what size and type of braid

[Saltheart]

One way of deciding is to determine what the heaviest braid you can use is that your reel will hold at least 300 yards of.

Another way is to decide what's the thinest you dare grab with a bare hand.

Personally , I use 50 LB spectron and 35 LB spectron. spectron is thicker and tougher than most.

With braid , its not so much the pound test you need as the abrasion and shock resistance. Thats why I think using the heaviest that will fit on your reel with enough length is a good way to decide .

Brand are tricky as they seem to come and go or change all the time. Ten years ago I would have recommended Cortland Spectron and Whiplash. Whiplash is now gone and Spectron changed so Neither are good choices anymore.

Do a search and see what Mike P is using. He did a lot of studying the braids maybe 2 or 3 years ago.

[piemma]

Originally Posted by Saltheart

One way of deciding is to determine what the heaviest braid you can use is that your reel will hold at least 300 yards of.

Another way is to decide what's the thinest you dare grab with a bare hand.

Personally , I use 50 LB spectron and 35 LB spectron. spectron is thicker and tougher than most.

With braid , its not so much the pound test you need as the abrasion and shock resistance. Thats why I think using the heaviest that will fit on your reel with enough length is a good way to decide .

Brand are tricky as they seem to come and go or change all the time. Ten years ago I would have recommended Cortland Spectron and Whiplash. Whiplash is now gone and Spectron changed so Neither are good choices anymore.

Do a search and see what Mike P is using. He did a lot of studying the braids maybe 2 or 3 years ago.

Spectron Master Braid is the BEST!!!

[Mike P]

Try Berkley Big Game braid. Same price range as Power Pro, but rounder, smoother, stronger, and much more abrasion-resistant.

I've been using it since 2006, and have yet to suffer a single "mystery break" which is the scourge of Power Pro.

Stren Superbraid used to be a good choice, too, for a little more money, but they discontinued it and now make something called Sonic Braid, which I've yet to try.

Master Braid is also an excellent choice for maximum strength and abrasion-resistance, but the price has gone way up over the last couple of years. And it's thicker than other braids in the same pound tests. But, it consistently ranks highest of all of them in dead-pull break strength. You can probably use 30# test where you'd run 50# in other brands.

[mfm22]

Been using power pro for a few years always 40lb green .
I will use the same spool for a while ..I flip it .[respooltop beomes bottom]
I find once its broken in /soft and no breakoffs its great .
no wind Knots . Need not worry about that on dark night with a nice Nor'easter blow'n

[JohnnySaxatilis]

30# pp on my small outfit 8ft rod and cabo pt40. if you're using surface plugs that require walk the dog techniques, i dont care what kind of line ur usin its guna get twisted. 40#pp on my bigger outfit 10ft rod and vs200.

and 60# mono on this sick rig in the picture.................................. those perch hit like 40 pounders