look under "Lines":
Fisherman's Factory Outlet
rgds, Leprechaun
Learn to tie a doubled up Palomar knot for swivels and lures.
I was using a 10-turn improved clinch knot and had it pull right thru a number of times, including this past Sept on what felt like the largest Fluke of the season.
Not good.
Also, I hear good things about Western Filament's T.U.F.-line XP. Only have it on one rod and it went on there right at the end of Fluke season - so no long-term report yet.
Its kinda new and sorta like Powerpro, but the finish on the line is supposed to be longer-lasting.
I've used them all and think the XP is about the best I've tried of the currently available lines, even with the limited use I've given it.
But I STILL think that the old "Gorilla Braid" from Berkeley was the best stuff ever produced - still have it in 30lb on 3 of my deep-water tog rods and will continue to use it till there isn't enough left on the reels to reach the bottom. Sorta like silk in consistancy - dead limp, which I like very much for the reels that get use in very cold weather. Not for use on spinning reels - way too limp for that. Real hard to find though.
You might find some here VERY cheap - if you look under "Lines":
Fisherman's Factory Outlet
rgds, Leprechaun
Just my 2 cents,...
I've used power pro nothing but problems when used for surfcasting with lures! Wind knots galore using 30lbs & 50lbs test. I'll stick with Fireline.
Never had a problem.
If your using a conventional reel to fish from a boat with bait where you just drop your line then its no problem,... whatever you use mono or braid.
I will admit it did cast further than fireline but not by much but at the cost of aggravation dealing with knots
and re-tying when your trying to catch fish and having a good time " Forget about it". All fish I have caught were in close and not trying to cast to connecticut if you know what I mean.
Well this hobby its all about experimenting and trying new things and technique's but if I knew what I know now I would have saved alot of $$$ and aggravation.
Well not saying you will have bad luck with Power pro because some guys swear by it but just my experience using it.
Took the power pro and thru it in Da Garbage and slapped the Fireline back on!
I've used power pro nothing but problems when used for surfcasting with lures! Wind knots galore using 30lbs & 50lbs test. I'll stick with Fireline.
Never had a problem.
If your using a conventional reel to fish from a boat with bait where you just drop your line then its no problem,... whatever you use mono or braid.
I will admit it did cast further than fireline but not by much but at the cost of aggravation dealing with knots
and re-tying when your trying to catch fish and having a good time " Forget about it". All fish I have caught were in close and not trying to cast to connecticut if you know what I mean.
Well this hobby its all about experimenting and trying new things and technique's but if I knew what I know now I would have saved alot of $$$ and aggravation.
Well not saying you will have bad luck with Power pro because some guys swear by it but just my experience using it.
Took the power pro and thru it in Da Garbage and slapped the Fireline back on!
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51 Posts
its not really braided line but has anyone ever used spider wire's super wire. i found it for a great price on a web site and was wondering if anyone has ever used it 
(This post edited by GrassClippins on 02/09/2003)
(This post edited by GrassClippins on 02/09/2003)
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1,938 Posts
PowerPro
i recently switched to power pro and have nothing but praise. limp, zero stretch, super thin, and easy to tie.i use only a doubled palomar for terminal connections or if using a leader an alberto knot (modified albright, do a google search and youll find it). in frantic situations i double it up with a double overhand and tie a uni to uni to my leader. this works too.
i use 50lb on my bottom outfit and can get away with a 5oz while others are using 8oz
i use 30lb on my surf spinning outfits (lure and bait) and have had only 2 or 3 easy to untangle wind knots.
i recently switched to power pro and have nothing but praise. limp, zero stretch, super thin, and easy to tie.i use only a doubled palomar for terminal connections or if using a leader an alberto knot (modified albright, do a google search and youll find it). in frantic situations i double it up with a double overhand and tie a uni to uni to my leader. this works too.
i use 50lb on my bottom outfit and can get away with a 5oz while others are using 8oz
i use 30lb on my surf spinning outfits (lure and bait) and have had only 2 or 3 easy to untangle wind knots.
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9,561 Posts
Anyone find Power Pro lays on teh spool like crap? LEt's say I'm fishing 60-foot of ater, then move out to 100 foot. Once I get past that 60 foot mark, the line is all warped and semi-loose on the spoool. I DO wind it on with enough tension, I have this problem on rods where I use 12oz sinkers at 17, and the next tim eI go, if we stop at a shallower spot, when we go deep the line is not perfect on teh spool. Whiplash is not like that at all, so I know it's teh PP.
