Fishing Braid
Braided line has seen a culture shift with anglers moving over to the mainline over the last three to 30 years, with many more using this ultra-thin material. Different braids have been manufactured by changing the composition of the strands and fibres, creating unique characteristics that make them more flexible and durable when casting and playing with fish.
Carp, coarse, and predator anglers are heavily into braided fishing lines because they last longer and can deal better with underwater snags. Braids have also become much smoother, and because they are so thin, they cast further than monofilament. Another big advantage is their lack of stretch, which helps detect bites when fishing long-range and connecting with takes more directly. The best fishing knots to use with braid are the Grinner and Palomar.
Braided fishing lines are much harder to damage, allowing anglers to experiment with more demanding angling methods while striving for specimen fish or bigger catches.
For lure fishing, braid allows anglers to cast longer distances because it causes far less friction as it travels through the rod rings. The latest braids are perfect for all types of lure fishing and spinning, often replacing monofilament altogether.
Best Braided Fishing Lines
The team at Carp.com has looked at all the fishing braids on the market and comparisons between products. Before going into this, the main difference is the fibres, which give braided lines special characteristics. These can influence how the line sinks or floats, strength-to-diameter ratios, improved casting and suppleness. So anglers need to pick a braid that meets their exact needs based on their style of fishing. Over the last 20 years, braids have grown in popularity with anglers in the United Kingdom and worldwide.
With so many fishing braids on the market, we will focus on three of the most well-known products in the United Kingdom and Europe. This article will consider performance, useability, properties and which braids are suited to certain angling styles.
Berkley X9
Berkley X9 is one of the latest braided lines for fishing, so named because it has 8 fibres plus a 9th strand that holds everything together. This braid's characteristics make it a superior mainline, which casts like a dream, providing high abrasion resistance and excellent strength. However, when cast and retrieved, most braids can be very noisy as they travel through the rod's line guides, an issue that applies to many products. Berkley X9 solves that problem while achieving the perfect balance between superior performance and trouble-free usage.
Reducing line grate, an annoying downside with braids in the past, lets you concentrate more on your fishing. Long-range casting isn't a problem, either. This product leaves the spool sweetly when carp fishing, casting well with both Baitrunner and Big Pit Reel designs. Another advantage of snag-angling is that the mainline has an enhanced feel factor, which helps you work your way around underwater obstructions. Finally, X9 Braid, due to its technical prowess and smooth exterior finish, enables you to catch more fish.
As mentioned, Grinner and Palomar knots work very well with this braid, which is ideal for lure, specialist, feeder and carp fishing.
Benefits
· Low noise when casting regularly
· Round profile due to 9-fibre construction
· Extremely thin with high abrasion resistance
Drawbacks
· Expensive, but that's due to high quality
· Not as well-known as many other European brands
Sufix 832 Fishing Braid
Sufix 832 is a next-generation braid made with 8 fibres, constructed with 32 weaves over every inch. This gives high tensile strength and makes the product durable for its thin diameter. The fibre combination is 7 filaments of Dyneema and one known as Gore, which, when woven together, produces a braid with sensitivity and strength that doesn't take in water. The Gore fibre has been introduced to protect the braid from damage, creating an outer coating that gives a smoother surface, reduces noise and aids hook penetration.
Gore fibre eliminates the chances of the threads cutting into one another in high-impact situations, such as vigorous casting and setting the hook over big distances. This braid is supple and performs well for nearly all fishing applications.
Benefits
· Amazing knot strength
· Low diameter; zero stretch
· Greater casting potential
· Excellent breaking strain-to-diameter ratio
Drawbacks
· Super thin nature can cause wind knots in lower diameters
PowerPro
This braid has been well tried and tested, becoming a firm favourite with many anglers. It only has 4 fibres, and the finish is not as smooth when compared to the other items discussed. However, PowerPro braided lines have proved effective in almost any situation. Being so thin, this line is brilliant for lure fishing, even though other makes are quieter when casting and retrieving different types of lures. The low diameters and feel factor are winning features.
Benefits
· Brilliant at detecting and then avoiding snags
· High levels of abrasion resistance
· Fantastic knot strength
Drawbacks
· Irregular finish
· Noisy nature when casting or playing fish
Our Favourite Braided Fishing Line
After evaluating all fishing braids, our firm favourite is the American Berkley X9 due to its durability and all-around performance for carp, lure fishing, jigging and feeder applications. Our team cannot fault this product, which is perfect for most angling situations.
Why not make the jump and give braided fishing lines a try? After loading up your reel with this ultra-thin line, you won't be disappointed. It casts like a dream, gains improved distance, provides a better feel, and gives superior control due to its lack of stretch.
Benefits of Braid Over Monofilament
The significant benefit of braid is it's not affected by sunlight, which doesn't make it deteriorate in the way harmful rays can affect mono lines. Therefore, braided reel lines tend to last a lot longer than mono; up to a year or more of extended usage is not unusual. The only time braid might show any damage is in the area near where it meets the rig. This is caused by casting friction, where a small length might occasionally need to be removed.
Improved Diameter to Breaking Strain
One of the biggest reasons for the trend over to braid is its strength-to-diameter ratio compared to mono. For example, a 12lb mono reel line would have a similar diameter to a 60lb breaking strain braid, so a braid lets you reduce diameter considerably and retain excellent strength. This means it flows off the reel and runs through the rod rings far more smoothly, gaining better casting distance and less effort. In addition, braid greatly reduces resistance and makes fishing with this material a more pleasurable experience.
Hypersensitivity
Another of the braid's biggest strengths is its lack of stretch. It allows anglers to feel what is occurring underwater better than other types of mainlines by transmitting down the rod any movements the end tackle makes as it's wound in. Due to the almost zero stretch factor, hitting takes, and setting hooks are far more direct. Feeder anglers appreciate this advantage because bites show up far more clearly, particularly when using quivertips as indicators and at extreme ranges. Braid is brilliant for catfish, lure and feeder fishing. It gives you a better feel for what is happening under the water.