braid or mono ??

ive just started using power pro braid 50lb bs after years of mono use. it was recommended to be by a m8. i,m still unsure as to whether i like the stuff or not. first time of using it i lost 2 pike in same session. previously on mono, i seriously hardly ever lost one. not good i thought.

after a few trips out recently, i appear to be getting the hang of it. striking is a different kettle of fish with braid i seem to find, or is it just me being a bit cautious cause it doesnt have any stretch ?

also on casting i feel i,m not casting as hard in fear of the hooks pulling out from the bait. is this normal ?? ive used the same rods for years and never felt this before with mono.

anyone else switched to braid recently and felt this way ?

i will give it a while before i decide whether to go back to mono or not.

answers on a postcard please !!

Although not a recent change i done like you changed from mono to braid and more or less had similar issues like yourself after 6 months use, i,m back on mono now for the last five years with no regrets

interesting !! not just me that felt it is strange stuff then ?

i,m out piking tomorrow early and will give the braid a bit more heave ho and see what happens with the cast.

just got the rigs ready, bait out the freezer later, then up for an early start at my local water.

cant wait, maybe another 20lb laying in wait !

Changed to braid about 15 years ago for couple of seasons. I am now back on the mono Berkley trilene big game(never use anything else) Alot of the waters i fished werent suitable for braid so i ended up changing from session to session in the end decided there was more cons than pros and binned it off. I do however still have a couple of spools of fireline and i use crystal fireline for my surface carping in the summer. And obviously its a must on the jerkbait rod.

the only time i ues the stuff now is on a drifter rod because of the obvious line pick up time and on my jerk bait rod but all other rods mono if your striking into a very big fish at close range i think mono actually helps ie absorbs the wieght better if you know what i mean rather than ripping it out on braid.....

yer, i went out piking again today ( 1st dec 11 ) and gave the casting a bit more stick but i still get that feeling the hooks are gonna pull from the bait.

i can see what you all mean about braid for a drift float at long range. piece of cake with braid, but i dont tend to fish long range so do i really need braid ? thats the question i ask myself.

i just feel mono has that little extra flex on the cast. i can easily put a half mack 80 -90 yds with mono. bout 5 feet with braid !! LOL !

Braid for me any day of the week and i dont fret about casting baits off as i used to do that with mono.

What rods are you on?

i use the daiwa dictator z 12ft 3lb tc.
i love um. they seem to suit my fishing perfectly for what i want.

i am getting more used to the braid as time goes on, but not sure yet whether i will stick with it or not.
i do like the thinness of it combined with a heavy breaking strain, makes perfect sense really.

I made the transition from mono to braid a few seasons ago and use Powerpro: 40lb for deadbaiting and lures, 10lb for dropshotting and small spinners and during Summer I use 15lb for floater fish when after carp.

The only problems I've ever had with it is when trying to cast too light a lure/spinner or casting on a windy day. That's when you find out just how frustrating the dreaded "bird's nest" really is.

doug6364 wrote:i use the daiwa dictator z 12ft 3lb tc.
i love um. they seem to suit my fishing perfectly for what i want.

i am getting more used to the braid as time goes on, but not sure yet whether i will stick with it or not.
i do like the thinness of it combined with a heavy breaking strain, makes perfect sense really.

Its great the rods suit braid as well being through actioned.