I actually do not like PP one bit. Whiplash (65#) handles much better, lays on the spool better, and breaks off consistantly EVERY time (GT is my witness to this). The only problem, if it's a problem, it that it's a tad thcker than some GSP's, so it is affected by current a little more. I think Tuf Line is eventhicker than Whip, but I cannot verify as I'm not sure if GW8 was using 80 or 65.
A look into Billy 40's brain - I'm waiting for them to come out with soemsort of laser line - you know, like laser tag. YOu put a special tip on the rod & a small transducer on your bait/lure. The rod tip controls the bait with a laser ray or something. No tangles, infinate casting, etc.
I actually do not like PP one bit. Whiplash (65#) handles much better, lays on the spool better, and breaks off consistantly EVERY time (GT is my witness to this). The only problem, if it's a problem, it that it's a tad thcker than some GSP's, so it is affected by current a little more. I think Tuf Line is eventhicker than Whip, but I cannot verify as I'm not sure if GW8 was using 80 or 65.
A look into Billy 40's brain - I'm waiting for them to come out with soemsort of laser line - you know, like laser tag. YOu put a special tip on the rod & a small transducer on your bait/lure. The rod tip controls the bait with a laser ray or something. No tangles, infinate casting, etc.
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261 Posts
Power pro
I started using powerpro (moss green)for the first time last spring. I spooled a few of my baitcasting outfits with 20 and 30lb for ocean fluking. So far so good, it really has its purpose. As was already said, there is very little stretch, thin diameter (thus less lead), less memory, limper that fireline, etc, compared to the average mono. The main reason I use the braid is because you can use less lead than you would with mono, and second, it is sensitive. There are also times when I prefer mono depending on the situation. That's why you have to own and bring several rods each trip for one specie of fish...lol. To be honest, when reeling in a fish I prefer the feel of mono; it is a much smoother feeling as Bad Attitude has told me before. I have never tried it on a spinning reel, and I rarely use spinning reels over baitcasters. I use this line strictly for bottom fishing.
As far as knots go, I prefer the uni to uni knot to connect the backing to the powerpro. Some guys use the albright. I tend to always use fishfinder rigs for fluking, and yes, the powerpro does make grooves in the nylon sinker slide. This occasionally makes the sinker get stuck on the line so I replace the slide every few trips. I prefer the uni knot to connect the powerpro to my barrel swivel. The palomar is also a very good knot and is probably stronger b/c of the double line. The uni knot can be doubled too though.
It's funny, I've been working in a tackle shop for about four years now between school/college. From what I've seen, almost every spool of powerpro has a different tint of color to it. Sometimes you get a nice dark spool of the green, other times you will get a whiter colored spool of green. I prefer the darker because its protective coating seems to last longer. Powerpro also comes in white, yellow and a few other colors.
I never had powerpro groove my guides, but I have seen it happen. I have never used Fireline, it seems more wirelike to me, but I shouldn't pass judgement on something I havn't used. Just my thoughts.
Makomagic jr
(This post edited by Makomagic on 02/15/2003)
I started using powerpro (moss green)for the first time last spring. I spooled a few of my baitcasting outfits with 20 and 30lb for ocean fluking. So far so good, it really has its purpose. As was already said, there is very little stretch, thin diameter (thus less lead), less memory, limper that fireline, etc, compared to the average mono. The main reason I use the braid is because you can use less lead than you would with mono, and second, it is sensitive. There are also times when I prefer mono depending on the situation. That's why you have to own and bring several rods each trip for one specie of fish...lol. To be honest, when reeling in a fish I prefer the feel of mono; it is a much smoother feeling as Bad Attitude has told me before. I have never tried it on a spinning reel, and I rarely use spinning reels over baitcasters. I use this line strictly for bottom fishing.
As far as knots go, I prefer the uni to uni knot to connect the backing to the powerpro. Some guys use the albright. I tend to always use fishfinder rigs for fluking, and yes, the powerpro does make grooves in the nylon sinker slide. This occasionally makes the sinker get stuck on the line so I replace the slide every few trips. I prefer the uni knot to connect the powerpro to my barrel swivel. The palomar is also a very good knot and is probably stronger b/c of the double line. The uni knot can be doubled too though.
It's funny, I've been working in a tackle shop for about four years now between school/college. From what I've seen, almost every spool of powerpro has a different tint of color to it. Sometimes you get a nice dark spool of the green, other times you will get a whiter colored spool of green. I prefer the darker because its protective coating seems to last longer. Powerpro also comes in white, yellow and a few other colors.
