A unique website dedicated to fishing information from Florida's Northern Big Bend. This includes the area from the Econfina River west to the Apalachicola River
I got into a conversation recently on the tackle aisle at Wal-Mart with another guy looking for line on sale. He asked if braided line would wear out the guides on a rod. I said I didn't think so. But later I thought about the worn-out guides and broken tips I've replaced. Is it really a problem? Any thoughts on how to limit damage?
I would have asked this at the social, but I was too busy eating and checking raffle tickets.
I'm sure somebody knows more than me; but, I think that was a problem when braids first came out. I think now, they coat the braid to try to prevent this problem.
"Why does Sea World have a seafood restaurant?? I'm halfway through my fish burger and I realize, Oh man....I could be eating a slow learner."
I never had any problems with it on my offshore rods or my girly spinning rods....I'm woking on a girly spinning outfit now for throwing light plastics...I plan on using 20lb or less braid
I mostly use braid on lighter rods too, and some on manly surf rods for sneaky eaters, like whiting and flounder. Come to think of it, I don't use much "pure braid" like Power Pro. It's kinda hard to knot and cut.
Yo-Zuri is a good compromise to me. It feels like it casts light lures better, which may or may not be true.
Anyway, I do seem to have had a bunch of guides and tips needing TLC lately. Maybe they're just girly.
The braids do damage the guides. It will saw through them over a period of time. I have 1 rod I use braid on. I've replaced 4 guides on that rod. 1 was cut completely through.I also witnessed my son getting braid wrapped around a rod tip, about 4" from the end of the rod. Rather than carefully undoing the line, he snatched it. Cut the rod tip right off.
I have 1 rod I use braid on. Its my CT spinning rod. I have not had 1 problem with the braid wearing out the guides. It's also the rod that gets used the most during the year.
I used to fish braid exclusively on all my reels and never noticed any unnatural wear and tear do to the braid. I personally think it is a myth made up by mono manufacturers.
I switched to mono due to cost and for the stretch factor. For saltwater fish you need stretch in your line sometimes.
I use braided line (on my shimano bait caster) mainly for chasing Sheepshead. You need to have a good touch and hook-set to get the bigger sheepies. Threaded line does not give or stretch so I get a quicker hook-set transmission without any line stretching that you would experience with mono lines. I am experimenting with 15$ or 20# braided on one of my spinning reels and I get longer casts. The backside is if you get into to it with a large fish, and don't have your drag set properly, you can snap your pole and scratch up your guides (if your guides are lined with anything other than porcelain)..
my .02
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