I know this is off topic, but it is my first time loading baitcasting reels with braid. My questions are - 1) Do I need to stay with 8lb diameter (30lb braid) to keep the line from digging into itself on the spool? Or will 20/6 work okay? 2) For baitcasters is there a preference for the stiffer fused lines over the true braids or does it not matter? Any advice on number of strands, fused vs. braid, or anything else would be welcome.

What I do is load up about half the spool with mono, but that dependson the size of the spool, then fill the rest with braid. If you use only braid, is can slip on the spool. By using the mono it will not slip and also you don't need to fill the whole spool with the braided line.

I fill the first part of the spool with electrical tape. The braid won't dig into it. Then just tye the braid on the spool, over the tape and I tape the knot down and go from there to finish spooling. Never had a problem with this method.
Jeff Davis

1) I'm not sure what you're going after but I'd be hard pressed to use 30# braid unless you're going through some really nasty and heavy cover. But you know bassers, gotta use 65# braid to land a 10# fish. I would suggest a mono backing , just enough to cover the spool. Tie the 2 together and load her up.

2) While I don't braid on my bait casters, just about any of the lines on the market should be fine. I'm partial to Sufix though and their new 832 line seems to be pretty good.

Marty,
If possible, consider the use of a hole in the spool of a bait caster to tie the braided line to. Most of the new bait casters on the market are now coming with a hole or holes in the backing of the spool, to tie the line. By tying the line to a hole in the line spool, it will be impossible for the line to slip.

Certianly the use of a large diameter line will prevent the digging of line into a line spool. Many of todays bait and spinning reels now come with two different reels. One spool of a deeper depth for mono line, and one spool of a shalower depth for braided line.
You can do the same thing by filling the line 1/2 full with heavy mono, and then putting a couple layers of electrical tape over the line. You now have the same effect as a spool of 1/2 the size. Tie your braid to the spool and you will be good to go. The mono backing and tape will keep the braid from slipping. This also has the advantange of allowing you to fully fill your spool with 1/2 the amount of line.

Good luck
Roger

My minimum suggest line weight is 30# for all but the most advanced casters. It isn't about the test rating, it is about the diameter ... as you indicated. Many of my clients use 40# and even 50# to help with manageability and casting control. I also use electrical tape without a mono backing. After the line starts to wear, I load it to another reel ... reversing it and getting 2X the lifespan.

Hope this helps.

If you search the net, you can come, up with what is probably the best available write up on Spectra or braided lines. It's written by Jerry Brown, manufacturer of some of the best lines on the market. His tutorial explains the methods of proper spooling and use of the braids. Interestingly enough, no tape or backing is suggested and simple knot attachment to spool is all that's required. Like most things fishing related (and rod building!!) there is no shortage of myths and "systems". But in most cases a little research to find the facts is all that's needed. That aside, the key to spooling braid is TENSION, it will dig in if not laid down with force.

Braid Dig In Bait Casting Reels:

Line bury can be minimized by how you load the reel..

Overfill the spool above the level needed using normal line tensioners.

You will be surprised at how much slack is removed by this procedure.

Walk off all braid down to the small amount of backing..

Tie it off -

Pull as much tension as you can whille treating the line with Braid Aid - available from Swampland Tackle

When you pull the braind tight on lower layers it will not allow deep packing - even on a hard hook set.

Get in installed properly and the problems with "bury" tendencies will be greatly minimized.

Using braid has nothing to do with luck!

Bill,
The only issue I see with spooling it that tight is, what happens when you cast and retrieve? Are you supposed to unspool it and pack it back on after every cast? The only time it'll ever be packed that tightly is when you first do it, after that, it's all loose again.
Not saying that's not the way to do it (that's how I spool my spinning reels) but we need to realize it doesn't stay that way.

To add to this discussion, I'll add my own myths. First, braid has a much longer life than mono, IMO. However, to economize even further, I also fill the spool half way, or so, with mono before adding braid. Among other things, I don't need more braid than the distance I can cast, but to maximize the cast, you need to fill the spool. Second, I have had braids that did dig into the spool. I have used others that rarely did so. Typically, these days I'll use either Power Pro or Sonic Braid and I put it on the reel with quite a bit of tension. Finally, I have 30/8 on all my baitcasting reels. To me, this seems to be the happy medium. On the other hand, I never go lower than 20/6 for any purposes. I have known of instances where smaller diameter lines have slipped through the gap in the eye of a hook, and, if you use a leader, the smaller lines will cut the mono much more easily. There is nothing authoritative in any of my comments.
Slainte,
Hunter

From ghoulies and ghosties,
and long leggedy beasties,
and things that go bump in the night,
Good Lord deliver us!

