Hi guys and gals. New to this forum but active on others. I hope you guys can answer a couple of quick questions from a guy that likes and uses old fashioned mono.

But.. I now have a Saros4000 that I am going to put 8/20 fireline on it. My questions are.

Do I need a backing to prevent slippage or can I just use a bulk spool and go straight on with an arbor knot??

Whats the best way to trim a tag end with braided cause its sure not the nail clipper I used when I get out of the shower..

I hope I have not slipped to the dark side with the braided line. I have always been pretty happy with a good mono changed monthly or as needed.

Thanks folks from a fellow water beater. John

use backing. it will save you money, you don't need to fill the whole spool with braid. that would get expensive. i use a lighter to burn away the tag ends of knots, etc. not the most practical way, especially when its windy. most guys use nail clippers or small scissors. gerber makes a pair that are small and cheap.

Exactly what Bart said. Without the mono the braid can slip on the spool.

8/20 is pretty light braid! Use backing.

8/20 is pretty light braid! Use backing.

Not when the 20 in question is Fireline ;) It's also nowhere near as thin as 8 lb mono--more like 15# mono.

But use backing anyway, and use the whole spool. It makes no sense to me to run 125 yards of braid and have to trust your knot. A good fish will run you into the mono if you hit it at the end of a cast, as the Fireline will add yards to your cast. Trying to save a little money by top-shotting braid is being penny wise and pound foolish IMO. Fireline is strong, and very durable. 300 yards will last you several seasons.

All Braid and the other coated super lines such as Fireline will under the right amount of pressure "slip" meaning that the line as a whole will slip around the spool which can cause a nightmare at times. I agree strongly with Mike P that using backing to save money and use less of the Braid is not a good idea, even though many will do so. With both of these seemingly opposite thoughts considered, I either place a single layer of tape (electric or cloth) on the spool and then fill with the Braid...another thing to do is put a one layer thick backing of mono or dacron over the spool and then fill with Braid.

But use backing anyway, and use the whole spool. It makes no sense to me to run 125 yards of braid and have to trust your knot. A good fish will run you into the mono if you hit it at the end of a cast, as the Fireline will add yards to your cast. Trying to save a little money by top-shotting braid is being penny wise and pound foolish IMO. Fireline is strong, and very durable. 300 yards will last you several seasons.

who said they were only putting a 125 yards of braid on their spool? :confused:

Not trying to get away from the question on backing, but have made a discovery when cutting or trimming braid. This happened by necessity while tying in the field. I use a small pocket jacknife that has a pair of scissors in it. The scissors cut braid as clean as an expensive pair and do not fray the line when cutting. The knife is one of the small swiss army type knives that are sold by LL B Sports Authority and other outlets and it fits on my keychain.
The burning the tag end - I am not certain, but I feel the heat leaves a weak spot at the knot causing premature failure. I leave the tag end about a sixteenth long and do not find that a problem. If you are looking for a little extra to help your knot, use a dab of super glue. There is a lot of info on tying knots with braid - check it out in the search section.

I just use a little mono to get started, crank the reel maybe ten times? I can still see the spool.
To cut braid I use a cheap kids scissors probaly $2. work perfect are stainless, and if I loose them, oh well. You can hang them on a little self retracting cord thing for flyfishing, though mine is one for a ski pass.

i just cover the spool width with mono. a couple years back i made the mistake of NOT putting on backing and like stated above, it is a nightmare when you are trying to retrieve and the line is just spinning on the spool.

its really not a question in my book after that.