lines mono /braid

[the_ bandit]

hi folks .

after watching all the fishing thats been going on on "discovery real time"iv noticed alot of different kinds of lines mentioned , nylon / mono / braid / wire traces etc

can anyone tell me the uses of each of these lines ?
is a braid stronger than mono ? and what is its uses ?

cheers folks again

[BaggieRich]

Right, not really an area I'd call myself an expert, but here goes.

Mono - Short for Monofilament. You bog standard type of line. Several different types of polymer bonded together and extruded through a very small hole. This means that the resultant line has only a single strand (Hence the mono part). Degades over time and in reaction to sunlight. Can be of various test strenghts. Has quite a high stretch meaning that it can be good for absorbing the runs and lunges of fish, but not so good when you want to be in direct contact (when lure fishing). Cheap. Nylon is a type of mono.

Braid - many strands of very, very thin line, braided together to form a thin, very strong single line. has nearly zero stretch, which makes it very good for lure fishing. As it's so strong, you can use a much thinner diameter line when compaired to mono, yet still have the same test strength. Very expensive to buy and again because of the low diameter requires more to fill up a spool. Prone to wind knots if your technique isn't up to scratch. Generally used on fixed spool reels, but I have heard of it used on multi type reels. Has been known to groove through rod rings and slice fingers!

Wire trace - A thin lenght of stranded wire, used as a leader usually for a mono main line. Used when fishing for toothy critters like pike and conger. Simply means that the fish can't bite through the line when hooked.

[the_ bandit]

BaggieRich , i couldnt have asked for a better answer , thanks very much ! i was mainly wondering if a braid was thicker than the equivalant strength in mono ! thinking about mabe getting some on my spare spool for them there pike lures etc !!

thank you

[fishypaul]

if you are reasonably new to fishing i would stick with mono for a while mate. braid is unforgiving,it can tangle easily if you are not careful,mono on the other hand has a stretchiness that can be useful

[Banana Steve]

I would have to Agree with Paul, I use braid for feeder fishing in the winter because the bites are very clear, but once you hook into a big fish it can can be very unforgiving,and i have lost fish because of this. I know use a soft rod for braid fishing.

[the_ bandit]

Originally Posted by fishypaul

if you are reasonably new to fishing i would stick with mono for a while mate. braid is unforgiving,it can tangle easily if you are not careful,mono on the other hand has a stretchiness that can be useful

well that is of great interest ! thats the best thing about this forum , there are so many people with different experience and knowledge !! i probably wouldnt have found out other wise !! thanks guys!!

what would be a good mono line breaking strain for pike ? iv lost 2 pike now because my 6 lb line just doesnt take the thrashing they do ....

[Omahayank]

I'd like to throw in my 2cents worth...

Baggie is dead on about "nylon mono"...

There is also Mono "Fluorocarbon", it is a newer polymer formulation that more closely resembles the density of water, it's great, it virtually disappears under water, BUT it's EXPENSIVE!

Braid...to me (remember I'm old) means braided nylon, polyester or Dacron (usually for trolling). http://www.cortlandline.com/products/default.asp?id=161
Old-timers (older than me) usually use it for cat fishing here. Lead core is in this category too. http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/te...cat600396&rid= and http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/st...10000_100-10-1

"Superbraid" has come to be known just as "Braid" now. It is gel spun polyethylene fibers. http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/te...bcategory&rid=
The 1st brand was called Safariland, which became Spiderwire and is now owned by Berkley.
Safariland didn't begin as a fishing line company.
They manufacture law enforcement equipment. They worked with high tech synthetics to produce bulletproof vests (maybe you've heard of Kevlar?). The gel spun polyethylene fibers used in these vests were ideal for a very thin and incredibly strong fishing line.

The 1st commercially marketed lines were flat. The guy that came up w/the idea of 'fishing line' had to improvise and the 1st product was produced on machinery designed to make dental floss.

Another 'brand' of super braid is Dyneema®, it is an Allied Signal product.

Superbraid will cut through any metal as well as many older ceramic guides, especially after its used and dirty.

Being land locked in Nebraska, my only experience w/wire is multi strand leader for toothy critters like pike and walleye. http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/te...20166-cat20180

Through reading, I know there is also single strand stainless steel ( http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/te...396&hasJS=true )
as well as multi strand copper wires. http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/te...396&hasJS=true

Thanx for letting me go-on, I hope its some help.

Nelson (o;(s

[the_ bandit]

thanks nelson !!!