I never had powerpro groove my guides, but I have seen it happen. I have never used Fireline, it seems more wirelike to me, but I shouldn't pass judgement on something I havn't used. Just my thoughts.
Makomagic jr
(This post edited by Makomagic on 02/15/2003)
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284 Posts
i have been using the power pro on my boat for the 2002 season for bottom fishing inshore wrecks etc... i have had great success with it, also, i have noticed one thing with the fire line. While fluking in the ocean last season, i noticed i held bottom better with the power pro than the fireline. I took a closer look at the fire line in comparison to the power pro and found the fire line to look kinda flat , the power pro looked more round shaped, therefore i think the powerpro had less resistance in the water. But both, in my opinion, are good lines.
I have been using T.U.F line plus(white) for the past 4 years after being intoduced to it up in Alaska while Halibut fishing. Have a spool of 80LB test and have caught dozens of halibut up to 180 lbs on it as well as hundreds of cod up in Hyannis on the Helen H. The line is five years old now and still going strong. I use an improved clinch knot which holds up great. Believe you can get it from Shark River Mail Order.com.
(This post edited by EdP35 on 02/17/2003)
(This post edited by EdP35 on 02/17/2003)
(This post edited by EdP35 on 02/17/2003)
(This post edited by EdP35 on 02/17/2003)
TUF Line
I've been using TUF line for thrre years now and I wouldn't go back to mono. I use 50 lb on bass rods for jigging, bucktailing and eeling in the Gut and Race and 35lb for fluke and blackfish.
Great sensitivity, no stretch and extremely durable. Prior poster was raight, Shark River has it, SRMO.com.
I've been using TUF line for thrre years now and I wouldn't go back to mono. I use 50 lb on bass rods for jigging, bucktailing and eeling in the Gut and Race and 35lb for fluke and blackfish.
Great sensitivity, no stretch and extremely durable. Prior poster was raight, Shark River has it, SRMO.com.
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9,561 Posts
I never had powerpro groove my guides, but I have seen it happen.
What guides, and what were the fishing conditions that caused this to occur? The only braid which actully grooved guides that I am aware of is the first Spiderwire that came out. I believe sand and grit would become embedded in teh line, and act like a chainsaw through the inserts. Again, it wasn't the line, but whatever was getting stuck in it.
What guides, and what were the fishing conditions that caused this to occur? The only braid which actully grooved guides that I am aware of is the first Spiderwire that came out. I believe sand and grit would become embedded in teh line, and act like a chainsaw through the inserts. Again, it wasn't the line, but whatever was getting stuck in it.
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261 Posts
Billy 40
Working in a tackle shop you get to see all the rod repairs, etc. Not everybody who fishes uses quality guides, and the cheaper ones tend to not last as long as fugi's, etc. In the shop I work at, we don't carry spirewire for the reason you mentioned. I have seen several surf rods that were grooved, usually in the tip area, but from powerpro. I really don't know what caused this to happen and what the conditions were. Possibly there were defects in the guides to begin with. Powerpro is more of a rounder shaped line so it really shouldn't groove guides like the older fireline, etc. I really enjoy using powerpro and have had no problems.
Makomagic jr
(This post edited by Makomagic on 02/18/2003)
Working in a tackle shop you get to see all the rod repairs, etc. Not everybody who fishes uses quality guides, and the cheaper ones tend to not last as long as fugi's, etc. In the shop I work at, we don't carry spirewire for the reason you mentioned. I have seen several surf rods that were grooved, usually in the tip area, but from powerpro. I really don't know what caused this to happen and what the conditions were. Possibly there were defects in the guides to begin with. Powerpro is more of a rounder shaped line so it really shouldn't groove guides like the older fireline, etc. I really enjoy using powerpro and have had no problems.
Makomagic jr
(This post edited by Makomagic on 02/18/2003)
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9,561 Posts
I wasn't doubting you, I knew you worked in a tackle shop, and therefor would see a lot more than most of us here. That's why I asked. I was curious if you had seen Fuji's groove, and if so what they were doing - so I can avoid a possible problem with my own gear (as if I fish enough to groove anything anyway)
Thanks for the reply.