Mathew by putting it on that tight then casting the braid that is still on the spool after the cast stays tight. That is were it starts digging at not with the line thats in the water.

Marty like Jim said a small diameter line is alot harder to control with a baitcaster. I use 65# or better with a 20-25# floro leader about 5' long. this works great and I never have any problems.

Backing or tape is a must in my opinion.

Steven Franatovich Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Mathew by putting it on that tight then casting
> the braid that is still on the spool after the
> cast stays tight. That is were it starts digging
> at not with the line thats in the water.
>


I understand that but that still doesn't help with the line that you're casting, especially if you're hooking fish that will pull drag. That'll dig in a heart beat.

Many of us cover the spool holes with Teflon plumber's tape or electrical tape to help keep water out of the bearings. And, yes, the holes on some reels are open to the shaft bearings. Electrical tape is heavy if you use a lot of it, and some casters will feel that the mass causes the spool to start slow for pitching light stuff.

I put on cheap mono backing (wound tight) and only about 75 yards of braid. I reverse it onto another reel, as Jim does, after it wears.

In my experience, spider wire stealth was terrible for digging in and back lashing. I use PP and Suffix now.

_________________________________________
"Angling is extremely time consuming.
That's sort of the whole point." - Thomas McGuane

To tell you the truth I got away from braided years ago. I throw floro mostly 17-20#. I havent't found were braided is 100% necessary even in the thick grass mats. Braides are to visible under water even in stainded water. If you get the right floro thats tough as nails and is invisible under water you can't go wrong.

I honestly wouldn't trade my Power Pro for anything... It just works for me. I use the 30 on many of my casters! You will have no problems if you follow the others advice. I have tried Suffix (not the 832), Tuff line, Power Pro, my second choice would most likely be Stealth.

Tom

I mostly use braid for pitchin / flippin and use a mono filler for about 1/2 the spool. Any of the braids work OK for me in those applications. For true casting use, the Stren has been the friendliest I have tried to date. It seems to hold shape a little better and not flatten out as much, which helps with the digging in issue. Power Pro is my go to for spinning use. I haven't used any of the recent releases.

I'm going to try braid on my baitcaster for the first ime this fall Salmon season. I've got my spool loaded with braid but with mono underneath. But I'm rethinking maybe I'll respool it with all mono and just put 100 yards of braid on the outside. I'm interested in mainly using the thinner line for drifting and the hook setting ability. I'm more concerned with tying braid to mono than I am with it digging into itself on the spool.

For braid to mono connection, I suggest a nail knot splice or an albright knot. The most important aspect is finishing your knot ... pull it down ALL the way. That has to be the #1 that most knots fail - not having them snug.

1. when using a mono backing put on enough braid to never reach your mono/braid knot. EVEN if you loose 1/2 your braided line in a freak snag. If you dont put enough braid on top and you do loose part of your braid, you will have issues during the cast getting to or near the union of the mono/braid. I simply use thin clear office style double backed tape on my spool and no mono backing at all. This way when the braid wears, I can reverse the line on the spool and wear out the other end giving me "new" fishing line from the same old line I bought two years ago.

2. fighting fish, slipping drags are not going to cause you dig in troubles with braid. We night fish for striped bass 1/2 the year with braid, these are BIG powerful fish that keep you in a tug of war just holding onto the rod unable to even gain line, not once have we had a dig in issue. Quality reels, proper spooling of line! Most al dig in troubles are related to snagging or casting issues.

3. Many knots will join braid, you can go to powerpro.com and they will show you all the recommenced ones.

3. Visibility, ALL LINES are visible underwater. None are invisible. Some are more visible yes, and to some species this matters, and others it does not. Know your fish.

4. Think of braided line in diameters and use the line diameter you are USE to using in mono and go down in tests from there as you learn the quirks of spectra. Keeping in mind that abraision resistance is all about diameter, the thinner the line, the LESS abraision resistance you will have.

DR

me to I will not give up my power pro I like filling my reel 80 % Mon 10% because you may only use max of 50 ft that way the spool lasts for 10 tournament on sizes desponds on what you are fishing if I'm fishing frog over mats of grass laley pads I like 50 to 80 flipping too crank baits I open water ledges 10 to 20 strucker I like 20 to 30 cat fishing I like 80