Thanks for the reply.
billy40,
tightly wound spectra shouldn't bury the way you describe it. i've tried winding it on by hand using heavy gloves and another person to apply pressure to the linespool, only to watch it bury itself partially under the pressure of school-sized tuna. brought it back to a shop with a good line machine and a very experienced reel technician put it on absolutely rock hard; no burying anymore. i think you need a lot more pressure to wind spectra on conventional reels which are under heavy load than say, a surf spinning reel.
tightly wound spectra shouldn't bury the way you describe it. i've tried winding it on by hand using heavy gloves and another person to apply pressure to the linespool, only to watch it bury itself partially under the pressure of school-sized tuna. brought it back to a shop with a good line machine and a very experienced reel technician put it on absolutely rock hard; no burying anymore. i think you need a lot more pressure to wind spectra on conventional reels which are under heavy load than say, a surf spinning reel.
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261 Posts
Grooves
Billy,
I don't believe any of the guides grooved that I've seen were Fugi's. The only occasion I remember that a fugi was grooved was because the guide was previosly cracked and the powerpro got into the crack and grooved it, and eventually cut the powerpro. The grooving wasn't the fault of the powerpro, it happened because of the crack. The grooving wouldn't have happened if the crack wasn't there. I think last year I only saw about 2 rods come in that had cheap guides that were grooved.
From what I have seen, usually lower end, no name guides that are low quality will eventually groove. I guess they are soft guides. If you fish rods with Fugi guides and use powerpro, I wouldn't be worried at all. The round shape of the powerpro is better for the guides than other flat shaped braids. I recommend you check each guide every once in a while with a Q-tip to see if there are any cracks in the guide. The Q-tip will get hung up on the crack if there are any.
In closing, if you fish decent rods with guides like Fugi, Pac Bay, and others, I wouldn't be worried about using powerpro. I don't build rods, but I bet Capt. Neil can add more to this discussion with all of his knowledge, as well as Togmaster and EC.
Makomagic jr
(This post edited by Makomagic on 02/18/2003)
Billy,
I don't believe any of the guides grooved that I've seen were Fugi's. The only occasion I remember that a fugi was grooved was because the guide was previosly cracked and the powerpro got into the crack and grooved it, and eventually cut the powerpro. The grooving wasn't the fault of the powerpro, it happened because of the crack. The grooving wouldn't have happened if the crack wasn't there. I think last year I only saw about 2 rods come in that had cheap guides that were grooved.
From what I have seen, usually lower end, no name guides that are low quality will eventually groove. I guess they are soft guides. If you fish rods with Fugi guides and use powerpro, I wouldn't be worried at all. The round shape of the powerpro is better for the guides than other flat shaped braids. I recommend you check each guide every once in a while with a Q-tip to see if there are any cracks in the guide. The Q-tip will get hung up on the crack if there are any.
In closing, if you fish decent rods with guides like Fugi, Pac Bay, and others, I wouldn't be worried about using powerpro. I don't build rods, but I bet Capt. Neil can add more to this discussion with all of his knowledge, as well as Togmaster and EC.
Makomagic jr
(This post edited by Makomagic on 02/18/2003)
Power Pro
Tuff Line's okay too. I only use it for pretty much bottom fishing though. I fish it pretty much for the added sensitvity that the line gives me, not because the smaller diameter, allows me to use lighter sinkers. I have found that after repeated use day in day out, that the lighter braids just don't hold up the way that the heavier stuff does. I use 65PPro for pretty much all of my "light duty" (porgy, seabass, fluke, flounder) inshore fishing because the diameter is that of 12lb mono. When it comes to frogs I'm up in the 80-100lb range of PPro. Basically my sinker weight varies, but I have been known to fish heavier than usual, and usually hold my own Always use a 15-20ft mono shock leader that is species dependent via uni-uni. No swivel, we don't need no f'in swivel.
Tuff Line's okay too. I only use it for pretty much bottom fishing though. I fish it pretty much for the added sensitvity that the line gives me, not because the smaller diameter, allows me to use lighter sinkers. I have found that after repeated use day in day out, that the lighter braids just don't hold up the way that the heavier stuff does. I use 65PPro for pretty much all of my "light duty" (porgy, seabass, fluke, flounder) inshore fishing because the diameter is that of 12lb mono. When it comes to frogs I'm up in the 80-100lb range of PPro. Basically my sinker weight varies, but I have been known to fish heavier than usual, and usually hold my own
Always use a 15-20ft mono shock leader that is species dependent via uni-uni. No swivel, we don't need no f'in swivel.1 - 20 of 22 Posts
